  The Braess paradox is a counter-intuitive phenomenon whereby adding roads to
a network results in higher travel time at equilibrium. In this paper we
present an algorithm to detect the occurrence of this paradox in real-world
networks with the help of an improved graph representation accounting for
queues. The addition of queues to the network representation enables a closer
match with real data. Moreover, we search for routes causing this phenomenon
("Braess routes") rather than links, and advocate removing such routes
virtually from navigation systems so that the associated links can continue to
serve other routes. Our algorithm relies on a convex optimization problem
utilizing Beckmann potentials for road links as well as queues, and results in
a route reconfiguration with reduced delay. We assume the availability of
historical data to build the optimization model. We also assume the existence
of a centralized navigation system to manage the routing options and remove the
Braess routes. The theoretical solution demonstrates up to 12% delay reduction
in a network from Montgomery County, Maryland. We validate the improvement with
simulations.
