Public Transit in the City of Tomorrow

Flying cars may still be science fiction, but new innovative technologies are emerging to help revolutionize the way we commute. Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) is a form of public transportation that emits zero-emissions, requires no fuel, can travel three to five times faster than buses during a typical rush hour and carries twice the passenger capacity of a freeway lane. PRT uses several small podcar vehicles – about half the weight of a small automobile – and travels along a dedicated guideway. The podcars are powered by a magnetic field that accelerates and decelerates the vehicles, using four times less energy than automobiles.

In a country that boasts indoor ski slopes, underwater hotels, and man-made islands in the shape of the world, it’s no surprise the United Arab Emirates would be on the cutting edge of developing the next generation of public transit. Masdar City aims to be the world’s first carbon-neutral city, when completed in 2016. Because the city is designed for pedestrians, and streets won’t be wide enough to accommodate automobile traffic, cars will be banned from entering the city limits. Residents will instead have access to an extensive, $22 billion underground PRT system for their transportation needs. Powered by solar energy with batteries, the PRT system will operate at approximately 1,500 stations, with a fleet of 2,000 to 3,000 vehicles.

Outside of the United Arab Emirates, most cities aren’t starting from scratch. However, as the technology continues to advance, there may be opportunities to learn from Masdar’s experiment to help improve the reliability, direct connectivity, and efficiency of our future public transportation systems.

Podcar, Photograph courtesy of Arend Kuester

For additional information:

About the City of Masdar – UAE Video
Exploring Personal Rapid Transit – Innovative Transportation Technologies

NEWS

Local News

Cullerton: Gas tax could fund construction needs – Chicago Tribune “New Senate President John Cullerton says Illinois lawmakers should forget about adding casinos to pay for a statewide construction program and instead start thinking about an increase in the gasoline tax.”

Daley hoping to land funds for O'Hare – Chicago Tribune “Mayor Richard Daley met with lawmakers Tuesday to push for Chicago's share of a federal stimulus package, including $50 million he said would be crucial to keeping the expansion of O'Hare International Airport on track.”

Economic analysis shows city's long term, privatized parking deal gave up future millions for cash now – Chicago Tribune “Mayor Richard Daley reaped a windfall and avoided further budget cuts when he secured fast-track City Council approval of a 75-year lease of the parking-meter system, but an economist's analysis concludes he also gave up hundreds of millions down the line

Passengers suffering from Amtrak's winter woes – Chicago Tribune “There is a range of problems causing delayed and canceled trains this winter, from frozen equipment to late servicing of trains, locomotive breakdowns and crew shortages, according to records the Tribune obtained from Amtrak and the Illinois Department of Transportation.”

Freight train traffic to shift in March in wake of rail merger – Chicago Tribune “More freight trains will be rolling through suburbs lining the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway starting March 4 now that the line has been acquired by the Canadian National Railway, the Montreal-based railroad said Sunday.”

Study: $16B needed over 30 years for Ind. Transit – Chicago Tribune “Mass transit options such as commuter rail and buses are becoming more popular, a new state study found, but Indiana would need to spend $16 billion over 30 years to get closer to ridership goals.”

Tollway could bring customer call center home – Daily Herald “The do-it-yourself idea surfaced Thursday as tollway directors asked questions about a $16.7 million increase in a contract with the company that handles calls on I-PASS accounts and violations.”

World News

Thefts puncture Paris bike scheme – BBC “A popular bicycle rental scheme in Paris that has transformed travel in the city has run into problems just 18 months after its successful launch.”

Governor not certain on gas tax hike – Boston Globe “Governor Deval Patrick is considering raising the state's gasoline tax by as much as 29 cents per gallon, which would at once give Massachusetts the highest state gas tax in the country while generating enough revenue to potentially rid the Massachusetts Turnpike of tolls.”

U.S. stimulus transport funds to flow to states: LaHood – Reuters “Despite pleas from many U.S. mayors that transportation funding included in the economic recovery bill currently being debated in Congress go directly to cities, most of the money will flow through state agencies, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said on Thursday.”

Rider Paradox: Surge in Mass, Drop in Transit – New York Times “Transit systems across the country are raising fares and cutting service even when demand is up with record numbers of riders last year, many of whom fled $4-a-gallon gas prices and stop-and-go traffic for seats on buses and trains.”

Cash-for-Clunkers Weighed by Automakers, Lawmakers – Bloomberg “U.S. auto industry lobbyists and lawmakers are discussing a proposal to give consumers as much as $4,500 in government vouchers to replace older cars with more fuel-efficient vehicles.”

Ticket to Ride – The Nation “The greenest way to lift the country out of a deepening recession would be to put people to work building mass-transit infrastructure, which could, in turn, ease the flow of goods and services, help generate economic growth and open economic opportunities to the disadvantaged.”

Resources

Smart Transportation Economic Stimulation: Infrastructure Investments That Support Strategic Planning Objectives Provide True Economic Development – Victoria Transport Policy Institute
Lessons Learned from International Experience in Congestion Pricing - U.S. DOT

Enjoy Talking Transit? The content is a result of the research, outreach and advocacy efforts of MPC’s dedicated Transportation team. You can make a difference on the issues you read about here by making a donation to MPC today, http://www.metroplanning.org/donation.asp.

Contact Information

For comments, suggestions or submissions, please contact Emily Tapia Lopez, Associate, at etapia@metroplanning.org or 312-863-6047.