Fresh Thinking on Transit for Better Livability

07/10/2012 12:27 pm

By: Jenny Schultz

Traffic isn’t just a nuisance; it increases pollution and can make cities less competitive. New transportation strategies continue to be put in place to help redistribute the demand for space and time on roadways. Strategies to incorporate more access and connectivity to transit carry the potential to deliver better environmental outcomes, improved public health, stronger communities and more prosperous and livable cities.

Curitiba, Brazil

This city runs almost completely on bus services carrying 976,000 passengers a day! The most unique aspect of their transit plan is the “Speedy Bus” routes, which only stop at special “tube stations” every 3 km (or almost 2 miles). Attractive glass and steel structures allow for loading and uploading at the bus floor level and all fares are prepaid, thus reducing boarding times to 8 passengers per second.

Curitiba Tube Station

Hong Kong, China

90% of travelling is done by mass transit, the highest rate in the world, moving commuters by rail, buses, bikes, ferries, air transport and cable cars. The 7 million daily riders have access to an “Octopus Card,” which is their transit pass, and also accepted as currency at parking meters, convenience stores and fast food restaurants.

WVU Personal Rapid Transit Car

Morgantown, West Virginia

Morgantown is one of the areas of the country you might not expect a ground-breaking transit plan to be in place, but it has one of the most innovative. In this college town, America’s one and only Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) system serves downtown and the WVU campus. Riders hop into cars and travel directly from point A to B without stopping at other stations along the way. The city used to rely on shuttle buses but traffic was so bad that the school had to schedule classes as much as two hours apart so students wouldn’t be late. The PRT made it possible to schedule more classes, which meant enrolling more students. During the fall and spring semesters, 15,000 passengers between 5 stations along an 8.7 mile track are moved in self-propelled cars, holding as many as 20 passengers at a time.

Moscow, Russia

Moscow has one of the oldest grids in the word and is the second most heavily used system, carrying over 7.5 million people a day. Its entire network of routes is over 290 km (180+ miles) with clean, ornate stations. Stations boast reflective marble walls, high ceilings and grandiose chandeliers. Its biggest marvel is its efficiency; it is considered the most reliable subway in the world so commuters can’t blame it if they arrive late to work.

Komsomolskaya Subway Station

Our state, along with others across the nation, has borrowed concepts from the mainstream transit planning from countries that have notably the best transit systems in the world. By modeling plans from the best, Denver, New York, San Francisco, and Portland are regarded by many as the top transit cities in the country. Future hopes and conceptual plans to build more transit infrastructure across Georgia have many sources worldwide from which to draw inspiration.

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Fresh Thinking on Transit for Better Livability

Curitiba Tube Station

WVU Personal Rapid Transit Car

Komsomolskaya Subway Station

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May 2013