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Advantages of Monorail

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ADVANTAGES OF MONORAIL

Freeways, canyons and wet-lands constrain expanded mass-transit and accommodation for auto and bus transportation. Older areas are generally fully built-up on small lots and have problems accommodating multiple auto parking. Only bus routes that are noisy, polluting and uncomfortable to ride can serve these areas on surface streets. The streets are too narrow to handle these added loads and the traffic problems become greater for both commuter and residents

Dedicated right-of-way for light rail cuts communities apart, is disruptive for long periods of construction and interrupts flow of all other surface traffic. When it uses a business street, light rail destroys business and property values. (Look at C St. in downtown San Diego). Normal bus transportation is noisy, environmentally polluting, uncomfortable to ride and can only move at the pace of already congested traffic. Bus-Rapid-Transit (BRT) with dedicated busways can only bring many of the disadvantages of light-rail and the slow speed and discomforts of bus riding to the neighborhoods through which they run. Driver to passenger ratios are higher and variable scheduling more costly.

The one alternative providing safe, fast, comfortable and convenient transport to meet these growing demands is in the air above obstructions that limit planning new routes. A serious look by San Diego transit planners would find monorail transport particularly advantageous toward handling the widespread growth in both central and perimeter residential and business communities.

This section condenses and summarizes features found in the extensive literature in publications on existing and planned systems around the world and the logical conclusions they engender.

updated:  4-4-2005

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