Application Briefs

Traffic congestion is a major factor in the deterioration of our downtown urban areas, contributing to the migration of residents and shoppers to the suburbs and the relocation of businesses to more accessible locations. The US Department of Transportation has identified automated guideway transit systems, particularly shuttle-loop systems, as a research and development area that has great potential for solving circulation problems in high-density areas. To develop and evaluate this technology, the Urban Mass Transportation Administration is going forward with a number of programs, such as the Downtown People Mover project. UMTA is providing technical assistance in the implementation of DPMs in several cities, to demonstrate the benefits of such systems.