BusTalk

[ripta42]

From the December 2008 ITEMS, the newsletter of the Institute of Transportation Engineers, Illinois Section

PERSONAL RAPID TRANSIT

No cars, trucks, or SUVs in sight. Introducing the most sophisticated transportation system on the horizon—for Masdar City, Abu Dhabi.

Imagine having an accident-free, sophisticated driverless system to move you around town wherever you want, whenever you want. In Masdar, it will be as simple as pressing a button and off you go in a quiet, air-conditioned PRT (personal rapid transportation) unit. Each electric PRT will navigate flat roads safeguarded with guide-way curbs on each side. The PRT will link and connect throughout the city from one destination point to
another. In addition, the system will run twenty four hours a day, seven days a week.

Once completed, Masdar will be the world’s first fully-sustainable eco-city, implementing cuttingedge transportation technology to help meet the
future needs of Masdar’s modern zero-waste and 100 percent renewable energy lifestyle.

Envisioning a society free of vehicle pollution, traffic congestion, and long commutes may seem light years away, but the first thirteen of approximately 3,000 PRT units will be up and running in
August of 2009. The remaining units will be phased in over the next six years.

“We are helping to showcase to the world the many facets of sustainability, and at the same time, laying the groundwork to reinvent mainstream urban transportation,” said John Mogge, CH2M HILL’s transportation technical lead for the Masdar project.

“This unique transportation system is a prototype for future PRTs in urban situations and really demonstrates CH2M HILL’s dedication to sustainability” Mogge said. “We are committed to improving
the environment and being the leader in sustainable technology and implementation in the industry.”