MASS TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH: THE BASIC ISSUES

IN 1968-9 THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT CONTRACTED FOR EVALUATION OF OVER 300 POTENTIAL RESEARCH PROJECTS RELATING TO URBAN MASS PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION. SUBSEQUENTLY, HUD RECOMMENDED EXPENDITURE OF APPROXIMATELY $1 BILLION OVER THE NEXT 5 TO 15 YEARS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT, AND DEMONSTRATION. BECAUSE OF THE DISPARITY BETWEEN THIS RECOMMENDATION AND WHAT IS LIKELY TO BE APPROPRIATED, IT IS ESSENTIAL TO IDENTIFY PRIORITIES FOR URBAN TRANSPORTATION. A SET OF EIGHT TRANSPORTATION GOALS IS DERIVED FROM THESE (UNIDENTIFIED) PROPERTIES AND IS USED TO ESTABLISH SEVERAL SPECIFIC NEEDS: A VARIETY OF NEW SHORT-HAUL, LOW-SPEED PEOPLE-MOVER SYSTEMS; BETTER SERVICE AND LOWER COSTS FOR BUS SYSTEMS; NEW HARDWARE TO PROVIDE IMPROVED PERFORMANCE FOR RAPID TRANSIT; MORE KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE RESPECTING BUS RAPID TRANSIT; AND MORE KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE IMPACT OF TRANSIT ON LAND USE.