UPDATING ADVANCED URBAN TRANSIT TECHNOLOGY

The role of automated guideway transit is examined as a means of establishing a viable public transport mode in center cities. Central business districts and activity centers can be served by such intermediate capacity transit systems which can be built as aerial systems that do not incur the high capital costs of subways and have greater capacity than light rail when it must be mingled with street traffic. The author also finds lower operating and maintenance costs, citing experience of 15 domestic AGT operations, 9 of which have been in operation for over 5 years.