METROROUTES: AN URBAN TRANSPORTATION INNOVATION

A new kind of underground urban motorway has evolved in response to increasing urban congestion and environmental constraints. These are underground tunnels than can accommodate up to six lanes of traffic safely and more inexpensively than conventional road facilities. The cost of constructing metroroutes can be made much lower if they are reserved for light vehicles, and the associated environmental and safety impacts can be minimized through innovative design. The French government is studying potential applications of metroroutes in Paris and other French cities. Several other metroroute projects have been proposed in other European nations. Metroroutes have the potential to transform the transportation industry by offering new solutions to urban transportation problems.