Technix 2010

Several dozen ATRA members rolled up their sleeves to share and savor PRTⁱ news and work last January 10 outside Washington DC. There was a lot to talk about. Everyone seemed eager to absorb the new rhythms from enthusiasts and professionals who are busy with advanced transit.

New Board member Joerg Schweizer described a study for a coastal city near Bologna, Italy, where German-born Joerg teaches lives and teaches. Software consultant Ian Ford put out his cutting-edge thoughts about grid layouts. He spoke of tri-sects and nine-sects in a search for optimal design algorithms. Secretary Wayne Cottrell announced that ATRA wants to create a research arm dubbed ATRI (Advanced Transit Research Institute). Email him your ideas at waynecottrell@advancedtransit.net.

Bob Johnson showed progress in his robo-car work, and Bill Newton described his efforts to educate local and state officials in the Newport News area of Virginia.

Think about next January -- 2011. Do you want to present your advanced transit work to ATRA colleagues and friends? It’s possible. Technix 2011 is your event.

Heathrow Dazzle

For the first time, Technix took place at the University of Maryland, conveniently located outside Washington DC. What a great metro location the Center for Advanced Transportation Technology has – a short walk from a Metro station and near the intersection of I-95 (the main street of the East Coast megalopolis) and Washington’s infamous Beltway. ATRA president Stan Young works at CATT, who generously hosted the event, assisted by Carly Keane ckeane@umd.edu.

Stan welcomed the lively crowd over coffee Sunday morning. The first presenter was Martin Lowson with an excellent BBC video of the BAA installation and start-up of Ultra at Heathrow Airport. Full service is expected mid-year, Asked about costs, Martin said they still have confidence in $10-15 million per one-way mile as a rule of thumb. For another useful measure, an economist has calculated that each minute in connect time saved for air travelers equals a pound (~$1.75) a day more in parking value. The BBC reporter described the Heathrow PRT ride using adjectives such as “Star-Trek” -- a bit “weird” and “not quite normal” – these were not criticisms, but rather observations of a new world of completely driverless and quit transportation. The effect of the BBC video was to whet the public’s appetite for this new advanced in transportation.

Heartland Visions

Colorado-based Peter Muller described PRT studies for Fort Carson (a military based near Colorado Springs), the Village West district near Kansas City, and BWI (Baltimore’s airport aimed to capture a profitable chunk of Greater Washington). Peter passed out attractive new PRT Consulting brochures as well.

Images from the meeting.