Use the interstates for a mono rail/meg lift down the center strip for city to city connection. n/t

[CK_John]

[silverweb]

1. What's a meg lift?

The idea sounds brilliant, but I can't define "meg lift" via Google.

Actually, it sounds too practical for anyone in the U.S. to actually try.... :eyes:

[nxylas]

2. Perhaps you meant maglev?

Magnetic levitation, a means of high speed propulsion for train journeys of 30-300 miles.

[silverweb]

5. Of course!

I was reading it from the OP subject line and just couldn't imagine what that could be... should have thought of maglev!

Thanks! :hi:

[ramapo]

3. Hey...that's my idea ...and mag lev

I think CK_John meant mag lev.

My transportation fantasy has long been a mono rail down the center median of most every highway with a tiered feeder system. It just seems so damned obvious. Buses should travel secondary routes feeding the mono rail. Service needs to be frequent. Light rail can link some areas. There can even be parking sites for cars for those too far to service efficiently.

There are a few places where you can see this idea put into service. The Red Line in Chicago, both from the Southside and out to O'Hare is one and going out to Kennedy Airport in Queens, NY.

Time to reallocate the billions being wasted by the military-industrial complex and put the money to good use building an infrastructure that might put the United States back in a leadership role in the world. Such a project would rival, maybe even dwarf, the construction boom of the 1950-1960 Interstate Highway project. Lots of jobs,lots of opportunity.

[AndyTiedye]

4. We Have BART in the Middle of Some Bay Area Freeways

BART has been able to expand much more rapidly when it can use the existing right-of-way.

Freeways and rapid transit have similar grade separation requirements,
(especially if the rapid transit is of the third-rail variety), and freeways make
enough noise on their own that the trains don't make a noticeable difference.
When rapid transit has to acquire its own right-of-way, it can take much longer
and be far more expensive, especially if it is forced underground.

Monorails are skinny, so they would be easier to retrofit onto existing freeways,
but how rapid are they? The one in Seattle was pretty slow (and not running
the last time I was there). Can they go fast?

[brooklynite]

6. Don't take this the wrong way but...

in the transit biz, we call this a solution in search of a problem. FIRST figure out who you're trying to move and wher, THEN identify the best mode and route (the Feds would require you to if you wanted their money for construction.

[hunter]

7. Just get rid of the cars and use electric trains and busses...

:P

Okay, maybe you could use two lanes for the exclusive use of cars, but if you get stuck behind some 95 year old Arnold Schwarzenegger driving along at 45 mph in his Hummer with his left turn signal blinking mile after mile after mile, don't blame me.

I'm deeply prejudiced against cars, maybe 'cause my feet can always take me places a car could never go.