HD53 - Technology Available to Address Traffic Problems in the I-66 Corridor


Executive Summary:
During its 1999 Session, the Virginia General Assembly passed House Joint Resolution (HJR) 715 directing the Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) to “assess the technology available to address travel problems in the I-66 corridor and the suitability of such technology for implementation in the next 10 years.” Similar language also appears in the 1999 Acts of Assembly, Item 535E (note: the only difference is the implementation timeframe, 2 years instead of 10 years. This report addresses both timeframes).

The study team examined two candidate technologies: System 21, a suspended monobeam system, and Bus Rapid Transit (BRT). Both technologies are capable of being implemented within the next 10 years and have the potential to serve as alternatives or supplemental systems to the recommendations adopted in the recently completed I-66 Major Investment Study (MIS). Although the assessment validates both technologies, further analysis is required and recommended to determine the benefits of each technology to the I-66 corridor and how these technologies could be implemented under various scenarios.

The report assesses each technology in terms of its development status, features, advantages, and feasibility. System 21 is a conceptual suspended monobeam system capable of operating simultaneous two-way traffic on either side of a narrow triangular shaped beam. The system is prefabricated off-site for easy and quick implementation. Trains can operate in consists of one to ten vehicles at up to 70 mph and carrying potentially more than 20,000 passengers per hour, per direction. The system’s tight 90-foot turning radius provides it with the flexibility to operate in urban settings and its 6-foot wide beam and modest sized support beams are unobtrusive.

The system is progressing towards development in January 2000 with the construction of a full-scale prototype. A quarter-scale “proof of concept” model has already validated the systems geometric and engineering principles. The development plan for this technology is discussed in this report and opportunities for implementation in the I-66 Corridor are examined in a general sense.

BRT is a relatively new concept to the United States that is being promoted through a Federal Transit Administration (FTA) demonstration program. Bus rapid transit (BRT) combines the quality of rail transit and the flexibility of buses. BRT service can operate on exclusive transitways, HOV lanes, expressways, or ordinary streets. A complete BRT system combines intelligent transportation systems technology, priority for transit, cleaner and quieter vehicles, rapid and convenient fare collection, and integration with local land use policy.

Virginia’s Dulles Corridor is one of the premier test sites in the program. BRT can be used as a stand alone transit alternative or as in the Dulles Corridor project, a step leading to the implementation of rail. A discussion is provided on the similarities and differences between implementing BRT in the Dulles Corridor versus the I-66 Corridor.