Technix, ATRA, January 11, 2009

Personal Rapid Transit in the Bay Area?

Wayne D. Cottrell, Ph.D.

Technix, ATRA, January 11, 2009

Recent & Current Actions

Planning & Decision Stages• Marin County Transportation Authority of Marin• Milpitas Sunnyhills Neighborhood

Association• San Jose City of San Jose DOT• Santa Cruz City of Santa Cruz Public Works

Congestion Pricing Proposal• San Francisco City of San Francisco

Conceptual Only (Cities21)• Emeryville unofficial• Palo Alto unofficial• Pleasanton unofficial

Technix, ATRA, January 11, 2009

San Francisco Bay Area

Technix, ATRA, January 11, 2009

Marin County

• TAM board members have discussed PRT.• Unimodal proposes to privately develop.• Board members & public are divisive.• Measure A (½¢ sales tax): 55% local transit.

Technix, ATRA, January 11, 2009

Milipitas

• PRT advocated by Sunnyhills Neighborhood Association (SNA).

• Pilot PRT “ferry” suggested.• LRT to Great Mall connection proposed.• PRT would “ferry” riders over railroad.• PRT is “competing” with pedestrian bridge.

Technix, ATRA, January 11, 2009

Milpitas (continued)

• SNA is proposing 3.5-mile PRT.• City has not adopted PRT.• Private entity is resisting pedestrian crossing.• SNA was looking to secure EIR funding.

Technix, ATRA, January 11, 2009

San Jose

• City solicited proposals for PRT in 2008.• Connection between airport & businesses, LRT,

hotels, Caltrain.• 17 proposals received in December 2008.• International response: CAN, GBR, JAP, KOR, POL,

SWE, USA.• Proposals addressed finance, construction,

maintenance and operation.• Laura Stuchinsky, San Jose DOT Sustainability

Officer.

Technix, ATRA, January 11, 2009

Santa Cruz

• Advocated by Citizens for PRT (Santa Cruz).• Vinci Global Services: feasibility study in 2007.• City solicited proposals for PRT in 2008.• Connection between “city” & UC Santa Cruz.• PRT viewed as solution to traffic problems.• Christophe Schneiter, Assistant Director & City

Engineer.

Technix, ATRA, January 11, 2009

San Francisco

• County is studying congestion pricing plan.• FHWA awarded $1 million for study.• Motorists entering city would pay fee.• Goal is to reduce traffic & improve mobility.• Public transit should benefit from increased

patronage & higher speeds.• Transit service response: greater frequency.• Could PRT be integrated into pricing plan?

Technix, ATRA, January 11, 2009

Bay Area PRT Participants

• Cities21 (Palo Alto)• CyberTran International (Emeryville)• IHI Partners (San Jose)• JPods (Santa Clara)• SDI Transit (San Jose)

Technix, ATRA, January 11, 2009

Other Events & Discussion

• Several “grass roots” PRT efforts.• Cities, counties & community groups.• No apparent federal or State involvement.• Funding sources: county sales tax, private.• Federal funds available with tie-in to special

programs.• Carbon-Free Mobility seminar planned for

March 2009.