Taking Development Pressure
off the Agricultural reserve
As we look for solutions for removing commuter traffic, development pressure, and storm
water runoff from the Agricultural Reserve, we should consider a new approach to our
transportation challenges in the I-270 Corridor. That new approach, we believe, is monorail.
by robert eisinger
Ever since going to Disney World back in the
70s, I have been intrigued by monorail: a transportation
system that rides above ground, is
built offsite, is erected like a Lego set at night,
doesn’t interfere with roadways or underground utilities,
and quietly runs on environmentally clean electricity,
all while projecting a futuristic image.
These qualities inspired me to form The High Road
Foundation, a 501c4 nonprofit dedicated to studying
monorail, and to promote whatever transit technology
made sense to help fix the crazy automotive traffic
problems we have in our region.
The first thing I wanted to understand was the
true cost of monorail versus competing transportation
technologies, like Bus Rapid Transit (BRT). I discovered
that the annual operating costs per passenger for
monorail are about half of a BRT or light or heavy rail,
and that the lifespan of the monorail system exceeds
50 years, compared to BRT, which needs to be completely
replaced every 10-12 years. Light rail and heavy
rail tend to require much more maintenance since
they travel through surface dirt and stormwater. Their
metal wheels wear out their metal rails over time,
while monorail’s rubber tires provide a gentler ride
and are much easier and less expensive to replace, to
identify just a couple components elements for operating
savings.
Monorail is also the only transit mode that can
penetrate habitable space while you are sitting next to
it having a cup of coffee. Look at Disney World and the
monorail coming into its Disney Contemporary Resort.
It was built 50 years ago and remains virtually unchanged.
It’s timeless. So even if the initial costs were
more for monorail, I believe the lower long-term oper-
Monorail glides into the lobby at Disney Contemporary Resort.
ating costs and some station costs could be shifted to
developers and make this a more sound investment.
Monorails are much more environmentally friendly
than surface transit from construction through their
lifespan. A primary issue is stormwater runoff. Pavement
on 1-270—and even the MARC track beds—shed
storm water into the many streams going through the
Agricultural Reserve.
Monorail has a very small Monorail has a very
storm water footprint...only small stormwater
footprint by comparison,
only touching the
touching the ground every
100-120 feet, and because ground every 100-120
it would also be removing feet, and because it
would also be removing
traffic from the
traffic from the roadway it
would consequently remove roadway it would
much of the road pollution consequently remove
much of the road pollution
entering the Ag
entering the Ag Reserve’s
streambeds.
Reserve’s streambeds.
plenty I summer growing 2020 33