American highways have become congested, overcrowded, and dangerous for drivers in recent years. Cities have tried to build more roads and offer different lanes for different drivers yet it still seems to make no major impact. Due to the overwhelming amount of vehicles taking up space on the road and contributing to pollution, cities have begun investing their time and money into the future of public transportation.
For most of the major cities in the United States, there is already a mass transit system in effect such as the subways of New York City, the bus rail of San Fransisco and so on. Yet these transit systems seem outdated compared to what innovators have recently been able to propose. The use of public transportation is on the rise according to the American Public Transportation Association. Their report established that more and more people are turning to alternative routes in the way they get from point A to point B. Driving systems such as Uber and Lyft have contributed to that notion of people becoming exhausted from the overpopulated roads and needing some other form of travel. In recent years the number has skyrocketed in the amount of public transit trips taken. 10.8 billion trips were taken on U.S. mass transit systems in 2014 which is the highest ridership in over 58 years!
Honolulu Paving the Way
Honolulu, Hawaii is surprisingly next after Los Angeles in having the worst traffic congestion in the country, which they are currently trying to fix. They have come up with America’s first fully automated wide scaled urban transit system. The Honolulu Rail Transit Project will cost the metro area of nearly 1 million people over 5.2 billion dollars to complete. The driverless system will be cheaper than a manually driven rail and will be safer too. There have been transit systems where driver error has led to collisions or other incidents which has led researchers to look for other safer options. Honolulu’s proposed system will be an elevated 20-mile rail line that will take passengers between downtown and outlying communities in a fraction of the time it currently takes them to crawl through rush hour traffic. This will reduce congestion by 18% and take up to 40,000 cars off the road. Although this idea of a driverless system has yet to catch on in mainland USA other countries worldwide have already jumped on this idea and are seeing the benefits of it. Driverless trains have become fairly common in Asia and in Europe, where Paris automated its oldest and busiest metro line back in 2012, increasing passengers per hour by 25%.
Alternative Public Transportation Idea
Honolulu may be paving the way for the future of urban transportation, but others have been able to come up with a win/win scenario in which they don’t need to build an entirely new rail system and instead can build directly on top of already built roads! The Chinese idea of a ‘straddling bus’ is becoming more popular as it has peaked the interests of many nations. the SB will reduce congestion, and make use of current existing infrastructure. The futuristic train would roll on stilts above traffic using small tracks positioned between lanes of traffic while passengers get on and off at elevated bus stops. The result is amazing in the way it is able to add additional carrying capacity for urban roads, no disruption to traffic, and has no need for an independent track system. This may actually be something that every city may begin to look into as it is cost effective and allows for a quick and easy fix to an already unstable, growing problem.
CONTACT HERRMAN & HERRMAN IF YOU HAVE BEEN INJURED IN ANY OF THE FOLLOWING TYPES OF ACCIDENTS:
We can help you if you have been harmed by the following:
- Car accidents – Our lawyers have extensive experience handling car accident cases. We will work to identify the party or parties at fault for the crash and build a case to demonstrate persuasively how the parties caused the accident and your injuries. We will seek fair and full compensation through a negotiated settlement or at trial if necessary.
- Truck accidents – Thousands of large commercial trucks travel the roads of Texas every single day. Unfortunately, careless truck drivers and trucking companies disregarding safety put innocent people at risk of serious injuries. If you’ve been injured in a truck accident, let our experienced Texas personal injury lawyers stand up to the trucking companies and insurers on your behalf.
- Motorcycle accidents – Motorcycle riders often suffer grievous injuries in crashes caused by other motorists. Too many motorcycle accidents in Corpus Christi are caused by careless drivers who don’t look for motorcycle riders or violate their right of way. Our personal injury lawyers will work to cut through the bias and stigma against motorcycle riders. Our goal is to seek the financial compensation that you’ll need to recover from a serious motorcycle accident and injuries such as bone fractures, road rash, or traumatic brain injury.
- Product liability – Product manufacturers have a legal obligation to make products that are safe for their intended uses and to warn consumers of any risks that may come with the product. When products have design or manufacturing defects or undisclosed dangers, the product manufacturer may be legally responsible for injuries suffered by consumers. Our attorneys can help you evaluate whether you have a valid product liability claim.
- Brain injury – Brain injuries can leave accident victims with disabilities that leave them unable to work or perform many tasks of daily living. Seeking compensation for a brain injury in an accident often proves incredibly complex. The brain injury survivor may seek compensation for anticipated future medical care and the medical care already provided. Our personal injury lawyers can help you through the difficult recovery process following a brain injury and will fight to make sure you have the resources you need.
- Spinal injury – Spinal cord injuries could cost millions of dollars of care over the course of the victim’s lifetime, especially when those injuries result in partial or complete paralysis, such as paraplegia or quadriplegia. If you or your loved one has suffered a spinal cord injury, you deserve compassionate legal representation. Our attorney can help you determine whether you may be entitled to claim compensation for your injury and expenses related to living with the disability, such as making a home more accessible.
- Wrongful death – If you have lost a loved one due to the negligent or reckless actions of another party, your family deserves to seek accountability and compensation from those at fault for the wrongful death. Our caring and dedicated attorneys can help guide you and your family through this difficult and painful time and seek justice for your loved one.
ABOUT HERRMAN & HERRMAN PERSONAL INJURY LAWYERS
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