Urban and intercity passenger transportation
Addressing the pressing challenges of urban agglomeration development
One of the main reasons causing problems for today’s transportation sector is the steady growth of population in large cities. The growing use of urban transport is aggravating the problems of traffic congestion, accidents and pollution.
Huge traffic jams at the entrances to large cities and exits from them have become a common picture for city dwellers. Under such conditions, it is hardly possible to speak about efficient intercity passenger traffic. The construction of new roads and multi-level interchanges does not solve the situation, but only encourages people to use private transport. As a result, the expansion of the road network causes even more serious congestion. By the way, in many large cities, the density of development and the number of roads has reached such a concentration that it is almost impossible to build anything else.
Congested traffic arteries have become an unsolvable problem.
Two-module train on the flexible track structure (Maryina Gorka, Belarus, 2021)
Besides, the construction of new roads exacerbates problems related to pollution and the lack of green areas. Outside the cities, the construction of new highways takes away fertile land from the agricultural industry, disturbs the terrain and harms the biodiversity of the surrounding area.
uST Technologies offer the new level of mobility
Unitsky String Technologies Inc. has the solution to improve the quality of mobility: reducing the level of emissions of harmful substances and noise pollution through the use of electricity, as well as placement of the track structure at a height – above the objects of transport and energy infrastructure, residential and industrial facilities, water and other obstacles.The movement of rolling stock on the “second level” above the ground, bypassing intersections, multi-level interchanges, traffic lights and traffic jams on the “first level”, ensures a high level of safety and high accuracy of compliance with the transportation schedule in all weather conditions and at any time of the year. There is no need to pause at traffic lights which leads to zero stopping and acceleration of the vehicle and, accordingly, excludes reducing the most important logistical indicator – average movement speed. This solution eliminates not only traffic jams, but also accidents and collisions with people and animals. At the same time, automated control systems minimize the negative impact of the human factor on transportation safety.
The speed of urban steel-wheeled uPods (up to 150 km/h) is a precondition for achieving high performance of uST Transport & Infrastructure Complex. The capability to adjust driving intervals and the number of cars on the line depending on its load makes it possible to optimize logistics in real time and significantly reduce operating costs, as well as to ensure smooth resource development of resource of the operated rolling stock. A specific urban uPod, in terms of its passenger capacity, is selected depending on the parameters of the route.
In this case, the cost of erecting of 1 km of uST Transport & Infrastructure Complexes in equal conditions is from 50% of the cost of construction of 1 km of cableway, from 10% of the cost of construction of light rail transport systems and from 4% of the cost of construction of 1 km of metro.
Application
Communication between a city and its suburb
14-seat uBus on the flexible track structure (Maryina Gorka, Belarus, 2019)
uST Transport & Infrastructure Complexes can be a link between a large city and its suburbs. Fast and affordable transportation (up to 150 km/h) will encourage people to move from overcrowded, polluted megacities to neighboring towns, combining the advantages of a large settlement with the relaxed pace of life and clean air in the suburbs. The elevated route of string transport will prevent traffic jams and make the way to the megacity fast, affordable, and comfortable.
Efficient transfer, addressing the traffic jams problem in cities
6-seat uCar on the flexible track structure (Maryina Gorka, Belarus, 2019)
uST Transport & Infrastructure Complexes can be used in cities, as well as for connecting settlements with airports, seaports and train stations, if they are located away from the city. Solutions of Unitsky String Technologies Inc. provide efficient shuttle service unaffected by traffic jams and accidents. Stations can be integrated into terminal buildings, simplifying logistics and minimizing the risk for passengers to miss their departure. Moreover, automated control systems can adapt the travel interval of electric rail vehicles to specific trips, allowing passengers to get to their destination on time and go through all pre-boarding procedures with confidence.
Intercity communication
uBus and uCars on semi-rigid and flexible track structures (Maryina Gorka, Belarus, 2021)
uST Transport & Infrastructure Complexes provide uninterrupted traffic between cities at a speed of up to 150 km/h. Steel-wheeled rail electric cars will never get stuck in traffic jams. At the same time, building the string rail overpass is a more profitable option than building a railroad. There is also no need to build bridges to traverse water barriers, since the distance between the supports of the string rail overpass can reach more than 2 kilometers.
Advantages of uST transport & infrastructure complexes
Fast passenger transportation
The passengers can get to their destination comfortably and safely in a short time due to ensuring the movement of vehicles along the dedicated track structure located on the “second level” and the use of an automatic control system of the Complex. They minimize the risk of traffic jams, as well as any delays caused by the human factor or weather and climatic conditions. String transport is not subject to speed limits, which allows it to move at a maximum permissible speed of up to 150 km/h. The high smoothness of the ride and low noise level, even at a high speed, make the uPod ride as comfortable as possible for the passengers.
Inside the uCar in tropical design
View of string transport used in urban environments
Solution to congestion problem at all levels
Congestion is not a problem for uPods. In addition, due to elevation of the track structure to the second level, passenger traffic is redistributed. As a result, the congestion of the main highways used for the movement of ground transport is reduced.
Routing along the shortest trajectory
uST allows you to lay the route to a city or airport along a shorter trajectory (unlike roads and railways). The length of the clearances between the supports of the string rail overpass can reach 2 kilometers. uST track structure can pass directly over a water barrier (river, lake, swamp), gorge, protected area or any other wide obstacle. There is no need for detours, bridges and transport interchanges, which reduces travel time, downs the costs for construction and maintenance of extra kilometers of roads and for additional energy (fuel) consumption for decades with millions of vehicle runs.
uCar on the territory of the EcoTechnoPark (Maryina Gorka, Belarus, 2022)
EcoFest-2019 (Maryina Gorka, Belarus, 2019)
High carrying capacity
Combined with the overpass-like track structure, high movement speed makes it possible to offer solutions that ensure any passenger traffic. The travel intervals and the number of uPods on the line during the day can be dynamically adjusted in a wide range depending on the density of passenger traffic. During operation, it is possible to couple uPods into trains with virtual (electronic) or mechanical coupling.
Low operating costs
The strength and durability of a string rail track structure is caused by low operating costs for the maintenance of uST Complex in constant readiness for use, regardless of the time of year and climatic conditions, including extreme ones, compared to a highway with a traditional asphalt surface that requires regular maintenance (for example, snow removal in winter) and performing ongoing repairs. The estimated service life of the string rail overpass before its first major repair is from 50 years, as for the rolling stock the duration is 25 years. The costs for maintenance personnel, their salaries, as well as energy consumption are reduced significantly due to automated transportation process and high energy efficiency of transport. All this increases the profitability of passenger transportation and significantly reduces the self-sufficiency period of a string rail transport complex.
2-seat uBike and 14-seat uBus in the EcoTechnoPark (Maryina Gorka, Belarus, 2019)
Suspended bi-rail uBus on the semi-rigid track structure (Maryina Gorka, Belarus, 2021)
Low capital costs
The construction of uST Transport & Infrastructure Complexes is characterized by low capital costs due to the exclusion of embankments, excavations, bridges, crossovers, multi-level junctions, and culverts. The resource intensity and, accordingly, the cost of a string rail overpass is reduced by an order of magnitude in comparison with traditional transport overpasses – automobile and railway, as well as monorails and maglev trains. In addition, there is no need for additional artificial structures to traverse water and other barriers, as well as transport and pedestrian communications.
Unprecedented safety
A high level of transport safety is ensured by a number of features of uST Transport & Infrastructure Complexes. Elevation of the track structure above the ground prevents collisions with pedestrians, cars and other vehicles on the first level. Automated control systems fully control the speed and route, as well as respond promptly to the occurrence of emergency situations caused by external factors. uPods are equipped with the anti-derailment system. uST Transport & Infrastructure Complexes, in comparison with cableways, light rail and rail transport, reveal high stability to extreme weather conditions, natural disasters and vandalism.
Winter landscape in the EcoTechnoPark (Maryina Gorka, Belarus, 2019)
Urban 6-seat uCar (Maryina Gorka, Belarus, 2021)
Sustainability
uST Transport & Infrastructure Complexes produce virtually zero environmental impact and minimum noise levels, which is especially important for regions with strict requirements regarding environmental protection. Maximum sustainability is achieved due to lightweightness of the structural components, minimum land allotment, electric traction and significantly low energy consumption when driving at high speed.
Learn about the estimated cost and duration of the project at the link.
By combining the above characteristics, uST Transport & Infrastructure Complexes most fully meet the requirements to transport systems focused on intercity passenger transportation
