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RTA Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on Monorail Technology

From: The Final EIS, Regional Transit System Plan, Chapter 2.0 Alternatives, 2.6.8 Alternative Rail Technologies, Vol. I, page 2-68, March 1993.

"In this EIS, it is assumed that a rail system would operate like new systems in other cities, including San Diego, Portland, and Vancouver, B.C., and that it would have similar impacts. This technology has been used extensively and its advantages and disadvantages are apparent. Other possible technologies, such as monorail, maglev, or terrafoil (see Glossary), have not been used on a city-wide basis for intraurban transportation and have not been tested on operational issues such as switching, crossing lines, and carrying large passenger loads between urban stations (PBQD 1991j,k). In addition, some of the proposed rail systems facilities, including the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel and the I-90 floating bridge, were specifically designed to accomodate a conventional rapid rail system. Other technologies would be more difficult or impossible to accomodate (Gannett-DeLeuw 1990). Adverse impacts of different rail technology would likely be similar to or worse than those of conventional rail. If a different type of technology is chosen, potential differences in its environmental impacts would be considered in subsequent environmental reviews."

From the References section:

Parsons Brinckerhoff/Kaiser Engineers Team. 1991j. Rail Technologies and Design Guidelines Update Report. Seattle, WA.

Parsons Brinckerhoff/Kaiser Engineers Team. 1991k, Rail Technology Perspective Technical Memorandum, Seattle, WA.

Gannett-DeLeuw. 1990. Rail Transit Technology and Design Guidelines. Seattle, WA.

From the Glossary section:

Monorail. A transit system (usually elevated) made up of electric-powered vehicles guided by a single rail or beam.

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Last modified: February 07, 2011