Are one-way guideways practical?
Because of the very small guideway and in-vehicle switching, one-way guideways are an option, but not a necessity. If the guideways are one-way, for a given investment, twice as much land area can be placed within walking distance of stations as with two-way systems. If planners want two-way systems, they are easily provided. We have analyzed the problem of extra trip circuitry with one-way guideways and find that, with a reasonable layout, the extra travel time going nonstop from origin to destination is so small that the cost per passenger-mile is generally less with a one-way system. Return to Top of Page.
