2020 VISION IN NEED OF FASTER PACE!

Last year I attended a 2020 “Action Force” meeting. The meeting was called to listen to two alternative proponents of cultural building expansions in the downtown area.

It was conducted most professionally. John Pryor recorded the events in an excellent comparison of the two local interest presentations on an Excel format. He added a third comparison of his experience noting his obvious regard for the qualities that should be found in a Symphony facility. This provided a well balance perspective.

The role John Pryor played as the middle man in the attempt to be a force in bringing 2020 vision to a measure of reality was commendable. My opinion of the 2020 Vision effort generally to date — even with volunteers and good intentions of an “educational” process placing dreams from different sources (2020 plans, DBA plans, GBCofC plans, City Charrette plans, City Manager Entertainment plans, Centennial Freeway Plans and private stakeholders plans!) are null and void without a specific City Downtown Master Plan.

The 2020 Metropolitan plan which has to be approved by the Board and Council in its current update activity has not considered downtown as worthy to even have a legitimate plan! Only “Approved Plans” have legitimacy when voted upon by our elected decision makers. Approved as such these plans then have the force of “law” behind them. They become legal when both City and County decision makers vote the final document.

All these different dreams and visions need a public/private integration process to give the downtown some semblance of direction toward a long-term linked future, rather than only a series of separate contingency short term plans.

My regret for example is for the lack of motion in regard to the Metropolitan Park scenario. After donating a half-year of urban design effort toward moving that program and project forward it is truly disappointing that it appears to have died on the vine.

Like the many “Plans” that I have observed passing through the motions of good Citizen, City and County intentions over the past years the change of decision makers and staff is a constant. With these leadership changes come many alterations to our downtown goals and objectives within the annual proposed development framework considerations. Short-term actions fulfill needs for securing taxes and fees for city fiscal purposes while long term “investment” planning is discarded as being to far in the future to contemplate seriously.

My hope is that the perseverance and persistence remains with a determined citizenry. The 2020 vision plan together with all the other plans are slowly collecting dust on shelves of participants. Success for the 2020 vision folk as well as all the other plan makers should never let up on attempting to get a comprehensive downtown development framework plan approved.

However the burden should not only be left to the groups and individuals involved in emotional imaginary “spurts.” The downtown landowners should be more than thankful for all those efforts by citizens to raise the value of their properties. It is amazing that they do not more seriously take advantage of these swells of activity to bring quality of life to their aging facilities.

One wishes that the same missionary zeal shared by these citizens would likewise focus on my property in Rosedale.

BY Graham Kaye-Eddie – Master Urban Designer.

Makabusi Inc. – Bakersfield – California

Email – makabusi@pacbell.net

News from the MONORAIL SOCIETY

Another city has decided to build a major monorail system!

Florida High Speed Rail Authority Technical Report

Highlights

This study focused on corridors between St Petersburg and Orlando. The results were extrapolated to develop an infrastructure capital cost for a 219.5 mile turnpike median route between Orlando and Miami. Average per mile costs for each technology option were developed by averaging the per mile cost for each route option (excluding the Tampa-St Petersburg segment, which includes a major waterway bridge structure). The expected cost was developed with an additional 15% factor applied to recognize the uncertainty inherent is the process. The maglev technology estimate was developed in a similar manner, using the basic $ 70 million per mile and adding 15%. For comparative purposes, the basic rounded unit prices (including the 15% increment) are as follows:

Non-Electrified 120-150 mph: $16.0 million per mi Electrified 180+ mph: $20.9 million per mi Maglev: $80.5 million per mi

As noted previously, all costs have been developed in year 2000 dollars. This facilitates comparison with previous reports and employs existing unit cost data. An escalation factor of 2-3% per annum may be applied to inflate to current year values.

Several recent studies in the US have prepared conceptual design plans and cost estimates for Maglev systems. As noted previously, this study did not prepare an optimal tangent alignment for a high-speed Maglev system, but rather used the constrained highway median corridor. Specific unit costs and quantities for Maglev civil and wayside system elements were not developed. Rather, a per mile unit infrastructure cost of $70 million per mile was applied to the route option lengths to produce the capital cost estimates. This value is consistent with the costs presented in recent studies based on the German Transrapid system, which is the Maglev technology that appears closest to commercial development.

Exhibit 5.1:Travel Times by Route and Technology* For Tampa-Orlando Fastest Route Shown

120+ mph 150+ mph 180+ mph 250+ mph I-4: Tampa US-OIA via Greenway with a Disney stop 1:01 0:56 0:58 0:55 84.17 miles

As noted in Section 5 of this study, the use of the existing transportation corridors with their inherent speed restricting curvature significantly limits the performance advantage of the higher speed technologies, particularly that of magnetic levitation systems. Thus, we have focused our effort on analyzing issues and costs for steel wheel on steel rail technologies, while not precluding the application of a maglev system.

Maglev systems have similar geometric requirements to those of steel wheel high speed rail systems. The maglev guideway is warped or tilted in curves to minimize or eliminate the side force experienced by the passengers as the vehicle traverses a curve. This guideway warp is introduced simultaneously with a gradual increase in curvature from the tangent guideway segment to the circular curve guideway segment. Maglev manufacturers refer to this guideway element as a transition curve. Typical maximum values of warp or tilt are 12 degrees in normal high speed curves and 16 degrees in slow speed curves. The length of the transition curve is determined by the desired roll rate of the vehicle as it travels through the transition

Technology Options

120+ MPH TECHNOLOGY OPTION One of the representative, generic trainset types of the 120+ mph technology is the Talgo trainset. This system features a locomotive/cab car on each end with a set of permanently articulated single axle passenger cars in between. The locomotives can be conventional diesel electrics, as operated by Amtrak, or lightweight, low profile power units integral with the passenger cars for higher speed service as selected for this study. The passenger cars have a passive tilt system for high cornering speeds. The advantages of this system are that equipment has a proven performance record over many years, including service in the US, and it is lightweight with low axle loadings, making it very efficient. The disadvantage is that it is relatively inflexible in that it is difficult to add or remove additional passenger cars to a trainset or to remove the locomotives for maintenance requirements.

150+ MPH TECHNOLOGY OPTION The American Flyer/Advanced Turbine Locomotive is the option chosen for the 150+ mph option. This system allows for high speeds and acceleration rates without the need for expensive overhead catenary systems. The passenger cars feature an active tilting system with relatively conventional coupling systems, allowing for the addition or subtraction of cars from a trainset. The electric version of this system, the Acela train is already in operation, and has a proven track record. Gas-turbine power units typically provide faster acceleration rates and higher top speeds than diesel-electrics, but consume more fuel and require more maintenance than other motive power, potentially resulting in greater life cycle costs. Both British Rail and SNCF used the gas-turbine technology to test early versions of the 150-mph technology in the 1980s.

180+ MPH TECHNOLOGY OPTION At speeds of 180+ mph, electric traction provides the only real alternative. The French-designed TGV-Atlantique is one of the most successful examples. The advantage of this type of equipment is that train size is relatively flexible with the ability to add or remove cars. The disadvantage is the increased capital and maintenance cost requirements for the overhead catenary system. It has also not yet been introduced into domestic operation in the US, which may result in modifications to European design train systems and components. It is also a technology that has not been fully approved for domestic service by the US DOT/FRA

250+ MPH TECHNOLOGY OPTION Maglev is the only high-speed-rail technology option available for speeds in excess of 250 mph. The Transrapid-electromagnetic Maglev system constitutes the generic design chosen for this analysis, as it is the only system available for commercial service in the near term. The electromagnetic Maglev technology is also the system used by the candidates chosen by the FRA for its Maglev Deployment Program. This program will serve to demonstrate Maglev technology in commercial US operation. The two systems currently under evaluation are 1) A connection between Baltimore, MD, and Washington, DC, and 2) A link in the Pittsburgh, PA, and area. The disadvantage of the electromagnetic Maglev systems is that it requires a greater precision in comparison with steel-wheel technologies in building and maintaining equipment and track tolerance for optimum operation, potentially increasing relative capital and life cycle costs.

From walking to railways

The railways are in seemingly inexorable decline in the country that invented them. As the debate on the City&Country strand moves from walking to rail travel, the strand co-editors see an intrinsic connection between revivifying rail travel and repairing society. But can either withstand the relentless spread of the motor vehicle?

Rail's Future Nears a Switch

If other companies are interested in bidding for routes now run by Amtrak, why not let them?

Researchers propose swift cross-border rail package

(Extract) "A Hong Kong-Shanghai Maglev would stretch along a 1,600km coastal line, with a possible link to Taiwan." Antoine So 01/17/2002

Researchers are to submit a package of cross-border rail network proposals to the mainland and SAR governments with a view to boosting transport links.

The proposals include magnetic-rail connections to Guangzhou and Shanghai and an express road-and-rail link with Zhuhai and Macau. Another proposal is an extension of the West Rail to Shenzhen.

The package was outlined yesterday by the Hong Kong-China Relation Strategic Development Research Fund, chaired by former lawmaker Cheng Yiu-tong.

Planner Richard Yu Lap-kee, who headed the project, said the magnetic-rail links were needed to cope with rapid economic development on the mainland.

The magnetic-levitated (Maglev) rail system, which is now being tested in Germany, Japan, Xian and Shanghai, should be used for long-haul trips, Mr Yu said. Its frictionless operation enables a maximum speed of 500km/h - two-thirds faster than an ordinary express train - although construction costs would be 25 to 50 per cent higher.

A Hong Kong-Shanghai Maglev would stretch along a 1,600km coastal line, with a possible link to Taiwan.

If a mainland-proposed Beijing-Guangzhou Maglev link was also built, it would cut the rail journey time from Hong Kong to the capital from 20 to six hours.

The mainland is also studying two other Maglev lines: from Beijing to Shanghai and between the capital and Harbin.

Mr Yu said a rail and road link between Tuen Mun, Zhuhai and Macau would be needed in the face of rapid development.

The West Rail in the northwest New Territories could also be extended to link Shenzhen International Airport and Dongguan, according to the group, which has so far offered no cost estimates.

Mr Cheng warned any delay in transport and policy co-operations could isolate the SAR. "We will lose to other cities," he said.

Mr Cheng also urged the SAR Government to set up more regional offices in the delta.

A spokeswoman for the Transport Bureau said the Government would consider all rail modes, including the Maglev option, adding that developments in the Pearl River Delta would be taken into consideration in drafting cross-border rail links.

All Material Subject to Copyright Copyright 2002. All Rights Reserved.

Financial Times Information Limited - Asia Africa Intelligence Wire Copyright © 2002 Financial Times Limited - All Rights Reserved <http://news.ft.com>

An Architects Challenge

Our houses are such unwieldy property that we are often imprisoned rather than housed in them. -Henry David Thoreau, naturalist and author (1817-1862)

Washington is US's No. 1 college town, survey finds

Each year, the Princeton Review, a test-preparation and college-resource company, conducts surveys among students across the nation for the purpose of ranking schools in 62 categories. One of them: the "best college town," based on how favorably each student responds to questions about where his or her campus is located, such as the availability of coffee houses, clubs, and other entertainment venues. The top college towns and their major schools, as listed in the review's 2002 edition of "The Best 331 Colleges":

Washington (American University, George Washington, Georgetown, Catholic University)

Atlanta (Emory, Georgia Tech)

Boston (Boston University, Boston College, Northeastern, Emerson)

New York (Columbia, NYU, Cooper Union)

Athens, Ga. (University of Georgia)

Berkeley, Calif. (University of California main campus)

New Orleans (Tulane University)

Ann Arbor, Mich. (University of Michigan)

- Associated Press Business & Finance

Fuel cell or fuel efficiency?

An investment in the transition to a hydrogen economy is needed A- but we still need cars that get good gas mileage. By Ed Hunt

Whose idea is it, anyway?

'Bounty hunters' track the validity of patents Patents have been essential to ensuring innovation. But the US may be fencing itself in by putting too many new developments under patent protection. By Ruth Walker

Contractors at Ground Zero Denied Insurance for Cleanup

Contracting companies excavating ground zero are working with energy and devotion, but without insurance.

TODAY IN HISTORY

On this day in 1964, plans for World Trade Center announced

ZIMBABWE WHISPERS -- Mugabe's grip tightens on elections

As Zimbabwe's Parliament outlaws opposition, Europe and the US consider whether to impose sanctions. By Nicole Itano