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 APMs
- Automated People Movers
An Automated
People Mover is a passenger
transport system with high
levels of electronic intelligence
so that vehicles are operated
by computers over exclusive
guideways without need for
attendants. Progressive engineers
and planners have worked on
APMs since the 1960s, and
today almost 130 installations
operate around the world.
We publish an annually updated listing of all operating
APMs around the world, and listing of all APM projects underway.
Some APMs
have vehicle or station attendants,
but
they
do not "drive" the
vehicle or trains of vehicles.
Other APMs are on the scale
of mass transit, often referred
to as AGT (automated guideway
transit) or driverless metros.
Lighter scale versions are
sometimes called (often incorrectly) "monorails" (and
are not necessarily elevated).
Short, simple APMs can be
labeled shuttles or "hectos" whereas
more technologically advanced
and attractive concepts go
by the acronym of PRT for
Personal Rapid Transit.
APM Advantages
APMs can
be used to better configure
land use patterns and parking,
allowing a strong pedestrian
focus in a city or business
center's core, which can be
virtually car-free. Here are
four principles planners can
use in exploring the possibilities
of a new urbanism:
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APMs
can create more
focused, higher
density centers.
Intercept parking
on the periphery
can reduce the
use of cars in
the core, thereby
improving the
pedestrian environment
and allowing higher
densities. APMs
can also interconnect
different parts
of a center without
the need for extra
parking and street
capacity. |
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Guideway
and station
dimensions
are significantly
smaller
in APMs
than what
is common
with rail transit,
even light
rail.
Alignments
can negotiate
sharper
turns and
steeper grades.
APM
stations
are
typically
spaced much
more closely
together—every
1500 feet
or 500 meters
is
a comfortable
distance.
This compares
to
recommended
station
spacing
of 3300
feet
(1 kilometer)
for light
rail and
1-2 miles
(2-3 kilometers)
for rapid
transit.
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Smaller,
quieter stations
can be integrated
directly into
buildings. In
this manner
APMs can be
planned and
implemented
not as stand-alone
systems, but
instead as district
infrastructure.
This makes the
service they
offer much more
attractive to
the public,
raising ridership
and financial
viability. There
are cost and
access issues
to be explored
and analyzed...fire
and public safety
are two that
come to mind.
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The
smaller scale
and integration
of the station
into buildings
opens new prospects
for better tying
the real estate
development
process into
mobility systems.
Investment in
transit improvements
increases property
values. Some
of this wealth
should be used
to pay for the
transit improvement.
Working on a
smaller scale
within a special
development
or redevelopment
makes this more
achievable. The
photo
on the right
shows freestanding
guideways along
streets in RED (also
below on the
left)
and guideways
integrated into
buildings in
BLUE (below,
on the right).
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to top)
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along street |
through buildings |
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