Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Traffic communications when mixing HOT and BRT lanes

Traffic telecom is valuable, and private cars in HOT lanes have transponders, and thus can communicate with today's BRT vehicles. So, right from the start, we use that capability to coordinate between HOT lane vehicles and BRT lane vehicles at points of merging.

For example: Along the I-15 corridor, toward Vegas, the protected lane and the HOT lane would run parallel many times, and share space many times along the route, to minimize construction costs around bypasses. However, via integration and a standard architecture, we know that vehicles from either lane will communicate, and return indicator warning lights to the drivers; making merge points synchronous and safe.

So, when a company like Google steps into the fray in the transportation sector, then planners know right away that the issue of a standard architecture will dominate via economies of scale. Hence, we have a realistic chance of grabbing meridian space along I-15 in chunks, 10 - 15 miles a chunk, and laning that off for very high speed operations while a parallel HOT lane is always next door. The two lanes together creating a marketable virtual lane along the length.

Knowing that the two lanes work together, enable economies of scale in their construction, building the protected meridian lane while refurbishing another lane for HOT. Total infrastructure costs relative to road income drop, road bonds become safer. And there is a bonus. When a HOT and BRT lane merge, the right of way is a marketable item, in the new architecture.

See, the importance of the standard architecture in this revolution, open software.

No comments: