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| WHY MONORAIL? | |||||||||||||||
| A BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE BENEFITS OF MONORAIL SYSTEM | |||||||||||||||
ADVANTAGES OF MONORAIL |
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| WHERE MIGHT THE STATIONS BE LOCATED? | |||||||||||||||
| Most of the monorail lines, stations would be located roughly every mile-and-a-half to 2 miles. In dense areas like the Sango- Otta, Ibafo/Mowe and Ogijo (on the outskirts of Ikorodu-Lagos), major traffic junctions, market/shopping areas and University areas, stations would be located closer together. However, this may change as we finalize its initial route plans. |
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| WHAT ABOUT THE NOISE? | |||||||||||||||
| The monorail is driven by electric motors with rubber tires and is extremely quiet, much quieter, in fact, than diesel buses and steel-wheeled trains. Also, since the vast majority of pylons, support structures and rail components are prefabricated elsewhere and then assembled along the routes, the noise and disruption of construction will be kept to a minimum. This compares VERY favourably to the street blockage, noise and construction of freeways, city streets or land-based steel rail construction. | |||||||||||||||
| ARE MONORAILS SAFE? | |||||||||||||||
| Definitely. In fact, monorails are historically the safest mode of mass transportation: there have been only 4(!) passenger fatalities in over 100 years of operation, and these 4 came in the past couple years in an unfortunate accident in Wuppertal, Germany. Since Monorails are up and out of the way, they can't hit cars or pedestrians, the main source of light rail fatalities. This also results in very low insurance costs. | |||||||||||||||
| WHAT ABOUT EARTHQUAKES? | |||||||||||||||
| Monorails tend to sway during earthquakes, while roads and rails often buckle and collapse. In Japan, where strong earthquakes are routine, ten monorail systems have been built in recent years, and another ten systems are planned. | |||||||||||||||
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| Monorails have also been proven to withstand heavy rails, hurricanes, and floods… This goes without saying! | |||||||||||||||
| HOW WOULD THE SYSTEM BE FINANCED? | |||||||||||||||
| Since the monorail system doesn't involve tunnelling, it will cost substantially less than a rail system based on subways, so it will be easier to finance. Public Funds or Private Investor funding are the two options, which have to be considered for the construction of the monorail systems.
Monorail can be built at 1/3 the cost per mile of light rail, serves more neighbourhoods, carries more people, and does it all quietly, without interfering with street traffic. |
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| COMPARATIVE ADVANTAGES OF MONORAIL TO LIGTH RAIL | |||||||||||||||
Monorails may be automated- Unlike light rail; monorails may be automated and may not require drivers. Light rail systems operate at a loss and require public subsidy money. A large portion of the operating expense must be paid to vehicle operators. Monorails offer the opportunity to become automated, thus eliminating this expense. In fact, many monorails such as the Tokyo and Seattle monorails turn a profit each year. Because light rail operates at surface level, light rail will never offer the option of being automated and therefore will always have to be subsidized by the taxpayer. Monorails can be aesthetic- Monorail stations may be incorporated into buildings and can conform to local architectural styles. Support pylons may be enhanced with marble or granite in sensitive areas or decorated with greenery. Monorails have narrow support beams (narrower than the monorail vehicles) and cast only a small footprint. Unlike light rail, there are no ugly overhead wires. The monorail system would prove to be a more efficient transit system than a Light Rail streetcar- whether you were comparing the modes strictly on that level. Looking at it strictly any mode of transportation, which travels along its own committed right-of-way, will prove to be a more efficient design of moving passengers around a small but highly industrialized city. |
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Ease of Construction- Monorails recently became a popular choice of transit system compared to rapid transit systems, due to its quietness, ease of construction, lower cost, and non-obstructive nature. The monorail tracks can meander though the tightest of corners, through buildings, and can go as high as 8 floors. Its cost is comparatively lower than the huge cost of constructing the light rail, which more often than not requires tearing down already existing structures to rebuild. Whilst the monorail requires 6 sq ft of land space for each beam with a distance of 18 ft between each beam the light rail track requires 36ft of land space running in a parallel line. Flexibility Further unique to the monorail technology is the fact that some monorails can be dismantled and taken off one location to be rebuilt within 2 weeks in another location! But the light rail cannot. User Friendly Wheelchairs and bicycles are easily accommodated without inconvenient lifts or crowded racks due to the fact that the monorail floor is the same level with the Station floor. You can sit or stand in airconditioned comfort, watch television or browse the internet as you journey to your destination in style! Written & Compiled By: Yetunde Fashesin-Souza For: MetroRail Ltd |
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