Aerial Photo of the University of Houston - Downtown - Microsoft Maps
Background
“Houston is one of the top ten fastest-growing cities in the United States” (Bureau). It is important to recognize that urban transit development is crucial to improving everyday public transportation issues such as traffic congestion. We must reevaluate traditional solutions and decide if these methods are alleviating or contributing to the problem. Our findings suggest that the current shuttle bus system is contributing to the problem, “The current transportation system of shuttle busses face daily issues such as traffic congestion and further add to auto dependency” (Vuchic xiii). By introducing an aerial ropeway transit system (“ARTS”) will bring forth seamless commuting options through highly dense, urbanized areas and consequently lighten traffic congestion by the constant stop-and-go traffic buses cause.
Financial Implications
Implementing an ARTS will require a substantial amount of capital investment, which varies depending on factors such as material resources and labor. However, this type of investment can prove to be an extremely convenient and efficient improvement to the existing shuttle bus transportation system.
Renewable Energy Practices
One might come to believe the transition to renewable energy will be beneficial from an economic standpoint when discussing the adoption of an electric mode of transportation.
“… rooftop solar energy installations have become a sound financial investment for real property owners. Falling prices for photovoltaic (“PV”) solar panels and various government incentive programs have vaulted rooftop solar energy” (Rule 117).
Investing in solar will increase capital expenses but will theoretically cut operating expenses through the offerings of economic and government incentives. Any extra power generated can feed into the city’s grid to add an extra revenue stream or utilized to power other electric applications such as lighting.
ARTS Overview
Operational Highlights
Energy-efficient / low emission rates
customizable, automated operations
highly reliable and frequent service, twenty-four-seven
Limited staffing required
Time-saving method for transportation
Higher annual passenger usage and volume rate
Considerations
Consulting for design and development
Approval and permits needed for government agencies and organizations
Costs for ARTS can vary
Introduction
The question attempting to be answered; how can we make traveling across the University of Houston – Downtown (“UHD”) campus more efficient? We propose to introduce an ARTS that will enrich the experience at UHD by providing a unique transportation method around campus in the effort to reduce annual operating costs, boost student recruitment, and retainment.
UHD campus is located on highly valuable pieces of property positioned roughly seventeen acres inside the central business district of the fourth largest city in the nation. Students rely on a shuttle bus system to transport them from department buildings. Shuttle buses are proven effective, but we question the safety and more so, efficiency. It's believed that the campus has an opportunity to be the perfect test subject as it is virtually vertical with department buildings spanning 15 floors separated by waterways, rail, and freeway systems.
The concept will interconnect ARTS atop existing UHD facilities by integrating terminals, utilizing renewable energy practices with an aerial ropeway transit system like a ski lift. This report researches the viability of this project by providing a comparative analysis from volume to annual passenger usage of the existing system. Also included are potential legal requirements and recommendations to carry out this project.
Financial Summary
“University of Houston System (“UHS”) is composed of ten campuses and spends roughly six million dollars annually on shuttle bus costs through a seven-year agreement with a third-party vendor from Alabama, Dream Transportation” (University of Houston 3m). Within this report, we have estimated cost allocations of this contract to UHD.
UHS Annual Shuttle Bus Volume
16 buses in service every day
98, trips
850,000 passengers
$6 million annual costs
UHD Annual Shuttle Bus Volume
2 buses in service every day (Estimated)
Unknown number of trips
145,000 passengers
UHD Estimated Cost Allocation of Dream Transportation
145,000/8500,000 Passengers
17.06% x $6,000,000
Estimated UHD Annual Cost, $1,023,600
Operating expenses to power an ARTS is significantly reduced due to these systems run on electricity and not gasoline or diesel. However, many systems do use diesel fuel as a failsafe backup if the power shuts down.
“… the energy requirement for the motors the cable of the Whistler system is less than 3000 kWh per day. At a cost of 12c per kWh, that’s $360 per day to operate the gondola. (Diffendal).
Using Diffendal’s numbers, estimates on how much it would cost to operate an ARTS on the UHD campus labeled in Table 1. The costs to operate an ARTS is more expensive than running one shuttle bus. To minimize operating expenses, UHD can explore the option of incorporating renewable energy practices such as solar power.
For more insight on the economic feasibility of this project, the examination of a case study highlighting the use of a similar ARTS at University in Calgary was analyzed. Research concludes that based on future population rates, a monocable detachable gondola (“MDG”) is more efficient, whereas a personal rapid transit (“PRT”) will be the ultimate option for higher ridership volume and larger capital investment that brings back higher returns.
Aerial Ropeway Transit System
Concept
We have been using ropeway transit since the pulley system was invented to build the pyramids in Egypt. The ARTS concept utilizes a motorized pulley system that will integrate terminals atop existing facilities infrastructure while utilizing renewable energy practices. Disney is speculatively in talks with Austrian manufacturer, Doppelmayr Garaventa Group, to spearhead its skyway project for their amusement parks. Their skyway project is the basis of our information, serving as an example for our study.
Costs
The prices to manufacture an ARTS vary from $1 to $20 million. The costs fluctuate based on route distances, materials, gondola preferences, etc. The ski town of Telluride, Colorado, built a gondola system with two intermediate stations and expansion abilities when demand increases.
“The gondola system, which extends for 3.2 km (2 mi) and cost $16 million… The system, which operates with 32 eight-passenger gondolas, has a line capacity of 480 people per hour, a 600% increase in line capacity compared to the alternate 12.9-km (8-mi) bus route, which has a total capacity of 80 people per hour." (Alshalalfah, Shalaby and Dale 7)
Contingency Liabilities
Takeaways
The upfront capital requirements needed to integrate an ARTS for UHD is more expensive than the current shuttle bus system based on Table 1 in the financial summary. However, research suggests such a system is worth exploring,
“… the success of these applications prove that ART is gaining more attention from transit agencies around the world that see ART as a viable and feasible transit mode especially in naturally constrained urban areas" (Alshalafah, Shalaby and Dale 821)
The projections in Table 1 are based on Disney’s $200 million ARTS project. UHD might consider requesting a bid from a few ARTS manufacturers to provide an in-depth analysis of a more accurate representation of costs coupled with the investment of renewable energy practices that can further minimize operating expenses.
Austrian manufacturer, Doppelmayr Garaventa, seems to be the industry leader for ARTS and would recommend requesting a quote from them along with a few other competitors to discover if this system is a viable solution for UHD.
Concluding Remarks
To answer the research question, how can we make traveling around campus more efficient? Through a dynamic, dedicated ARTS that integrates terminals within the existing infrastructures, utilizing renewable energy practices. Incorporating ARTS to UHD will provide a higher volume of annual passenger usage in comparison to the existing shuttle bus system.
Introducing an ARTS to UHD can prove to be cost-effective in the longterm, and a highly efficient form of transportation for students and staff alike. As described, initial capital requirements to fund an ARTS can initially be expensive. However, UHD will make a return on their investment through the minimal operating expenses needed to maintain and power an ARTS.
While the expenses needed to start-up ARTS are not concrete in comparison to the current shuttle bus system, the efficiency is projected to deliver a higher volume and passenger usage rate while proven to be cost-effective. Implementing ARTS will eliminate the need for gas or diesel as they run on electricity granted, diesel will still be used for ARTS backup power options.
It's recommended UHS consider applying for governmental incentives to green projects in the effort of reducing costs. It's also suggested updating the existing infrastructure of its facilities with renewable energy practices in the likes of solar power to further reduce operating expenses.
Work Cited
Alshalafah, Baha, et al. "Improvements and Innovations in Aerial Ropeway Transportation Technologies: Observations from Recent Implementations." Journal of Transportation Engineering 139.8 (2013): 814-821. EBSCOhost.
Alshalalfah, Baha, Amer P .Eng Shalaby and Steven Dale. "Experiences with Aerial Ropeway Transportation Systems in the Urban Environment." Journal of Urban Planning & Development 140.1 (2014): 1. EBSCOhost. December 2017.
Bureau, Census. "Five of the Nation's Eleven Fastest-Growing Cities are in Texas, Census Bureau Reports." Press Release. 2016. Census Bureau.
Dale, Steven. Gondola Project. 26 June 2010. Gondola Project. 1 January 2018.
Diffendal, Jason. Wow News Today. 4 April 2017. wdmnt.com. 29 December 2017. <wdwnt.com/blog/2017/04/depth-speculation-disney-world-gondola-project-will-take-shape/>.
Rule, Troy A. "Solar Energy, Utilities, and Fairness." San Diego Journal of Climate & Energy Law 6 (2014/2015): 115-148. EBSCOhost.
Tahmasseby, Shahram and Lina Kattan. "Preliminary economic appraisal of personal rapid transit (PRT) and urban gondola feeder systems serving undersity campus and its surrounding major attractions." Canadian Journal of Civil Engineering 42.1 (2015): 67-79. EBSCOhost. December 2017.
University of Houston. Finance Committee. Houston: University of Houston, 2017.
Vuchic, R.V. Urban Transit Systems and Technology. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, 2007.
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