By Tim Ashmore from the Ithaca Journal:
ITHACA — Imagine it: Ithaca with less traffic congestion, less road construction and a new-age monorail zipping people around some 15 feet above ground. The concept may sound strange, but after a conference in Uppsala, Sweden in October Connect Ithaca, an organization dedicated to building a more sustainable infrastructure, met with the Institute for Sustainable Transportation and learned about a transportation system that’s safer, faster, cleaner and quieter than any transit unit used on Ithaca’s streets.The monorail is called PRT, short for personal rapid transit systems, or podcar, and though at present it’s only an idea being kicked around by some residents, it could become a reality sooner than people might think.
“The industry itself, of course, has in its own best interest to start building these networks,” said Jacob Roberts, former chairman of Connect Ithaca and representative at the 2007 conference.
Roberts said if the community gets behind the idea and is open to it, European companies may be interested in building part of one of the first demonstration podcar networks in the world for free.
He said that creating demonstration cities is a good way for the companies to market its product.
Sustainable Ithaca 