China to build traffic-busting Straddling Bus

With more cars comes heavier traffic. As China ascends to being the world’s biggest car market, so do its roads become more and more clogged with wheeled vehicles of all kinds. After that infamous nine-day traffic jam that stretched more than 100km from Jining City to Beijing, China is keen to take measures to curb time-wasting and pollution-churning traffic.

One of the more interesting ideas is a cross between a light railway system and a bus. Dubbed the “straddling bus”, the concept is a raised vehicle—a cross between a subway and a bus that, yes, straddles two lanes of traffic . The bus will be 4 to 4.5 tall, and will include a tunnel through which vehicles 2 meters or lower (sorry, Starex limousine) can pass. Taller vehicles will be not be allowed in the dedicated Straddling bus lane. Up to 1200 passengers can ride on the bus’ upper level. They can ingress and egress from raised stations located along the bus’ path.

The bus will be guided along a fixed path using either rails or painted lines that can guide a computer autopilot; the bus will be powered by electricity and solar energy. Charging posts will replenish capacitors mounted on the bus.

The system was proposed by Shenzhen Hashi Future Parking Equipment Co and will reportedly be built in Beijing’s Mentougou district starting late 2010.

The best part is that the bus system, including a 40-km path for the vehicles, will cost about 500 million yuan, about 10% of an equivalent subway system. The bus is projected to reduce traffic jams by 20-30%. (Thanks to Paolo for the tip.)