JOIN USRiding high: Dedicated, elevated two-wheeler corridors
Two-wheelers dominate Bengaluru’s streets, making up almost 70 per cent of the vehicular population. They remain the best bet for last-mile connectivity. So, why not erect inexpensive, elevated steel corridors dedicated to these motorcyclists, equipped with solar panel roofs and wind turbines? Visualised by a City-based engineer, this out-of-the-box, low-cost concept might just be a new way to decongest the roads.
Mounted on pillars that occupy just a fraction of space of a regular flyover, the two-wheeler corridor will require no land acquisition or tree-felling, explained the engineer, Ajith Rao. The essential objective is this: To offer a risk-free, safe ride that could potentially bring back those who graduated to cars and other bigger vehicles.
In Rao’s design, the corridor named ‘Project Dost’ will have two lanes, one in each direction. The elevated structures could be accessed through ramps. “The two-wheelers will be totally safe on the corridor, which will be free of potholes, speedbreakers and signals. On our roads today, the highest number of casualties are of motorcycle riders. The corridor will also ensure that the wear and tear of the vehicles will be minimum.”
Built of steel, the corridors will be faster to assemble, occupy less space and more cost-effective than regular flyovers. They could be installed, attached or detached quickly, avoiding the huge problems associated with big road infrastructure projects.
Since they are light weight, agile and highly manoeuvrable, the two-wheelers could easily access the corridor through ramps placed at regular intervals. Cameras fitted both inside and outside the corridor could keep track of accidents and violation of speed rules. The cameras and lights would be entirely powered by solar and wind energy aided by solar panels and wind turbines.
The proposed plan is to first try it out as a pilot project in the Central Business District, where traffic congestion is perennial. Based on the success of this trial, Rao suggested the corridor network could be extended to other areas. But first, the government will have to arrange a meeting of all the stakeholders and form a nodal agency.
To make the project self-sustaining, the designer had another solution: Display advertisements along the corridor length to generate the necessary revenue.
Structure design
Mounted on steel pillars, two-lane, accessed by ramps
Fitted with cameras and lights
Powered by solar panel roofs, wind turbines
No speedbreakers and signals