London Underground’s Circle Line could be remade into a 17-mile-long moving sidewalk.
Dezeen reports that architecture firm NBBJ pitched a concept where the train service would be removed and three sets of "travelators," as they are called, would be installed. The walkways would run next to each other and operate at three speeds, from the low speed of 3 to 9 mph to the maximum speed of 15 mph.
NBBJ said that the plan would make transportation faster by eliminating the need to stop at stations.
The 36-station Circle carries 114 million passengers annually and has been in operation since 1863. The line runs in both directions around a loop around central London, with an extension that juts off the circuit.
The Daily Mail writes that the Circle Line has some issues. It can only hold up to eight trains at a time, and trains can only reach a top speed of 20 mph. In ideal conditions, trains complete the loop in an hour, but because of the system’s age and the amount of rider congestion, delays are frequent.
With the travelator, walking at a 3 mph clip at the 15 mph top speed will get a commuter around the loop in just 56 minutes. The walkways could hold up to 55,000 people at once.
Wired reports that all practical considerations, like price, construction, and energy usage, have yet to be determined.
Related Stories
| Sep 19, 2013
Roof renovation tips: Making the choice between overlayment and tear-off
When embarking upon a roofing renovation project, one of the first decisions for the Building Team is whether to tear off and replace the existing roof or to overlay the new roof right on top of the old one. Roofing experts offer guidance on making this assessment.
Smart Buildings | Sep 13, 2013
Chicago latest U.S. city to mandate building energy benchmarking
The Windy City is the latest U.S. city to enact legislation that mandates building energy benchmarking and disclosure for owners of large commercial and residential buildings.
| Sep 13, 2013
Chicago latest U.S. city to mandate building energy benchmarking
The Windy City is the latest U.S. city to enact legislation that mandates building energy benchmarking and disclosure for owners of large commercial and residential buildings.
| Sep 11, 2013
BUILDINGChicago eShow Daily – Day 3 coverage
Day 3 coverage of the BUILDINGChicago/Greening the Heartland conference and expo, taking place this week at the Holiday Inn Chicago Mart Plaza.
| Sep 10, 2013
BUILDINGChicago eShow Daily – Day 2 coverage
The BD+C editorial team brings you this real-time coverage of day 2 of the BUILDINGChicago/Greening the Heartland conference and expo taking place this week at the Holiday Inn Chicago Mart Plaza.
| Sep 4, 2013
Augmented reality goes mainstream: 12 applications for design and construction firms
Thanks to inexpensive mobile devices and increasingly advanced software apps, Building Teams are finally able to bring their BIM models to life on the job site.
| Aug 30, 2013
Local Government Report [2013 Giants 300 Report]
Building Design+Construction's rankings of the nation's largest local government design and construction firms, as reported in the 2013 Giants 300 Report.
| Aug 30, 2013
State Government Report [2013 Giants 300 Report]
Stantec, Jacobs, PCL Construction among nation's top state government design and construction firms, according to BD+C's 2013 Giants 300 Report.
| Aug 28, 2013
Federal Government Report [2013 Giants 300 Report]
Building Design+Construction's rankings of the nation's largest federal government design and construction firms, as reported in the 2013 Giants 300 Report.
| Aug 27, 2013
Industrial Sector Report [2013 Giants 300 Report]
Building Design+Construction's rankings of the nation's largest industrial sector design and construction firms, as reported in the 2013 Giants 300 Report.
