Everybody's talking about the monorail.
Since plans for Central Campus renovations were released in January with the possibility of a monorail connecting East, West and Central campuses, the proposal has inspired comparisons to everything from The Simpsons to Walt Disney World. All joking aside, one question remains: Is the University really serious?
"I'm still thinking monorail," Executive Vice President Tallman Trask said. "I know everyone thinks I'm crazy, but I'm still thinking monorail."
Although the University would not see a new transportation system for many years, a monorail is one of the options currently under consideration, said Scott Selig, associate vice president for capital assets. He said other options include fixed guideways, new generation buses, bike paths and segues, but added that officials will not make any decisions until the University's master plan is finalized.
"We're just in early draft form on the master plans. Hopefully that will be completed within the year," Selig said. "I would not expect to see a monorail or any type of new system within five years."
University Architect John Pearce had an even more conservative estimate of when Duke might see a monorail: "At your 25th [reunion]," he said. "It could be sooner, but in our planning for Central Campus, we're trying to look out as far as we can, and not eliminate any opportunities to make it the best possible community."
Administrators are careful to note that there are no definite plans to build a monorail, as they do not have sufficient information to make that decision.
"Whatever we decide, I don't want to line myself up as pro-monorail," said Larry Moneta, vice president for student affairs. "I don't know where I stand on that versus any other system."
If a monorail becomes part of the master plan, building it would be more complicated than just putting a track along Campus Drive. Planners must keep in mind such concerns as terrain, the environment and capacity when determining both routes and models.
"We probably know better where it won't go: wherever it's hilly or where there are environmental restrictions--wetlands, for example," Pearce said. "We also have to contend with the fact that... the Durham Freeway exists."
Pearce noted that the monorail at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla., might be a reasonable prototype for Duke's model, since the routes would be approximately the same length. Any Duke monorail, however, would have to carry far more people at a time than the Disney one, he said.
Selig said monorail technology offers several of the same advantages as other new transportation options, as compared to the bus system that is currently in place. He noted that these include increased efficiency, friendliness to the environment and a look that is "a lot better than a huge sea of asphalt parking lots."
While monorails are still a developing technology, systems are now in place in several major cities worldwide. Jim Spakauskas, director of project development and sales for Bombardier Inc., which includes monorails in its product portfolio, said recent advances in monorail technology have made the systems safer and more reliable.
"A train shows up every two or three minutes, and also they're fully automated systems, so you don't have the labor that's associated with driving the trains," he said. He added that Bombardier's monorails employ self-diagnostic technology, decreasing maintenance problems.
Unfortunately for monorail fans, it could be decades before Duke sees its own system--a reality that is not lost on students.
"It's a good idea, but I don't see why it's worthwhile to talk about it with the classes that are here because it's not going to affect us--unless the administration is using us as test subjects to see how future classes will react," senior Jeff Dennler said.
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