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New Urban Concepts
By Howard Kiefer
updated 09/2003
Urban growth may be easily absorbed by construction of an advanced
system of communities. This proposal would have a grid system of linear cities with towns
branching out on both sides. The towns
1 would meander to join a corridor of parks, lakes and nature trails2 3. The entire system would be powered by clean
solar and wind devices mounted on the crest of the mountain shaped linear cities.
"The cost has fallen from $.38 per kilowatt hour in 1980 to $.03 per kilowatt hour in
2000. A US Department of Energy wind resource inventory found that three states have
enough harness able wind energy to meet the electrical needs of the whole country"4.
The mountain would contain many modes of transportation from conveyors
to strolling. They would all have direct access without interference by every level having
a different mode in the mountain. High speed driving is possible by the dual mode system.
5
People would be able to walk under the transportation system on each
floor or they may use an elevator that has Ferris wheel cars traveling in an elliptical
orbit around the stack of transportation systems. Cars would go up and down simultaneously
and stop at every level.
People walking may get an extra push by stack effect air pushing them
at their backs. "May the wind be always at your back.". Bicycling would benefit
by "constant air movements in the direction of riding removes air resistance allowing
average riding speeds of 25 miles per hour"
6.
Train transportation may be automated and run without stopping. People
would board a car at a station. At a precise time the car would accelerate to train travel
speed. The main train would then couple with the car at its rear. People would then move
forward or backward in accordance with their destination. At a given point, the rear car
would uncouple and stop at the next station.
The slopes of the mountain would accommodate homes, restaurants,
exhibits, promenades, floral gardens with waterfalls, long slides (some with free fall
starts), other inclined plane sports, stepped seating for churches, convention halls,
auditoriums and stadiums.
Four Season Abodes
Houses may be built to provide a change of environment for each season. They would be
safer, have 90% less heating expense, have 100% less cooling expense, be fire resistant,
be quieter, have more privacy and be more cost effective and have 100% reliability.
The house would be conventional second floor living quarters for the
spring and fall seasons. The first floor level (built into the ground) would be living
quarters for summer and winter living. The ground would provide 540 temperature that would
be easily heated to living temperature in the winter, and exposed to ambient (outside)
temperature in the summer. It would have periscope windows.
Parking problems may be virtually eliminated by having most
destinations walkable. Public transportation would be automated and inexpensive. Access to
battery driven cars would be by insertion of a credit card. One may choose the most
convenient car for each trip. There is a technology of car propulsion by magnetic loops in
the pavement. The new Segway Scooter will travel 17 miles per hour on a daily power cost
of five cents.
Walking and cycling would probably be the transportation of choice. The
close proximity of normal destinations would foster a free spirit.
The physically challenged could travel on their own locomotion. The
cohesive force of small communities would be conductive to responsible living. The
necessities of life would be more affordable. There would be more social and financial
opportunities.
Rainwater and floodwater would fill a series of lakes and dams in the
green corridors. Makeup water may come from "A new mechanical process called rapid
spray distillation (RSD) that promises to dramatically cut the cost of desalination"
7. A system of filters and reverse osmosis
elements would provide good drinking water. The mountain would have only one surface
exposed to the elements as compared with a possible million surfaces in a typical city.
When compared to skyscrapers, the mountains would have complete weather
protection, use less land, a preponderance of horizontal travel, less costly in
construction, maintenance, temperature control, and less attractive to enemy action.
The cities and towns may have selective magnet names to attract
like-minded people. Economies like this will save travel and strengthen relationships. The
one line flow in the mountain would eliminate the need for intersections. Interchanges
would be made at the junction of towns and cities.
A demonstration model would attract tourists from around the world.
People could actually live in the complex to get the real feel for the conveniences.
Another section may have actual working facilities to evaluate real life proportions and
improvements.
The mountains may vary in length, width, height and alignment. Entire
communities may be joined together in series, parallel and perpendicular. Adjacent
communities may share recreational corridors.
There would be advantages in every phase from land acquisition through
ultimate usage.
Every state would benefit by the advantages of this system. The
sparsely populated area between the Gulf of Mexico and the Hudson Bay would absorb the
population growth for a long time. Funding may primarily come from private investments.
Other sources may be grants, governments, discrete advertising, EZ pass systems and
tourist attractions.
New fashions are introduced daily, but new versions must have strong
leadership such as president Eisenhower’s endorsement of the interstate highway
system.
Notes:
1. Save Our Land, Save Our Towns HYLTON
2. "Green plants are the ONLY means of replenishing the air we breathe. And we have
reached the point where we cannot afford to lose any more of it. Since population will
continue to grow making more buildings necessary, we must use building methods which
incorporate green space in the design."
http://membersprimary.net/greenspace/index.htm
3. East Coast Greenway. http://www.greenway.org/
4. The Futurist, Nov-Dec 2000 p6.
5. http://www.biketrains.com/
6. The Futurist, Sep-Oct 2001 p44
7. Popular Science, Sep 2001 p25
About the Author
Howard Kiefer (1921-present)
Mr. Kiefer is an engineering graduate of Rochester Institute of Technology and a member of
the World Future Society. He has devoted himself to a wide variety of engineering
including acting as a consultant on urban development.
Early in childhood he envisioned an
interstate highway system. Looking back, he feels that if we had built our present
interstate system sooner, we would have detoured the Depression. We would also have been
strong enough to deter aggressor nations. He now hopes that we will not pay this heavy
price by delaying a new approach.
Mr. Kiefer resides with his family on
Philadelphia’s Main-Line. This is a series of commuter towns along a railroad. This
100 year old system is known throughout the world for its vibrant economy and social life.
He offers his services to collect pertinent ideas.
Howard Kiefer
222 Windermere Avenue
Wayne, PA 19087
(610) 688-1634 Home
(610) 491-9333 Business
email:
denniskiefer@comcast.net
