The City of Ribbleton, England

The city of Ribbleton lies on a relatively flat piece of land located along River Ribble in England. The city climate remains stable at a low 10 degrees Celsius, which is typical for a city with this location. Many of the days in Ribbleton are cloudy and rainy, which adds to the low temperature. 50,000 reside in this city, so transportation is a key factor.

Almost half of the world’s population inhabit cities so it is important for those people to be able to move easily throughout them; whether it is because of cars, bikes, or trains. Most of the problems cities have with transportation are traffic, the environment, and the capacity the transport can hold. These problems occur in all cities, and this includes Ribbleton, but engineers have come up with solutions to solve these problems.

One of these solutions is a Straddle Bus. The Straddle Bus is a form of mass transportation that basically “straddles” the road. It is meant for cars to be able to go through, but since Ribbleton does not use cars because of the environmental impacts that they cause, bikes are the alternative. This infrastructure is a futuristic design because while there are busses and roadways in 2013, a bus that actually straddles the roadway allowing vehicles to pass underneath it does not currently exist. Ribbleton also has passenger trains that ride on tracks underground. These trains do not follow or parallel the roadways above, but rather, offer less direct routes for the passengers. The Straddle Bus aligns with the main roads for a more direct path of travel.

One of Ribbleton’s many problems includes a way for mass transit, but the Straddle Bus counters that problem. Most busses carry a maximum of 50 people, but this bus is able to carry up to 1,200....

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...g (which includes energy and solar power science) disciplines to offer their expertise in this newly developed transportation solution. The engineering role most useful in our solution is the automotive engineer. Automotive engineering, which includes elements of electrical, mechanical, and safety science, is essential to the function of the Straddle Bus as well as the underground train system.

The Ribbleton transportation system involves the most environmentally efficient and fitness-first solution for its citizens. Citizens have the option of peddling on ground, riding above ground or underground to get to their destinations. Integrating the roadways for the Straddle Bus and the cyclist emphasizes the symbiotic relationship that the city embraces. Ribbleton is dedicated to an environmentally safe and sustainable city, which makes it a great place to live.