and more environmentally safe methods of transportation for their employees (387-404). Noise pollution from the large number of automobiles on the road also contributes to the devastation of the environment. While traveling on the nations many expressways, one cannot avoid seeing large, unsightly sound barriers that are constructed between busy highways and large housing developments. Also, complaints about noise pollution have increased 390% since 1978 (Noisy Parkers 63). Traffic problems also contribute to economic problems in todays society. In 1987, transportation in the United States cost a total of $792 billion (Koepp 55). This figure represents 17.6% of the gross national product, hence it is not difficult to see that transportation has a major effect on economics (55). Despite the many problems that exist with the present systems of transportation and traffic control, numerous solutions exist that provide both efficiency and effectiveness. These include formulating new methods of transportation, developing better traffic signaling and controlling equipment, and utilizing better techniques of highway design and construction. Designing new types of transit provides one of the most obvious and efficient approaches of improving traffic management. In todays society, mass rail transit exists as one of the most efficient and quickly developing techniques of enhancing the current transportation system. Many moderate to large sized cities currently offer some kind of rail transit, whether it be a subway or elevated system, and most of them are well-used. In the San Francisco area, for example, the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) system, opened in 1972, handles approximately 29,000 passengers every day (Rauber 45-47). During natural disasters, use of rail transportation systems usually increases enormously, as rails are much easier to repair than roads (Clark 387-404). After the Los Angeles earthquake in January 1994, use of the citys rai...
