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Mountain View Mayor Proposes Futuristic Solution To Traffic Problems

MOUNTAIN VIEW (KCBS) – Mountain View might be looking to the sky to solve its traffic problem between Google headquarters and the downtown area.

Mayor Mike Kasperzak said his solution to the problem are so-called "pod cars."

"Pod cars. It sounds crazy, it sounds George Jetson but it's fantastic," said Kasperzak. "It's all part of a system called Personal Rapid Transit. They're thinking about it in San Jose for the airport. I've ridden one in London at Heathrow Airport. We've got a company right here at NASA, SkyTran, which does this elevated transportation system. It's very high-tech."

KCBS' Mike Colgan Reports:

Kasperzak said SkyTran is working on a model for Mountain View.

"The particular system that SkyTran is developing hangs pods off of a guiderail, which are suspended from reinforced light poles," he said. "They hang right over the existing roadway or over the sidewalks and don't require the purchase of new right of way."

Kasperzak said he's talked to Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin about the idea, which would cost between $60-130 million to build.

(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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