Food Tubes, the Future of Food Delivery?

Garth Johnston

Published Dec 9, 2010

Modified Dec 9, 2010

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You aren't the dinner I ordered.

Garth Johnston

Published Dec 9, 2010

Modified Dec 9, 2010

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Back when congestion pricing was still on the table one, of the arguments for it was that it would reduce regular traffic and allow commercial traffic to move through town quicker. But is there a way to skip the first step and still reduce commercial traffic? Ars Technica points out one: food tubes.

The gist of the argument: we already move water, sewage, oil and gas through pipes under our cities, so why not a high-speed, computer-operated, food-transporting pipe network, too? Obviously a project like this wouldn't happen over night (not least because the existing system for transporting food isn't going to go gently anywhere) but at first glance we can see real promise in the idea. And then we think about how long it is taking the city to dig out the Second Avenue subway and, well, we doubt there will ever be enough will to dig out such a massive tunnel system beneath our fair thoroughfares (and we can't imagine how they'd dig one out in London where the idea originates). But we'll give the idea an A for effort at least.

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congestion pricing

Food Tubes

Garth Johnston

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