A guideway switching mechanism comprising: an elongated section of flexible guideway having a first end and a second end, the first end operable to be coupled to a first elongated guideway, the flexible guideway serving as a stator portion of a linear induction motor to provide motive force for an automatic transport vehicle through the guideway switching mechanism; and a switch plate coupled to the flexible guideway proximate the second end and operable to bend the flexible guideway through a horizontally oriented arc for selectively coupling the second end to two or more second elongated guideways (22a, 22b) such that the automated transport vehicle may be guided by the elongated section from the first elongated guideway to either of the two or more second elongated guideways (22a, 22b); a pre-fabricated support substrate to support the weight of the automated transport vehicle and to support lateral forces through the flexible guideway when changing the direction of the automated transport vehicle, the pre-fabricated support substrate having an upper surface that is coupled to the first end and a cavity for placement of the switch plate at the level of the pre-fabricated support substrate, the cavity having an arc-like shape such that the switch plate may freely move along the horizontally oriented arc, the pre-fabricated support substrate being formed of a plurality of sub-sections (32a..32f) that are joined together such that each of the plurality of sub-sections (32a..32f) is disposed adjacent to at least one other of the plurality of sub-sections (32a..32f) so as to form the pre-fabricated support substrate at a desired location of use, the pre-fabricated support substrate underlying the elongated section of flexible guideway between the first end and the second end. an elongated section of flexible guideway having a first end and a second end, the first end operable to be coupled to a first elongated guideway, the flexible guideway serving as a stator portion of a linear induction motor to provide motive force for an automatic transport vehicle through the guideway switching mechanism; and a switch plate coupled to the flexible guideway proximate the second end and operable to bend the flexible guideway through a horizontally oriented arc for selectively coupling the second end to two or more second elongated guideways (22a, 22b) such that the automated transport vehicle may be guided by the elongated section from the first elongated guideway to either of the two or more second elongated guideways (22a, 22b); a pre-fabricated support substrate to support the weight of the automated transport vehicle and to support lateral forces through the flexible guideway when changing the direction of the automated transport vehicle, the pre-fabricated support substrate having an upper surface that is coupled to the first end and a cavity for placement of the switch plate at the level of the pre-fabricated support substrate, the cavity having an arc-like shape such that the switch plate may freely move along the horizontally oriented arc, the pre-fabricated support substrate being formed of a plurality of sub-sections (32a..32f) that are joined together such that each of the plurality of sub-sections (32a..32f) is disposed adjacent to at least one other of the plurality of sub-sections (32a..32f) so as to form the pre-fabricated support substrate at a desired location of use, the pre-fabricated support substrate underlying the elongated section of flexible guideway between the first end and the second end.