Re: BrianTH's Gondolas...

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by ferrarisnowday

Has there been any sort of actual talk of gondolas from officials that can actually do something about it? Or is this just a fun what-if on this board?

So the documents for the "Pittsburgh-to-Oakland Connector & Oakland Circulator" project specifically mentioned gondolas as a possible technology, and in fact that mention was part of the inspiration for me exploring this technology and working out a conceptual proposal for an Oakland-centric system:

Home - Pittsburgh-to-Oakland Connector & Oakland Circulator

Unfortunately, as far as I know the Pittsburgh-to-Oakland Connector & Oakland Circulator project never went anywhere. But I do think that means the technology is not just something being talked about here.

[ferraris]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

So the documents for the "Pittsburgh-to-Oakland Connector & Oakland Circulator" project specifically mentioned gondolas as a possible technology, and in fact that mention was part of the inspiration for me exploring this technology and working out a conceptual proposal for an Oakland-centric system:

Home - Pittsburgh-to-Oakland Connector & Oakland Circulator

Unfortunately, as far as I know the Pittsburgh-to-Oakland Connector & Oakland Circulator project never went anywhere. But I do think that means the technology is not just something being talked about here.

That's pretty neat. I'm glad to see it's at least on their radar and is an option being put on the table. I doubt that project will gain traction anytime soon though, with the BRT corridor being developed right now.

[Jcrouzzo]

Actually looking at a map (specifically google maps) and using its built in measurement tool, its very plausible.

1 - It appears like a great starting location is the parking lot behind the gas station on forbes in very central oakland

2 - It could then follow an alignment up mckee pl and darragh st.

3 - At this point a support/elevation tower could be placed in the thicket of trees next to the fitzgerald field house.

4 - If the gondola can support a turn it can turn and hit one more support tower in the line of trees between terrace village apartments and the kennard playground.

5 - Then it makes its final descent down the hill with its other terminus in the triangle of land directly in front of the marriott in chatham center which puts it about a block from steel plaza giving it good connection to the rest of downtown.

Its all in all not a bad idea at all assuming it works like that. This could definitely be feasible. This is a distance of all of 3km and the longest unsupported span for a 3s gondola per the website is that long. (whistler canada)

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by ferrarisnowday

I doubt that project will gain traction anytime soon though, with the BRT corridor being developed right now.

I agree the BRT planning likely will crowd out the Downtown-Oakland part, at least for now.

However, it doesn't really address the desired routes for the Oakland Circulator part.

[Hopes]

Since I'm afraid of heights, I'm NOT liking this idea!

[mattejb]

Keeping the dream alive. Worth the time for those who have not seen this video...

New year, new idea: gondolas as public transport in megacities

[sparrowmint]

They have one in Portland that carries people up to a hospital (but it's part of the TriMet system and publicly run). I lived there when it opened, and it was a bit of a boondoogle with a lot of NIMBYs who didn't want to live under it, and despite it being one relatively short line, it cost many tens of millions, way more than initial estimates (but I think the hospital was largely responsible for paying for it, I don't remember).

[Impala26]

Originally Posted by sparrowmint

They have one in Portland that carries people up to a hospital (but it's part of the TriMet system and publicly run). I lived there when it opened, and it was a bit of a boondoogle with a lot of NIMBYs who didn't want to live under it, and despite it being one relatively short line, it cost many tens of millions, way more than initial estimates (but I think the hospital was largely responsible for paying for it, I don't remember).

Technically the Portland system is what's called an aerial lift or aerial tram and is basically the same kind of system as the Roosevelt Island Tram in New York City or the Mount Hakodate Ropeway in Hakodate, Japan. That is to say, they're basically larger equivalents to our Pittsburgh Inclines (two car shuttle system) suspended in the air.

Aerial gondolas and other technologies (see Aerial lift - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) can be more flexible for urban environments because they offer smaller, but more cars on a single cable line resulting in better "on demand" transit times.