The big news in transit planning circles yesterday was Florida Governor Rick Scott’s rejection of $2.4 billion (yes, billion) in federal funding for the Tampa-Orlando high-speed rail line. While Florida would only have had to come to the table with an estimated $280 million to realize the project (approximately 10% of the total cost), Scott...
Plans for a new Perth Waterfront redevelopment have been released by the State Government with a $440 million (AUD) price tag. Among the highlights? A gondola. Not too much information, but apparently the $30 million gondola system would connect the foreshore to Kings Park. Decision on whether or not to build the gondola will occur...
A great documentary report from Deutsche Welle on the Medellin Metrocable. Not only does it focus on the time-savings of the system, but also how Medellin’s system qualifies for carbon-trading schemes to offset O&M costs. Thanks to Günther Ecker for passing along this link!
Any man who finds himself on a bus over the age of 30 can consider himself a failure in life. The above quote is generally attributed to former British Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher. And while the exact wording is up for debate, the sentiment remains: The use of public transit represents failure. It is a mode of...
A quick look at some of the things that make your cities work (or not) Happy Valentine’s Day!: Transit geek and single?: Kærlighedssæder (Danish love seat) Best dating site for single middle-aged transit riders: Charlottetown transit Need help bagging that commuting cutie of yours?: Tips Submitting a love story on Calgary Transit: Free monthly transit...
A few highlights from around the world of urban gondola transit systems and Cable Propelled Transit: National Geographic profiles the Perugia Mini Metro. More concerns about how the London Thames Cable Car may be affected by increased usage of London City Airport. Kuriositas profiles a handful of Amazing Aerial Tramways of the World. Archinect discusses...
A thought experiment: Imagine if we created financial incentives for people to experiment professionally with transit? For example: What if, for a transit agency to receive federal/state/provincial funding they had to dedicate at least 5% of their total annual budget to research and development? How would that change things? My recent flaying at the hands...
A discussion in the comments of a recent post got me thinking about the Rostock gondola. Built for the BUGA festival in 2003, it’s a system that’s mostly been forgotten and I have to assume the reason for this is that it no longer exists. It was designed and built as a temporary installation. The...
Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) is a technology that’s been dreamed about in transit circles for roughly the last 60 years with little to no progress. For those unfamiliar, the concept of PRT is based around the following 4 principals: Small, automated vehicles with seating for 2 – 8 people. Vehicles available on demand at stations...
Yesterday I asked people to consider the implications of two images of relatively obscure gondola transit systems, the Madrid Teleferico and that Ocean Park Gondola. These systems reinforce the idea that “stacking” or “doubling” of a gondola line is possible. The implications are the very same I outlined in a previous post about the Sugarloaf Double...