According to Arab News, urban gondolas now appear to be the favoured transit technology for solving the severe transport problems in Makkah. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, governor of Makkah, reviewed the CPT research report (completed at the Center of Excellence for Haj and Umrah Research) and is expected to forward it to the Follow-up Committee of Public Transport...
The University of Toronto Cities Centre just recently released a video describing their concept for an Aerial Ropeway Transit system in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. Take a look: U of T Research Contributing to Makkah’s Transportation Development from Colin Anderson on Vimeo. (Full Disclosure: CUP acted as a special advisor on this study but has no vested...
Various media sources have been reporting that Makkah, Saudi Arabia has plans for 12 Urban Gondola systems throughout the city (here, here and here, for example). While that’s certainly exciting news, it’s not exactly true. The study that led to these reports explored only three routes with multiple technology and route configurations. The number of...
A few highlights from around the world of Urban Gondolas, Gondola Transit, and Cable Propelled Transit (lots of good stuff this week, by the way): The Haj Research Centre in Makkah, Saudi Arabia completes the first of two studies exploring the use of cable cars/gondolas to link holy sites throughout to transport Umrah pilgrims throughout...