At amusement parks and ski resorts, traveling from one location to another by gondola has been the norm for quite some time. Is it time to use this aerial travel to getting around Boston?
When the idea of a gondola from the Seaport to South Station was first introduced it may have seemed like a joke, but it’s not off the table. A recent Boston Globe article details the possibility of a 1-mile gondola system running 30 to 50 feet above Summer Street. This tram could carry the equivalent of 40 buses per hour, reducing traffic headaches and eliminating carbon emissions.
What do you think? Should Boston build a gondola to alleviate its transportation woes? Vote in our poll and add your comments in the section below.
I believe the South Boston initiative is privately funded. The City should just stick to buses and subways. Get those running before considering Star Wars stuff.
Privately funded *construction* in the public right-of-way. It’s also unclear who would be on the hook for the long-term maintenance.
Gondolas may be the best way to carry people over the floodwaters.
Weather related issues include strong winds and wind direction. Power loss and power backup systems. Also passenger extraction should there be a lengthy outage. I get the impression the South Boston gondolas will appeal to tourists, since they will go from South Station to the Marine Wharf.
A tram, similar to DisneyWorld would work and look much better.
If it cuts out traffic, transportation from Seaport to South Station ‘sounds good’, but the cost?? Let’s put money where it is badly needed.
Summer Street (the proposed route) is 90+ ft. and six lanes wide. A far cheaper solution would be to install dedicated bus lanes for bus rapid transit. As an added bonus, buses can operate in the high winds that would close the gondola during these past three Nor’easters.
1mile is hardly worth the costs. Great walking option instead.
My only point is that the City priorities should be fixing the transportation system that they have in place. I have no problem with abstract ideas, as long as some private organization wants to risk its own funds. But if they want to use taxpayer money to support this either in construction or it aftermath, then it’s no-go. Also, they should put up bond to cover failure. We don’t want to inheret a bankrupted gondola system.
How about a a huge bike lane?
Fix the MBTA first, then worry about creative alternatives.
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The MBTA is one of the best public transportation systems in the country. Maybe if they put an underground bike lane you people would be happy with them.
Not bad idea. That way when ever a train breaks down you can pedal out instead of walkout. Of course, the MBTA should learn to make itself work as opposed to need taxpayer bailouts
I agree that the MBTA is one of the best public transit systems in the country, but it is far from it’s peers in the rest of the OECD countries from Toronto to London, Paris, Berlin, and more.