Austin shoots down plan to build the world’s largest gondola system

AUSTIN, Texas — A proposal to build a gondola lift in Austin that would have been incorporated as part of the public transit system in Texas’ capital city won’t be flying anytime soon.

City and transportation officials concluded Friday they won’t be moving forward with the unconventional mode of transit, the Austin AmericanStatesman reported.

The proposal would have consisted of an eight-mile, 19-stop line and was estimated to cost between $290 million and $550 million. One concern was that the proposal called for the largest and longest gondola system in the world.

Cable-propelled urban gondolas are similar to those used for decades to transport skiers up mountains. Austin officials concluded as part of a viability study that such an urban cable car system is better suited for “‘niche’ applications and not as a primary means of moving people or goods as a part of a regional network or along a major corridor.”

“We’re not saying that it has no future or has no role in Austin’s mobility,” said Todd Hemingson, vice president of strategic planning and development for Capital Metro, Austin’s public transit system. “But we are essentially saying that there’s more work to be done before it could really be considered.”

Other concerns included securing the right of way and possible impacts on other city transportation projects.

Jared Ficklin, who dreamed up the gondola plan through his firm Argodesign, said he thought the viability study actually provided a boost for the idea. He said he still has high hopes of finding political support for building the massive gondola network.