Study and Planning Consultants for Gondola, Cable Car, Ropeway, Tramway and Funicular Projects.

Eco-Transit provides specialized cable car, tramway, ropeway and gondola project services for the planning and feasibility study of gondola lift and cable car systems, including other types of lifts and ropeways for industrial applications, tourism, ski areas and urban mass transit. We have provided our consulting services for over 25 years to municipalities, private developers, A&E companies, resorts, and to other public and private sector clients, as well as to planning, A&E and feasibility teams for multi-modal studies that include urban gondolas and resort development studies that include recreational designed gondolas.

 
We have extensive consulting experience with the planning and study of aerial ropeways from one half mile to five miles in length with interconnections to other transit modes and with both simple stations and intermodal transit stations with associated mixed use development. We have also studied numerous gondola alignments that climb steep inclines, run along flat terrain, travel above city roadways, and cross over waterways, highways and other rights of way. The environmental benefits of this specialized form of “Green Transit” are showcased in our consulting studies for resort, attraction, and urban gondola ropeway projects.

In the areas of recreation and urban transit, ECO-Transit offers unique qualifications to clients for diverse types of resort cable cars and urban gondola consulting projects and the interfacing of these cable propelled transit systems with other modes of surface and automated guideway transit along with potential mixed use development at at stations. Our gondola specialties group gives special attention to amenities development at resorts and Transit Oriented Development (TOD), and local neighborhood improvement opportunities within the cableway project areas. Mixed use residential and commercial development around the stations, and community centers and transit hubs to link with other transit modes are considered in our designs. The urban planning focus of Eco-Transit concentrates on community retail revenue generators and also social enrichment generators such as art and photographic galleries, cultural exhibits, local historical exhibits, walking tours, and craft centers. An attention to these types of creative urban projects and to the planning details associated with the layout of the Aerial People Mover routes and station locations can minimize adverse impacts and maximize the socio-economic benefits to the surrounding neighborhood when the gondola projects are developed and built out.

Our Consulting Services for Recreational and Urban Gondola Projects:

• Eco-Transit consults with clients and provides liaison with owners, stakeholders and third parties for aerial cableway projects.

• Site reconnaisance, natural resources analysis, project evaluation.

• Review of regulatory requirements and permitting procedures. 

• Subconsultant on A&E project teams for required aerial cableway specialties.
• Review of mapping and documentation with specifications for ropeways.
• Route analysis, planning and third party review of the aerial ropeway project.
• Planning for transit oriented development (TOD) and neighborhood integration for urban gondola projects.
• Prepare specifications and cost estimates for gondola equipment and installation; operation and maintenance budgets.
• Technical and economic feasibility studies for aerial cableway projects
• Assist to evaluate third party gondola proposals and planning / coordination with agency / owner.
• Planning assistance for project management (PM) and quality assurance planning (QA) for the lift projects.

AERIAL CABLE TRANSIT (ACT) TECHNOLOGY  FEATURES:
  

Mass Transit – Gondola, cable car and aerial tramway (also called teleferico) systems are increasingly being engineered and constructed worldwide as People Movers for mass transit and these aerial gondolas are interconnecting with bus, rail and APM’s at intermodal transit centers.​

Automation - Equivalent to automatic train controls; aerial tramway and gondola sytem designs are fully automated with redundant, fail-safe electronic monitoring and control systems for optimal safety - engineering safety records exceed those of all surface transit modes.
Right of Way - Operating in exclusive aerial ROW's, gondolas, telefericos and cable cars are separated from roadways, traffic, intersections, sidewalks bikes and pedestrians. In this manner, safety is greater and congestion is minimized versus surface modes of transit.
Headways — No waiting at stations for vehicles to arrive - cabin intervals are normally 15 to 30 seconds; Gondola system's “walk up and board” design feature assures there are multiple vehicles in stations ready for boarding at all times.​
Capacity - Due to the frequent vehicle arrivals / departures, passenger carrying capacities can range from 2,000 to 5,000 people per hour per direction; capacities are regulated for peak and non-peak operation.
Speed – ACT aerial gondola systems are slower (travelling10 to 20 mph) than most surface transit modes, but average route speed can be greater with the short headways and no speed loss from traffic congestion, traffic lights, weather conditions, etc.
Mobility - Aerial Gondola and Tramway (Teleferico) systems are fully ADA compliant with wide cabin doors, and level boarding platforms and vehicle floors; in most cases wheelchairs can board / de-board with no special procedures or stopping the system.
Vehicles - Gondola cabins normally range in size from 10 to 35 passengers and offer seating and standing, and are available with wireless internet, intercom, closed circuit TV, lighting, ventilation, heating, air conditioning and bike racks.
Construction — Minimal right of way footprint and less civil works and infrastructure relocation result in 12 to 24 month construction times and much less disruption along route; neighborhoods are less physically and construction-time impacted.​
Sustainability - Innovative electric “green mode” of transit with minimal air and noise pollution compared to other transit modes. On board vehicle power is solar / battery and main electric motive power source can be wind / solar credits.​
Cost - Aerial Ropeway capital costs and annual O&M costs are significantly less than most surface rail or fixed guideway people movers. System life cycles are 30 to 50 years, depending on annual operating hours and preventive maintenance.
 

"Aerial Gondolas / Cable Cars / Aerial Tramways / Funiculars / Telefericos"