Last week, in Part 1 of this series, the idea of combining CPT and Transit Oriented Development (TOD) was introduced. Today we’ll look closer at this topic and explore the opportunities ropeway technologies present to TOD.
While at-grade cable systems, such as funiculars have similar characteristics to LRT in terms of their impact on the urban form, top-supported systems, such as gondolas, present a unique situation.
From a planning effects based perspective, gondolas are well suited to TODs because they lessen the adverse effects on adjoining land, as compared to more traditional urban transport.
Here are just a few reasons why urban gondolas are well suited to TOD’s:
FOOTPRINT: Gondolas have a very small land footprint. Since land is valuable in a TOD this is clearly a positive characteristic. Utilizing less space for transit means more area to work with. This flexibility gives property developers and authorities a larger scope for development options. Since urban gondola TOD’s would not be limited by existing transport corridors (such as ‘at grade’ LRT and BRT) their route is less constrained by topography and the ‘urban form’.
PEDESTRIANS: Gondolas do not present a safety issue for pedestrians since they operate above foot traffic. This is a positive characteristic considering TOD are meant to be walkable and safe.
POLLUTION: Gondolas do not generate point source pollutants, noise or vibration effects. This plays heavily into TODs as a place of amenity – designed for people to live, work and play. Try having a coffee outside next to a busy bus route – not nice!
What other urban gondola characteristics are beneficial to TOD’s, and how? How can the urban form be designed and developed to be complementary to gondolas and vice versa?
(Addressing privacy impacts will be detailed in Part 3.)
This post was written by Ryan O’Connor, a planning and transportation professional based in Wellington, New Zealand. Ryan has been involved with Creative Urban Projects since March 2010.