• Where: The gondola would run from Freeway Park next to the Convention Center down to the waterfront, staying above Union Street. A midway station would sit between First and Second Avenues on Union, which would have to narrow from three to two lanes of traffic to accommodate the station.
• What it looks like: Eight towers would support the cable and cars, each shaped like a whalebone and taking up only three feet square on the sidewalk. The cars would travel about 40 to 50 feet above traffic, and well above the cables used by city buses.
• Who the heck is paying for it: The entire enterprise, which will cost “tens of millions of dollars,” according to Griffith, is privately funded. No taxpayer money will be used, says the elder Griffith, “and by being privately funded, there’s a strong possibility it will happen.”
That sounds pretty fun, and as long as taxpayers aren’t on the hook for it, sure. I mean the Convention Center to the Waterfront is pretty walkable, but still, it’s probably easier to point to the big sky machine, and say “hop in.” I like the Ferris Wheel, and sure, why not? If they can make another high up thing, only this time practical, go for it.
Is this the Seattle Monorail reincarnated?
I always wanted a gondola between the UW and the FHCRC, when I was a grad student. Way better than those silly shuttle buses. Sheesh, OHSU has one.
Or a gondola across Lake Union – linking Capital Hill with Queen Anne.
Hunhh?????
I thought you were in favor of PUBLIC transit?
The Gondola is anything but that. It is profit making gimmick to tie the newly profitable tourist traps on the waterfront to the convention center.
In the meantime the plans for Seattle’s Waterfront are very much Disneyesque … lots of attractions to add to the ferris wheel (owned by the guy who wants to build the Gondola) NO open green spaces, no playgrounds for kids, no waterfront trolley … etc etc.
By the way, could you PLEASE clarify. The poles that support this thing are only
three feet square? Do you mean 3 feet by 3 feet as in NINE SQUARE feet? That is pretty effin big.
Do you mean 3 feet by 3 feet as in NINE SQUARE feet? That is pretty effin big.
Not so much when you also consider the poles are “shaped like a whalebone” and bent over the street to support the cars “40 to 50 feet above traffic”.
Gee
What Next?
Maybe we could rent space for adds above all our streets?
Imagine. AMAZOOON drones flying up an down Westlake dropping tenth bitcoin sxrip as the wiz by!