The idea of a gondola crossing the Potomac might still seem a little pie in the sky, but it has legs.
"The Arlington County Board agreed Thursday night to kick in $35,000 to study the possibility of a Georgetown-to-Rosslyn gondola, which supporters hope will ease traffic on Key Bridge and zip visitors more easily across the Potomac River," reports Patricia Sullivan.
The idea has been around for a year. The Washington Post even published an op-ed by Toper Mathews in May 2015 supporting the idea. Also supporting the study is the Georgetown Business Improvement District. Joe Sternlieb, president of the Georgetown BID, was on hand at the county board hearing to tell them that the gondola "could be faster and far cheaper than building a new Metro tunnel to Georgetown, which lacks a subway stop."
In addition to the county's $35,000 bill for the study, "[o]ther contributions will come from Georgetown businesses, $75,000; Georgetown University $25,000; the Rosslyn business improvement district $20,000; developer JBG $5,000; and developers Gould Properties/Vornado $5,000."
The article includes more details about the case that can be made for the gondola. At this point the board seemed skeptical about the potential of the project, but thought the study would be worth the time and money. The study is scheduled for completion in ten months' time.
Read the full story: Georgetown-Rosslyn gondola study takes flight
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