Opinion: Gondolas Distract From the Realities of Transit

Gondolas seem to find their way into the public transit investment conversation again and again over the years, taking up space and air that could be devoted to more substantive issues of investment, maintenance, and operation.

1 minute read

April 11, 2017, 10:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Medellin

Gondolas work for Medellín, but they never seem to work out in the United States. | Jess Kraft / Shutterstock

Angie Schmitt collects evidence from around the country to argue that gondola proposals in the United States "have mainly served as a distraction from bigger problems facing urban transit systems."

Exhibit A: Washington, D.C., where Arlington County recently pulled out of a proposed gondola project that would cross the Potomac River. Schmitt links to examples of gondola proposals in Austin and Cleveland as well. To explain why gondola proposals get so much traction in the media, while never getting off the ground, Schmitt has this to say:

Projects like these have a certain appeal to media outlets. They’re new! They’re flashy! But too many cities are wasting too much time and money on gimmicky distractions instead of the meat and potatoes of running a functional transit system.

Monday, April 10, 2017 in Streetsblog USA

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

July 14, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Worker in yellow safety vest and hard hat looks up at servers in data center.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power

Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

July 18 - Inside Climate News

Former MARTA CEO Collie Greenwood standing in front of MARTA HQ with blurred MARTA sign visible in background.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns

MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

July 18 - WABE

Rendering of proposed protected bikeway in Santa Clara, California.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant

A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.

July 17 - San José Spotlight