Gondola? Who asked for a gondola?

[mem_winterhill]

Via the SomPedTransit mailing list, I was alerted to the floating [ahem] of a proposal to replace the pedestrian/cyclist bridge across the Mystic with a gondola. No, seriously, stop laughing. It was in the Globe.

Globe: https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/02/07/business/everett-officials-envision-aerial-gondolas-city-hall-casino-assembly-station/

Reply: https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/02/07/metro/walkers-cyclists-worry-that-an-everett-gondola-would-cost-them-crucial-connection/

Non-Globe piece that doesn't require subscription: https://patch.com/massachusetts/somerville/environmental-advocates-push-back-against-encore-gondola-proposal

This is, of course, insane. Low volume, subject to breaking, in a windy area... I rarely state my own opinion on these things here, trying to be a bit neutral. But this is a hard NO from me if it replaces the bridge.

That said, we joked about how this might actually work up Winter Hill if we can't get a north-south bus route. But no, this is just kidding.

Examples:

 

I was about to have kittens about the gondola, and then I was remembering a trip to Pittsburgh where they have this fun tram up a nearby hill that takes you to this kind of sweet view and there's an ice cream place up there...it doesn't suck.

https://www.visitpittsburgh.com/directory/duquesne-incline/

 

I definitely don't want a gondola system to come at the cost of a bike/ped bridge. That said I had seen a City Beautiful YouTube video about gondola systems recently and I've been day dreaming about a line running from the casino through Assembly to Ten Hills, the tops of Winter and Spring Hills and onward to Harvard via Conway Park.

Maybe I just hate climbing hills.

I prefer the TransitTrebuchet.

Plus a footbridge, of course.

Pushback from Mystic River Watershed folks: https://mysticriver.org/news/2020/2/10/mystic-river-watershed-association-calls-on-state-and-encore-to-partner-on-mystic-river-pedestrian-and-bicycle-bridge

Anyway: I draw your attention to the Draw Seven park upcoming meeting where influencing the decision on the bridge might be worthwhile. 
https://whna.dreamwidth.org/53669.html

Edit to add: the last meeting I recall on the Pedestrian bridge is here: https://whna.dreamwidth.org/16420.html You can download the slides that make the state's own case for the bridge form.