Sound Transit’s light rail plans turned out to be even more challenging than planned. The SkyLink team is advocating to build an alternative: An urban gondola. Martin Pagel told us that urban gondolas are getting more traction around the world as they can provide high frequency, sustainable, and accessible transit more quickly and with less disruption than traditional means.
Specifically, Martin and the SkyLink team have advocated for consideration of a gondola based transportation system for West Seattle that might have substantial benefits.
Martin Pagel grew up in Germany using many forms of public transit. He is passionate about how public transportation infrastructure can reduce traffic congestion, climate impact, and housing cost by improving mobility. He lived and worked in West Seattle and currently resides in South Seattle.
Martin, in his presentation to the club, noted that:
- The plan to extend Sound Transit was a late addition to the plan. The costs of extending light rail into the neighborhood have increased 73 percent over the initial estimates. The original estimate was $1.7 billion; current estimates are $3.2 billion.
- The Skylink team estimates that the costs to create a gondola-based system would cost less than one billion dollars to construct.
- A gondola-based system could be in place a decade earlier than a light rail system.
- Operating costs of a gondola system would be substantially lower: $12 million per year as opposed to an estimated $40 million.
Here are Martin’s presentation slides: