What do you think of this project?

  • Total voters
    59
David A said:
With a growing city, we also probably need to start thinking about/planning for some more new bridges. There was only one lane added on the new Walterdale bridge.

The short sightless on that will probably be regretted when the High Level Bridge is closed. Perhaps the city is also waiting for the province to make some decisions about inter city or commuter rail before proceeding.
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My understanding is the Walterdale is designed to convert to two lanes each way once the high level is closed for renewal. I don't think the 3 lanes on Walterdale is a problem, the choke points are coming into downtown and the convergence of Walterdale Rd and Queen Elizabeth Park Rd. If there was four lanes it would make the multi lane merge people make to get from the far left lane over to 95th Ave even worse.
 
Here's my very quickly sketched out idea for a Gondola that would be a part of ETS. Summary of ideas:
  • Major destinations served: 1) WEM, 2) Valley Zoo/Laurier Park, 3) Fort Edmonton, 4) UofA + Hospital, 5) Hawrelak, 6) 124th Street, 7) Whyte Ave, 8) Rossdale/Kinsmen/Walterdale/Bike Park, 9) Churchill/Library/CBD, 10) Ice District
  • Mass Transit Integration (yellow dots): 1) WEM VLW & Bus Station, 2) VLW @ 124th, 3) University Capital+Metro+Bus Stations, 4) Churchill LRT Connector.
  • Unserved/barely served by transit stops: Fort Ed, Zoo/Laurier, Hawrelak, Rossdale.
  • 4 river crossings - substantially cheaper by gondola vs bridges
  • Blue dots are stops without major transit integrations
  • 12 stations overall
  • 2 "spurs" to Fort ed & 124th (these are less needed, but could be future phases to serve our parks/festivals)
  • 18km overall, say 35mil/km to build, that's 630million.
  • Just the WEM to University connection alone feels like a massive win, likely shifting some drivers off groat/fox going to University from the West End.
Would love to hear people's thoughts! Horrible idea? Anything feasible?

The city has this report which explores the idea more: https://www.edmonton.ca/public-file...it/ETSAB_Urban_Gondolas_in_Public_Transit.pdf

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I love this idea actually. I always scratched my head on how the city would build a mass transit crossing from WEM to University and it not being controversial.
A gondola with a route like this is the least invasive and the most scenic. Bring back the Festival line name too, it's fitting.
Bet it would be a way bigger tourist draw being able to take a Gondola from WEM to Whyte and Downtown.

I'd add a dot at meadowlark.
Instead of SPR@124, it would be better served going down Jasper Ave too.
 
thommyjo said:
Here's my very quickly sketched out idea for a Gondola that would be a part of ETS. Summary of ideas:
  • Major destinations served: 1) WEM, 2) Valley Zoo/Laurier Park, 3) Fort Edmonton, 4) UofA + Hospital, 5) Hawrelak, 6) 124th Street, 7) Whyte Ave, 8) Rossdale/Kinsmen/Walterdale/Bike Park, 9) Churchill/Library/CBD, 10) Ice District
  • Mass Transit Integration (yellow dots): 1) WEM VLW & Bus Station, 2) VLW @ 124th, 3) University Capital+Metro+Bus Stations, 4) Churchill LRT Connector.
  • Unserved/barely served by transit stops: Fort Ed, Zoo/Laurier, Hawrelak, Rossdale.
  • 4 river crossings - substantially cheaper by gondola vs bridges
  • Blue dots are stops without major transit integrations
  • 12 stations overall
  • 2 "spurs" to Fort ed & 124th (these are less needed, but could be future phases to serve our parks/festivals)
  • 18km overall, say 35mil/km to build, that's 630million.
  • Just the WEM to University connection alone feels like a massive win, likely shifting some drivers off groat/fox going to University from the West End.
Would love to hear people's thoughts! Horrible idea? Anything feasible?

The city has this report which explores the idea more: https://www.edmonton.ca/public-file...it/ETSAB_Urban_Gondolas_in_Public_Transit.pdf

View attachment 643141
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Unfortunately the *ENA would never allow something this nice in our city.

* Edmonton NIMBYs Association.
 
I think the gondola would do well with connecting the river valley with Downtown, Strathcona, University and WEM. I don’t think it’s necessary to have stops within two blocks of each other, especially with LRT connections.
 
realistically the only place it could work in Edmonton would be from Whyte Ave by the farmers market, stopping by the ball diamond, then up the hill to a downtown LRT stop(Churchill). It would need to operate at a very low fare to be successful, but it would solve challenges posed by the scale of the river valley and provide transit to the main parts of whyte which is currently under served imo. WEM is already getting LRT service and isn't realistic for a gondola.
 
^ and Victoria Promenade area to the University area. These two areas impossible to efficiently cross by foot.

Whyte Ave feels extremely far from DT because of the river.

Edmonton could realistically support two ETS operated gondolas.
 
SMayo said:
realistically the only place it could work in Edmonton would be from Whyte Ave by the farmers market, stopping by the ball diamond, then up the hill to a downtown LRT stop(Churchill). It would need to operate at a very low fare to be successful, but it would solve challenges posed by the scale of the river valley and provide transit to the main parts of whyte which is currently under served imo. WEM is already getting LRT service and isn't realistic for a gondola.
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Why is WEM to University not possible?

Arguably that’s a more needed route than Whyte to Downtown. Some of the worst congestion in our entire city is Fox Drive, university ave, and 114st.

It’s WEM, one of our biggest employment hubs and biggest tourist spots, and a university with 60k+ students and employees, plus our major Healthcare/Hospital Hub.

The need for crossing options between west end & Uni are bigger than the need for downtown imo from a commuting perspective (ETS).
 
One potential challenge for the gondola could be impacts over residential areas. Could there be safety challenges along 87 Avenue? Gateway Boulevard and the River Valley (the path of Prairie Sky) aren’t directly over residential areas.

I think the easiest paths would be over or in proximity to the River Valley.
 
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