Cable cars mooted as viable option for Manhattan's commuters
Cable cars are usually thought of as a tourist activity, offering a fun and sociable experience with bird’s eye views of the city or countryside below. But one enterprising New Yorker has been asking why tourists should have all the fun.
Daniel Levy, president of CityRealty in New York City, is pushing for a rethink of the way we use the skies. His proposals for an urban gondola, dubbed East River Skyway to connect Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens, are not just aimed at tourists, but at residents and commuters too.
“Given the exciting growth in Brooklyn and Queens, it is essential to adapt New York City’s transportation system to serve residents in these booming areas,” said Levy, who is founder and president of East River Skyway.
The high-speed, zero-emissions aerial gondola would serve around 5,000 passengers per hour in each direction, cross the East River in under four minutes, and reduce a Brooklyn-Manhattan commute time by up to 30 minutes, East River Skyway’s statement says.
Cities like Singapore, Taipei, London and Rio de Janeiro have embraced the cable car, which can transport large volumes of people. These systems are also relatively cheap to build and are environmentally friendly.
If Levy can market his Skyway as a viable alternative for commuters, he could help change the face of transportation in the city. Brooklyn’s expanding population has long put pressure on the public transport system, with the notoriously crowded L train handling a 50 per cent increase in passengers since 2007, and running over capacity since 2012.
“Cities around the globe are recognising the viability and efficiency of urban gondolas to overcome serious transportation challenges,” he said. “An aerial transportation system would be a relatively inexpensive and quickly deployable solution here in New York.”
Steven Dale, president of Creative Urban Projects and Cable Car Consultants, an advisor on the Skyway said: “New York City is a natural fit for cable transit systems given its severe topographical challenges. New gondola technology would be an effective means to address the ever-increasing traffic in Manhattan, Brooklyn and perhaps even farther afield.”
UAE’s first Dior Spa debuts in Dubai at Dorchester Collection’s newest hotel, The Lana
Europe's premier Evian Spa unveiled at Hôtel Royal in France
Clinique La Prairie unveils health resort in China after two-year project
GoCo Health Innovation City in Sweden plans to lead the world in delivering wellness and new science
Four Seasons announces luxury wellness resort and residences at Amaala
Aman sister brand Janu debuts in Tokyo with four-floor urban wellness retreat
€38m geothermal spa and leisure centre to revitalise Croatian city of Bjelovar
Two Santani eco-friendly wellness resorts coming to Oman, partnered with Omran Group
Kerzner shows confidence in its Siro wellness hotel concept, revealing plans to open 100
Ritz-Carlton, Portland unveils skyline spa inspired by unfolding petals of a rose
Rogers Stirk Harbour & Partners are just one of the names behind The Emory hotel London and Surrenne private members club
Peninsula Hot Springs unveils AUS$11.7m sister site in Australian outback
IWBI creates WELL for residential programme to inspire healthy living environments
Conrad Orlando unveils water-inspired spa oasis amid billion-dollar Evermore Resort complex
Studio A+ realises striking urban hot springs retreat in China's Shanxi Province
Populous reveals plans for major e-sports arena in Saudi Arabia
Wake The Tiger launches new 1,000sq m expansion
Othership CEO envisions its urban bathhouses in every city in North America
Merlin teams up with Hasbro and Lego to create Peppa Pig experiences
SHA Wellness unveils highly-anticipated Mexico outpost
One&Only One Za’abeel opens in Dubai featuring striking design by Nikken Sekkei
Luxury spa hotel, Calcot Manor, creates new Grain Store health club
'World's largest' indoor ski centre by 10 Design slated to open in 2025
Murrayshall Country Estate awarded planning permission for multi-million-pound spa and leisure centre
Aman's Janu hotel by Pelli Clarke & Partners will have 4,000sq m of wellness space
Therme Group confirms Incheon Golden Harbor location for South Korean wellbeing resort
Universal Studios eyes the UK for first European resort
King of Bhutan unveils masterplan for Mindfulness City, designed by BIG, Arup and Cistri
Rural locations are the next frontier for expansion for the health club sector
Tonik Associates designs new suburban model for high-end Third Space health and wellness club
Three years after Pegasus Capital bought Six Senses, how close is the private equity firm to realising its goals for its first spa and hospitality investment? Pegasus’ founder Craig Cogut tells us what’s been achieved and what comes next