TransLink has developed a business case for building a $114-million gondola system to SFU and UniverCity that could improve travel time, service frequency and reliability—and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

A 3S gondola, comparable to Whistler’s Peak 2 Peak, could carry 4,000 people per hour, per direction, in seven minutes—about half the time of a current bus trip.

The gondola cabins would circulate continuously during operating hours, arriving at a terminal station on the south side of Town Square every 40 seconds.

TransLink’s business case points out benefits that include:

• Reducing waiting times since gondolas would leave at intervals of less than one minute.
• Cutting greenhouse gases from cars and buses by some 7,000 tonnes per year and reducing noise pollution.
• Ensuring a safe and speedy way up and down the mountain during winter weather.
• Generating benefits over 25 years estimated at 3.6 times greater than projected costs.
• Increasing capacity for cyclists and their bicycles.
• The gondola would be part of the regional transit system and fare structure, with no extra charge for riders.
• While more than 23,000 people live, work or study on Burnaby Mountain, that number will grow to 40,000 by 2030. Currently, bus riders make 25,000 trips daily to and from SFU and UniverCity. Forecast growth would see that ridership double, exceeding the peak capacity of bus services.

“We think it’s an exciting and positive project for the SFU and UniverCity communities,” says Gordon Harris, president and CEO of SFU Community Trust, which oversees the continued development of UniverCity. “But TransLink has a lot of work ahead before this project is approved.”

TransLink says the gondola is not included in its current strategic plan and still needs work on funding, design, the impact on Burnaby Mountain and the impact on local residents.

The project would need approval from the TransLink Mayors’ Council. And Translink says it will have to wait its turn behind other TransLink priorities, the big one being the Evergreen SkyTrain line.