Mayor Mike Johnston should think bigger with downtown development projects. Why not install a gondola system?
Here’s a big idea: build a network of elevated gondolas connecting all of downtown with on-demand, customizable cabins whisking visitors, residents and workers to every significant attraction.And they’ve done nothing to promote the kind of big-picture magnates necessary to create a fun, safe environment necessary to attract the millions of new visitors, employers and residents that downtown needs to thrive again.
Broncos Say New Stadium Will Be “Privately Financed,” but That Could Mean Hundreds of Millions in Public Resourcesof downtown: build an automatic network of elevated gondolas connecting all of downtown with on-demand, customizable cabins whisking visitors, residents and workers to every significant downtown attraction at up to 35 mph, either on the ground or in the air . Raise millions from fares, sponsorships and advertising, and use some of that money to install a new battery of surveillance cameras and hire security staffers to monitor the video in real-time and alert guards in the streets of potential trouble before it becomes real trouble. Build community by offering half-price rides to Medicaid recipients, seniors, kids and the handicapped. Los Angeles is going to build such a system to and from downtown to Dodger Stadium. Las Vegas already has a monorail system. Portland built a gondola years ago. A Dallas suburb has launched a study of one. But none of them serve – or will serve if built – an entire downtown. Denver has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be the first to do so, and put itself on the global map with an innovative transportation system that plays off the state’s signature form of winter outdoor recreation. This “DEN-VAIR” system would attract the hundreds of thousands of visitors required to bring downtown back to life and put its economic development growth on steroids. Too expensive? Nope. We’ve already received an offer from a transportation company that specializes in these systems to put together a team of investors providing capital for projects like this. They’d finance 100 percent of the construction costs in return for annual payments once the system is operating, derived from fare, sponsorship and advertising revenue.All it would take is creating a public-private partnership led by a task force committed to transparency to raise the $200,000 for the initial scoping study. That task force would then issue a request for proposals to the companies that design and build these automatic transit network systems and any other big-picture proposals to revitalize downtown , and then evaluate the responses and green-light the one they like best, or mix-and-match from two or more of the proposals. The good news? It’s not too late. There’s no deadline that has to be met to get started. But these kinds of projects are years in the making. The only way to make them happen is to take the first step. New Downtown Denver has invited three manufacturers of urban gondola systems to present their technologies at a public hearing at 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 7, in the Denver Post Building Auditorium at 101 West Colfax Avenue. Westword.com frequently publishes commentaries on matters of interest to the Denver community. Have one you’d like to submit? Send it to editorial@westword.com, where you can also comment on this piece.Westword has always been free, and we want to keep it that way. But we can no longer rely solely on advertising to support our newsroom. If you value independent journalism, please consider making a contribution to support our work and keep Westword forever free.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Noah Centineo on Playing a Life Coach in Our Hero, Balthazar, Balancing Blockbusters & IndiesComingSoon spoke with Our Hero, Balthazar star Noah Centineo about playing a life coach in the dark comedy movie.
Read more »
Before His Crash and DUI Charge, Tiger Woods Took a Step Toward Playing a Surprise EventThere’s been speculation on whether Woods will play the upcoming Masters, but he took a step toward playing a different major.
Read more »
Which former Seattle Seahawks are playing in the UFL?Not only are there a few ex-Seahawks in the United Football League, a Super Bowl champion Seahawk is now an assistant coach!
Read more »
Why Netflix Cancelled Daredevil 8 Years Ago (& Why Marvel Brought Him Back)Daredevil: Born Again season 2 is here, and while the show has tons of new fans, many of them don't know the show's true history.
Read more »
Why Cristiano Ronaldo Isn’t Playing for Portugal vs. MexicoPortugal take on World Cup co-hosts Mexico and the United States this international break.
Read more »
Denver’s $1 billion road overhaul would cut space for cars, boost public transit and safety. Critics say it will make traffic worse.“We want to make it a city where you don’t have to rely on a car,” Mayor Johnston said.
Read more »