The Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit Authority is taking action to determine whether an aerial gondola system of transportation across the region is feasible.
The idea of gondola systems connecting people to popular destinations across Tampa Bay has been discussed for years, but now TBARTA is taking it a step forward. The authority has issued a request for proposals for a qualified planning and engineering firm to conduct the Pinellas Aerial Gondola Feasibility Study. This study would examine two potential aerial gondola routes in the cities of St. Petersburg and Clearwater.
The feasibility was born out of another study — TBARTA's innovation study that tasked the group to review different transit technologies that would best serve the region in 2019. One of the recommendations from the study was to see if there was interest in pursuing an aerial gondola project in a specific corridor. Staff from TBARTA and Forward Pinellas, the metropolitan planning organization for Pinellas County, met with city staff and elected officials in fall 2020 to discuss the scope of an RFP.
The city of Clearwater wants to investigate the feasibility of a gondola connecting downtown Clearwater to Clearwater Beach with a possible intermediate stop on Island Estates near the Clearwater Marine Aquarium. Meanwhile, the city of St. Petersburg is interested in the possibility of an aerial gondola connecting the areas around Tropicana Field, which is slated to be redeveloped, the Innovation District and the St. Pete Pier on the downtown waterfront.
The purpose of the study would be to provide TBARTA, Forward Pinellas, St. Petersburg and Clearwater with more information to decide whether to proceed to either a more detailed environmental assessment or a design/build contract, according to the RFP document.
TBARTA has allowed the cities to review the RFP, St. Pete Communications Director Ben Kirby said. He said a St. Pete staff member is serving on the team evaluating the proposals.
TBARTA will host a virtual conference on the RFP on Feb. 12 at 9 a.m.
Prior to issuing the RFP, the group heard from a number of companies interested in developing such a system. Leitner-Poma, a Colorado-based company, pitched its gondola system that would be used to connect the Trop to the St. Pete Pier area or from Clearwater Beach to downtown. Other gondola companies such as BeachTran and the Shea Carr Jewell Company have also pitched similar plans for the area.
Gondolas, which are commonly found in theme parks and ski resorts, typically cannot travel very fast but they can carry 10 or more passengers per cabin and offer 360-degree views. Economically, the systems are typically subsidized by tourists who pay a premium to ride, and cost a fraction of heavy or light rail systems.
The RFP respondents are being asked to include specifics such as recommended route alignments including the size, number and locations of stations and maintenance areas; a description of anticipated right of way or easement requirements; estimated capital, operating and maintenance costs; ridership analysis and traffic impact analysis; recommended fare structure and revenue projections; and project delivery and financing options, according to the document.
The deadline for respondents is March 8.
