Letter to Mayor Rob Martin re: Colwood- Esquimalt Gondola Transit Connector Conceptual Proposal

Re: Colwood- Esquimalt Gondola Transit Connector Conceptual Proposal.

Dear Mayor Martin,

This is to propose the conceptual idea to study, a new public transit overhead passenger gondola connection over the Esquimalt harbour. This gondola would link two bus transit routes for a new, shorter, more direct transit route away from much of the other traffic congestion between the West Shore and Esquimalt Navy base on Esquimalt road or Admirals road and then to downtown Victoria.

This would require DND, Parks Canada or Public Works Canada consents to provide statutory rights of way for gondola stations, gondola towers and cable connections over their property. However there would be new direct reciprocal benefits to these federal agencies for this public passenger transit system for their employees or customers travelling to their bases. This gondola system would meet or exceed noise, carbon air emissions performance measurements, best practices, wheel chair accessibility, and would reduce overall traffic congestion in Colwood, View Royal, south Saanich and Esquimalt. The two gondola stations have a small footprint of less than 300 square meters each and gondola towers have much smaller 1.7 square meter tower foundations.

There are three potential gondola cable routes to be evaluated over Esquimalt Harbour which need further analysis during an initial feasibility study (IFS). Then a more detailed business case should be prepared. The IFS report would identify preferred route alignment, preferred 8 or 10 passenger gondola cars, estimated capital and operating costs, preferred detachable grip monocable or 3S System, transportation capacity, wind resistance performance, service hours, trip times, tower locations, gondola terminal locations and associated transit stations nearby to meet BC Safety Authority requirements.

The successful consultants would have preliminary consultation and participation with DND, Parks Canada, Public Works Canada, Island Corridor Foundation, Oceans Canada, First Nations affected, each City planning staff and BC Transit planners over a one year planning period. The funding for the IFS would need to be confirmed before this IFS is awarded by a public competition and tender by qualified transportation consultants. The governance and funding of this transportation system should also be clarified and confirmed after the IFS is complete.

I would be pleased to provide some initial coordination and presentation of this concept until the local transportation agency takes over.

Yours truly,

Geoff Pearce Municipal Consultant.