DOTr eyes building cable car system to ease congestion

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has not swayed on the idea of building an aerial cable car system in hopes to ease congestion on the roads.

During his speech at the Asia CEO Forum, Transportation secretary Arthur Tugade mentioned that this plan is currently in the works as they try to pursue potential investors. “We are finalizing certain details. Hopefully, I would be able to convince proponents,” he said.

Cities planned for the study of the aerial system are the Pasig River, Boracay, and Baguio. Tugade also mentioned that once finalized, he would want the fares to be equal to other forms of public transportation such as jeepneys and buses. “I don’t want a rate that is high so that, you know, the public can benefit,” Tugade mentioned.

This is not the first time the department has looked into flying gondolas as an alternative mode of public transportation. In 2016, Tugade openly expressed his interest in doing feasibility studies for the system, citing that we can learn from our experiences from Bolivia. “‘Yung cable cars pinag-aaralan definitely… Ito ho, hinihiram ko ‘yung Bolivia experience kung saan mayroong mga cable car.” (We’re definitely studying cable cars… I’m looking at the Bolivia experience where there are cable cars.)  “Uumpishan mo muna ‘yan sa area ng Pasig, then EDSA, ito ‘yung mga gondola na may 35-passenger capacity,” (We’ll start first in the Pasig area then EDSA, and these gondolas will have a 35-passenger capacity.) he added.

Tugade is referring to Mi Teleférico, a six-line, 20-station cable car urban transit system that has launched in Bolivia in 2014. Deemed as the longest aerial cable car system in the world, it currently serves 80,000 to 90,000 passengers per day with current plans for expansion to address demand. Other cable car systems in the world include the Mexicable in Mexico, the Roosevelt Island Tramway in New York and Portland Aerial Tram in Oregon, USA.