The future of transportation to San Diego International Airport could be up in the air, as County of San Diego officials weigh the possibility of introducing cable-propelled gondolas as an alternative to motor vehicle or rail transportation.

The year-long study, completed in September, evaluated the feasibility of building an aerial cableway system between the San Diego Convention Center and San Diego International Airport, the busiest single-runway airport in the U.S.

“Given the current plan to construct a new Terminal 1 at San Diego International Airport, there is an immediate opportunity to fully integrate a skyway station with the design of the new terminal,” said Christopher Wahl, WSP lead planner and project manager for the feasibility assessment.

The study involved evaluating potential alignment alternatives, potential system-wide ridership, and capital and operating & maintenance (O&M) costs. Potential environmental and community considerations, funding opportunities, and opportunities to connect with regional transit systems were also evaluated. WSP created 3D simulation images to illustrate the concept.

WSP prepared the study for the County of San Diego. The San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) provided project management and travel demand modeling support.