“Future perspectives of ropeways in North America”
Jim Fletcher,  ASCE Fellow; Senior Consultant, Parametrix Consulting
www.parametrix.com

Ropeways in North America have a varied history of use over the last one hundred and thirty years.  In the late 1800s tramways were used to exploit minerals in the mountainous regions and still have some use in coal transportation today.  In the 1930s the ropeway started to be used in ski resort areas as a chairlift.  The advance of the use of ropeway systems over the next 50 years was concentrated in the resort and recreation business.  More recently, the ropeway has been applied as a propulsion device for transit systems in airports and urban centers.
This paper will analyse and project where the use of ropeways will be concentrated over the next 50 years. Various perspectives including obsolesces, economics, capacities, safety and environment will be considered as potential impediments or opportunities for future use of the ropeway.
Additionally, different markets including resorts, recreation, urban centers, airports, institutions such as hospitals and industry will be considered as potential economic sources for development.