“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.