Should New Hampshire’s iconic aerial tramway be replaced with a gondola?
Would you replace the Ketchup and Mustard tram cars?
New Hampshire’s iconic Cannon Mountain aerial tramway is in need of repair and Granite State officials and residents are in disagreement over whether it should be replaced with a gondola.
The first passenger aerial tramway in North America began operating at the site in 1938 and was replaced by the current tram in 1980. The state-owned lift at Franconia Notch State Park provides millions of dollars in tourism spending, said Charyl Reardon of White Mountain Attractions Association, according to nhpr.org.
Visitors are treated to an eight-minute scenic ride to Cannon’s 4,080 foot summit in two enclosed red and yellow cable cars known as Ketchup and Mustard. Each tram car can carry 80 people and on a clear day, guests can see New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont, New York, and Canada, according to nhstateparks.org.
The tram needs to be replaced in the next five years, Gov. Chris Sununu wrote in a letter to the senate finance committee last week.
“Latest estimates indicate replacing the Tram with another Tram may be in excess of $25 million,” wrote Sununu in the letter. “I urge the committee to consider all options and alternatives including the installation of an 8-10 person gondola that carries numerous benefits over the older tram model.”
State Natural and Cultural Resources Commissioner Sarah Stewart told the committee “it was loud and clear to us from the public that the tram was what was desired,” reported nhpr.org.
The majority of those in attendance at a state Division of Parks and Recreation meeting last year voted for a new tram, according to The Concord Monitor.
“Having a tram, the only tram in the state, is a major attraction,” said Stewart, according to nhpr.org. “If we were only to have a gondola, we would have to lower the height of the ride significantly, potentially below treeline, which would also detract from the experience, therefore reducing interest.”
The Storm Skiing Journal & Podcast put up a poll over the weekend asking what people prefer and gondola was the clear winner with 49 percent of the 328 votes.
Sununu, in his letter, said installing a gondola would cut costs, increase revenue, and provide a more comfortable experience.
“In addition to the savings on construction cost, a gondola would increase revenue, through its ability to bring customers to the summit faster, as well as create a more secure customer experience. Visitors may feel more comfortable in a gondola with 8 to 10 people rather than a tramway car with 70 to 100 people during the height of respiratory illness season in the winter months.”
What do you think? Would you like to see the tram replaced with a gondola?
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