A proposed gondola system between Georgetown and Rosslyn could be less likely to happen after the Arlington County Board announced they would not give the project any further funding.
"Given our identified and pressing transportation needs, along with some ongoing concerns about the long-term value of the gondola, the Board is not in favor of any further funding of the gondola project," wrote Board Chair Jay Fisette in a letter to the committee formed to explore the system's impact and feasibility.
While this is undeniably a setback, supporters of the plan insist this is not the end. Joe Sternlieb, president of the Georgetown Business Improvement District, said conversations about the project will continue in D.C.
"By no means is this a death knell," Sternlieb told The Washington Post.
One way the project could continue at this point would be with private funding, WTOP reported.
"The biggest issue is really funding. It's that the board is not in favor of further funding this project," Arlington County Board Vice Chair Katie Cristol told WTOP. "If it goes forward with private funding, we'll look forward to continued conversation."
The system could cost up to $90 million to build and more than $3 million a year to maintain, according to a study released last November. The system is intended to relieve traffic on the Key Bridge and connect Georgetown to the Metro system via the Rosslyn station.
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Similar systems exist in Portland, Oregon, and New York City. Like the proposed Georgetown-Rosslyn system, the Portland system shuttles commuters to and from a large university and the surrounding neighborhood.
