A radical new proposal for Dodger Stadium could cut down on traffic and parking hassles when going to see a game at Chavez Ravine.
A private company says they'd like to build an aerial tram that would link Union Station in Downtown Los Angeles with the baseball stadium, giving people a direct link to games for the first time. The gondolas would be able to ferry up to 5,000 passengers per hour, helping cut down on the massive traffic problems around the ball park on game days.
Mayor Eric Garcetti pitched the idea to the Metro Board Thursday morning saying the gondolas could even become a tourist attraction during the off-season.
“If feasible, this will revolutionize access to Dodger Stadium for the 3.7 million fans who visit Chavez Ravine each year,” said Garcetti, who also acts as the chair of Metro's board.
But the best part? The $125 million price tag would be footed by Aerial Rapid Transit Technologies. The company says they'll solicit private funding to cover costs, but are appealing to the Metro Board to "take the lead role in the procedural requirements for route selection and right of way.”
"Dodger Stadium is one of the crown jewels of baseball and draws fans from across our region and the nation,'' Metro CEO Phillip A. Washington said. "We take seriously any idea that provides a good alternative to driving, and we're eager to consider this proposal from the private sector and advise our Metro Board accordingly.''
``We set up the Unsolicited Proposal process to encourage outside-the- box thinking when it comes to mobility and building new transportation infrastructure,'' Metro Chief Innovation Officer Joshua Schank said. ``The Dodgers' proposal is intriguing and we're looking forward to reviewing the details.''
If everything goes well, fans could be flying in the "world class aerial transit system" by 2022. No word on how much a ride in the gondola to Dodger Stadium would cost, but the company says the price would likely be cheaper than parking at the ball park.