Georgetown-Rosslyn Gondola Project Just Took a Big Step Forward

Officials have made their choice on what contractor will take the Georgetown-Rosslyn gondola project to the next phase.

The Georgetown-Rosslyn Gondola Executive Committee announced April 28 that a team led by ZGF Architects LLP will conduct the feasibility study for the project, beating out seven other bids, according to a committee statement.

The committee noted it chose ZGF because "they offered the most effective approach for providing a comprehensive evaluation of the economic development, financial, regulatory, and community impacts of the project," Joe Sternlieb, CEO and president of the Georgetown Business Improvement District, said in the statement. Sternlieb also cited the team's experience in engineering, transportation and economics.

The project aims to provide a public transportation option that will connect Georgetown and Rosslyn, alleviating traffic issues over the Francis Scott Key Bridge and providing another way for residents to cross the river since the Metrorail system isn't available in Georgetown.

"Rosslyn is a key transportation hub for the Capital region and we need to seriously consider investments that have the potential to alleviate congestion in an environmentally-friendly way," Mary-Claire Burick, president of the Rosslyn Business Improvement District, said in the statement. "Conducting this feasibility study allows for an informed public discussion where all stakeholders will have the best possible information assembled by leading experts at their fingertips."

The committee intends to hold public meetings throughout the project to gather input from the community, and dates for those meetings will be released in the coming months.

Image via Wikimedia