The Star: Toronto's island airport gets second, bigger ferry

[kEiThZ]

In New Brunswick I used to cross the Saint John River at several points on a cable ferry. They operate year round, even in the winter and transport medium sized trucks and my little motorcycle just fine. Let's have a cable ferry powered by electricity for the Island Airport.

That sounds pretty cool actually.... Heck, I'd go one better and make it the world's shortest gondola ride. Surely then we could meet that 55m height requirement. Just imagine...18 storey elevator on one side, then the world's shortest gondola ride, then another 18 storey elevator ride down.

 

[jn_12]

Perhaps a cable car would be a good way of ensuring that the current passenger transfer terminals (PTF) could still be put to use. You would essentially end up with a perpetual service and it would be at a height that would allow most small-medium boats to go through. Taller boats could go through one of the other island channels. If you had 4 cable cars shaped similar to the pods from the London Eye, you could comfortably fit 15-20 people and bags on board. If they docked for 30 seconds to a minute each you could easily meet demand. I know there are feasibility/cost issues, but its just a brainstorming idea.

I think one issue though is that the TPA is unionized and the men who operate the ferry on a day-to-day basis are long serving employees who are at the end of their careers in a cushy job. They make some insane paycheques just for making the 400 foot trek 70 times per shift. I guess they could operate a cable car instead...

 

[adma]

Okay, so back to my idea of a trans-Porter bridge...

 

[Admiral Beez]

Okay, so back to my idea of a trans-Porter bridge...

How about zip lines?

 

[sjc]

I can't say that the idea of having to use a zip line to get to the airport with luggage in winter is very appealing. It would wake you up though before those early morning flights...

Please remember winter when you consider alternative plans for access to the airport. The current ferry can get crowded, but you remain indoors from the time you arrive at the terminal and that is a big plus.