VANCOUVER -- The Simon Fraser Student Society has thrown its support behind a proposal to build a gondola up Burnaby Mountain.
The student group has sent a letter to Burnaby City Council urging it to support the proposal, which would replace existing bus routes between Production Way University SkyTrain Station and the Simon Fraser University campus with a gondola.
The letter expresses strong support for the project, and specifically for "Route 1," a proposed route for the gondola that would travel directly from Production Way University station to the SFU Exchange.
Two other proposed routes would link the SkyTrain to the SFU campus via longer gondola lines that make turns part of the way through their routes.
"Routes 2 and 3 would both increase travel time for students, and reduce the efficiency of the project," the letter reads.
More than 88 per cent of student society members take transit regularly to get to class, according to the letter, and almost 95 per cent consider reliable transit service important or "very important."
SFSS president Osob Mohamed told CTV News Vancouver a gondola would make students' commutes easier.
"Transit right now is just not sufficient for the amount of people going up and down Burnaby mountain," Mohamed said. "On top of that, a lot of our students do care about having a safer, more time-efficient and eco-friendly method of transportation."
TransLink wrapped up a second round of public engagement on the project in December. The transit authority plans to present a design proposal, including a recommended route, to Burnaby City Council and the TransLink Mayors' Council later this year.
