Cities
Cable Car & Health: Fewer emissions in Medellín
241 million passengers and up to 99 percent availability – the urban cable car network serves mobility in the Colombian city of Medellín remarkably well.
According to researchers Cristiana Czerwinschi and Catrina Ulici from the Institute of Urban Design at the Vienna University of Technology, integrating the five cable car lines into the public transport system improves comfort while reducing both travel time and costs.
They examined the impact of a new cable car system on geographic accessibility (contour measurements) and CO2 reduction in Medellín. According to their findings, urban cable cars reduce harmful emissions in cities and improve accessibility.
Stations are placed strategically so that both accessibility (travel time) and environmental outcomes (CO2 emissions) benefit. Statistics show that the system reduces average travel time by up to ten percent, with an even stronger effect for people from lower socioeconomic groups.
History:
The development of the urban cable car network in Medellín over the years.
Overview of emissionsin Colombia
The death rate in Colombia due to air pollution is 0.37 per 1,000 people annually. This corresponds to 12,668 deaths each year from lung cancer, stroke, or respiratory diseases. Colombia is also heavily affected by climate change and must urgently adapt, according to the study’s authors. Fossil fuels still account for 77 percent of the national energy mix, including fuels used in transport.
Scope:
The urban cable car network in Medellín comprises five lines.
Cable cars are the most energy-efficient mode of transport
The Vienna University of Technology study used technical data from the five cable car lines to evaluate several factors that positively influence society in Medellín. First and foremost, the system saves 979 tons of CO2 annually.
This is due to inherent system characteristics: cable cars require no combustion engines, fuels, wheels, or reinforced frames. They run on electric drives and only need stations, towers, and cabins. Thanks to their light weight and low air resistance, downhill cabins can also help pull the uphill cabins.
All this makes cable cars the most energy-efficient mode of transport, according to the researchers. The economic value generated from health benefits is estimated at 50 to 380 US dollars per ton of CO2 saved. This exceeds the projected costs of reducing greenhouse gases.
The data shows it:
The cable car is the most efficient mode of transport.
Additional advantages of the cable car
Beyond reducing CO2 emissions, the urban cable cars in Medellín have prevented an estimated 5,176 traffic accidents, saving 3.43 million US dollars in costs. They have also saved 379 million US dollars in energy costs and created 30,000 square meters of new public space.
There is also a strong social component: the urban cable cars contribute significantly to reducing poverty in the population, the authors conclude, drawing on a wide range of sources. The cable car is the backbone of urban, integrated modernization projects.
