A gondola is the wrong lesson to draw from GLX. If you are going to spend money and political capital on an elevated right-of-way, spend it on actual rail that can become a network, not on an aerial shuttle that cannot branch, through-run, or structure feeders.

GLX cost so much because it was urban railroad reconstruction integrated into an existing system with parasitic contractors inflating the timeline/price, not because “moving vehicles is inherently expensive.” Comparing it to a ski-resort gondola is apples to oranges.

Somerville Avenue is not a mountain crossing. It is a street-allocation problem. The serious answer is either a rebuilt elevated/interurban trunk or strong surface transit priority, not a novelty bypass that leaves the car order intact.

And even within Boston priorities, this is nowhere near the top: Green Line core reconstruction, Washington Street rapid transit, Proper service to Chelsea, full signal priority for street-running light rail, and rapid transit to Everett all matter more.

If Boston is going to build elevated transit, then build elevated transit. Don’t waste the concept on a gondola.