Snags in Calgary traffic flow could be solved by transporting some commuters high above the city in urban gondolas, planners heard during a presentation on Tuesday.

Toronto-based Creative Urban Projects told the Alberta Professional Planners Institute that the high-wire form of transport is both cheaper and more efficient than light-rail transit.

“They are good connector systems,” said Steven Dale, leader of CUP’s Gondola Project. “The advantages are very short wait times between vehicles ‘ 10 to 30 seconds ‘ and they’re incredibly quiet and incredibly safe.”

Gondola systems have proved immensely popular in South America, where uneven topography often hampers road development.

Last year, Calgary Transit said it was exploring a gondola system for northwest Calgary that could transport people to high-traffic venues such as the University of Calgary and Alberta Children’s Hospital. The cost and benefits are still being weighed, senior planner Jen Malzer said.