Gondola Advisory Committee
Meeting Agenda
Date/Time:
August 17, 2026
3:00 PM
Meeting Location:
Virtual Meeting (Zoom Webinar):
https://gbsm.zoom.us/j/82559576086
Please note that the agenda and times are approximate and subject to change
Individuals with disabilities needing auxiliary aid(s) may request assistance by contacting:
[email protected] at least two business days in advance of the meeting date so
arrangements may be made on the requested auxiliary aid(s).
Item 1: Call to Order, Determination of Quorum and Agenda Review
Item 2: Approve July 20, 2026 Meeting Summary
● Presenter: Miles Graham
● Item Type: Action
● Allotted Time: 5 Minutes
Item 3: Leadership Committee Recap and Next Steps
● Presenter: Miles Graham
● Item Type: Informational
● Allotted Time: 10 Minutes
Item 4: SMART and Local Jurisdiction Updates
● Presenter: Amber Blake
● Item Type: Informational
● Allotted Time: 15 Minutes
Item 5: Government Relations Update
● Presenter: Miles Graham
● Item Type: Informational
● Allotted Time: 10 Minutes
Item 6: Project Development IGA - 2027 Budget Supplement
● Presenter: Amber Blake
● Item Type: Informational
● Allotted Time: 10 Minutes
Gondola Advisory Committee Meeting Agenda
August 17, 2026 1
Item 7: Traffic Pattern Analysis
● Presenter: Ed Parks and Jon Nepstad
● Item Type: Informational
● Allotted Time: 30 Minutes
Item 8: New Business
● Presenter: Miles Graham
● Item Type: Discussion
● Allotted Time: 5 Minutes
Item 9: Public Comment
● Presenter: Miles Graham
● Item Type: Public Comment
● Allotted Time: N/A
Item 10: Adjourn
Gondola Advisory Committee Meeting Agenda
August 17, 2026 2
Gondola Advisory Committee
Agenda Item Summary
Date/Time:
August 17, 2026
3:00 PM
Subject/Agenda Items:
Leadership Committee Recap, Project Development
IGA - 2027 Budget Supplement, Traffic Pattern
Analysis
Submitted by: A. Blake, SMART Project Manager
Issue Statement
The meeting will recap the July 28, 2026 Leadership Committee meeting and focus on
the 2027 Budget Supplement to the Project Development IGA, Gondola Advisory
Committee chartering, and the project team’s Traffic Pattern Analysis.
Leadership Committee Recap
Attached to this AIS is the July 28, 2026 Leadership Committee Recap. A Spanish
translation is available upon request by contacting [email protected].
Project Development IGA - 2027 Budget Supplement
Background / Key Points
Staff will prepare Supplement 4 to the 2026 Gondola Project Development IGA to reflect
updated Gsub committee membership and the proposed 2027 Project Development
budget. The 2027 budget proposal has already been presented to the Town of Telluride,
Town of Mountain Village, and TMVOA leadership, and is being brought to the Gsub for
review at the August 17, 2026 meeting.
IGA Supplement 4 Amendments
Supplement 4 updates the Project Development IGA to:
● Revise Gondola Advisory Committee membership to reflect project funding
partners and as needed an ad hoc membership for Telski, consistent with
SMART Resolution 2026-15; and
● Incorporate the proposed 2027 budget into the IGA.
Gondola Advisory Committee Agenda Item Summary
August 17, 2026 3
2027 Budget Proposal
The proposed 2027 Project Development budget totals $6,526,520, consisting of a
$5,020,400 subtotal plus a 30% contingency of $1,506,120. The contingency increases
from the prior 20% to 30%, consistent with FTA's requirement of 30% contingency
during the Project Development phase as the project shifts from planning into technical
work.
Funding partner shares are unchanged: SMART 50%, Town of Telluride 25%, and
Mountain Village entities 25% (split 12.5%/12.5% between the Town of Mountain Village
and TMVOA). By dollar amount, this equates to SMART $3,263,260, Town of Telluride
$1,631,630, Town of Mountain Village $815,815, and TMVOA $815,815.
Budget priorities for 2027 include program and project management, legal, strategic
communications and outreach, financial advisory services, government/community
affairs, FTA CIG coordination and compliance, environmental review, and an expanded
engineering scope covering lift engineering, geotechnical, architectural, site civil
engineering, landscape architecture, mechanical/electrical/plumbing, and permitting.
Next Steps
● Finalize the proposed budget with funding partner leadership (August)
● Respond to questions from funding partners (August/September)
● Circulate draft IGA to funding partners (September)
● Deliver final IGA to funding partners and participants for signature (September)
● Target fully executed IGA by December 1, 2026, with individual partner board
approvals occurring October–November
Traffic Pattern Analysis
Purpose and Approach
The project team will present a Traffic Pattern Analysis evaluating how the
Telluride–Mountain Village roadway network would operate if the gondola were
temporarily unavailable, including during construction or periods of maintenance or
operational challenges associated with an aging or failing system. The analysis uses
standard traffic engineering methodologies and considers both current conditions and
projected conditions through 2060.The output of analysis forecasts the level of roadway
volumes, vehicle speeds, travel times, and queue lengths in future years.
Scenarios, Assumptions, and Data
Two fundamental scenarios are evaluated: gondola trips shifting to personal vehicles
and gondola trips shifting to buses. Travel demand between Mountain Village and
Telluride is assumed to remain constant; however, discretionary gondola trips (those
Gondola Advisory Committee Agenda Item Summary
August 17, 2026 4
taken primarily for recreation or the experience itself) were removed. Background
vehicle traffic is assumed to grow with or without the gondola, consistent with
assumptions used in the fiscal analysis (1.5%). Traffic data collected in June 2026 at
key intersections and roadway segments was supplemented with CDOT count data to
establish existing conditions and project future traffic volumes. The June counts
occurred after schools had closed for the summer and before the peak July visitor
season and therefore do not reflect the busiest summer or winter conditions.
Roadway Findings
The results indicate that traffic will increase over time with or without the gondola, and
loss of the gondola would add additional pressure to the roadway network. By 2040,
background growth begins producing congestion and queues at key locations. The
primary constraints are the roundabouts serving Telluride, particularly the Mahoney
Drive roundabout.
Parking Implications
Roadway capacity is only one component of the impact of shifting gondola trips to
personal vehicles. Additional vehicle trips would increase parking demand in Telluride
and Mountain Village, potentially creating a more immediate constraint during peak
visitor periods when existing parking resources are already heavily utilized.
Accommodating that demand could require additional parking capacity and associated
land, infrastructure, management, and investment. The no-gondola scenario therefore
has implications beyond roadway congestion and delay, particularly for communities
where parking supply is already constrained.
Bus Replacement Scenario
The analysis also evaluated whether expanded bus service could accommodate
gondola demand. Fully replacing gondola capacity with buses would require
approximately four-minute service in both directions and 15 additional full-size buses in
peak periods.This increase represents a substantial expansion of SMART’s existing
transit operations and requires additional drivers, maintenance staff, operating support,
facilities, and bus bays.
Fiscal Impact
There are no fiscal impacts directly related to this discussion.
Gondola Advisory Committee Agenda Item Summary
August 17, 2026 5
DRAFT
Gondola Advisory Committee
Meeting Summary
July 20, 2026
Meeting Location:
Virtual Meeting (Zoom Webinar):
https://gbsm.zoom.us/j/82559576086
Attendees:
Town of Telluride (ToT)
● Elena Levin
● Ashley Story Von Spreecken
Mountain Village Entity (TMV and TMVOA)
● Allen Watson
● Harvey Mogenson
San Miguel County
● Lance Waring
● Mike Bodogna
San Miguel Authority on Regional Transit (SMART)
● David Averill
Others Present:
● SMART: Amber Blake
● ToT: Zoe Dohnal, Kristen Permakoff, Patrick Rondinelli
● TMV: Jim Loebe, Michelle Bulson, Conor Intemann, Mick
Hirschfeld
● GBSM: Miles Graham, Mavis Fitzgerald
● SE Group: Pete Williams
● Hilltop Securities: Mattie Prodanovic
● AECOM: Ed Parks, Chrissy Breit, Chris Brewer, Nik Reasor
Item 1: Call to Order, Determination of Quorum, and Agenda Review
The meeting was held virtually through Zoom. Miles Graham of the project team called the
meeting to order at 3:02 p.m. and established a quorum at 3:04 p.m.
Item 2: Approve June 15, 2026 Meeting Summary
Upon establishing quorum, the June 15, 2026 meeting summary was approved as presented.
Gondola Advisory Committee Meeting Summary
July 20, 2026 6
DRAFT
Item 3: SMART and Local Jurisdiction Updates
SMART
Structural Analysis
Amber Blake, project manager, updated the committee on progress regarding the structural
analysis contract. SMART has completed proposal evaluations, negotiated scope and fee with
the selected contractor, and will seek SMART Board approval at the July 23, 2026 meeting. Ms.
Blake reinforced the need for the structural analysis to support capital planning and risk
management as SMART prepares to assume operations and maintenance responsibilities of the
gondola.
Build and Buy America (BABA)
The project team has met with Doppelmayr and Leitner-Poma of America (LPOA) regarding
their likely ability to meet Build and Buy America (BABA) requirements. Doppelmayr believes
they cannot meet Federal Transit Administration (FTA) requirements for BABA, while LPOA
believes that they can meet a 70% BABA requirement. Doppelmayr has familiarity with BABA
from the Las Vegas monorail project. SMART special legal counsel is preparing a memorandum
to FTA legal counsel requesting that the Gondola Replacement Project be designated as rolling
stock, which allows for a 70% BABA requirement instead of a 100% BABA requirement.
FTA Coordination
The project team is meeting with FTA headquarters and Region 8 staff on July 21, 2026 to
present capacity findings and to align on the definition of capacity under the Capital Investment
Grants (CIG) program. It was noted that SMART is working with FTA at a staff-level right now to
demonstrate the project’s technical merit for the CIG Program before engaging FTA leadership.
Vendor Procurement
Vendor procurement is on hold pending FTA Legal Counsel’s evaluation of how BABA
requirements will be applied to the project.
2027 Pre-Project Development Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) Supplement
The 2027 budget is underway and being developed in coordination with ToT, TMV, and TMVOA.
This document is meant to act as a bridge IGA supplement to assist in entry into the CIG
program. Following acceptance into the program, the partners anticipate developing a new
budget amendment to the IGA. The draft budget proposal will be presented to the committee at
its August meeting.
Project Communications Update
Following direction from previous committee meetings concerning the need to increase project
communications, Ed Parks, consultant project manager, provided a communications planning
update. He emphasized that the key first step is identifying communication audiences,
undertaking a SWOT analysis, and then developing the project messaging and branding from
which communication and outreach materials will flow. The SWOT analysis is envisioned as a
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July 20, 2026 7
DRAFT
mutli-agency communications staff level activity. Elena Levin, ToT Gsub Representative, raised
the value of inviting county staff in these conversations.
The committee emphasized that communications should be dynamic and tailored to different
audiences rather than relying on a single approach or set of materials. Members cautioned
against producing materials simply for the sake of having them, including an overreliance on
glossy brochures, and instead encouraged focusing resources on the tools and messages most
likely to be effective. The committee discussed the need to appeal to both the “head and heart”:
pairing clear data on the project’s economic impacts and benefits with storytelling about the
gondola’s role in daily life, its history and connection to the community, and the tangible ways
the project would affect residents and visitors. Members also identified climate change and the
gondola’s role as green infrastructure as an important component of the project narrative. The
committee requested additional detail on the communications strategy as it develops.
Item 4: Gondola Fiscal and Economic Impact Analysis
Overview
Chris Brewer, economist with the consultant team, presented results from the economic analysis
examining the relationship between gondola operations and visitation patterns, economic
activity, and fiscal revenues across key market segments in Telluride and Mountain Village. The
analysis establishes a data-grounded baseline of current and historical trends to assess the
potential fiscal and economic impacts of future growth and better understand the market
conditions, risks, and uncertainties that could shape Telluride and Mountain Village over the next
20 years. Using long-term indicators, such as wastewater treatment trends, airport operations,
and average traffic counts, the analysis identified correlations with visitation patterns and
economic activity. The project team emphasized that the findings represent estimates based on
observed relationships and available data and should not be interpreted as definitive forecasts
or statements of fact.
Key Findings
The analysis anticipates that growth across residents, commuters, and visitors will continue over
the next 20 years, but at a slower pace than pre-2020 trends due to factors including housing
costs, infrastructure constraints, demographic shifts, and limits on resort access. The analysis
also highlighted the critical role the gondola plays in connecting Telluride and Mountain Village
and supporting visitor movement and economic activity between the two communities. Without
the gondola, visitor trips between the towns are estimated to decline by approximately 10 to 20
percent, with corresponding impacts to local businesses, particularly restaurants. The findings
further emphasized the complementary economic relationship between the two towns, with
Mountain Village providing a significant share of visitor lodging and Telluride capturing a
significant share of restaurant and retail activity, making reliable connectivity important to both
communities.
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DRAFT
Market Segmentation
Future growth to Telluride and Mountain Villages is influenced by the growth in the three distinct
market segments:
residents, inbound commuters, and out-of-market visitors. Residents
comprise 25% of the gondola’s ridership, inbound commuters comprise 5% of ridership, and out
of market visitors comprise 70% of ridership. At least 30% of all out of market visitors are
estimated to have utilized that gondola at least once between towns.
Long-Term Visitation Indicators and Connection to Fiscal Activity
Growth in the region is anticipated to slow as the cost of living and home values rise. Since
2019, total sales have outpaced inflation, driven largely by tourism-related activity even as
visitation growth has slowed. As growth slows, the region may become increasingly reliant on
revenues from sales and lodging tax revenues tied to tourism. The analysis found that growth in
property values, retail sales, and short-term rental activity is closely connected to town revenues
and Ballot 3A collections.
A regression analysis found that gondola trips and tax collection were strongly correlated.
Because the gondola influences how visitors move between and interact with Telluride and
Mountain Village, changes to its operation could have broader implications for tourism activity
and associated fiscal revenues. The project team emphasized that the gondola serves not only
as a transportation connection, but as an important component of the region’s economic and
fiscal conditions.
Allen Watson, TMVOA GSub representative, further emphasized the gondola’s importance to
local and commuter travel, particularly for employees who depend on it for daily transportation.
He noted that without the gondola, more trips would shift to regional roadways, increasing
commuter costs and vehicle emissions and contributing to additional roadway wear and
deterioration.
Next Steps - Transit and Traffic Analysis
Additional analysis is underway to understand the transportation, infrastructure, and cost
implications if the gondola were no longer operational. The analysis will evaluate three
scenarios: a bus replacement scenario, in which all gondola trips are replaced by bus service; a
mixed traffic scenario, in which trips shift to a combination of buses and private vehicles; and a
no transit scenario, in which all trips shift to private vehicles. The analysis will assess the relative
costs and impacts as it relates to bus operations and regional traffic and parking conditions.
Initial analysis indicates that bus-based alternatives may struggle to accommodate the
peak-hour capacity currently provided by the gondola.
Mr. Mogenson added that dedicated funding is already in place for gondola operations and
maintenance and is specifically earmarked for that purpose. By contrast, there is no available
funding to purchase and operate replacement buses or make the roadway and infrastructure
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July 20, 2026 9
DRAFT
improvements that would be necessary to accommodate significantly increased bus and vehicle
traffic. He emphasized that these considerations reinforce the value of continuing the
communities’ existing investment in the gondola system.
Discussion
Mr. Mogenson asked whether the potential impacts of a non-functional gondola could be
contextualized through a localized recession lens, noting the 10 to 20 percent reduction in
visitation could help community members better understand the implications for businesses,
employment, and local government revenues.Ashley Story-VonSpreecken, ToT Representative,
suggested utilizing the data from the 13-day ski patrol strike last winter as a real-world point of
comparison. She explained that the strike resulted in an estimated 23 to 29 percent reduction in
economic output and promoted the towns and local organizations to provide financial support to
help sustain the local economy. The committee that this experience could provide useful context
for understanding the potential effects of a significant decline in visitation.
The committee also emphasized that the analysis should extend beyond direct economic
impacts and consider the broader role the gondola plays in enabling the region’s activities and
events, including festivals, concerts, weddings, races, and other special events. Members noted
that the two communities have developed over the past 30 years around the connectivity and
capacity provided by the gondola, creating an interconnected economy in which lodging, dining,
retail, employment, and events are shared across Telluride and Mountain Village. Rather than
focusing exclusively on the negative consequences of losing gondola service, the committee
encouraged the project team to frame the gondola positively as a foundational piece of regional
infrastructure that has enabled this interconnected economy and community to develop and
function.
Item 5: Leadership Committee Materials
July 28, 2026 Leadership Committee Meeting
The committee reviewed the proposed agenda for the upcoming July 28, 2026 Leadership
Committee meeting, which included presentation of the fiscal and