Aerial Tram Proposed for Downtown LB

Get ready to enjoy taking aerial transportation that connects downtown Long Beach with the waterfront, whether it’s for daily convenience or to enjoy the day on both fronts, which never falls short of fun things to do.

The Wave is an aerial transport system that is being proposed by its Co-Developer and President Alex Bellehumeur. Riders would ride in what they call a “massive cabin.” The cabin is connected to a rope that is held by towers and people are transported from station to station, in this case downtown Long Beach and the waterfront.

This huge cabin was developed in Switzerland by a member of the Doppelmayr Group, which is a worldwide ropeway engineering and developing company. The cabin will have large windows for the ability to enjoy a vivid view of the scenic and beautiful Long Beach. It will be ADA accessible and have many components and comfortable seating to make passenger’s rides as comfortable as possible.

“The project was initiated by State-Wide Developers, Inc. of which I am president,” Bellehumeur said. “And have had the support of an incredible team that has been working with me for at least a decade. Two members are companies representing the largest in their area of business in the world – including Doppelmayr (DCC), that will provide the system, and WSP USA, an engineering and transportation company represented globally. A third and final member is Urban Innovations, nationally known and respected for his many accomplishments in the transportation area, and specializes in providing capital for such projects, throughout the country.”

The three main reasons Bellehumeur’s team has emphasized as the reasoning for the implementation of this type of transportation has been to create and enhance vitality, demonstrate the city’s commitment to promote development and to provide additional transportation capacity to support that development.

Bellehumeur has a big developmental team including president of Muni-Fed Energy Clay Sandidge. Muni-Fed is a company that promotes green energy. Their website states that they promote green solutions for federal, municipal and commercial clients.

“Recently I have had the pleasure of turning much of the project responsibility to Clay Sandidge,” Bellehumeur said. “A person well known in our city and beyond, who has accepted the position as co-developer of the project. Clay has moved the project forward to the most important point in the effort, which is to seek the approval for funding assistance for ‘The Wave’ by our city leadership on the March 12th Council hearing, led by second district council member Jeannine Pearce.”

The March 12 hearing Bellehumeur was referring to already happened and the city council decided to approve a feasibility report for the project.

Various cities around the world have an aerial transport cabin installed and are operating in areas such as Portland, Oregon; Caracas, Venezuela; La Paz, Chile; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; London and more.

Bellehumeur’s team says that “The Wave” will enhance the access to the Queen Mary, Queensway Bay and Aquarium of the Pacific. It will encourage more tourism in Long Beach and enhance the visitors future Olympics experience.

Each cabin carries 8 to 12 passengers with a capacity of 4,800 riders an hour. The sites that end up being chosen will complement popular attractions in both downtown and the waterfront. It will be an environmentally sensitive project and will simultaneously begin to replace other pollutant-emitting forms of transportation. The energy that will be consumed can be supplied with renewable energy sources.

Once everything has been approved and construction and installation begins, the project is estimated to have a 12-month completion time. Local business and venues will be able to apply for discounted tickets to provide for their customers. City Council’s approval of the feasibility report reflects their support so far of what they’ve heard. More information on whether and when construction will begin will come soon.

“Many have been aware of this project that Alex Bellehumeur, mastermind behind this phenomenal major project in Long Beach, as it has come this far to fruition,” a source said. “Being involved in some workings with Alex in other projects, I can say he is a gentleman, inspiring and unstoppable with great ideas and more importantly with resolves.”

joseph@beachcomber.news