With a focus on convenience and sustainability, Sugar Land has joined forces with Swyft Cities to explore the Whoosh® cable transit system, aiming to meet the community’s growing transit needs.
The Whoosh® system uses compact electric vehicles resembling gondolas that travel along elevated cable networks. Unlike traditional transit systems, these vehicles operate autonomously and travel directly without intermediate stops.
Recommended Videos
Swyft Cities explains that Whoosh is designed to be modular and cost-effective, allowing for future expansion as the city grows.
If implemented, the system would provide direct, non-stop access to popular destinations across Sugar Land, including Sugar Land Town Square, the Smart Financial Centre.
In a recent survey, Sugar Land residents identified mobility as a top priority.
Sugar Land City Manager Michael W. Goodrum emphasized the city’s commitment to addressing this need: “Our residents have told us that mobility is among their top priorities, and we are committed to being responsive to their needs by providing opportunities to invest in projects they tell us are important. But we will be just as relentless in looking for opportunities like this one to partner with state and federal funding sources to reduce the financial impact to our residents while also delivering mobility projects that support quality of life, economic development and tourism.”
The initial engineering schematic study, which examines route configurations, station locations, and other technical requirements, is anticipated to be completed by the end of this year.
Once the project advances beyond planning, the projected timeline estimates an 18–26-month rollout, covering phases like design, permitting, and construction.
Sugar Land has been proactive in advancing innovative transportation systems, recently partnering with Wisk Aero to develop vertiports for autonomous air taxis.
Jeral Poskey, CEO of Swyft Cities, shared excitement about the partnership with Sugar Land to KPRC 2, describing the city as a national trailblazer in innovative solutions for its expanding transportation needs.
“Our goal in working with the City of Sugar Land is more than just relieving traffic congestion. It’s about transforming how people move around, and enabling Sugar Land to continue growing and improving the quality of life for residents.
As far as vision, one of the advantages of the Whoosh system is its modular construction that requires very little land at street-level. We can start with a relatively small system and easily expand as needs change and the city continues to grow. We see Whoosh being part of a multi-faceted transit and mobility network that the City is building to serve its residents.
The timeline is: currently we’re conducting an engineering schematic study with the City looking at potential routes and station locations. That study may be completed later this year. Meanwhile, the City is pursuing partnerships with the private sector, and state and federal funding to avoid burdens on local taxpayers. From there, the City estimates the project may take roughly two years to be up and running (about 3-6 months of planning and design, 6-8 months of permitting and procurement and 6-12 months of construction and testing – a total of 18-26 months).”
Next steps
- The city is currently in discussions with the Texas Department of Transportation and other key stakeholders to finalize initial route configurations and operational details.
- Funding sources are actively being pursued through the Houston-Galveston Area Council and other federal avenues to alleviate costs.
- A stakeholder meeting with affected property owners is also being planned to ensure comprehensive community engagement and feedback.
For updates on this project, residents can sign up for notifications through the City of Sugar Land’s website.
READ MORE: From slime to science, Funtastik Labs features hands-on family experience