Previous experience has shown that the residents of the barrios in Caracas are well-informed and knowledgeable, and possess a firm understanding of what their communities need most, even if untutored in the principles of planning and development. In this vein, the expertise of residents, community leaders, government officials, and international consultants was drawn upon in order to create a design that addressed many of the infrastructural and social problems from both top-down and bottom-up perspectives.
The cable car system, which is integrated with the Metro System of Caracas, is 2.1 km in length and employs gondolas capable of carrying 8 passengers each. Metro Cable’s capacity allows for the movement of 1,200 people per hour in each direction. Two stations will be to be in the valley and connect directly to the Caracas public transportation system. Three additional stations are located along the mountain ridge, on sites that meet the demands of community access, established pedestrian circulation patterns, and also spatial availability for construction, ensuring minimal demolition of existing housing. The separate stations include cultural, social and system administrative functions; replacement of homes demolished with more homes, as well as public spaces; a gym, a supermarket, and a daycare centre, as well a means of linking the cable car with the municipal bus system.
