Executive Summary

The Tompkins Consolidated Area Transit Bypassing Aerial Tramway (TCAT BAT) system offers the Ithaca area an efficient transit system with unparalleled views of the city, Cayuga Lake, and surrounding areas. It was designed to further the role of Ithaca and Tompkins County as leaders in sustainability efforts in New York State.

The TCAT BAT would serve the residents of Ithaca and Tompkins County, as well as students of Ithaca College and Cornell University. Currently, TCAT, Inc. is a not-for-profit corporation that provides public transportation for Tompkins County and portions of Tioga County.

The BAT system would supplement the existing bus-based transit system by becoming the central element of major-node public transportation in Ithaca and Tompkins County. The BAT would serve key areas within Ithaca including the Ithaca Commons, Ithaca College, Cornell University and the Tops Plaza adjacent to Route 13. Additionally, the aerial transit system would increase Ithaca’s commitment to sustainability. Rising thirty feet above the ground at its apex, this new piece of infrastructure will allow people to access their desired destination in a more efficient way.

In addition to these benefits to the local community, the TCAT BAT would be used to attract new businesses and visitors while allowing greater safety while traveling on public transit, serving as a significant force of affection for Ithaca and Tompkins County. It will not only improve transportation times and flows, but will also open the door for visitors and encourage the exchange of ideas between Ithaca, Ithaca College and Cornell University.

The Bypassing Aerial Tramway system would be managed by Tompkins Consolidated Area Transit, Inc. with the TCAT Board of Directors overseeing all aspects of the system. Funding in part would come from the City of Ithaca, while TCAT, through its own capital reserves in tandem with a plethora of loans and grants, would provide the majority share of the financing for the project and its future operation.