Kanagawa Prefecture: Study on introduction of self-propelled ropeway with Atsugi City and 3 other cities, set up study group in 2025
April 2, 2025
Zipper undergoing a test run (From the Kanagawa Prefecture website)
Kanagawa Prefecture will begin considering the introduction of a self-propelled ropeway in fiscal 2025 with the three cities of Atsugi, Fujisawa, and Miura. The prefecture and the three cities will join forces with developers to set up a study group. 10 million yen has been allocated to the 2025 budget for the development of a new transportation system. A feasibility study on demand and cost-effectiveness will also be commissioned. The prefecture hopes to realize a new public transportation system that is safe and convenient. The system to be introduced is the self-propelled ropeway "Zippar," which is being developed by Zip Infrastructure (Minamisoma City, Fukushima Prefecture, CEO Takamasa Suchi). Compared to existing monorails, the maintenance cost is about one-fifth (1.5 billion yen per kilometer) and construction can be completed in about one year, making it economical. Another advantage is that the rope and gondola are independent, allowing for curves and branches to be made freely, allowing for flexible route design. The prefecture and the company also signed a "Collaboration Agreement on Initiatives Toward the Practical Application of New Transportation Services" in April 2012.
As a result of the prefecture sounding out the intentions of local governments within the prefecture regarding the introduction of the service, Hadano City, Matsuda Town, and Samukawa Town also expressed an intention to consider the introduction, but this time the three cities were selected after taking into consideration the number of users. The study group will consider the expected routes, number of users, and technical issues, taking into account the characteristics of each city. The prefecture hopes that by putting the system into practical use, it will help resolve transportation issues such as commuting to industrial parks and large business offices, and for tourism purposes.
