Bolivia Deploys the World's Largest System of Cable Cars

Call it another sign of the cable-car's historic comeback. This week officials in Bolivia gave a public preview of the country's new gondola system, and it was impressive: With a length of nearly 7 miles threading through 11 stations, the cloud-kissing people-mover is set to become to world's largest network of urban ropeways.

Bolivians piled into the system's globular, cherry-red pods to take a giddy ride over the labyrinthine streets of La Paz. This ropeway is one of three planned for the network, which is being built by Austria's Doppelmayr Garaventa Group. The hope is that when it's completed later this year, the gondolas will ease some of the terrible congestion in the country's urban areas. Together, the cars are estimated to be able to carry up to 18,000 people an hour.