A pair of significant meetings take place virtually on Zoom this evening. Both have significant impact on the community’s future.
Find details on local happenings on our Roosevelt Island Events Page.
RIOC Real Estate Advisory Committee: 5:30 p.m.
While there are other topics on the agenda, this meeting’s significance orients around the controversial Helix Bike Ramp. Discussion and approval here leads to a recommendation for final, full board approval on Thursday.
This project is controversial for a couple of reasons.
First, for reasons far from clear, RIOC’s repeatedly tried ramming this through without community consent or even input. That’s aroused suspicions around a state agency frequently accused of mismanagement and and corruption, operating unhindered by legally installed firewalls on its ultra passive board and detached elected officials.
But more significantly, the proposed Helix Bike Ramp accomplishes the opposite of what it’s supposed to do. Charged with increasing bike safety, it does the opposite, forcing riders for the first time to cross lanes of traffic while simultaneously reducing clearances between cars and bikes, creating bike lanes on either side of the Roosevelt Island Bridge.
Most chilling is RIOC’s blind-eye passion for pulling this off when a more viable plan has been available for five years. The state’s flaky rationale for trashing it in favor of the high risk plan raises eyebrows and begs for an investigation.
Details on our Events Page
RIRA Common Council reviews Public Purpose Fund Grant recommendations…
In each year’s budget, RIOC sets aside funds for supporting community nonprofits. Along specific guidelines, they ask the Common Council to make community-based recommendations among approved applicants.
While the process has not been without conflict as funds are short and needs great, the Council’s committee of volunteers generally does an admirable job of working through it. And this year, it’s been harder as the time available for deliberations was shortened by winter storm cancelations.
Distribution of these grants is critical for the survival of many of the applicants.
Details on our Events Page
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