RIOC negligence is a recurring theme here, but the latest in sleepwalking may take the cake. It has Roosevelt Islanders scratching their heads… How detached from reality on the ground can they be?
By David Stone
The Roosevelt Island Daily News
RIOC Negligence and the Partial Tram Shutdown
While we scrambled to put together the best guide for dealing with Tram reductions in service, our readers called out RIOC negligence. We missed it until the emails unsettled a Sunday dedicated to lazy footwall watching. The state agency that never gets it wrong outdid us on lazy, or maybe, it’s just indifference or asleep at the wheel…
Although RIOC repeated, to the same audience, a slapdash advisory about the shutdown, they never stretched beyond their email list. That covers only a tiny fraction of residents. For all the others, nothing. No kiosk postings. No Red Bus notices. And most tellingly, not a word at either Tram Plaza, even though Leitner-Poma put up fences – without instructions – on Roosevelt Island.
We asked around. Maybe we missed something.
“Has anyone seen any notice about the Tram shutdown or shuttle service, other than in the flakey advisory?” we asked.
“Nothing,” said one well-traveled Roosevelt Islander.
A “Very Disappointed Long-Timer” was less generous:
“Sorry, no. Nothing about anything anywhere. Nothing on Red Buses. Nothing on / in Bus Stops. Nothing on kiosks. These folks AGAIN deserve public shaming for failing the community — especially the folks for whom the Tram is their primary means of travel.”
For some, the true, penetrating question is, How long will Albany force us to put up with this mess? We pay for most of it but get this RIOC negligence in return.
If you’re anywhere near Blackwell House, knock on the door. Ask whoever answers to wake up president/CEO Shelton J Haynes from his Rip Van Winkle length slumber. It’s a lot to ask, but maybe he can get his well-paid, 4-member Communications Team to, well… you know, communicate.
More from the Roosevelt Island Daily
- MTA Launches Six-Year Signal and Track Overhaul on A and C Subway LinesThe MTA launches a six-year signal and track overhaul on A and C subway lines, bringing CBTC and major infrastructure upgrades to the Fulton and Liberty Avenue corridors through 2032.
- Long Island City Rent Overcharge Lawsuit Seeks $50 Million Against DeveloperA Long Island City rent overcharge lawsuit seeks about $50 million from Rockrose Development, raising questions about billing practices, tenant protections, and legal oversight in NYC’s fast-changing rental market.
- Astoria E-Scooter Rider Dies After Northern Boulevard Crash in Long Island CityA 22-year-old Astoria e-scooter rider died after a Northern Boulevard crash in Long Island City. Details remain under investigation, highlighting micromobility risks on busy city streets.
- Hate Crime Charges Filed After Vandalism at Fresh Meadows Kosher Bagel ShopHate crime charges have been filed after vandalism at a kosher bagel shop in Fresh Meadows, with prosecutors alleging bias-motivated acts. Hearings are set in New York’s legal process.
- Midtown Subway Shooting Leaves 26-Year-Old Dead; Queens Incidents SeparateA shooting inside a Manhattan subway station left a 26-year-old dead. Police investigate the Midtown incident and separate shootings in Queens as commuters seek safety.
The Budget Knew Before the “Emergency”
The demolition began on paper long before the City invoked emergency authority to carry it out. In RIOC’s fiscal 2013-14 budget, the Corporation set aside $7 million for fiscal 2015 for the complete demolition and cleanup of the Roosevelt Island Steam Plant. RIOC called that figure its worst-case scenario, meaning the State corporation might be left responsible for the entire cost.
