Roosevelt Islanders reveled after the snowstorm piled up nearly a foot with wind-driven drifts even higher. Sun made Sunday a joy for many.
by David Stone
The Roosevelt Island Daily News
Sunday After the Snowstorm
With a single cabin making timely trips overhead, the The Roosevelt Island Tram Plaza reflected the active local theme. By midday, the lawn area was tramped down with boot prints from visitors. Many trekked south for sledding and saucering in the rolling meadows of the Cornell Tech Campus. Others traveled farther into Southpoint and FDR Four Freedoms State Park.
RIOC work crews kept streets and sidewalks clear with a couple of exceptions. The MTA, as usual, failed to lift a shovel around the subway station, and even though the plowed through adjacent areas, RIOC also failed, leaving their sister agency’s walkways packed with snow.
Across the river too, the 2nd Avenue Tram Plaza was cleared of snow – but only as far as the sidewalks. Whoever shovelled out the plaza cut it short, leaving busy sidewalks packed with snow. No one accepted responsibility, and RIOC has never been accused of being a good neighbor.
But overall, after the snowstorm, Roosevelt Island was well taken care of. There was one troubling snag, though, as agency dysfunction confused everyone with parking restrictions.
About the Parking Restrictions
Parking restrictions for Roosevelt Island aren’t necessary because parked cars never prevent plows from passing through. Cars park on only a single side of the street at any point, leaving plows plenty of room. In addition, RIOC uses only smallish plows requiring even less room.
But that never stops the state agency that never gets it wrong from emailing illiterate, confusing advisories that ban parking. It’s as if they never make a review. Another troubling factor is RIOC’s puzzling assumption that many people see their email advisories. But we have a pretty good clue.
On Friday evening, hours after the parking ban started, many, if not most, spaces remained filled with cars. How many people got RIOC’s email? Not many. And efforts at compensating were laughable.
Notices, printed on paper, taped to existing signs and twisted by the winds, were funny only if you didn’t get a ticket.
Making matters worse, RIOC’s email promised a follow up as soon as the ban was lifted. But the printed notices already had an end time.
And well after the snowstorm ended, RIOC, at 10:00 a.m. emailed a huffy…
Main Street Parking
Parking restrictions remain in effect until further notice.
But there was no further notice. Maybe one hand didn’t know what the other was doing, but residents were left to figure it out – two days and counting after the snowstorm.
Also from the Roosevelt Island Daily
- Roosevelt Island Weekly Recap: Community Life, Local News, and Everyday ConnectionsOur Roosevelt Island weekly recap covers local news, community events, and the threads of daily life connecting neighbors on and off the island.
- Queens News Highlights and Roosevelt Island Community ConnectionsExplore the week’s Queens news highlights and Roosevelt Island community connections, from public safety to housing, historic places, and local events.
- How Queens News Shapes Life on Roosevelt Island This WeekExplore how Queens news shapes life on Roosevelt Island, from major fire responses to local court cases and housing initiatives, reflecting the rhythms and routines of our shared city life.
- Queens Community Updates: Transit Projects, Public Safety, and Neighborhood EffortsQueens community updates including transit projects, public safety developments, and neighborhood efforts, with special relevance for Roosevelt Island residents.
- How Roosevelt Island Responds to Change and Challenge Across the East RiverExplore how Roosevelt Island responds to change and challenge across the East River, reflecting on community adaptation, safety, transit, civic life, and neighborhood rhythms.
The Emergency Was Always Underground
The steam plant and the steam tunnel were never two problems. They were one system. They were only separated later, when separating them made development easier and responsibility harder to pin down.
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