On Roosevelt Island, you get used to Public Safety weirdness. The overstaffed, expensive RIOC department, unable to control even bicycles and crosswalks, serves more than anything else as a 21st Century Meter Maid Service. But this is weird, even for them.
by David Stone
The Roosevelt Island Daily News
RIOC Public Safety Weirdness
Let’s start with a picture.
We first noticed this in June, last year. Like most of you, we thought it must keep cars and trucks away from some hidden danger. A sinkhole? Some object under the striped drum in the middle?
Turns out, all of us were wrong, and in fact, it marks a news high in lows for Public Safety weirdness. Over six months later PSD Chief Kevin Brown told the Residents Association Common Council that the barricade blocked cars and trucks from parking in front of the hydrant.
That’s like, “You can’t violate safety standards because we got there first.”
A head-scratcher…
That’s right. The already clueless RIOC department, where EADD abounds, can’t get out of its own way. But they see the logic in blocking off space in front of a fire hydrant, so drivers can’t do it. Doesn’t it just make you want to shout, “Hey, Kevin, that’s what the red paint on the curb is for!”
But even thickheadedness has limits. After public exposure in the Roosevelt Islander blog, the barricade vanished.
But suspending Public Safety weirdness is a tenuous thing.
“The Barriers are back up by Bread & Butter Deli!!!” a perplexed and confounded reader wrote. “Well, I guess RIOC & PSD couldn’t help themselves,” she added.
It’s weird. That’s all, but don’t expect it getting better. RIOC is rudderless, and EADD rules.
More from the Roosevelt Island Daily
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- 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.
You Can’t Be All Three
April 9, 2026, during the full board meeting of the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation, Fay Christian said something that should have landed harder than it did. She wished RIOC were not responsible for the tram. Then she asked what it would look like if it were given to the MTA. That was not a passing comment.
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