Thinking fast, preparing for the unexpected, is a necessary skill with the clown show now operating RIOC. One day after announcing a partial Tram shutdown, they broadened and extended it. It’s as if, asleep at the wheel, the managers just found about it themselves…
by David Stone
The Roosevelt Island Daily News
The Partial, But Expanding Tram Shutdown
The sequence is troubling. Midday Friday, a week after work started and brainlessly allowing hazardous construction work in the Tram Plaza, the state agency that never gets it wrong advised that an unidentified project was underway.
Oh, and it requires one cabin shutting down for at least two weeks. On two days notice. And, no, they would not supply sufficient shuttle service to help those in need. Complaints reached RIOC’s bunkered executives without budging them off their thrones positions.
The circumstances are even worse for anyone physically challenged because the Manhattan bound elevator in the subway is still down, meaning that option is completely out. (Thanks, JL.)
And in reality, the strings are all pulled in Albany, and either the Kathy Hochul/Kathryn Garcia crew is not paying attention or doesn’t care.
But just as Roosevelt Islanders were figuring out how to manage the situation, RIOC email blasted even broader restrictions.
“We understand…” No, they don’t.
“Please be advised that, due to the Tram haul rope replacement, effective Tuesday, June 14th, the Tram will operate on an hourly schedule from 10 AM to 2 PM. We understand and apologize for the impact this has…” RIOC emailed. But no they don’t.
Nothing in the state agency’s way-too-late advisories and deeply inadequate patches suggests they have even a clue.
For example, while lines pile up during morning rush, on tourist-filled weekends and at midday, RIOC does nothing to help ease the crowding. They’ve simply copied and pasted the familiar inadequate meandering guidance they’ve done for years.
No amount of appeals moves them to change. They don’t live here. They don’t understand, and worst of all, they couldn’t care less.
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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.
Question, does Shelton live on Roosevelt Island? Does he commute into RI with a car? Asking because I would think one that lives on the island would see how this poor rollout has impacted residents and would think smarter on how they do things. Also I love how RIOC has turned off their Instagram comments under the post regarding this latest shut down. I saw commenters were really letting them have it (respectfully) but now they are gone.