Roosevelt Island’s Tram shutdown highlights RIOC’s negligence, further harming residents with disabilities while tourists swarm, exposing systemic failures in public transport and outright disregard for residents.

by David Stone

The Roosevelt Island Daily News

Shutdowns Starting February 10th

First Up: The Roosevelt Island Tram

The current issue concerning persistent Tram crowding will be back in focus in early February. Late last week, RIOC announced a partial Tram shutdown. It begins on February 10th.

Our Tram operator, Leitner-POMA, has scheduled upcoming repair work for the Tram’s South cabin, which will require the cabin to be taken out of service for several days. The repair work is scheduled to take place from Monday, February 10th through Friday, February 14th.

RIOC Advisory

With only a single cabin in service, rush hours will be extremely difficult, especially for those with special needs. Nevertheless, RIOC has not announced any assistance nor is it likely to open up for priority boarding.

Ignoring Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) rules is routine with RIOC. Likewise, appeals from residents for priority boarding go unheeded. No help is anticipated.

RIOC suggests, “Travelers should consider utilizing other modes of transportation…”

• Update 2023: Shops or Flops On Main? – Over Ten Years Down the Road
• Heads Up: No F Trains from Manhattan This Weekend, June 16th to 19th.
• Roosevelt Island AVAC Shutdown: Effects and RIOC Advisory
• Update: Tram Shutdown. Without Warning, RIOC Does It Again
• How Roosevelt Island Survived the Worst Transit Month

F Train Service Disruptions

Immediately following RIOC’s Tram shutdown, the MTA follows with one of their own.

Brooklyn-bound F runs via the E from Jackson Hts-Roosevelt Av to 5 Av/53 St, resuming regular service at 47-50 Sts

Feb 14 – 18, Fri 11:45 PM to Tue 5:00 AM (includes Presidents’ Day)

“…includes Presidents’ Day” should raise alarms for Roosevelt Islanders. This will bring extra pressure to the Tram. Residents needing to get into Manhattan will fight with an increased tourist load during the holiday weekend.

As with sister state agency RIOC, the MTA offers no special assistance.

For service from 21 St-Queensbridge and Roosevelt Island, take the F  toJackson Hts-Roosevelt Av  or Steinway St (11 PM to 5 AM, nightly) and transfer to a Brooklyn-bound F.

For those fed up with endless giveaways of taxpayer dollars while ordinary citizens are ignored, you’ve got another one for your list.

Featured

Rivercross and the Quiet Green Light

The Votes, the Conflicts, and the Sudden Exit of Margie Smith and Fay Christian

Theo Gobblevelt Jan 9, 2026

Rivercross privatization was enabled in 2010. This matters now because the same governance structures that allowed Rivercross to privatize without formal conflict controls are still in place. The same public authority oversees land leases, settlements, and redevelopment decisions that affect every resident on Roosevelt Island today.

Uncover the Story →