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…”
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.
Unequal Bargains
On June 18, the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation’s Real Estate Development Advisory Committee gathered to discuss ground leases, the master retail lease, and the ten additional years being offered under the Island’s master lease. Howard L. Polivy, the committee’s chair, opened the meeting as a longtime host shows guests through a familiar house, pointing out the furniture as if it had never moved an inch.
Don’t really get you guys. Would you really prefer the tram to misfiring and dump you in the river or the subway infrastructure to deteriorate so badly it fails? I mean, come on. Public transport needs to be maintained or we will really all have something to whine about.
Are you even paying attention? There’s no complaint about the work being done. It’s about RIOC’s failure to provide alternatives when needed.
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