Big Turnout Of Roosevelt Island Residents To Manhattan Town Hall Ferry Meeting - Temporary Ferry Service Possible For RI During Tram Outage

Possible Ferry Dock At Meditation Steps During Tram Outage

RIOC President Steve Shane reports on the possibility of temporary Roosevelt Island Ferry Service while the Tram is out of service (RIOC's President Report Item 10):

We met with Tom Fox, the ferry operator, to discuss temporary service at the existing pier at the meditation steps while the Tram is out of service. Subject to engineering clearance and approvals from the Coast Guard, if there is sufficient ridership interest based on surveys for a ferry service to 32nd Street and maybe on down to Wall Street during rush hours, with a business plan which RIOC would have to subsidize to some level (to be determined, subject to Board approval, but guesstimated to be approximately $100,000 for 6 months), if, if, if….Will keep everyone posted. To be noted is the City’s lack of enthusiasm in proceeding with the proposed ferry service at the Octagon.

In other Ferry news, a very large and impressive contingent of Roosevelt Island residents attended last Monday's NYC Economic Development Corporation's (NYCEDC) Manhattan Ferry Service Town Hall Meeting hosted by NYC Council Speaker Christine Quinn, City Council Members Jessica Lappin (representing Roosevelt Island as well as the East Side of Manhattan) and Dan Garodnick.

NYC Council Speaker Christine Quinn at Manhattan Ferry Town Hall Meeting

Speaker Quinn as well as Council Members Lappin and Garodnick opened the Town Hall Meeting with remarks expressing support for a comprehensive water transportation system for New York. Ms. Lappin also acknowledged the large presence of Roosevelt Island residents at the Town Hall Meeting and noted that she received more than 40 messages from Roosevelt Islanders who supported Ferry service but were not able to attend the meeting.

NYC Council Member Jessica Lappin At Manhattan Town Hall Ferry Meeting

Following these remarks a PowerPoint Presentaion was given by Venetia Lannon, a representative of the NYEDC, illustrating the criteria to be used for placement of the Ferry docks and service. Ms. Lannon emphasized that no decisions have been made as to placement locations yet. (Click on the slides below to read more clearly).










Following the NYCEDC presentation, members of the audience were given 3 minutes to make their case for a particular ferry location. Approximately 14 Roosevelt Island residents, more than any other community, spoke in favor of Roosevelt Island ferry service though none thought it was in any way a panacea to our transportation needs. RIRA Planning Committee Chair Matt Katz said that Roosevelt Island ferry service was "palliative at best". All but one Roosevelt Island resident objected to the current proposed location of a ferry dock at the Octagon urging that a ferry dock should instead be at Roosevelt Island's transportation hub near the subway and tram.

One of the speakers was RIOC Director Jonathan Kalkin. After the meeting Mr. Kalkin Tweeted:

Three points I made tonight 1. The ferry must be 1. affordable 2. accessible 3. incorporated in our future metrocard system/ travel hubs

Other Roosevelt Island speakers pointed out that ferry service will be doomed to failure if located at the Octagon, should not be only for the affluent, should have a large enough dock to be used for emergency evacuation and that ferry service had previously been in use on Roosevelt Island as late as 1986.

As far as I could tell, nobody from RIOC management attended though as mentioned earlier, RIOC Director Jonathan Kalkin was in attendance. Also in attendance were RIOC Board nominees Margie Smith and Michael Shinozaki.

Ms. Lappin issued the following statement regarding the Ferry Town Hall Meeting and ferry service to Roosevelt Island:

Statement from Council Member Lappin
Re: Comprehensive Citywide Ferry Study Town Hall

Thanks to all the Roosevelt Islanders who came out to speak in favor of ferry service at last night’s town hall forum. Residents from all over the city attended last night, but none came out in greater numbers or more eloquence than Roosevelt Island residents. In fact, more people spoke in favor of ferry service on Roosevelt Island than spoke for or against any other single location. Those voices, in addition to the 46 people who have e-mailed my office sent a message loud and clear: Roosevelt Island needs ferry service. I will continue to push the city to provide this transportation link to the Island and I’m glad to be joined in that push by so many dedicated Islanders.

If you missed last night, it’s not too late to add your voice to the calls for Roosevelt Island ferry service. You can e-mail nycferrystudy@nycedc.com and make the case for a ferry to and from Roosevelt Island.

In regard to the problem of locating a Roosevelt Island Ferry Dock at the Octagon Ms. Lappin commented:

A dock near the subway and tram would be ideal and my preference. That said, the developer at Octagon already received approval from the Army Corps of Engineers for a landing, which alone takes an average of 18 months. That makes a location there an interesting option for the short term. But it certainly doesn't preclude an additional or replacement dock at the transportation hub in the future.