Bike Riders Risk Serious Injury Slipping And Falling Over East River On Roosevelt Island Bridge Metal Grills - Will NYC Transportation Department Install Bike Lane Decks As Is Done In Chicago?

Image of Roosevelt Island Bridge Metal Grill Bike Path and Roadway

 Roosevelt Island resident Jonathan Clements shares this email message he sent to the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) last Wednesday, August 10.

I'm a Roosevelt Island resident. I'm also an avid bicyclist -- and I have a suggestion. It's great that a lane is set aside for cyclists crossing the bridge into Queens. But it would be helpful if the bridge's metal grill were covered by some sort of mat. You may not be aware of this, but -- when it rains -- metal-grill bridges are like sheets of ice if you're a cyclist, especially if you're on a road bike with thin tires. I was reminded of this on Sunday: My son and I were crossing the bridge on our bicycles early on Sunday morning, after the rain had stopped, and as soon as we hit the metal grill, we both started sliding. We immediately got off our bikes and walked them across.

All this could have been far worse if we were going faster. But I knew enough to be careful -- thanks to an accident earlier this year. On March 6, while riding in New Jersey during the rain, I hit a similar metal-grill bridge. My bike slipped out from under me and I ended up with a broken shoulder blade, a dislocated finger and a hand that had to be surgically repaired.

My suggestion: If you can't cover the metal grill on the bike lanes with mats, you might post a sign for cyclists warning them to walk their bicycles across the bridge when it's wet.

 

 Image of Roosevelt Island Bridge Metal Grill Bike Path and Roadway

Mr. Clements has not yet received any response from RIOC. However, this is probably an issue for the New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) which is currently completing (hopefully very soon) the long-delayed $86.5 million Roosevelt Island Bridge Restoration Project.

Image of Bike Rider On Roosevelt Island Bridge Metal Grill Bike Path

A similar problem existed for bike riders on Chicago bridges. According to Grid Chicago:

... many bicyclists in Chicago who want to travel over one of the 25 open metal grate bridges without a bike-friendly deck treatment have to decide: risk the slippery conditions on the bridge that cause your bike to feel wobbly and possibly fishtail, or ride on the sidewalk across the river.

Riders no longer have to make that choice today if they bicycle through the Kinzie Street protected bike lane as the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) installed a metal deck over the bike lane portion of the bridge.

 Image of Protected Bike Lane Deck From Grid Chicago

 Image of Protected Bike Lane Deck From Grid Chicago

Perhaps the DOT could spend a tiny portion of the $86.5 million on a bike lane deck for the Roosevelt Island Bridge metal grill so that bicyclists do not get seriously hurt while riding in the bike lane. Again, according to Grid Chicago:

When I asked for the cost, I only asked for the aggregate total. So $130,000 included "flexposts, green epoxy covering, bridge plates and bolts, modular curbs, traffic control and protection." I'll ask again to get the cost of just the bridge plates....

Also, while on the subject of Roosevelt Island Bridge safety - what about the pedestrian safety barriers for the Queens side of the Roosevelt Island Bridge that had been under discussion between our elected officials and DOT since last February?

Queens Side of Roosevelt Island Bridge without Safety Barrier

Have not heard anything about it since this June report.

UPDATE 4 PM: Mr. Clements shows us the results from an accident on a metal grill bridge:

Mr. Clements writes:

I took this picture of myself in the emergency room after my March 6 accident in NJ, when I was trying to figure out how much damage my fall on the NJ metal-grill bridge had done to my face. 

UPDATE 8/17 - Mr. Clements received this reply from the RIOC Dirctors yesterday:

Thank you for your attention to the quality of life on Roosevelt Island. We at RIOC appreciate your help in working to make this island even better.

The Roosevelt Island bridge work is being performed and overseen by the Department of Transportation (DOT) and is not under RIOC's jurisdiction. Please contact DOT's Director of Community Affairs, Fred Herschkowitz at 212- 839-6307  or by email fherschkowitz@dot.nyc.gov for any issues or complaints that you may have pertaining to any hazards related to the Roosevelt Island Bridge.

UPDATE 8/18 - Mr. Clements contacted the DOT with his concerns about safety on the Roosevelt Island Bridge metal grill bike lanes. He received this response:

Thank you for your email regarding the improvement of bike mobility and safety on the Roosevelt Island Bridge. We have forwarded your message to the appropriate unit in DOT Bridges for review. We will provide you with their determination.

Best Wishes,

Fred Herschkowitz