Report From RIOC's President - Tram Schedule Delay, Sign Up To Question Board Directors, Street Security Cameras & More Roosevelt Island Issues

Crane Being Assembled For Roosevelt Island Tram Modernization Project

RIOC President Steve Shane sends the following report to Roosevelt Island residents. Mr. Shane updates us on:

• Residents Address RIOC Directors Prior To Board Meeting with advanced sign-up
• Return of Tram Service Delayed Until October 2010
• Q102 and Red Bus Service
• Southpoint Park Closed For FDR Memorial and Wild Gardens/Green Rooms Construction, Park Path Opening In Fall
  
• Octagon Field Resurfacing and Other Construction Projects
• New AVAC Compactors
  
• Street Security Camera System Operational By Mid Summer and
• Roosevelt Island Day June 19

June 3, 2010

1. Board of Directors: Next meeting June 24 at 5:30 p.m. with a brief public-comment period before the official start of the meeting. Anyone wishing to speak should sign up in advance at either the RIOC office or on the RIOC website at RIOC.com. The Agenda will be published on the RIOC website.
2. Tram: At this writing, fourteen weeks after shutdown, POMA advises that the schedule for reopening has fallen behind by about a month to October 1. The City’s stricter enforcement of weight restrictions on bridges as applied to crane mobilization is being blamed for the delay. The Contractor is working on alternatives. Station work proceeds apace at both ends. A crane is to be delivered by barge on June 2. Work will proceed to replace the top of the Island tower and then, presumably on to Manhattan. Preliminary architectural design for station improvements continues. There will be a community presentation for reaction, comment and decisions about trade-offs.
3. Bus service:
A. Red Bus Shuttle to Manhattan: Weekdays and Weekends, Same stops and service into and returning from Manhattan -See the schedules posted on RIOC s web site and on the posters throughout the Island. If the F train is not in service, the frequency into and out of Manhattan will be increased to every half-hour weekdays, and, on weekends, hourly on the hour from the Island starting at midnight until 10:00 a.m. and every half-hour thereafter, returning from Manhattan 30 minutes after departure. Fares are $1.00, with seniors, disabled and children (5-16) at 50 cents.
B. Q102: The MTA continues to operate the Q102 bus on the Island on its published schedule, with the route changed eliminating the alternating Coler – Goldwater loops.
C. Red Bus: Service continues on the Island as previously.
4. Southpoint: The Southpoint area remains closed while active construction is under way on both the FDR Memorial and Green Rooms/Wild Gardens projects. We expect to reopen the paths as far south as the Renwick Ruin by the fall, although planting will require restrictions until the growth takes hold.
5. Projects:
A. Octagon Soccer Field resurfacing: Work is ongoing and when complete, new specimen trees will be planted at designated locations. The schedule indicates completion around the end of July.
B. Other: Sportspark, Motorgate joint repair, fiber-optic cabling, Good Shepherd plaza and HVAC, street lighting, etc., all keep Engineering very busy. The pilot test of LED lighting at Motorgate is underway in the new section, levels 3 & 4. Come see.
C. AVAC: New compactor chambers have arrived and are being installed. New paneling is complete. Had a minor fire in a dumpster which was extinguished by FDNY.
D. Security Cameras: The cables are in the process of being pulled to enable establishing a street security camera system. Expect it to be operational by mid summer.
6. Roosevelt Island Day: June 19. Come on out and enjoy. Child ID Protection program. Fun and games.

This message also published as the RIOC column in the 6/5/10 Main Street WIRE.