Great, Exciting, Fantastic News - RIOC Confirms The Roosevelt Island Tram Will Resume Operations Tomorrow, November 30
The big news on Roosevelt Island this week is the anticipated opening of the Roosevelt Island Tram. As reported last week, the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) is planning a Grand Opening Celebration for the Tram on Tuesday, November 30 at 11 AM with regular service starting later that day. I asked RIOC President Leslie Torres this morning:
Has RIOC received all of the final certifications to permit the Grand Opening Celebration to occur tomorrow and the Tram to start regular passenger service?Ms. Torres replied:
If so, will regular passenger service begin as soon as the Celebration concludes or later that day?
Yes and yes.As of tomorrow, signs like this will be a distant memory.
I walked by the Roosevelt Island Tram Station earlier today. Preparations were being made for tomorrow's opening ceremony
and the press was out conducting interviews with Ms. Torres
and representatives of POMA, the contractors for the Tram modernization project.
The new station turnstiles
and information monitors
were in place.
I even got a look into the Roosevelt Island Tram Control Room
and a look inside the tram cabin through the new larger windows.
Ms. Torres (pictured in the center), RIOC VP of Operations Fernando Martinez (on the right) and CFO Steve Chironis (on the left) were on site checking out the final preparations
Ms. Torres emphasized that Mr. Martinez has done a fantastic job overseeing this very complicated project.
Here's an interesting perspective of how the Roosevelt Island Tram Modernization Project is viewed in France, the home of the project's contractor, POMA. A reader, Nicolas, sent in the tip:
You might be interested to watch this video from the main TV channel TF1 at their mid-day news show:
Nicolas adds:
Sorry, it's entirely in French, and slightly "patriotic" on how great the French technology is.Don't miss the scene where Spider-Man tries to save a dangling Roosevelt Island Tram from falling into the East River at the 1 minute 50 second mark and here's how the Tram Station was blown up for the movie.
Tomorrow's going to be an exciting day for Roosevelt Island.
15 comments :
I was on the Manhattan Red Bus today and the driver said that the Tram will not start regular service before 2 pm on November 30.
The bus had a sign that the Manhattam Red Bus service is to be discountinued at 2 pm on November 30.
Man, I really miss Roosevelt Island. I'm hoping to come back there with my family and ride the new tram. Thanks for the postings and keeping us up to date!
It is a good morning -- but hundreds of RI residents still will not know that the Tram will be running for all after 2 pm today.
RIOC up no signs on red buses, no signs in bus stops -- just a few dopey posters on a few kiosks and those silly "no bus service to M after 2 pm Tuesday 11/30". Even some of our red bus operators did not have their facts straight this morning. And despite the media blitz by WCBS Radio, and Channels 2 and 4, 5, 7, & 11 -- only one actually said service would resume at 2 pm today.
RIOC still fails to understand the importance of direct Islander contact in/on the actual places Islanders find themselves.
Ms. Torres, well intentioned as she is, and her dopey assistant, Mr. Martinez, still have no respect for the people who live here and value the return of their Tram -- their main means of public transportation on and off RI.
And lets hope they can figure out that the bus stop to discharge and receive Tram passengers should be on the same side of the street as the actual Tram...
And that we will finally get, at the afternoon and evening rush hour a dedicated Octogon Express bus so the rest of us can actually get on a red bus to get home from the Tram...
Amazing! Wish the 2nd ave subway was completed so fast. I really doubt the above commenter has accomplished anything beyond complaining on a website in their entire life. Most people know that these things only get final approval the day before so no one confirms them until they know for sure. However I say we put the above commenter in charge of everything. Their success in life must be so amazing to allow them to troll the internet with ideas. Tell us more oh wise one.
Does anybody kwnow the planned operating schedule for the tram? I have't seen anything published. Same schedule as before (i.e., every 7.5 minutes during rush hours, every 15 minutes during non-rush hours)? Same end times (2AM M-F, 3:30AM Sat & Sun)? Details would be appreciated.
I think its going to be very different because the tram is faster now and they can run one or two in the same direction independently. They will probably test a schedule first to see whats best but expect to be more efficient than last time.
The basic schedule, according to the RIOC website as of this morning, is the same -- 6 am to 2 am weekdays and later on weekends, with AM rush hour starting at 7 am.
One could imagine a little better timing during the morning rush even with a reduced cabin capacity - down to about 109 folks from 125, but with a faster travel time...
And BTW -- to the poster who suggested that the negative commenter be put in charge of everything -- I have lived on RI long enough to know that if RIOC actually listened to some of the long time residents' suggestions when it comes to the Tram and Red Bus service we would have a lot less "complaining". Common sense is in short supply with Mr. Martinez at RIOC.
That guy has done nothing but fix a ton of things around this island. You ingrates that have been here a while can't tell me what Cathy Johnson ever did.
RIOC is much better these days than in the days of Mr. Berman, Mr. Ryan or Dr. Bleu. Wake up & see the forrest from the trees people!
What's the anonymous complainer above complaining about? There are posters about the grand opening ALL over the island. Some of the red buses announce the grand opening on their front display things. The RIOC web page has it on the front page. What else are they supposed to do? Make big bill boards? Write in the sky?
EVERYBODY knows the tram is coming back today.
RIOC presumes that most residents have computers and read its website. Did they ever examine whether that presumption is accurate ?
Hi,
I just saw the video again and it says that the Tram will run 20 hours a day... Is that an information, a breaking news or something expected?
Nicolas
The Tram will likely resume its 7-day a week service, 6 am to 2 am Monday thru Friday, and slightly longer service overnight on weekends.
The lack of fresh info on www.rioc.com is awful. The idea that RIOC has that everyone gets their info on line is stupid. Not everyone has a computer, and the idea that they cannot put signs on the buses, on the bustops, etc. is disrespectful of the many who rely on the Tram as their sole source of transit to and from Manhattan.
I guess I must be seeing things. Aren't there a boat load of posters posted everywhere all over the island? And I could have sworn that I saw the announcement on the red buses as well. Oh, and it was all over the news over the last couple days.
The people who still don't know what's going on deserve it. Sorry.
I had my first ride on the New tram today and it was awesome!!!!
Brand new Tram and still complain, complain, complain. That's all you folks on Roosevelt Island do is complain. I love it. It makes for entertainment. Columbia Pictures should make a movie:
"Idiots on R.I.". Any fool who didn't know the Tram was coming back today lives in a BUBBLE!
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