Report From RIOC President Leslie Torres - Roosevelt Island 2012 Budget, Road Maintenance, Tram Station Improvements, Red Bus Schedule, Public Safety, Parks, Capital Improvements, Smart Parking, Electric Car Charging Stations & More
Image Of Tram Station Canopy From Scribd via RIOC
Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) President Lesie Torres sends the following report to Roosevelt Island residents.
This past December, the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (RIOC) approved its 2012 budget. It's a budget I'm proud of because while it took hard work and sacrifice to get there, the end result is good news for Roosevelt Islanders: we’ve been able to create a budget that maintains services for residents and businesses.A version of the RIOC President's column also appears on RIOC's web site and the February 26, 2011 Main Street WIRE.
Our entire 2012 approved budget is available online, but I wanted to share with you some basic information as we look at the year ahead.
Roadway Maintenance: RIOC has budgeted sufficient funds to repair and maintain all Island roadways. As soon as the weather is appropriate for road repairs, our crews will be out filling potholes and fixing other roadway problems.
Transportation: This year we plan to make Tram station upgrades including pedestrian enclosures on loading platforms, ADA bathrooms at the R.I. Station, an additional ADA elevator at the Manhattan Station, and new lighting, flooring and painting at both Stations. We will also continue to improve bus operations. We recently upgraded the entire bus fleet to Electric Hybrid, installed GPS tracking service on all buses, and implemented a bus schedule. This year we plan to install ADA benches at all the bus enclosures.
Public Safety: We will continue to supplement NYPD services at the same level as in prior years and finish installing a camera security system to make the Island even safer. Our safety officers, and the level of security they provide on the Island, are in large part responsible for Roosevelt Island being one of the safest neighborhoods in the City, and we intend to keep it that way.
Parks and Recreation: We will manage to make final investments and open up Southpoint Park in the spring, increase activities at Sportspark, including re-opening the fitness room with brand new fitness equipment, and we’ll continue to offer our summer film series. This summer we will be re-aligning our seasonal workers, maintaining the same number as last year but putting more to work in the Grounds and Maintenance departments. We also have a goal of increasing the Youth Center work program from 5 to 10 workers.
Capital Improvements: The development of the remaining 3 Southtown buildings will have a significant impact on future projected cash flow. Until those projects come online, only capital projects deemed necessary will move forward. For 2012, we have budgeted for the following capital improvements:
There’s always more that can be done, and we at RIOC are constantly looking for ways to make Roosevelt Island a better place to live, work and visit. Roosevelt Island is a great community, and we intend to keep it that way.
- Good Shepherd plaza & roof restoration
- Main Street road repair
- Seawall railing replacement
- Sportspark HV AC replacement
- Motorgate lighting and interior renovation
Other Improvements for the Year Ahead
On February 17th, the Operations Committee of the RIOC Board of Directors met to discuss some ongoing and future projects. I wanted to share some of the updates with you:
Electric Car Charging Stations: RIOC is publishing an RFP for the installation of Electric Vehicle Charging Stations at Motorgate. This pilot project will test the feasibility of providing charging capability on a small scale; a maximum of six vehicles will be able to be charged at once. The project will make a modest contribution to City pollution reduction goals, enabling green-minded residents and Roosevelt Island visitors to adopt these technologies with a convenient place to refuel.
Red bus Service and Schedule: The schedule for the Red Bus has been extensively reviewed by community members as well as drivers, and this information has been used to adjust the schedule to increase efficiency and sustainability. Moving forward, RIOC will be working with Nextbus to analyze the arrival and departure times of the Red Bus from its scheduled stops along the various routes to ensure that the schedule is maintained.
Streetline Project: RIOC is finalizing a trial agreement for smart parking meters that will be integrated with the parking sensors that are embedded in each parking space. Additional parking meters are expected to be installed in early March. The project will allow for better enforcement of parking rules, enhancing opportunities for finding that perfect spot exactly when it’s needed.
2011 is shaping up to be a busy year, full of improvements to Roosevelt Island roadways, transportation, parks, sports facilities, and more. All of which make the Island a great place to live. More information about many of the above items are available on our website at www.rioc.ny.gov. For information about events and Island news, join our Facebook page.
