Report From RIOC President Leslie Torres - Tram One Year Anniversary, Unfolded Baby Strollers Allowed On Red Bus, Sportspark Excercise and Motorgate Gargage Improvements

Image of Unfolded Stroller On Red Bus During Thursday's Rush Hour

Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) President Lesie Torres sends the following report to Roosevelt Island residents.

I hope everyone had an enjoyable Thanksgiving holiday, with great food and quality time with family and friends.

Tram Anniversary

November 30th marked the one year anniversary of the Roosevelt Island Tramway, which reopened following a nine-month modernization project. The entirely new Tram system replaced the previous one, which served Island residents for a remarkable 33 years.

Most of you have, I am sure, ridden the new Tram. It is a far superior system, providing a smoother, quicker ride while simultaneously using less electricity. It’s also better in inclement weather and we have to shut down the system far less often due to inclement weather.

The new Tram is also safer and includes several back-up systems to ensure the tram returns safely to the station in case of a power outage. And, just in case of an emergency, the NYPD and FDNY are continuously conducting training exercises on the Tram.

Like the old Tram, this one is the first of its kind. It offers riders an opportunity to experience innovation in mass transit. No wonder it has been written about by engineering magazines from across the world!

All the media coverage has helped fuel interest in riding the tram and visiting the Island and consequently, we saw ridership numbers spike over the summer. Last month alone, we had over 206,000 riders!

Revised Bus Policy

With the colder weather approaching, I am sure ridership for the buses is sure to increase. As such, we took the opportunity to review and amend our policies regarding boarding RIOC buses in order to ensure the safety of the passengers and drivers.

Below is the policy as written:

Hand baggage, instrument cases, bundles and parcels may be carried onto RIOC buses by customers provided that these articles can be carried on without inconveniencing other customers and/or the driver and does not obstruct the bus aisle or doors. Persons with unfolded strollers and/or shopping carts are not permitted to board RIOC buses unless the driver, at his or her sole discretion, determines that it will not cause an inconvenience or safety hazard to other customers or the driver. Orthopedic (wheelchair type) strollers for children with disabilities are permitted on buses just as wheelchairs are and must be secured in the wheelchair area. Bus operators must check strollers carefully to ensure that children with disabilities are not denied accessible service.”

In addition, signage on all buses will include the following language: Strollers and Shopping Carts must be folded upon operator’s request Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns.

Exercise at Sportspark

The holiday season should hopefully be filled with lots of friends, family and great food. Most of us tend to eat a lot this time of year and promise to work it off as part of our New Year’s resolution. Thankfully, you don’t have to wait for the New Year to get started with a great fitness routine.

You can start working out at Sportpark today.

Sportspark, located right here on the Island, has great amenities and classes. There is a recently refurbished, handicapped accessible, pool that is available for lap-swimming seven days a week, a full-size basketball court with a new laminate floor and six hoops for full court games, and a Ping Pong Room with six Olympic regulation tables with free play. There’s also a weight room with brand new equipment.

Classes are available for adults and children learning to swim at all levels and for general fitness instruction. There’s a new Tango class and zumba too.

For more information on class schedules and instruction, visit http://rioc.com/Sportspark.htm.

Motorgate Improvements

I am happy to report that we have completed waterproofing, repainting and restriping of the Motorgate Parking Garage.

Workers were able to shotblast the concrete floors to clean away the oils and dirt and then apply a sealant to create a clean waterproof surface. Once the floors were sealed, we decided to repaint straight parking lines (instead of the crisscrossing diagonal lines) to facilitate parking and to make more room for cars.

We will continue to make additional renovations to the garage including adding LED lighting, electric car charging stations, and security cameras throughout the garage and will update you on the progress as we move forward.

If you were not there for the new Roosevelt Island Tram's opening day, here's what it was like.

More information available on the Motorgate Parking Garage improvements from this previous post and unfolded strollers on the Red Bus here and here.