RIOC Public Safety Deputy Chief Discusses Roosevelt Island Traffic Safety Plans For Main Street And Waterfront Promenades With RIRA PSC Members - Says No Motorized Vehicles Allowed On Promenade Unless Emergency Or Escorted By PSD

Following the the October 15 traffic accident involving a young girl crossing Main Street to Capobianco Park during PS 217 Halloween bash in which she was not seriously injured, Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) President Shelton Haynes announced the following day:

... Our immediate plans for Main Street and island promenades are as follows:
Main Street Safety Improvements:  

• Two crossing guards will be posted on Main Street near PS/IS 217 intersections during school hours. 
• Speed bumps will be strategically placed on Main Street. 
• Portable radar signs will be placed in strategic locations on Main Street. 

Promenade Safety Improvements:

• Restriction of vehicles, motorized scooters, and e-bikes on promenades. However, emergency vehicles or permitted vehicles will be escorted by PSD. 
• Public Safety officers will be posted on the west promenade to ensure compliance.
• New signage will be ordered....

The new signage and gated barrier on West Promenade is in place

and this weekend a Public Safety Officer was spotted patrolling the West Promenade on foot.

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During the October 19 Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) Public Safety Committee (PSC) meeting, RIOC Public Safety Department Deputy Chief Anthony Amoroso reported:

Nobody can drive on the promenade unless it's an emergency vehicle or some kind of delivery that is being escorted with  PSD ...or some sort of situation where they need to do some repairs...

RIRA PSC member Frank Farance disagreed that RIOC can ban all vehicles from the Promenades saying that their ground leases permit the building managements to use the Promenade in order to access their property.

Deputy Chief Amoroso replied:

... I looked into it with their leases and and we have the final say as far as driving on the promenades...

 

Here's more on RIOC Traffic Safety Plans for Main Street and the waterfront promenades discussed during the beginning of the PSC meeting including Mr Farance's suggestion of better traffic lighting instead of speed bumps on Main Street for greater vehicle and pedestrian safety.

UPDATE 10:50 PM - A Roosevelt Island residents reports on this Instagram post:

Yesterday a delivery man on a scooter sped onto the pedestrian walkway almost hitting me and my baby who was in a stroller. Public safety was there on foot and stopped him but when asked for his drivers license the motorist simply said “I don’t have one” and public safety ultimately just let him go. What’s the point of having public safety officers there to stop motorists if they just let violators go with no penalty? They will surely repeat if there are no real consequences @shelton_haynes_rioc_ceo @rooseveltislandrioc