Community Board 8 Hosting Sept 21 Stuck On Roosevelt Island Forum On The F Train Rehab Work, Come Share Your Thoughts On The Subway Shuttle, Tram And Bus Transportation Problems - Watch Video Of Residents Offering Solutions/Asking Transportation Questions At Sept 14 RIOC Public Session

The Manhattan Community Board 8 Roosevelt Island and Transportation Committees are holding a joint meeting to discuss and share concerns about the MTA's F Train 63rd Street Tunnel Rehab project Thursday September 21 beginning 6:30 PM at Good Shepherd Community Center (543 Main Street). According to CB 8:

Please come and share your experiences, suggestions and questions... We have invited the MTA, RIOC, our elected officials and Resident Board members.

For Zoom access to the meeting, sign in by clicking this link. 

During the September 14 Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Board of Directors meeting Public Session, several residents spoke up sharing their concerns, ideas and solutions with the RIOC Board. Unfortunately, every time newly appointed Board Member Ben Fhala tried to respond to a question or concern from a resident, RIOC General Counsel Gretchen Robinson and Board Chair Diana Lopez did their utmost to try and shut him up, but Mr Fhala persisted.

Here's what happened.

Also, as Mr Fhala was trying to respond to the concerns of a late night health care worker describing having to sleep overnight because of no subway or tram service, Ms Robinson said he was speaking: 

... as a resident of the Island and not a member of the board.

Mr Fhala responded he was speaking as a board member.

 

Near the conclusion of the September 14 Board meeting, Director Howard Polivy asked Public Safety Chief Kevin Brown and Transportation Director Cy Opperman about RIOC's handling of the current Tram and Red Bus transportation situation. 

Roosevelt Island resident Frank Farance shared his thoughts on the currrent transportations problems during the RIOC Public Session too.

Roosevelt Island resident Matt Waldman, an organzer of the Stuck On Roosevelt Island WhatsApp chat group adds:

I attended a RIOC board meeting in person for the first time on September 14. I am glad I did and encourage more community members to join future meetings. 

I really got a good sense of the relationship between the RIOC staff and the Board of Directors. It seems the RIOC staff is controlling the Board Directors, not allowing them to ask valid questions. 

There was a nice turnout from the community and some people spoke during the public comment period. While everyone seemed to be in agreement the track work must be done, the community is frustrated with how RIOC is dealing with this issue. 

Multiple times during the meeting, Gretchen Robinson, the General Counsel, noted:

... having addition OMNY at the tram there are no lines for the tram...

RIOC is trying to make a bad situation sound good like there are not really any issues. According to RIOC, one red bus is out of service and with the addition of the shuttle service to Queens Plaza and Manhattan, RIOC is using this as an excuse for unreliable and less frequent regular red bus service on the island. The RIOC buses to Queens Plaza and Manhattan only run a few hours a day. What about the rest of the day when this service is not being provided. RIOC should be using all buses at all times. 

Remember, if you wish to add your voice, concerns, ideas and solutions to the current Roosevelt Island transportation problems, come to the September 21 Community Board 8 meeting at Good Shepherd Community Center or log on via zoom.