SPONSORED POST - Upcoming NYC Annual Saturday Summer Streets Celebration August 19 & 26 - Miles Of Streets Are Open For People To Play, Walk And Bike

NYC Department of Transportation presents 2023 Summer Streets Program.

Summer Streets is an annual celebration of New York City's most valuable public space – our streets.

Summer Streets takes place on select Saturdays between 7 am and 1 pm. Miles of NYC’s streets are open in both directions for people to play, walk, and bike. Take a break along the route at one of our rest stops to enjoy free activities. Summer Streets provides space for healthy recreation and encourages New Yorkers to use more sustainable forms of transportation.

On all five Summer Streets days, Citi Bike will offer a limited number of complimentary day passes to non-members, presented by Citi. Go to purchase a Day Pass in the Citi Bike app and use the code CITISUMMER to receive unlimited complimentary unlocks on Citi Bike for 24 hours.

Summer Streets bring our community together. It's everything you love about New York City in one place! pic.twitter.com/36TDkl8Pg8

— Mayor Eric Adams (@NYCMayor) August 12, 2023

Check out locations for 2023 NYC Summer Streets.

NYC Citi Bike Share Program Expands To More Neighborhoods Including Long Island City, Williamsburg & Greenpoint - But No Mention Of Roosevelt Island

The NYC Department of Transportation (DOT) and Citi Bike announced earlier this week an expansion of the bike sharing program to more NYC neighborhoods. According to Cit Bike:

... Our system will double in size by 2017. New neighborhoods will be added to our system beginning in 2015. By the end of 2017 we will have 6,000 additional bikes and over 375 new stations. The first new stations will be installed in northern Williamsburg, Greenpoint, Long Island City and further into Bedford-Stuyvesant, all neighborhoods originally planned to be part of Citi Bike’s initial deployment. If you would like to suggest a new location for Citi Bike stations, visit the Department of Transportations’s “Suggest A Station” siting portal at www.nyc.gov/bikeshare and stay tuned for news about other ways to get involved....

A DOT October 28 Press Release adds:

New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner Polly Trottenberg, Alta Bicycle Share incoming CEO Jay Walder, and Citi Executive Vice President for Global Public Affairs Edward Skyler today announced an agreement between the City of New York and Alta Bicycle Share to operate, improve, and double the size of the largest bike share program in North America. A $30 million infusion of private capital from Bikeshare Holdings LLC, a group of private investors acquiring Alta, supported by an increased sponsorship commitment from Citi of up to $70.5 million extended through 2024, and a $15 million increase in the credit facility from the Goldman Sachs Urban Investment Group will allow for the expansion and ensure the long-term stability of the system, making it more reliable and accessible for the thousands of New Yorkers who rely upon it. New Yorkers currently take more than one million trips every month on Citi Bike.

The Citi Bike system, which will continue to be operated by NYC Bike Share (NYCBS), a subsidiary of Alta, will be expanded from the current system of 330 stations and 6,000 bikes to over 700 stations and 12,000 bikes by the end of 2017. Citi Bike will stretch further out into Brooklyn, into Harlem, and bring bikes to Queens for the first time.

The agreement with the City also calls for service enhancements to the system’s operations for Citi Bike’s tens of thousands of riders, including upgrades to the software and technology that helps operate the bike share system.

These enhancements will be made possible by the investment from Bikeshare Holdings LLC, a newly-formed venture of individuals that include Harvey Spevak, CEO of Equinox®, Jeff Blau, CEO of Related Companies, and Jonathan Schulhof, a private investor who led the transaction. Bikeshare Holdings has entered into an agreement to acquire Alta and recruited Jay Walder, the former Chairman and CEO of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and an internationally-renowned leader in public transit, to serve as the incoming CEO of Alta.

The system will continue to operate as a privately funded program and Citi has agreed to increase its sponsorship contribution by $70.5 million dollars and extend it through 2024 while the Goldman Sachs Urban Investment Group has increased and extended its loan facility to help fund the program’s enhancement and expansion. The expansion was also made possible by a $5 million investment from The Partnership Fund for New York City to Bikeshare Holdings LLC to support the program’s growth into underserved communities in Brooklyn, Queens and Upper Manhattan.

“This is about delivering the bike share program New Yorkers expect and deserve. We believe in Citi Bike’s potential as a fixture of New York City’s public transit system. It can make our neighborhoods more accessible, help us achieve our sustainability goals, and bridge inequities in our transportation network. To achieve all that, bike share has to be reliable and responsive to community’s needs. Today, after tremendous efforts across our administration, we can say we have the management and the support in place to fulfill that mission. It’s a good day for New Yorkers who rely on Citi Bike, and for neighborhoods and riders that have eagerly awaited its expansion,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio....

Click here for the full DOT Press Release.

Citi Bike Share Riders Visiting Roosevelt Island Image From Francine Lange

Roosevelt Island is not included in the Citi Bike neighborhood expansion for phase 11

 Image From DOT

or phase 111 Potential Expansion.

 Image From DOT

I asked Roosevelt Island NYC Council Member Ben Kallos and Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) President Charlene Indelicato:

The Dep't of Transportation and new bike sharing owner announced yesterday expansion of the system to Long Island City, Williamsburg, Greenpoint and Bed Stuy.

Roosevelt Island was not mentioned as a new location for bike sharing.

Any comment on when Roosevelt Island will be getting bike sharing?

Also, since Long Island City is getting bike sharing, is it possible to get a station located at the foot of the Roosevelt Island Bridge on 36th Avenue in Long Island City? That would be useful for Roosevelt Island.

 Image Of Intersection Of Roosevelt Island Bridge, Vernon B'lvd and 36th Ave in LIC

Mr. Kallos replied:

1,000 new bikes will come into use next year; 7,000 by 2017. The Council Member hopes to get as many CitiBike stations as possible into our district and to Roosevelt Island in the upcoming years.

We'll pass along your request to the relevant agencies.

Here's Google Map of intersection


View Larger Map

The NYC Planning Department Western Queens Transportation Study recommended installing a bicycle sharing station at the top

Image From Western Queens Transportation Study (Page 55)

of the Roosevelt Island Bridge helix.

UPDATE 2:15 PM - RIOC President Charlene Indelicato adds:

RIOC strongly believes in increasing the amount of bike safety education and amenities available on Roosevelt Island, and we are pleased with the current state of our successful partnership with Bike New York. However, the Island's infrastructure is not currently ready to handle a large increase in cyclist traffic. Before bike sharing can come to the Island, a master plan for the implementation of bike paths and traffic infrastructure that can accommodate cyclists, pedestrians and motorists in our community needs to be designed and implemented. We plan to work with private entities such as Cornell Tech in order to create this plan and look forward to putting an innovative, inclusive strategy in place.

When it comes to bike sharing in Queens, RIOC's focus is primarily trained on preparing Roosevelt Island for a possible future station. Therefore, we will not be advocating for a docking station near the entrance of the Roosevelt Island Bridge at 36th Avenue at this time.

Roosevelt Island Resident Asks For Safer Bike Lanes On Roosevelt Island Bridge - NYC Department Of Transportation Announces Intermittent 15 Minute Daytime Closing Of Roosevelt Island Bridge Tomorrow

According to the NYC Department Of Transportation (DOT):

Please see the attached Important Notice announcing full closures of the Roosevelt Island Bridge for operational testing. On Tuesday, March 25, 2014, between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., the bridge may be completely closed for up to 15 minutes at a time. Sufficient time will be allowed between closures to clear any traffic queues.

Safety for bicyclists on the Roosevelt Island Bridge was the subject of this message sent yesterday to Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) President Charlene Indelicato by resident Janet Falk:

I ride my bike over the Roosevelt Island bridge and notice the accumulation of gravel in the bike lanes.

I have posted this complaint to RI 311 periodically for more than one year and have noticed little change. If anything, the problem is worse, perhaps because of the recent repair of the potholes in the westbound lane (for which I am appreciative).

On Thursday, March 20, because the eastbound bike lane was so full of gravel it was dangerous to ride there, I rode my bicycle in the automobile lane, which also is dangerous because cars do not expect to see a bicyclist there.

How often does RIOC conduct a scheduled cleaning and sweeping of the gravel from that area?

The notices on RI 311 are either ignored or responded to as noted and closed, yet the problem persists.

Please direct this matter to the appropriate member of the RIOC staff and let me know who that person is, so that I can contact them directly in the future.

Ms Indelicato replied that the Roosevelt Island Bridge is under the jurisdiction of the NYC DOT and that she will contact the appropriate person about the issue.

 Image of Roosevelt Island Bridge Metal Grill Bike Path and Roadway

Safety for bicyclists on the Roosevelt Island Bridge has been an ongoing issue. As reported back in August 2011:

... I'm a Roosevelt Island resident. I'm also an avid bicyclist -- and I have a suggestion. It's great that a lane is set aside for cyclists crossing the bridge into Queens. But it would be helpful if the bridge's metal grill were covered by some sort of mat. You may not be aware of this, but -- when it rains -- metal-grill bridges are like sheets of ice if you're a cyclist, especially if you're on a road bike with thin tires. I was reminded of this on Sunday: My son and I were crossing the bridge on our bicycles early on Sunday morning, after the rain had stopped, and as soon as we hit the metal grill, we both started sliding. We immediately got off our bikes and walked them across....

and the twitterverse cautions:

I hate riding my bike to roosevelt island simply because i feel like ima slip and die on that metal bridge
— keyser söze (@JayPaperStaxX) June 19, 2013

In 2011 a Roosevelt Island resident received this response from a DOT spokesperson regarding bike safety on the Roosevelt Island Bridge:

Thank you for your email regarding the improvement of bike mobility and safety on the Roosevelt Island Bridge. We have forwarded your message to the appropriate unit in DOT Bridges for review. We will provide you with their determination...

We're still waiting.

Roosevelt Island Bridge 15 Minute Daytime Full Closure Wednesday January 29 Says NYC DOT, Rehab Testing Program Continues - Learn About Roosevelt Island Bridge History Too

From the Roosevelt Island Twitterverse:

There will be intermittent 15-minute FULL closures (ped, bike & vehicle) of the Roosevelt Island Bridge 1/29 10AM-2PM. Please plan ahead.
— NYC DOT (@NYC_DOT) January 27, 2014

According to the NYC Department of Transportation (DOT)

The New York City Department of Transportation Division of Bridges will continue the testing program on the rehabilitated Roosevelt Island Bridge on Wednesday, January 29, 2014. Between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., the bridge will be fully closed for up to 15 minutes.

A second test will occur only after the first full test is concluded and any queue of traffic is dissipated. Testing requires a complete closure of the bridge to all vehicular and pedestrian traffic during lifts.

The work is weather sensitive and inclement weather may cause it to be rescheduled or delayed. Emergency services and first responders have been notified of the testing program.

Questions regarding the bridge closure may be addressed to Anne Koenig of the Office of Community Affairs at 212-839-6307 or AKoenig@dot.nyc.gov. You may also call the New York City Government Services and Information Hotline at 311. Please be prepared to give your name, your borough, and the project number, HBM1117, to be routed to the project management team.

UPDATE 12:50 PM - Brownstoner Queens has more on the history of the Roosevelt Island Bridge:

Roosevelt Island is technically part of Manhattan, although it is definitely “its own thing.” Tangibly, the island is connected by the famous Roosevelt Island tram on the western or city-facing side. All vehicles, including Emergency Services like the Fire Department, will find that the only game in town for getting onto the island is by going through Queens.

By the standards of East River Bridges, she’s a twerp. The tiny span is more than a bit overshadowed by it’s spectacular neighbors (Queensboro, Triborough, and Hellgate are nearby) and sits half hidden behind a power plant in Ravenswood. She’s the Roosevelt Island Bridge....

Click here for the full article.

Update On Overnight Queensboro Bridge Construction Work Keeping Some Roosevelt Island Residents Awake - NYC DOT Taking Steps To Mitigate Noise and Adjust Lights

Image From Trevre Andrews

Reported last week on some Roosevelt Island residents being kept awake at night by construction noise and bright lights on the Queensboro Bridge :

... Every night this week (as well as between the 16 and the 20th of july), there has been extremely loud jack hammering on the queensboro bridge, between 10pm and 3-4am. The level of the noise is really unbearable. They also use huge projectors to give light to the workers....

I sent the following inquiry to the NYC Department of Transportation (DOT):

Several Roosevelt Island residents who live near the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge have been upset at the overnight construction noise and lights coming from the Bridge into their apartments between 10 PM and 4 AM.

Can the Department of Transportation provide any information regarding the overnight work which is being done on the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge. When will it be completed and is there any way to reduce the noise and lights keeping Roosevelt Island residents awake at night?

The NYC DOT replied:

work currently is being performed to resurface the roadway on the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge. The project takes place in two phases—milling and resurfacing—and work is being performed during the day, and in some cases overnight. The resurfacing project will create a smoother riding surface, and alleviate bumpy conditions, which we received complaints about in the past.

and:

We checked our records, and it does not appear that we have received any 311 complaints about this issue. Please note that steps are being taken to mitigate noise related to this active construction project, including using newer equipment and mufflers. With regard to lighting, the roadway lighting is essential for worker safety during overnight shifts. DOT is reminding the crew to take a look at the lights, and where possible, adjust them to make sure the lights are directed only at the roadway.

The project will be completed in the fall, based on weather.

Thank you DOT.

Overnight Queensboro Bridge Construction Work Keeping Some Roosevelt Island Residents Awake

Image From Trevre Andrews

On August 2 a Roosevelt Island resident reported to RI 311 See Click Fix:

Every night this week (as well as between the 16 and the 20th of july), there has been extremely loud jack hammering on the queensboro bridge, between 10pm and 3-4am. The level of the noise is really unbearable. They also use huge projectors to give light to the workers.

Do you have any information of how much time this will last, or if they could stop working during the night, allowing everyone to sleep? 

Earlier today, another Roosevelt Island resident told me that last night he could hear the loud noise of Queensboro Bridge construction work from his apartment at 455 Main Street - 4 buildings away from the bridge

Hope you get a good night sleep tonight.

UPDATE 8/6 - More from Roosevelt Island Southtown residents on Queensboro Bridge construction noise:

Me too in Riverwalk Crossing. Because it's so humid out, we keep the windows closed and the AC on. Otherwise, it would keep us up. :(

and:

I am going to buy earplugs tomorrow, it has been terrible in the past week, and who knows how long this construction will go on. I could not find any information about it online.

UPDATE 8/9 - NYC Department of Transportation reports they will take steps to mitigate the problem. More here.