Roosevelt Island Tram and Cornell Technion Campus Subject of Today's RIOC Board Of Directors Operations Committee Meeting At 5:30 PM - Will We Find Out When and What Tram Station Improvements To Be Made

Image of Proposed Roosevelt Island Tram Station Renovation August 2010

Received the following notice from Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC):

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that a meeting of the Operations Advisory Committee of the RIOC Board of Directors will be held on Monday, February 27, 2012 at 5:30 p.m. at the RIOC administrative office, 591 Main Street, Roosevelt Island, New York.
Amended Agenda

1. Discussion on Roosevelt Island Aerial Tramway Operations

2. Discussion on Cornell/Technion Applied Sciences Campus Project

Perhaps we will learn what the status is of the long delayed planned Tram Station renovations that were part of the $25 million Roosevelt Island Tram Modernization Project.

 Image of Proposed Tram Station With Overhead Canopies In August 2010

In September 2011, RIOC President Leslie Torres reported:

... we are planning to renovate the Tram Plaza to improve its overall appearance. Plans for the renovation on the Roosevelt Island side include:

• Replacement of the railings at the Tram boarding platform
• The addition of a see-through roof
• An enclosure for the Tram boarding area, which will be heated in the winter Scrapping, sanding, and painting of the railings
• Installing a new no-slip floor and patching where necessary
• Power washing the entire Plaza

The Manhattan side of the Plaza will get the same renovations as above with the following additions:

• A new Courtesy booth
• New security gates
• New tread toppings for the stairs
• New textured warning strips at the bottom of the stairs to help the visually impaired

We have already selected the contractor and Phase 1 of the work, which also includes renovations of the restrooms, and is scheduled to begin at the end of September. We anticipate completion of all the work in the fall of 2012....

Ms. Torres reported in her February 25 President's Report that the Tram Station bathroom will be open on March 5:

 ...The newly renovated men’s and women’s restrooms at the Tram station will be open for public use starting on Monday, March 5. We hope they will add a measure of convenience for residents and visitors...

Here is the proposed Tram Station improvements proposed and approved by the RIOC Board of Directors in August 2010.

At one time a green roof was considered for the Tram Station

and the old Manhattan Tram Station Courtesy booth met this fate - remember?

Image From Judy Berdy

Latest on Roosevelt Island Cornell Technion NYC Applied Sciences & Engineering School campus from post on Friday.

New Wider Roosevelt Island Tram Station Staircase Installed and Ready For Use - Bottleneck At Staircase Should Be Reduced

As reported in this previous post, the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) announced:

...Beginning on Tuesday, September 13, 2011, we will begin work renovating the Tram Entrance Steps. Signs are posted indicating the new entrance and exit. This renovation will take approximately 8 days to complete. Work will not begin each day until after the morning rush hour. Please note there will be no interruption of normal Tram Service....

Yesterday afternoon the final touches were being put in place for the new Tram Station Staircase

and today the wider staircase was in place ready to be used by Tram passengers.

Here's what the staircase used to look like.

At least now, the bottleneck caused by Tram passengers exiting and entering the station at this point will be reduced.

Roosevelt Island Tram Station Entrance Steps Being Widened To 6 Feet - Tram Station Rest Room Renovation To Start At End Of September, All Tram Station Renovation Completed By September 2012 Says RIOC Spokesperson

 Image of New, Wider Stairs Being Installed at Roosevelt Island Tram Station

A post earlier this week reported on the installation of new stairs at the Red Bus Stop entrance to the Roosevelt Island Tram Station. A reader of the post commented:

This is great news.  I hate the bottleneck that happens when you get off the RED BUS to get onto the Tram.  While we're on the subject, whatever happen to the rest of the TRAM redo.  When is that set to be finished?

Also, during rush hour, or when he F train is not going to Manhattan, why not use both cars to exit the island instead of packing a car only to have others left behind.  I thought that was one of the many reason for spending millions of dollars on this project.

 I sent the following inquiry to Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Vice President of Operations Fernando Martinez

Can you provide any details regarding the new Tram Station Entrance Steps being installed this week and do you have any renderings of what it will look like that I can post on blog?

Will there be a ramp as well. Also any information regarding when the Tram Stations will start to be renovated and what will be done.

RIOC Community Relations Specialist Erica Wilder replied on Wednesday:

We commenced construction yesterday on the Tram Entrance Steps which is scheduled to take approximately 8 days to complete. All work will begin daily after the morning rush hour. During this time, the ramp beyond the existing stairs will serve as the temporary entrance and exit locations. The scope of work includes removal of the concrete stairs and south wall of the stair case. A new concrete wall and code complaint stairway with railings will be installed. As part of the renovation, the entrance steps will be widened from its existing conditions- from 3 feet to approximately 6 feet. The contractor will be using an air compressed jack hammer to remove the stairs. To ensure the safety of pedestrians passing near the construction site, a protective screen will enclose the site while contractors demolish the stairs. Unfortunately, we do not have any renderings of the completed project.

As for the Tram Plaza renovations, the contractor is scheduled to begin Phase 1 (renovations of restrooms) at the end of September. Completion of all work is anticipated for Fall of 2012.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any additional questions.

I followed up:

Thank you for the response but can you respond to the portion of my inquiry regarding if a ramp is included in project and if not, why?

On an earlier occasion, Fernando Martinez had told RIOC Directors that a ramp would be included in that area.

Thank you.

Roosevelt Island Tram Station To Get New Stairs - Will There Be A New Ramp Too? What About The Promised Tram Station Improvements?

Image Of Work Starting On Tram Station Steps Renovation This Morning

According to the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC):

Beginning on Tuesday, September 13, 2011, we will begin work renovating the Tram Entrance Steps. Signs are posted indicating the new entrance and exit. This renovation will take approximately 8 days to complete. Work will not begin each day until after the morning rush hour. Please note there will be no interruption of normal Tram Service.

Your patience and cooperation during this time is greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,

Roosevelt Island Operating Corp Advisories Group

RIOC Staff and Directors had discussed a new ramp being included with the new stairs at the Tram Station. This previous post last December on the new Red Bus Route and Tram Stop reported on the concerns of RIOC Directors regarding:

... the inaccessibility of these nearby steps to the Tram Station

and the distance to the existing ramp for elderly and disabled....

... Mr. Martinez did say that an additional ramp could be installed by the Tram Station Staircase but that would have to wait until spring when the weather get's warmer to mix concrete....

RIOC's Vice President of Operations Fernando Martinez was overseeing the Tram Station Stairs Renovation this morning along with Transportation General Manager Cy Opperman and Engineer Director Alex Snedkov.

 

No word on whether a ramp is being included in the current Tram Station renovations.

The RIOC September 21 Board Meeting has an Agenda item concerning the Tram Stations:

3.Authorization to Enter into Contract with Shawn Construction, Inc. for Installation of Platform Enclosures and Concrete Repairs at Tram Stations (Board Action Required);

I asked Mr. Martinez whether a ramp will be included in the Tram Station Stair renovation as well as future plans for the Tram Stations Improvements that were supposed to be made as part of the $25 million Roosevelt Island Tram Modernization Program.

Will include Mr. Martinez's answer in future update.