Installation Of Roosevelt Island Citibike Docking Stations Beginning At End Of June, Service Starts In July Says RIOC - Some Residents Concerned About Safety, Is Roosevelt Island Prepared For Increased Bike Traffic

Feb 2020 RI Citibike Presentation

As reported March 9:

Citibike sharing docking stations are finally coming to Roosevelt Island this spring nearly 10 years after the first Roosevelt Island bike sharing demo in 2010 and in 2014 being the neighborhood with most requests for the Citibke system.

Today, I asked the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC):

Any update on when Citibike will begin service on Roosevelt Island?

Have there been any changes due to Coronavirus pandemic?

RIOC Public Information Officer Terrence McCauley answered:

Fortunately, the service has not been delayed due to COVID-19. The installation is scheduled to begin at the end of the month with the service to begin sometime in July.

Reactions from Roosevelt Island residents to Citibike is mixed. Some very happy that the service is available on Roosevelt island.

@Rooseveltisland @RIOCny @CitiBikeNYC Any news on the expansion to Roosevelt Island?
It will be easier to socially distance on a bike than on the F train!#CitiBike

— Thierry Rolling (@T19R84) April 30, 2020

Others are concerned about safety issues from increased number of bike riders speeding on the Promenade.

Ah yes. Summer weather on Roosevelt Island! Where cyclists have no idea how to ride here and nearly crash into me(a pregnant lady with a stroller). Just trying to get home after getting milk for my kiddo 🥴 #rooseveltisland #CitiBike #whatbikelane #whatarerules #SocialDistancing

— mrs (@itsElizaRo) May 16, 2020

With good weather there are way more tourists biking around. Today many were going very fast along the east promenade. Roosevelt Island is not prepared for this massive bike traffic and it's highly probable that one day a young kid will get seriously hurt. FYI @RIOCny @BenKallos

— Rubén B. (@motxilo) May 2, 2020

And riding on sidewalks.

Taken yesterday Sunday afternoon, riding fast as usual (they were two riders btw), passing in front of the PSD office. pic.twitter.com/LMGUvUMMA6

— Rubén B. (@motxilo) June 15, 2020

There will be 4 Roosevelt Island docking stations with a total of approximately 72 bicycles located at

• Southpoint Park
• Adjacent to new comfort station at Firefighters Field between Tram Station and Ferry Dock
• Under the Helix at Motorgate
• Adjacent to the Octagon Building

Ofo Dockless Bike Spotted On Roosevelt Island Yesterday - Will Roosevelt Island Ever Get Bike Sharing?

A lot of people doubted that the busiest city in this country would be the right place for bike sharing, but New Yorkers voted with their feet! As of today, we now have bike sharing in all five boroughs with dockless bikes #inTheBronx. pic.twitter.com/0EWTatxSVr

— Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) July 30, 2018

Except no bike sharing on Roosevelt Island.

Why is there no @CitiBikeNYC on Roosevelt Island? @Rooseveltisland #pleasepleaseplease

— R P (@unionmaidnyc) April 23, 2018

As previously reported, the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) recently met with the NYC Department of Transportation to discuss bringing bike sharing to Roosevelt Island and Cornell Tech students were working on a pilot project for Roosevelt Island dockless bike sharing.

No info yet on results of RIOC bike sharing meeting.

Yesterday, I spotted a dockess Ofo Bike

on Roosevelt Island outside of Gristedes.

Others have spotted Ofo dockless bikes too.

I saw this bike outside the Roosevelt Island subway station two days ago...

— HEL2NYC (@NYTTYTTYY) July 31, 2018

But the NY Post reported July 20:

One of the dockless bike companies that was set to start operating in the city has already dropped out of the program.

China-based Ofo, which was supposed to provide 200 dockless bikes in the Bronx later this month, abruptly announced Thursday that the company will be scaling back international operations and not coming to New York City....

So, what's the Ofo Bike doing on Roosevelt Island?

Citibike Docking Stations Coming To Astoria This Summer, Already In Long Island City - But No Citibike Stations For Roosevelt Island On Horizon

Roosevelt Island's next door neighbors living in Astoria will soon have Citibike docking stations. According to the Astoria Post:

The first batch of Citi Bikes will be rolling in to Astoria sometime this summer.

The Department of Transportation presented a map of 59 proposed locations for Citi Bike docking stations at a Community Board 1 Transportation Committee meeting last night, though DOT is still looking for feedback on the proposed locations.

Under the plan, 59 docking stations would be installed within the boundaries of Queens Plaza North, 44th Street, Ditmars Boulevard and the waterfront beginning this summer. Twelve of the locations would be installed on the roadway, and the rest would be added on the sidewalk....

Here are Citibike Potential Docks. What do you think CB1, Queens? Residents tell DOT. #cb1queens , #astoria, #@NYC_DOT pic.twitter.com/H03EtTpRy2

— CB1, Queens (@Cb1Queens) April 5, 2017

But, still no Citibike stations for Roosevelt Island even though Citibike riders can often be seen on Roosevelt Island

and Roosevelt Island was the neighborhood with most request for Citibike docking stations.

Hopes were high in September 2010 for a Roosevelt Island bike sharing station when the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) undertook a demonstration here.

 Former RIOC President Leslie Torres & Nonno's Pizza Owner Alphonse At 2010  Bike Sharing Demo

Nothing came of it.

The closest Astoria Citibike docking station to Roosevelt Island appears to be Spirit Playground, 2 blocks from the Roosevelt Island Bridge, at 36th Ave/10 Street (We Heart Astoria has a large map of the proposed sites)



Citibike stations are already located in nearby Long Island City.

 Image from Google Maps

Will Citibike ever install bicycle sharing stations on Roosevelt Island? I asked Roosevelt Island's NYC Council Member Ben Kallos, a long time supporter of Citibike stations on Roosevelt Island.

According to Council Member Kallos:

Roosevelt Island began investigating the options of a bike share in the summer of 2012 when the city first launched its program. With the ongoing support from the community, Citibike docking stations were requested for R.I., more than any other zip code in town. The community deserves to be a part of this successful initiative.  Bike share systems provide sturdy bikes at self-service docking stations and are available 24/7.

It’s a great alternative means of transportation and is a quick and healthy way to get around the island. We are currently exploring bringing CitiBike to Roosevelt Island jointly with the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (RIOC), the Department of Transportation (NYCDOT) and Motivate.

If we can't get Citibike on Roosevelt Island in the near term, perhaps a docking station at the top of the helix

 Image From 2014 NYC DOT Western Queens Transportation Study

before entering Motorgate Garage would work?

UPDATE 4/19 - Except, I don't think we want Roosevelt Island jam packed with tourists on bicycles.

@Rooseveltisland @CitiBikeNYC Hundreds of visitors come into Visitor Center looking to rent bikes! This is something we could use

— Barbara Spiegel (@Pinkgarnetjj) April 18, 2017

Roosevelt Island Is Good Enough For Citibike Spring Promotional Ad But Not For CitiBike Station

The Roosevelt Island Twitterverse is offended that Citibike uses the view from Roosevelt Island for promotional purposes yet refuses to place or plan for a CitiBike docking station on Roosevelt Island.

WTF @CitiBikeNYC? If you refuse to serve @Rooseveltisland, you don't get to use it in your promotional material. pic.twitter.com/pbDtniMP6W

— Mark Lyon (@markhlyon) May 7, 2015

As previously reported, Roosevelt Island was the NYC neighborhood with the most requests for a Citibike station yet is not in Citibke future expansion plans for Phase 2 (which includes Upper East Side of Community Board 8 but not the Roosevelt Island portion of CB 8)

Image From May 6 Citibke NYC DOT Presentation To CB 8

or

 Image From DOT

phase 3.

In October 2014, Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) President Charlene Indelicato addressed issue of bike sharing:

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. ...

Here's May 6 NYC Department of Transportation Citibike  presentation to Community Board 8 showing locations of future Upper East Side bike stations.

More on Roosevelt Island bike sharing at these previous posts.

Roosevelt Island Bicycle Infrastructure Improvements And Safety Discussed At RIRA Public Safety Committee Yesterday

  Image From Bike NY

Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Public Safety Director Jack McManus and Deputy Director Lynda Marmara met with members of the Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) Public Safety Committee last night. Among the topics discussed were improvements to Roosevelt Island bicycle infrastructure and bicycle safety.

The discussion began with RIRA's Helen Chirivas reporting that she agreed with RIOC President Charlene Indelicato that the Roosevelt Island bicycle infrastructure needs to be improved before Citibike can install their bike stations.

RIRA's Rosanna Ceruzzi noted that she thought Citibike was too expensive and suggested that Bike NY's Roosevelt Island programming include less expensive bike rentals.

RIRA's Lynn Strong-Shinozaki emphasized the need for wearing bike helmets. Ms.Strong-Shinozak said the Roosevelt Island bike rider, Anna-Maria Mostrom, who was killed in the collision with RIC Red Bus was not wearing a helmet at the time. Ms Strong-Shinozaki added that the Red Bus involved in the collision had to drive around a parked cab which may have contributed to the accident.

Also discussed were RIOC Public Service announcements about bike safety. Deputy Director Marmara suggested using some local Roosevelt Island talent to produce the bike safety announcements though she specifically hoped any public service announcement would not be like the previous Public Safety Recruitment Video

Here's video of the discussion.



Will have more of this very interesting Roosevelt Island Public Safety conversation soon.

Guess Which NYC Neighborhood Has Most Requests For Citi Bike Station? The Answer Is Roosevelt Island, But Dep't Of Transportation Has No Plans To Expand Here

As reported October 31:

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

and:

... Roosevelt Island is not included in the Citi Bike neighborhood expansion for phase 11 or phase 111 Potential Expansion.

 Image From DOT

Will this recent report from Columbia Journalism School's The Brooklyn Link help persuade the powers-that-be to locate Cit Bike stations on Roosevelt Island:

... Following the recent announcement of the phase II expansion of Citi Bike into parts of Brooklyn, Queens, and Manhattan, The Brooklyn Ink analyzed the data collected by the online portal to understand where these requests were coming from and where people said they wanted new Citi Bike stations. From 2012 to November 2014, around 36,000 people have participated in the suggestion process and have created a database of around 8,500 suggested points on the map.

In terms of neighborhoods, the highest demand comes from Roosevelt Island.

Exactly 1,937 requests came from Roosevelt and 189 of those requests actually supported one single location near West Road and the Roosevelt Island F train station. Both figures were the highest of their kind in the analysis. A lot of these requests come from people living in the luxury Octagon Park Apartments. Comments also suggest that the heavy reliance the neighborhood has on the bus system is another factor that drives the demand for Citi Bike.

The City Department of Transportation, in a statement to The Brooklyn Ink, said that at this stage there are no plans to expand Citi Bike into Roosevelt Island....

Image From NYC Bike Share

Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) President Charlene Indelicato has previously stated safety objections to Citi Bike stations on Roosevelt Island at this time. According to Ms Indelicato:

... 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's NYC Council Member Ben Kallos has expressed support for Roosevelt Island Citi Bike stations saying:

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....

and tweets:

Standing in support of CitiBike expansion! @bradlander @HelenRosenthal @RitchieTorres pic.twitter.com/MqRzd5c7SR
— Ben Kallos (@BenKallos) November 20, 2014

When will that support bring Citi Bike to Roosevelt Island?

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.

Will Official Citi Bike Docking Station Come To Roosevelt Island? There's An Unofficial One At Roosevelt Island Subway Station.

Roosevelt Island has no official Citi Bike docking station but that did not stop one user from adopting the Roosevelt Island subway station bike rack as a personal Citi Bike dock station. According to the Roosevelt Island Twitterverse

Dear @CitibikeNYC I think someone needs a docking lesson. Saw this on the rack by the Roosevelt Island F train stop. pic.twitter.com/GSmME5ExnC
— Jeff Lee (@jeffreally) August 5, 2014

Also, Michael Hocke shares this picture of the personal Citi Bike docking station at the Roosevelt Island Subway Station Bike Rack

 Image From Michael Hocke

and adds yesterday:

Somebody seemed to have claimed a Citibike as his/her own.

I snapped this picture yesterday morning. The bike was still there this morning and notice the lock! I’ll let Citibike know so they can reclaim it but it will probably take a while according to reports on the Gothamist.

The Citi Bike was still docked at the Roosevelt Island subway station this morning.

Roosevelt Island resident Janet Falk reports on her conversation with a Citi Bike Program Manager:

Citi Bike, the bicycle sharing system in Manhattan and Brooklyn, is enormously popular, exceeding expectations. I have used it numerous times to take short hops between appointments in Manhattan. It's fast, a light work-out and saves the cost of subway fare on these interim trips.

Of course, it could be even more convenient. The northern-most docking stations are very close to the tram at 58 and 2nd Avenue

and 58th and 3rd Avenue. In the morning, the bikes at these stations are quickly snapped up, according to my neighbor.

On Saturday, August 2, I spoke informally with a manager of the Citi Bike program and congratulated him on its success. I asked when the program might be extended to Roosevelt Island. Unfortunately, our Island, flat and scenic as it may be, does not appear to be on the Citi Bike radar screen. The next areas of expansion are likely to be Greenpoint and Williamsburg in Brooklyn, followed by the area between 58th and 79th Streets, on both the East and West sides of Manhattan.

In 2009, RIOC briefly considered an Island-based bike sharing program, which at the time struck me as doomed. Anyone who wants to zip around the Island probably has their own bike already. Riders using the proposed bicycles could transport very few items from a store in the carriers provided. As someone who once hoisted a backpack laden with a 10-pound bag of frozen chicken breasts on a bike ride from the nearby Costco, I know the folly of shopping by bicycle.

A bike program that communicated with Manhattan, however, would be viable and might even bring more tourists and visitors to the Island's restaurants and stores. If REQX Ventures, an affiliate of real-estate giant Related Cos, completes the anticipated investment in the Citi Bike program, that might make the Island an attractive location for some Citi Bike stations at the Tram, subway, Good Shepherd Plaza and under the helix.

According to the NY Times, REQX is:

...a venture formed by some principals of the real estate firm Related and the fitness chain Equinox....

Related Companies is a joint venture partner with Hudson Companies (Hudson Related) as developers of Roosevelt Island Southtown Riverwalk buildings and as Main Street Retail Master Leaseholder.

A Citi Bike location on Roosevelt Island would make a great connection to Long Island City and Astoria, as well as Brooklyn and Manhattan.

The August 4 WNYC Brian Lehrer radio program



has more on the future of Citi Bike.

Citi Bike Share Riders Visit Roosevelt Island - When Will Roosevelt Island Get Its Own Citi Bike Sharing Asks Resident?

Roosevelt Island photographer Francine Lange shares these pictures and asks

Isn’t it time for Roosevelt Island to have its own Citi Bike station? These Sunday visitors

Image From Francine Lange

had to first get their Citi Bikes from the Manhattan side of the East River and ride the Tram across to be able to enjoy the view

Image From Francine Lange

and a quick ride on the island.

 Here's a map showing the current locations of Citi Bike sharing stations.

 Image  of Bike Share Stations Locations  (Blue Dots) From Citi Bike

The bike sharing locations are in Manhattan, south of 59th street and in several Brooklyn neighborhoods. No bike sharing stations in Queens or Roosevelt Island. The closest Citi Bike sharing station to Roosevelt Island is on 58th and Second Avenue.

I think it would be great to connect Roosevelt Island to Long Island City and Astoria with bike sharing stations.

Hopes were high in September 2010 for a Roosevelt Island bike sharing station when the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) undertook a demonstration here.

Former RIOC President Leslie Torres & Rivewalk Bar/Nonno's Pizza Owner Alphonse At 2010  Bike Sharing Demonstration

RIOC ultimately determined not to set up its own bike sharing system but hopes to eventually have Roosevelt Island participate in the NYC wide Citi Bike sharing system.

How long that will take to happen is unknown.

Capital New York has more on future plans for Citi Bike sharing.

UPDATE 7/2 - More on Citi Bike sharing plans from Capital New York:

A deal that would both stabilize Citi Bike and create the opportunity to expand the popular New York City bikeshare program is taking shape.

About three weeks ago, Mayor Bill de Blasio's administration, a company called REQX Ventures and Alta Bicycle Share, the system's troubled operator, agreed on the broad outlines of an agreement, according to two knowledgeable sources.

According to the terms of that still-tentative agreement, REQX Ventures, a company run by individuals affiliated with Equinox and Related Companies (the real estate company that owns Equinox) would buy at least 51-percent of the Portland-based company....

Click here for the entire article.

A Tale Of Two Bicycle Rides Around Roosevelt Island - One A Leisurely Trip With With A Mambo Beat The Other At High Speed Rock And Roll Pace

A bicycle tour of Roosevelt Island from last summer



and earlier this year.



Be great if NYC's Citi Bike Sharing program would come to Roosevelt Island.

But some have issues riding over the Roosevelt Island Bridge.

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

Roosevelt Island Cornell NYC Tech, Q102 Bus, Bicycle Sharing, Queensboro Bridge Access and Relocation of Goldwater Hospital Patients On Agenda For May 30 Community Board 8 Roosevelt Island Committee Meeting

The Manhattan Community Board 8 (CB 8) Roosevelt Island Committee will be meeting on Roosevelt Island Thursday May 30. According to CB 8:

Meeting Date:
Thursday, May 30, 2013 - 7:00pm
Meeting Location:
Manhattan Park
4 River Road, Community Room
Roosevelt Island, NY

Introduction of co-chairs and committee members.
Discussion of role of Community Board 8 and the formation and role of this committee
Review of recent island issues reviewed by CB 8 and its committees
(a) Cornell-Technion Project/Cornell-Technion Task force
(b) MTA Q102/ Transportation Committee
(c) Queensboro Bridge Bike Access/Transportation Committee
(d) CitiBank Bike Share Program/Transportation Committee
(e) Relocation of Goldwater Residents/Health, Seniors and Social Services Committee
Volunteers to be public member
Public Session – open discussion

Jeffrey Escobar and Laurence Parnes, Co-Chairs 

During May 21 Roosevelt Island Community Coalition (RICC) meeting updating residents on Cornell NYC Tech project (here's video of full meeting at Part 1 and Part 2), Community Board 8 Roosevelt Island Co-Chair Jeff Escobar reported 



on the CB 8 Roosevelt Island Committee goals and objectives.

Roosevelt Island Red Bus, Parking, Bikes Subject Of RIOC Operations Committee Meeting Today - Bike Sharing Coming To Manhattan Roosevelt Island Tram Station - What Do You Want To See From Transportation Department?

Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Transportation Dep't Mission Statement

Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Operations Committee is meeting later today to continue their discussion of transportation issues. According to RIOC:

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that a meeting of the Operations Advisory Committee of the RIOC Board of Directors will be held on Thursday, June 7, 2012 at 5:30 p.m. at the RIOC administrative office, 591 Main Street, Roosevelt Island, New York.

The Committee will meet to discuss:
1. Parking issues on Roosevelt Island:
a. Bike parking
b. On-street parking
2. Issues related to Red Bus
3. Issues related to NextBus information system
4. Any other Committee business that may be brought before the Committee 

Roosevelt Island resident Mark Lyon shares these thoughts on Roosevelt Island transportation issues:

The next operations meeting is intended to cover bike and red bus issues. I hope that the Corporation will work with Alta Bike Share to get stations on the island (and that they take down the "no overnight bike parking" signs for private bikes).  Being able to take a bike from Motorgate to the Subway/Tram and back at the ends of my commute, instead of waiting for the Red Bus, would be awesome. I'm certain others would enjoy it as well.

While thinking about the Red Bus, though, I'm shocked by the silliness of paying my quarter each way. I often see people board and not pay (not just students), completely unchallenged, which makes me feel like a fool for ponying up my change each way. According to the budget, the fares will be going up this year to help recoup some of the $1,068,960 expected subsidy.  It appears that the Red Bus will cost $1,554,960 to operate in the 12-13FY.

Wouldn't it be easier and more effective to pass that cost along as an assessment for each residential unit?  I can't find anything on RIOC's site that gives an accurate count of residential units, but the USPS EDDM system shows 4,992 residential mail locations in 10044. That's around $312/year/unit.  Less than a dollar a day per apartment. Not a bad deal at all.  With a bit of balancing, the impact on low-income tenants could be reduced without having a significant impact on other apartments.  The bus would be faster, since it could operate like the MTA's Select Bus Service where people can board from any door, having already prepaid.

Below is an excerpt of the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Transportation Department presentation to the RIOC May 21 Operations Committee.



More on the Transportation Department presentation at earlier post.

Here are photos of slides from RIOC Transportation Department presentation to May 21 RIOC Operations Committee meeting (RIOC would not provide a copy of the presentation unless I filed a Freedom Of Information Law Request).

Also learned at last night's Roosevelt Island Residents Association Meeting (RIRA) that there will be a bike sharing station at the Manhattan Roosevelt Island Tram Station at the start of the program. More info on bike sharing here.

UPDATE 6/8 - The Operations Committee agreed to keep the current Red Bus route extending to Southpoint Park without any modification at the present time. They will monitor the situation, gather metrics on how the new schedule is working and then reevaluate in a few months (3-6) to determine whether any changes are needed.

The Operations Committee agreed that bike racks should not be used for overnight storage and that bikes will be removed from the racks if they are there over a certain amount of time that is still to be established. Consideration will be given to those who work late night hours and use the bike racks. Overnight bike storage will be established by RIOC underneath the Motorgate Helix.

Here's the audio web cast of the meeting.

Would You Like Bike Sharing On Roosevelt Island? If So, Let Community Planning Board 8 Know Tomorrow During Public Hearing

Image of Potential Roosevelt Island Bike Sharing Station from Hunter College Access RI(Page 39)

A reminder from the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC):

The Roosevelt Island Community is encouraged to attend a public hearing hosted by Community Board 8 that will discuss Roosevelt Island as a demo site for bike sharing as part of the city-wide Department of Transportation (DOT) Bike Sharing Program.

 

When: Wednesday, May 2nd at 6:30 PM

 

Where: Lenox Hill Hospital, located at 131 East 76th Street (Einhorn Auditorium).

 

After the discussion, you will have the chance to voice your opinion about this matter.

 

Sincerely,

Roosevelt Island Operating Corp Advisories Group

More on Community Planning Board 8 Roosevelt Island Bike Sharing public hearing from previous post.

Bike Sharing Stations On Roosevelt Island To Be Discussed At May 2 Community Planning Board 8 Transportation Committee Meeting

Image of Potential Roosevelt Island Bike Sharing Station from Hunter College Access RI(Page 39)

Would you like to see Bike Sharing come to Roosevelt Island? If the answer is yes, make sure you attend the Community Planning Board 8 Transportation Committee May 2 6:30 PM meeting. On the Agenda is a:

Discussion of having a station or stations on Roosevelt Island as part of the DOT pilot Bike Share Program

Here's the flyer announcing the meeting.



More on Roosevelt Island Bike sharing from previous post and NYC Department of Transportation.

Public Purpose Fund Committee Recommendations, Roosevelt Island Open Space and Bike Sharing Among Items To Be Discussed Tonight At Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) Meeting - Come Learn What Is Going On

Image of June 2011 RIRA Common Council Meeting

The Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) will be meeting later today, 8 PM at the Good Shepherd Community Center (543 Main Street).

As always, prior to the start of each meeting there is a public session in which residents can come and address the Common Council Delegates on any issue of concern. Among tonight's Public Session speakers will be Community Board 8 member Benjamin Kallos talking on bike sharing issues and Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Director Margie Smith talking on Roosevelt Island Open Space.

Included on tonight's RIRA Agenda is the approval of Public Purpose Funds Committee recommendations to RIOC for allocation of $100 thousand to Roosevelt Island organizations.

Below is the Agenda for the meeting.



More on New York City Bike Sharing from NYC Department of Transportation



and these previous posts.

Report From RIOC President Leslie Torres - Roosevelt Island Smart Parking, Bike Sharing, Proposed Budget, Young Adult Recreation At Sportspark, Tram Station Renovation, Fall For Arts & More

Image of DOT Bike Share Map (Roosevelt Island is in Red)

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

I recently acted as a tour guide for a Wall Street Journal reporter who was writing about the retail redevelopment on the Island (btw: the article appeared in the September 30th issue of the paper in the Greater New York section). Aside from Main Street, I also got to show off some of the green and community initiatives on the Island. Updates on some of these are below.

Smart Parking

Last year, RIOC introduced an innovative pilot parking program in conjunction with Streetline and Digital Parking System which brought new “smart” parking spaces to the island. These spaces were outfitted with ultra-low power sensors that communicate with one another to deliver valuable real-time information, such as how long a car is parked and when a car enters and leaves a parking space. The spaces were also fitted with smart parking meters that allowed for easier payments and better pricing.

The success of the initial program has given us the incentive to expand the project. RIOC has issued an RFP for a contractor who will provide smart parking solutions, including an intelligent parking guidance and management system, for on-street metered parking spaces for nearly the entire island. This will include installation of occupancy sensors for 250-300 on-street parking spaces. With this new technology in place, residents and visitors will have more convenient way to find and access parking. The selection of the contractor will occur later this year and we will keep you informed as to the next phase of the project.

Bring Bike Sharing to Roosevelt Island

New York City Department of Transportation is launching a bike sharing program with Alta Bicycle Share in the summer of 2012. Bike share systems provide sturdy bikes at self-service docking stations around town. It’s a great new option that can make getting around a little easier. The system will have 10,000 bikes at over 600 stations, available 24/7 throughout the city. Users check a bike out using a membership or credit card, ride to a docking station near their destination and return the bike. Mobile apps show the status of available bikes and docking points at each station.

With its open spaces and iconic views, Roosevelt Island can be an ideal place for bike riding but in order to bring this program to the Island, we need your vote of approval. You can cast your vote to bring a bicycle share program to Roosevelt Island by clicking the following link.

Proposed Budget FY 2012/2013

The Proposed Budget FY 2012/2013 is now available on the RIOC website for public viewing. Go to the “Public Information” tab, “Financial Reports” and then “Budget Reports”.

Sportspark Young Adults Recreation Basketball League

We are so pleased to see so many participants for the Young Adult Weekend Recreation Hours at Sportspark that we expanded the program. A refereed basketball league began on Friday, September 23rd. Interested participants must be Roosevelt Island residents 16-25 years of age. In addition to the basketball, all registered participants will have free access to the open lounge (Netflix, Wii, computers & music), ping pong and the weight room.

For more information, Please call Othniel Maragh at (212) 832-4540 ext. 321 or othniel.maragh@rioc.ny.gov.

Tram Stations Renovation

The Tram Stations Renovation Project (phase 1) has begun. The phase 1 work scheduled to be completed by mid-December includes new bathrooms for the Roosevelt Station, station platform enclosures, new station concrete decking and concrete corrective work. Phase 2, schedule to start next spring includes an additional ADA elevator for the Manhattan Station and painting of both stations. Renovation work will be scheduled whereby at least one tram cabin should be running at all times.

Good Shepard Plaza Renovation Project

I wanted to give you just a quick update on the Good Shepard Plaza renovation project. While we have run into some unexpected delays with the contractor, work at the site continues at a steady pace with all the work expected to be completed by the end of the year. We will continue to keep you updated as this project moves forward.

6th Annual Fall Arts Festival

Don’t forget to come out and enjoy the 6th annual FREE Fall for Arts Festival that will take place on Saturday, October 15th from 11am- 4pm at the lawn south of Rivercross and Blackwell plaza.

The event will include an outdoor art gallery and interactive arts, crafts and cooking stations for adults. For children there will be an “Imagination Station” with storytelling and music by popular English-Spanish children’s musician Louie.

There will be an encore performance of Oedipus Rex, Saturday, at 2pm at the Roosevelt Landings Amphitheater, behind 536 Main Street and to cap off the festival, there will be an evening Latin jazz band concert and Latino poetry reading in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month at 6pm at the Child School Auditorium. I look forward to seeing you all there.

Other Upcoming Events

We have several events coming up:
Halloween Day Parade, Saturday, October 29th, 12pm Main Street
Tree Lighting Thursday, December 1st at 7pm Blackwell Plaza

Bike Sharing Definitely Coming To New York City - You Can Help Bring Alta Bicycle Sharing To Roosevelt Island By Voting For It Now

RIOC President Leslie Torres & Rivewalk Bar/Nonno's Pizza Owner Alphonse At Bike Sharing Demonstration Last Year

Streetsblog reported today:

Addressing a plaza full of reporters at Madison Square this afternoon, Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan announced that the city is entering the next phase of its initiative to launch a public bike system stretching from the Upper West Side to Bedford Stuyvesant. The system will be run by Alta Bike Share and consist of about 600 stations with 10,000 bicycles, creating a network of comparable size and density to bike-share systems in cities like London and Paris....

How does this New York City program effect Roosevelt Island's attempt to bring bike sharing to our neighborhood? I asked former Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Director Jonathan Kalkin who was involved in previous efforts to bring bike sharing to Roosevelt Island that question.

Former RIOC Director Kalkin and Current Director Faye Christian At Bike Sharing Demonstraton Last Year

Mr. Kalkin replied:

As many Islanders know Roosevelt Island tested bike sharing and did a survey after both Columbia and Hunter recommended a program like this on Roosevelt Island in their study. The response from the survey and residents trying it out was very positive. While I was on the RIOC Operations Committee we moved forward on an RFP for bike sharing. It was written and ready for distribution, but during subsequent meetings I set up with DOT we discussed having a station or two on the Upper East Side and/or in Queens. A lot of people in the survey had shown an interest in using the bikes off Island or to ride into other parts of the city and so I brought up that idea with DOT. DOT was also very interested in bike sharing at the time and they said to us that they liked the idea of Roosevelt Island having a bike sharing system that works with the NYC program. There were meetings and communication with DOT after that and RIOC was told that a  bike sharing vendor would be chosen around now and that if we waited we could have a compatible system. It is very exciting to hear this announcement and I'm looking forward to biking around Roosevelt Island and in the future other parts of the city.

According to NYC Bike Share:

...Bike share is a privately-funded & operated, city-supported, program that adds a new affordable option to getting around New York City. Think Zipcar with bikes, and you don’t have to bring the bike back to where you started! Alta Bicycle Share will run, manage and maintain the bike share system, while NYC DOT will coordinate community outreach and regulate station siting....

... NYC DOT and Alta Bicycle Share invite you to help craft a system that's designed for New York City. We invite you to attend special events, open houses and workshops throughout the city, try out the bikes and give your feedback. Get started now by dropping a pin on the map and telling us why you'd like a station there....

So here's what you can do to bring bike sharing to Roosevelt Island. Click on this link and say you want a bike sharing station on Roosevelt Island - do it now - please.

Here's how bike sharing works.


The Phenomenal Success of Capital Bikeshare from Streetfilms on Vimeo.

and for the planned New York City program:


Remember to click here and make your voice count to bring bike sharing to Roosevelt Island.

Roosevelt Island Bicycle Riding - Commuters On Way to Work, Visitors Riding the Tram and Anybody Else Seeking a Beautiful Waterfront Bike Ride in New York City

Image From Streetsblog

Roosevelt Island bicycle riding in the blogosphere recently. Streetsblog reports on Sally, a Roosevelt Island resident who commutes to her job in midtown via bicycle.

... While she has been a bike rider all her life, she didn’t begin bike commuting in New York until about a year ago. Besides the health benefit, one of the main reasons for the change was that her commute on the F train became increasingly unpleasant and unreliable. She would often have to wait for two or three packed trains to pass before she could board....

With the encouragement of a bike messenger friend who helped ease her into New York cycling, she now has a reliable commute that takes 25-30 minutes on an average day.

The Huffington Post reports that among the reasons New York City is the world's best bicycling destination is because:

... You can take your bike on a Tramway from Manhattan to Roosevelt Island....

First you get to the Manhattan Tram Station on Second Avenue and 60th Street,

then you get on the Tram,

ride the Tram Cabin over to Roosevelt Island and

exit the Tram Cabin and begin your Roosevelt Island bike ride.

You can also ride your bicycle over the Queensboro Bridge through Long Island City to get to Roosevelt Island.

Roosevelt Island 360 shares his 2008 bike rides from Lighthouse Park to the Tram and over

You Tube Video of Roosevelt Island Bike Ride

the Roosevelt Island Bridge.

More on Roosevelt Island Bike riding from previous posts and a proposed bicycle sharing program for Roosevelt Island.