Earlier this month, a Roosevelt Island resident asked on Twitter:
why is it impossible to get on a ferry at Roosevelt Island?! They are coming full from East 90th. This is a constant issue on weekends.
This Memorial Day Weekend Sunday afternoon was a perfect example of a full NYC Ferry Boat coming from East 90th Street with little room for passengers waiting to board at Roosevelt Island. After a few people boarded at Roosevelt Island, a NYC Ferry Crew member announced only "one more" spot on the boat was available even though there were at least 25 other people in line to board.
Upon hearing this, a frustrated man waiting with his family to board walked to the front of the line and told the NYC Ferry Crew member that the people already allowed on the boat cut ahead of those waiting in line and
that NYC Ferry needs to do a better job organizing the line at the
Roosevelt Island dock.
The last thing I want is for the @nycferry to arrive at Roosevelt Island full just like the F train. Can you and residents closely monitor ridership and when it arrives full? We can ask @NYCEDC to swap in bigger boats or increase frequency to meet demand.
— Ben Kallos, Former NYC Council Member (@BenKallos) August 29, 2020
Last Friday, the Roosevelt Island NYC Ferry service was suspended due to a
mechanical issue for the second time that week.
2nd time this week mechanical problems at Roosevelt Island
@NYCferry
landing caused service suspension. Service resumed a few hours later the
first time https://t.co/K8PFboyo2T
When
do you anticipate the Ferry resuming Roosevelt Island ferry service?
What is the mechanical issue and is it the same one that caused
Roosevelt Island ferry service suspension earlier last week?...
NYC Ferry is working diligently to restore Roosevelt Island service as
quickly as possible. Commuters should follow NYC Ferry for immediate
updates. We apologize for any inconvenience to riders.
The issue that led us to close the landing for a few hours last week is
the same issue that came up this weekend: there is a small amount of
wiring on the landing that we need to replace. We anticipate that we
will be able to make this
repair in the next couple of days, allowing us to re-open the landing
shortly after.
UPDATE 1/12:
Service Alert - Landing Restoration - 1/12/2022
Service to the Roosevelt Island ferry landing has been restored.
After the snow of last week, a Roosevelt Island resident reported on Friday, December 15:
Stairs and path to the ferry are nearly solid ice this morning around 8. Who is responsible for salting this and keeping it safe?
I asked Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) President Susan Rosenthal and Vice President Of Operations Shelton Haynes about the icy conditions at the ferry dock and who's responsibility is it to maintain safety by removing ice - RIOC or the NYC Economic Development Corp (EDC)/Ferry Company.
Mr. Haynes replied:
... RIOC is responsible for the upland area while EDC is responsible for the actual Ferry Dock....
On Sunday I took a walk around the Ferry Dock area and most of the ice was gone,
either removed or melting to slush.
by the warmer weather over the weekend.
During the November 30 RIOC Operations Advisory Committee meeting (audio web cast of full meeting here), RIOC Engineering Consultant Mike Russo discussed improvements being made to the Upland portion of Roosevelt Island Ferry Dock
Assembly Member Rebecca A. Seawright, RIOC, and NYC Economic Development Corporation present a community information session on the launch of the new ferry service on Roosevelt Island. Join us on Wednesday, August 23rd from 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m at the Good Shepherd Community Center Auditorium (543 Main Street).
Co-sponsored by Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, State Senator Jose Serrano, and Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer. City Council Member who helped make this possible could not be listed due to the NYC Primary Election blackout period.
NYC Ferry representatives will be at the Roosevelt Island Historical Society Visitors Center Kiosk today from 3-7 PM to answer any questions you may have
and directional signage to the Roosevelt Island Ferry Dock from the Tram Station
and Main Street in Southtown
was spotted yesterday.
NYC Ferry representatives will be at the Roosevelt Island Historical Society Visitors Center Kiosk Tuesday, August 15 from 3-7 PM to answer any questions you may have
The EDC reps reported that the City is moving toward approving a landing barge for Octagon and also are examining sites on the south shore nearer to the Island transportation hub. Katz noted that the Coast Guard opposed any west channel site other than Octagon, and mentioned that RIOC VP, Rosina Abramson, had conducted a survey of east channel southern sites that included the participation of the Queens DOT Commissioner. Shane recalled that, twenty years ago, Abramson, then RIOC President, had organized ferry service using the oil dock on the east channel. He said it was temporary and inadequate. Shane noted that Manhattan is organized through a central spine and so, ferry riders would be obliged to continue their commutes from the shoreline. He said that the "spud barge" idea for the pier at the subway would not work, as that site would require considerable drilling, but that the old oil dock was under consideration....
It's hard to believe after so many years, but Roosevelt Island is getting Ferry Service.
Roosevelt Island Ferry service was the topic of a presentation at yesterday's Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Board of Directors meeting (full web cast of meeting should be available here).
the Roosevelt Island ferry service on the Astoria Route is on schedule to begin August 29 and will cost $2.75, same price as a Metro Card but the Metro Card is not accepted for payment on the ferry. Reduced fare options are available.
Ferry service will be from 6:30 AM to 10 PM and include food and beverage service, wifi and is wheelchair, stroller and bike friendly.
Stay tuned for big Roosevelt Island East River Ferry Service news today. @NYCMayor. Announcement coming from #LIC Hunters Point South dock pic.twitter.com/xZZg6inqIg
— Roosevelt Islander (@Rooseveltisland) July 26, 2017
— Roosevelt Islander (@Rooseveltisland) July 26, 2017
Starting August 29th, @NYCFerry will be bringing New Yorkers from Astoria, Roosevelt Island, and Long Island City to Manhattan. pic.twitter.com/SbHydMvDye
— NYC Mayor's Office (@NYCMayorsOffice) July 26, 2017
— NYC Mayor's Office (@NYCMayorsOffice) June 1, 2017
Roosevelt Island Ferry service on the new Astoria East River Route is expected to start in August. The route is Astoria, Roosevelt Island, Long Island City, East 34th Street, Wall Street and back.
Yesterday, I asked Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) President Susan Rosenthal for an update on the Roosevelt Island Ferry Dock construction.
Ms Rosenthal replied:
The Ferry project is indeed underway with construction expected to commence sometime in the next week or two. The contractor doing the installation work for the City is in the final stages of planning (with RIOC's input) the designs for the upland work - which will include some conduit work to put electricity in place, and some aesthetic landscaping around the site - where the ferry dock will ultimately be placed.
Additionally, the City is working with the MTA to obtain NYCT permits for additional work that will be done by barge, along the ferry site, in the East River. All work will be completed in time for the ferry to be up and running as anticipated.
The Roosevelt Island Ferry Dock will be located just north of the Queensboro Bridge next to Firefighters Field.
Mayor Bill de Blasio today announced that Citywide Ferry Service, now officially named "NYC Ferry," will be launching May 1st with two routes: the brand new Rockaway Route and the existing East River Route, both of which will cost just $2.75 a ride and include free transfers to other ferry routes. This puts NYC Ferry a full month ahead of schedule, with the system having initially been projected to launch in June of 2017.
Mayor de Blasio also announced that the South Brooklyn Route, with stops in Bay Ridge, Sunset Park, Red Hook and Brooklyn Bridge Park will begin service starting on June 1st. The Astoria Route will launch in August, with exact date still being determined, and the Lower East Side and Soundview Routes will be launching in 2018...
Roosevelt Island Ferry service on the Astoria Route will start sometime in August.
Today I asked Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) President Susan Rosenthal for a status update on the Roosevelt Island ferry dock. Ms. Rosenthal replied
City cannot start in-water work until fish breeding moratorium is concluded (July 1); need permits from NY Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and United States Army Corp of Engineers (USACE); piles installation for landing takes about 6 weeks and requires coordination with New York City Transit Authority (NYCTA).
City intends to start upland work, middle of May and to launch as close to 8/1-8/15 as possible.
Notice that the Roosevelt Island ferry location in Mayor de Blasio's announcement is identified to include Cornell Tech. I asked the Mayor's office:
Why is Cornell identified as the ferry location. I am not aware of any other NYC ferry location being identified with a private entity such as Cornell. Any statement from the Mayor's Office as to why the ferry location on Roosevelt Island is identified with Cornell and not just "Roosevelt Island".
Mayoral Spokesperson Jessica Ramos replied:
Currently it is referred to as Roosevelt Island—without the Cornell. It was noted as such in the press release to remind reporters that the stop will connect to new jobs at CT, as well as serving residents.
When the new map is released early next month, it will appear as “Roosevelt Island – East Main Street”. Landings will be a combination of the neighborhood where the stop is located and the nearest major street perpendicular to the shoreline.
For more info, check out videos below of the October 13, 2016 RIOC Real Estate Advisory Committee meeting presentation by NYC Economic Development Corp on Roosevelt Island Ferry Dock and Service.
I want every New Yorker to know: This is still your city. That means we need to help you climb the economic ladder right here. We have set a goal of creating 100,000 good-paying jobs over the next decade. These are jobs that pay at least $50,000 a year and offer opportunity and skills for a career.
This week, I announced that our Citywide Ferry Service – which will be running this summer – is now hiring for the first of 200 new jobs created by this innovative new transportation system.
Ferries mean jobs building the system, operating the system and maintaining the boats.
Ferries mean opportunity. Folks living in areas that have long been isolated from the rest of the city’s economy will now be able to hop on a quick, convenient ferry ride to a new future for the cost of a subway fare.
Ferries mean people have a new reason to leave their cars at home, relieving road congestion, taking pressure off mass transit and making our city more convenient for all.
Our ferries will serve 21 neighborhoods from The Rockaways in Queens, to South Brooklyn, to Soundview in the Bronx. Half a million New Yorkers will live within walking distance of a ferry stop. The system will carry an estimated 4.6 million trips per year across six routes.
We believe fundamentally that economic opportunity has not been spread wide enough in this city. We need more jobs. We need good paying jobs. We need to make sure everyone has access to them. One of the ways we will reach our goal of creating 100,000 new jobs is by looking to our waterfront.
You can apply now for careers on our ferries through the City Department of Small Business Services’ WorkForce1 Centers. For a list of locations click: https://maps.nyc.gov/sbs/. You can also apply at CitywideFerry.NYC, or through the Employment Center at the Brooklyn Navy Yard.
The Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Board Of Directors are meeting tomorrow, October 20. Late this afternoon, RIOC issued an amended agenda to include the appointment of Acting RIOC President/CEO/ and General Counsel Susan Rosenthal
as the permanent RIOC President/CEO. According to the amended RIOC Agenda:
5. Appointment of Susan G. Rosenthal to the Position of President/Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation (Board Action Required–Materials to Follow)
I don't know if any other candidates were interviewed for the RIOC President/CEO position by the RIOC Board of Directors or if any executive search process was conducted to fill the position.
Here's the amended agenda:
OCTOBER 20, 2016 MEETING OF
THE ROOSEVELT ISLAND OPERATING CORPORATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS
THE CULTURAL CENTER THEATER, 548 MAIN STREET,
ROOSEVELT ISLAND, NEW YORK
5:30 P.M.[1]
I. Call to Order
II. Roll Call
III. Approval of Minutes
1. September 8, 2016 Board Meeting (Board Action Required)
IV. Old Business
New Business
1. Authorization to Amend Contract with Major Systems Mechanical Corp. for the Boiler Installation and Heating System Improvements at Sportspark (Board Action Required)
2. Authorization to Amend Contract with RJ Green Construction Corporation for the Sportspark Roof and Façade Repairs (Board Action Required)
3. Authorization to Enter into a License with the New York City Economic Development Corporation, Make Environmental Findings, Override Portions of the New York City Zoning Resolution and Take Related Actions for the “Citywide Ferry Service Project” (Board Action Required)
4. Authorization to Amend Contract with Hawkins Webb Jaeger, PLLC for Engineering Consulting Services (Board Action Required)
5. Appointment of Susan G. Rosenthal to the Position of President/Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation (Board Action Required–Materials to Follow)
6. President’s Report
7. Committee Reports
a. Audit Committee
b. Governance Committee
c. Operations Advisory Committee
d. Real Estate Development Advisory Committee
8. Public Safety Report
VI. Adjournment
UPDATE 10/21- Following a discussion in Executive Session, closed to the public, the RIOC Board approved appointment of Susan Rosenthal as the permanent RIOC President/CEO by a vote of 5 to 1.
RIOC Director Margie Smith was the only dissenting vote, not she said because of any objection to Ms. Rosenthal, but because Ms. Smith objected to the process of excluding the RIOC Directors from participating in the selection process once again by the Governor's office.
Three important issues impacting the quality of life for Roosevelt Island residents will be discussed at the next meeting of the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Real Estate Development Advisory Committee.
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that a meeting of the Real Estate Development Advisory Committee of the RIOC Board of Directors will be held on Thursday, October 13, 2016 at 5:30 p.m. at the RIOC Administrative Office, 591 Main Street, Roosevelt Island, New York.
Agenda:
1. Presentation of Proposed Roosevelt Island Ferry Station;
2. Update on Roosevelt Island Youth Center Renovation;
3. Discussion of Westview Ground Lease Amendment; and
4. Any Other Committee Business that May be Brought Before the Committee.
***
The Open Meetings Law of the State of New York requires that all public bodies conduct meetings, convened for the purpose of officially conducting public business, in a manner open to attendance by the general public to observe and listen.
The Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Real Estate Development Advisory Committee meets Tuesday June 14. According to RIOC
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that a meeting of the Real Estate Development Advisory Committee of the RIOC Board of Directors will be held on Tuesday, June 14, 2016 at 5:30 p.m. at the RIOC Administrative Office, 591 Main Street, Roosevelt Island, New York.
Agenda:
Discussion of Four Freedoms Park Facilities.
Discussion of City’s Resiliency Plan.
Update on Southpoint Open Space Community Plan Progress.
Discussion of Bicycle Ramp.
Update on Ferry Dock.
Discussion of Cultural Center Repairs.
Any Other Committee Business That May be Brought Before the Committee.
***
The Open Meetings Law of the State of New York requires that all public bodies conduct meetings, convened for the purpose of officially conducting public business, in a manner open to attendance by the general public to observe and listen.
The New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) is working with the Office of Mayor de Blasio to launch the Citywide Ferry Service. The service will consist of five new ferry routes in addition to the existing East River Ferry service, charging a fare of $2.75. The service will further the Mayor's goals of:
providing affordable and convenient transit for communities with limited transportation options;
supporting growing neighborhoods;
and increasing the resiliency and redundancy of our city's transportation network.
When the Citywide Ferry Service is fully operational in 2018, the six routes will carry an estimated 4.6 million trips per year. Building on several years of ferry planning and operations experience, NYCEDC is leading the project by building ten new ferry landings, renovating six others, and selecting operator(s) to run the service....
The NYC EDC plan includes ferry service to Roosevelt Island on a route from Astoria - Roosevelt Island - Long Island City - East 34th Street to Wall Street starting in 2017. The fare will be $2.75 with free transfer to other ferry routes but Metro Cards will not be accepted nor will there be free transfer between the ferry and MTA subway or bus system.
... The proposed Roosevelt Island landing would be located on the eastern side of the island immediately to the north of the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge (see Figure 6). The proposed landing site is a dock that was formerly used primarily for delivery of oil shipments to the island controlled by the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (RIOC). Access to the site is provided by East Main Street, which runs adjacent to the dock and includes a sidewalk on the eastern side of the roadway. Access is also available from the waterfront esplanade that runs to the north and south of the dock, which connects to the East Main Street sidewalk. The landing would be located in a residential (R7-2) zoning district. Transit service is provided by the Q102 bus and an intra-island bus service, which both run along East Main Street. This dock would be improved or partially removed as a result of the proposed project, and a new barge and gangway would be constructed to establish the ferry landing. No upland circulation improvements are anticipated at the site, although improvements to the dock would likely be necessary to facilitate pedestrian flow between the gangway and East Main Street....
Part 1- NYC EDC's Justine Johnson and James Wong provide an overview of the NYC Ferry Service system and plan for Roosevelt Island route.
Part 2 - NYC EDC representatives answer questions from the public including:
types of ferry vessels to be used given the strong East River currents,
traffic impact analysis on Ferry Service for Roosevelt Island (no parking lot or structure contemplated for ferry landing),
reduced pricing for Seniors (not yet determined)
access for wheelchairs, strollers and bicycles (yes),
ferry schedule (2 to 3 vessels per hour, each vessel holds 149 passengers).
Part 3 - NYC EDC representatives answer questions from RIRA and Community Board 8 members including:
Any impediments to bringing ferry service to Roosevelt Island, (not at moment, moving full speed ahead, currently preparing environmental review statements and permits),
shelter for people waiting outside for ferry - (canopies and wind screens,no heat lamps),
safety of oil dock itself (divers were in water yesterday evaluating oil dock. Gangway will be used over oil dock to get passengers to the ferry barge, no plan to rehab oil dock at this point),
will a wine bar be included during the afternoon and evening run ( at 4 minute 20 second mark, good idea but no, much laughter),
why doesn't Roosevelt Island route include stop at Hunters Point South to make travel to Brooklyn easier (Hunters Point ferry stop cannot accommodate additional ferry landings than currently being used),
free ferry transfer to other ferry routes but no Metro Cards or free transfer to MTA subway and bus and
Can the Roosevelt Island route Ferry be named Minnehanock (original name for Roosevelt Island)?
Roosevelt Island is a mixed income, racially diverse waterfront community situated in the East River of New York City between Manhattan and Queens and is jurisdictionally part of Manhattan. The Roosevelt Island Tramway, which connects Roosevelt Island to the rest of Manhattan, has become the iconic symbol of Roosevelt Island to its residents.
The Purpose of this Blog is to provide accurate and timely information about Roosevelt Island as well as a forum for residents to express opinions and engage in a dialogue to improve our community.
