Hundreds Of Motorcycles, Ambulances & FDNY Emergency Vehicles Crossing Queensboro Bridge This Afternoon Frighten Roosevelt Island Residents With Thoughts Of The Worst, What Was Going On - It Was Run For Richie 9/11 Memorial Motorcycle Ride

Roosevelt Island residents were startled and feared the worst this September Sunday prior to the 18th year anniversary of 9/11 World Trade Center attacks by what appeared to be hundreds of motorcycles, ambulances and Fire Department emergency vehicles with non stop blasting of sirens crossing the Queensboro Bridge. A Roosevelt Island resident texted:

Bridge full of ambulances - know what's going on?

And from theTwitterverse

@Rooseveltisland First ambulances, fire trucks, and then tow trucks, and then trucks with men in helmets? Is this a 9/11 parade (I hope)? So many alarms and sirens blasting from Roosevelt Island POV.

— Clarice B. (@ib095) September 8, 2019

It was nonstop sirens going past the animal hospital a few minutes ago

— Minnehanonck (@minnehanonck) September 8, 2019

I’m trapped on the bridge and have no idea what this is or when we might be able to move. Any info @NYPDnews?

— Lauren McCarthy (@laurenamccarth) September 8, 2019

I asked the NYPD 19th precinct:

I see it too. Ambulances and fire trucks on Queensboro Bridge. Don’t know?@NYPD19Pct https://t.co/Gh9zVIxEID

— Roosevelt Islander (@Rooseveltisland) September 8, 2019

The NYPD 19th precinct replied:

It’s the yearly 9/11 Memorial Motorcycle Ride, escorted by NYPD Highway Officers.

— NYPD 19th Precinct (@NYPD19Pct) September 8, 2019

They should have notified us ahead of time. I was terrified with all the alarms and emergency vehicles headed into Manhattan and spent the last 45 minutes trying to make sure I did not need to prepare to evacuate.

— Clarice B. (@ib095) September 8, 2019

@NYPDChiefofDept @NYCMayor so ridiculous to not have police presence at the START of the #queensborobridge for a planned event like the 9/11 motorcycle ride today. No indication that the bridge was shut down. Instead let vehicles sit trapped on the overpass for over an hour

— Kelly O'Sullivan (@K_B_OSullivan) September 8, 2019

The NYC Emergency Management Department tweeted notice of the event yesterday:

9/11 Memorial Motorcycle Ride: Intermittent road closures between the Aqueduct Racetrack, Queens and World Trade Center in both directions from 1:00PM to 3:30PM on 9/8. Consider alt routes. Multilingual & ASL Link: https://t.co/serPaDO2qg.

— NYCEM - Notify NYC (@NotifyNYC) September 7, 2019

Here's more on the Run for Richie 9/11 Memorial Motorcycle Ride

The fourth annual Forest Hills Ambulance Corps 'Run for Richie 9/11 Memorial Motorcycle Ride' returns next month to honor the memory of Richard “Richie” Allen Pearlman, the youngest first responder lost on 9/11.https://t.co/xum378hY2a#NeverForget

— NYC EMS Watch (@NYCEMSwatch) August 20, 2019

9/11 Memorial Motorcycle Ride in Manhattan.#NeverForget pic.twitter.com/Svne7T6IOM

— Pete Rose (@PeteRose1) September 8, 2019

Hundreds of motorcycles thunder up the West Side Highway and pass #GroundZero in the 9/11 Memorial Ride to W.T.C. #cnnireport #ny1pic #abc7ny #nbc4ny #NeverForget pic.twitter.com/YPEwL3XoEg

— Ben Von Klemperer (@VKtrue) September 8, 2019

9/11 memorial motorcycle ride on the LIE, amazing. pic.twitter.com/dvxuf2pj5m

— Leni (@lenigolightly) September 8, 2019

Start of the 9-11 Memorial motorcycle bike ride. Never Forget!! pic.twitter.com/uWb7l66qeI

— LIBSareCANCER (@generic22998299) September 8, 2019

We along with our friends from @vollyheartSI are participating in @FHVAC annual 9/11 Memorial "Run for Richie" Motorcycle Ride in Forest Hills, Queens. We will never forget. #NorthShoreRescueSquad #nsrssiny #nsrs #95boy #95B#vollyems #volunteerems #silive #NeverForget pic.twitter.com/04a6amPDhi

— North Shore Rescue Squad (@nsrssiny) September 8, 2019

Front Seat Go Pro Video View Of Motorcycle Zooming Down Roosevelt Island's Main Street - 5 Minutes From Williamsburg To Roosevelt Island

Take a virtual motorcycle ride from Williamsburg through Greenpoint and Long Island City on way to Roosevelt Island.

You arrive at the Roosevelt Island Bridge about the 4 minute 10 second mark. The ride down the Helix is a doozy.


First GoPro Test in NYC from Alexandre Pauzies on Vimeo.

Vrooooom, Vrooooommmm, Take A Motorcycle Ride Around Roosevelt Island With A Brazilian Tour Guide - Have Fun

Image From You Tube FACÇAO NEW YORK PARTIU ROOSEVELT ISLAND

Start in Astoria at 36th Avenue and 32nd street. Drive towards and then over the Roosevelt Island Bridge. Make a left at Main Street, head south towards the Roosevelt Island Tram Station and around Sportspark. Then back towards Main Street and over the Roosevelt Island Bridge stopping near Costco on Vernon Boulevard.

Here we go.Vrooooom, Vrooooom, Vroooommmmm.



Click on the full screen image of the video to get the BEST RIDE!!!!

Grand Larceny At Roosevelt Island Motorgate Garage Yesterday - Theft Of Unchained Motorcycle

Earlier today, I asked Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Interim Public Safety Director Jack McManus:

Can you provide details as to the Grand Larceny reported yesterday at 688 Main Street (Motorgate Garage)?

07/17/13 - 1440 - 688 Main St - Grand Larceny - PSD & NYPD responded - Report Filed.

Thank you.

Mr. McManus replied:

It was the theft of a motorcycle (unchained).

Mr. McManus says it is not known at this time if yesterday's Motogate Motorcycle theft is related to the Motorgate incidents reported earlier this month.

Roosevelt Island Style Easy Rider Motorcycle Convoy Heading Down Road Today

You Tube Video of Of Motorcycle Rally Roosevelt Island Style

Roosevelt Island's version of a Motorcycle Convoy came riding down the West Channel Road earlier this afternoon.That's two consecutive days of unusual sightings on our little Island - yesterday's Secret Agent Man subway musician and today's Motorcycle convoy.

Roosevelt Island Food Vans, Finances, Motorgate Parking, Access To Information Among Items Discussed During RIOC Board Public Session Last Night - Child School Director Reports On Student's Gun Threat This Week

The Public Session that is held before the start of every Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Board Of Directors meeting was very interesting last night. Here's what happened.

Roosevelt Island Historical Society (RIHS) President Judy Berdy thanked RIOC and it's engineering department for restoring and opening to the public once again most of Good Shepherd Plaza and urging that the Good Shepherd Roof be replaced with a slate roof.

You Tube Video of December RIOC Board Meeting Public Session (Part 1)

Nonno's Focacceria and Riverwalk Bar & Grill owner Alphonse DiCioccio then expressed objections to mobile food vendors, such as the recent Luke's Lobster and the Domino's Pizza car at the Farmers Market, being allowed to sell food on Roosevelt Island asserting that it was unfair to existing store owners who pay rent. This issue will be addressed at the next Real Estate Committee meeting to be held in a few weeks.

You Tube Video of December RIOC Board Meeting Public Session (Part 2)

Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) Planning Committee Chair Frank Farance followed and asked these question concerning RIOC's finances which he has written about at these previous posts.

You Tube Video of December RIOC Board Meeting Public Session (Part 3)

Mr. Farance's written text follows:

December 14, 2011

Good Evening Mr. Chairman, Board Members, Madam President, and Staff

I am very concerned about RIOC's finances.  At present it appears that RIOC owes approximately one billion dollars in debt and liability.  Board Member Mr. Polivy, as Audit Committee Chair, has stated that RIOC does not plan on paying this down, and Mr. Polivy rationalizes why this debt/liability should not be on RIOC audited financials.

This really doesn't seem right.  There will be 20 billion dollars owed in 2068.  However, this can affect current residents now because of uncertainty about RIOC's paying back the money owed.

I've asked several questions, I will ask them again.

(1) When your Board Chairman and CEO signs a document on behalf of the Corporation that enshrines certain amounts owed as debt/liability, a defined interest rate, a schedule of payback priorities, and a method of payment, how does that signing transaction NOT show up on your audited financials?

(2) What policies does the board have for choosing which debts and liabilities show up (or not) on audited financials?

(3) What other RIOC debts and liabilities are not listed in RIOC's audited financials?

(4) Mr. Polivy states "When deducting all capital expenditures there are no expected excess funds to be shared through to 2068".  Based upon the that statement, it is fair to say that, although the RAA1988 identified several priorities in revenue allocation and a UDC Account for depositing these revenues, it is the RIOC Board's position that it has no intent to pay back this debt/liability, right?

(5) Mr. Polivy states "RIOC's annual budget and financial statements properly restrict themselves to its own direct receipts, expenses, assets, and liabilities", but this RIOC debt/liability and revenue allocation, were signed by RIOC's Board Chairman and CEO.  Under which financial documents would we expect to find this RIOC debt/liability if not its audited financials?

(6) Mr. Polivy states "So, bottom line, there’s no big groundswell of debt piling up ready to swallow up the Island".  I've cited the provisions that point to the continued growth with interest.  Considering that the RIOC Board does not intend to make payments towards these debts/liabilities through 2068, yet there is a well-defined interest rate on the unpaid debt/liabilities, I ask: Can you point to a provision in the document that stops the accrual of interest on the debt/liability?  (Without citing that provision, the debt will be piling up, i.e., about $20 billion by 2068.)

(7) Can you state, in writing, that Roosevelt Island residents (now and in the future) will never be responsible for paying directly/indirectly on this debt/liability?  If RIOC can assure us this will never affect us (in higher ground leases, rents, transfer fees, profit sharing, flip taxes, PILOT/tax payments, assessments, etc.), then it should stay so.  I'm guessing that RIOC cannot assert that we will never have to pay for this debt/liability.

RIOC Chair Darryl Towns responded to Mr. Farance that RIOC CFO Steve Chironis will look over the questions and get back to Mr. Farance with answers. Later in the RIOC Board Meeting during the Audit Committee Report, RIOC Director Howard Polivy also indicated that Mr. Farance's questions would be answered.

RIRA President Matt Katz spoke about the saving of the Roosevelt Island Post Office, RIRA sponsored RIOC Board of Directors Nominee elections and improving communications between the RIOC Board members and the community.

You Tube Video of December RIOC Board Meeting Public Session (Part4)

Roosevelt Island resident Trevre Andrews spoke about the Motorgate Garage, Motorcycle Parking, Public Access To RIOC Information, Mobile Food Vans and appreciation for good things RIOC does.

You Tube Video of December RIOC Board Meeting Public Session (Part 5)

Mr. Andrews provided these notes of his remarks:

I would like RIOC to seriously consider the following comments about their operations:

I am advocating for a more open information policy.  While I believe RIOC has made strides is providing data I believe more could be done including:

-The regular release of red bus and tram ridership data
-the regular release of detailed psd data

While I don't fully understand the interaction of RIOC and the motorgate operators it seems RIOC has some leverage of its operations.  The following problems exist at motorgate:

-restriping of the garage is controversial and does not improve the facility
-pricing of the garage is not optimizing the usage of space at motorgate, particularly motorcycle and short term parking.
-there are significant amounts of underutilized curb space at the island which could be used by motorcycles with little effort.

Many residents are concerned with the impact the Hudson lease will have on the farmers market and the ability of food carts to operate on the island.  We are also unhappy with the pace at which storefronts are being filled.  The agreed upon schedule was embarrassing and RIOC should apply pressure to speed up the schedule.

The recent handling of the food cart visiting the island was unacceptable.

There are still bicycle signs up indicating no overnight parking.

The implementation of the smart parking has been to slow and to expensive with little benefit.

What is the status of compensation for the tram construction delays?

Also, Brice Peyre from Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney's office spoke about the Roosevelt Island Post Office being saved from closing though I do not have video of that.

During the RIOC Board Meeting, RIOC Director and Child School Executive Director Sal Ferrara described some of the events that occurred last Tuesday involving the massive NYPD and Public Safety Department response to the possibility that a Child School student possessed a gun and threatened to use it.

You Tube Video Of RIOC/Child School Director Responding to Gun Threat Incident

Following the RIOC Board meeting, Mr. Ferarra explicitly denied that the student had a gun while on Roosevelt Island before his arrest by NYPD.

The December RIOC Board meeting itself was mostly taken up with approving the 2012 -13 Budget, contracts  for gasoline and oil, a RIOC Mission Statement, dates for future Board Meetings, Z Brick purchase allocations and a resolution facilitating 1/2 million dollar Federal Government Funding to the FDR Four Freedoms Park.

A web cast of the RIOC Board meeting will be available within a few days after the meeting.

You can sign up to speak at the next RIOC Board Meeting Public Session here.

What's In The Works For Roosevelt Island Parking - Uniform Rates For Street Parking, Encourage Visitors To Use The Motorgate Garage - No Motorcycle Specific Street Parking But Half Priced Monthly Motorcycle Parking At Motorgate

 Image of Roosevelt Island Smart Parking Meter on West Channel Road

During the November 28 Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Operations Committee meeting, the subject of street parking was discussed. RIOC VP of Operations Fernando Martinez reported that with Roosevelt Island becoming more populated and a popular visitor destination, street parking has become a greater challenge.

At present, Roosevelt Island has various street parking rules and regulations including 2, 4 and 6 hour parking areas which RIOC intends to change with a more uniform street parking system. RIOC wants to encourage Roosevelt Island visitors to use the Motorgate Garage and will price street parking to complement, not compete, with the Motorgate Garage.

RIOC plans to integrate smart solution street parking meters, which use wireless devices to inform drivers of available parking spaces, on an Island wide basis. This will  expand the current pilot project of 3 such meters on Southtown's West Drive. RIOC has received 2 Proposals from companies interested in implementing such a system.

Roosevelt Island motorcycle parking has been an issue raised by resident Trevre who commented on this post:

It would also be great if the island provided some type of Motorcycle/scooter parking.  I have contacted RIOC about implementing some on the island without any response.  You could park 5 or 6 motorcycles/scooters in the space of one car.  Not to mention there are plenty of underutilized spaces on the island where motorcycle parking could be implemented (Under both bridges, where the zip cars are, etc.)....

and it was discussed during the Operations Committee meeting. Mr. Martinez said that the spaces suggested by a resident were not available for motorcycles because they are, or will be, used for other purposes but noted that the Motorgate Garage has half priced monthly rates for motorcycles. Mr. Martinez also noted that motorcycles can be parked on the street but there is no discount rate for parking motorcycles on the street.

Here is video of the RIOC Operations Committee meeting discussion on Roosevelt Island Street Parking.



An audio webcast of the entire Operations Committee meeting is here.