RIRA Island Services Committee Reports On Roosevelt Island Transportation Advisories, Road Striping, Motorgate Upgrades, New Tram Elevators, Tram Platform Renovation, Seawall Railings, Blackwell House, Holiday Decorations, Signage & More

Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) Island Services Committee (ISC) Chair Aaron Hamburger reported to the December 6 Common Council meeting complimenting the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) on improvements to their transportation advisory messages. Mr Hamburger also gave his time estimation of Roosevelt Island Tram elevator construction being completed in 2019, later than RIOC's estimate of late 2018.



Below is the written ISC Committee

  Image From RIRA

report to the RIRA December 6 Common Council meeting: 

Sportspark – Susan Rosenthal requested that we postpone our desired meeting with Sportspark’s officials and staff until she and her staff can get up to speed on conditions at the facility. We were surprised to learn that Susan was totally unaware of the problems at Sportspark, which Susy’s reports have identified in 3 issues since 2015. We will try for a meeting in January.

Sportfields & Dog Runs – RIOC has begun renovating the Sports fields.We don’t know how long this important project will take. Meanwhile. Scott Piro is working with Mary Cunneen on the problems with the 2 dog runs.

Tram elevators & New Public Library – We are making both of these issues inactive until construction begins some time in 2018.

Holiday Decorations & RI Sign – ISC is against putting the RI sign in front of the Visitors Center at the Tram. Moreover, we thought that this sign was not needed. The proposed directional signs at the Tram and subway are what’s needed. As far as the holiday decorations, we stand by RIRA’s motion at the October CC meeting.

RIOC – Issues to address
- Metal railings on promenade need replacement. (see below on info. from RIOC’s Operations on 11/29/17 meeting).
- Debris , garbage and discarded playground equipment behind HAVC area needs to cleaned up or removed. Area attracts rats and is unsightly.

RIOC Operations meeting:

Tram platforms project is on schedule. Expect to be completed by year end.

Blackwell House - expect RI Historical Society can move into the house 10 months from now.

New Tram Elevators – Contract with contractor will be signed early next week. Construction will start in about 6 weeks. Before starting on installation, Contractor needs some time to complete design, purchase materials, etc. Project will be completed one year from now.

New Public Library – Construction will start summer, 2018. It is expected to be completed sometime in 2020.

Cabrini – Will complete renovation at 2nd floor, 504 Main by Xmas.

Promenade fencing – Will begin work at Southpoint Park and then move north for the replacements. Railing will comply with NY State building code. Opening at bottom will be 4 inches or less making it safe for children.

Preliminary design for a bike ramp to bridge is being worked on.

Roads - Painting new striping on road dividing lanes, crosswalks and the like have been completed for all roads. Lines are up to DOT standards. Old stripping will not be removed as they are expected to fade in time due to use of non-standard paint.

Motorgate – Discussions are underway on upgrades including removing pigeons from under roadway. Charging stations may be installed by Teslar for free.

Southtown dog run – Temporary run will be put north of building #7 near Blackwell playground. It will remain for about 3 year while buildings # 8 & 9 are built. Permanent location will be between these buildings probable at the east end of the Commons.

​Aaron Hamburger,  Chair – Island Services Committee

New RIOC Everbridge Community Notification System Needs Improvement Says Resident - Better Communications Between Tram And MTA F Train Subway Station Needed Too

The Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) recently established a new community notification system.

Image From RIOC

RIOC President Charlene Indelicato reported November 22:

 ... This past week, RIOC launched an improvement to the RIOC Advisories electronic alert system, upgrading the former email-only notification system to Everbridge Platform, one of the leaders in critical communications systems in the United States. Everbridge uses the most advanced cloud-based technologies and allows text alerts and voice messaging in addition to traditional email notifications. The new system also allows subscribers to choose the kind of alerts they’d like to receive, such as traffic alerts, special event notifications, RIOC facility updates and more....

Roosevelt Island resident Janet Falk reports today on difficulties with RIOC's new notification system. Ms. Falk, an editor/writer of more than 100 meeting announcements distributed annually to 16,000 members of a global professional association, thinks the RIOC Advisories need improvement, as does communication between the MTA, RIOC and the Tram personnel. Here are her observations:

Like many residents, I subscribe to the RIOC Advisory system to keep informed of news and schedule changes that affect our daily lives on Roosevelt Island. The 12/22/14 announcement that the Sportspark pool was closed saved me a trip and instead I worked out in the gym downstairs.

There have been numerous complaints that RIOC was mangling its prior system of announcements and, although specific and helpful recommendations that were user-centered were made, RIOC made an unusual decision. Instead of implementing the suggestions and making improvements in quality control and supervision of the decentralized announcement system, RIOC apparently pulled the plug and now, upon installing its new advisory system, decided not to provide information in some cases.

In its desire to serve the community, RIOC advises us to look elsewhere for information, so as not to be accused of ineptitude or redundancy, as follows:

At 8:52 am Thursday, the platform of the Tram was packed to the gills. After I passed through the southern turnstile, Greg Paravati, the Tram operator, told me that the subway was not working. "We'll take as many as we can on the Tram and then leave right away," he said.

After the ultra-crowded Tram pulled away towards Manhattan, I checked my email and saw a RIOC advisory dated 9:00 am.

Image From RIOC

It could not have been more vague or unhelpful.

"Please be advised that the MTA has issued a service advisory for the F train, which may affect travel plans. Please plan your travel accordingly and visit http://MTA.info or call 511 for more information."

What is the MTA advisory? How does it affect Manhattan-bound or Queens-bound service or both? For today or for several days?

The RIOC advisory creates confusion and prompts questions with no answers in sight, except one: annoyance. The RIOC advisory points me to an external website and asks me to make a phone call, instead of providing a potential solution.

Why did it not say something like this:

"Due to the MTA's service advisory for the F train, the Tram will operate on an accelerated schedule until normal train service is restored."

This proposed advisory references the stated announcement, offers a solution, provides a time limit and is user friendly. There is no question to be asked; the subway is down, use the Tram for the time being to get you to another subway line. The Tram schedule has been modified to accommodate the increased number of passengers for now.

For what it's worth, I already contacted RIOC a few weeks ago about the non-informative communications and was told they have decided on this new approach of referring subscribers to external sources of information.

Obviously, this semi-advisory is less work for the staff, it protects them from making mistakes and it avoids duplication of an existing service from the MTA.

Service to Island residents is not a consideration, as is the case all too often.

Consider in comparison the attitude of the Tram personnel. Upon seeing droves of commuters approaching the Tram station from the west, Paravati asked a resident what was happening. When he learned that there was no subway service, he immediately conferred with his supervisor. The supervisor authorized the suspension of the usual Tram schedule and a shift to Load and Go. Based on unofficial information from riders, the Tram operators followed procedure to respond to a near-emergency situation and provide service to residents.

On Friday, Paravati informally discussed the situation with me. In the past, he has spoken with the MTA personnel at the Roosevelt Island subway station and pointed out the inadequacy of communication when service is interrupted. Often, passengers enter the turnstile and proceed to the platform, only to learn that there is no service. Many times, there is NO SIGN on the door indicating service has been suspended. When these passengers re-trace their steps, they may ask the clerk for a paper transfer slip. Unfortunately, the Tram turnstile does NOT accept the paper transfer slip provided by the subway clerk, only a Metrocard.

Moreover, Paravati told me that although the Tram personnel have requested communication from the subway station managers in the event of service interruptions, like the one on Thursday morning, they do not have a formal and authorized method of communication. Therefore, it is only when commuters spontaneously advise the Tram operators of a problem that the Tram personnel learn of changes to the subway service.

Paravati agreed that a simply walkie-talkie device between the subway clerk and the Tram supervisor would improve this situation. The Tram operators already carry a walkie-talkie to communicate with their co-workers.

At the same time that RIOC distributed the advisory to residents, it might have communicated the MTA announcement of disruption in service to the Tram personnel. There was no such communication on Thursday morning; the Tram personnel accelerated the schedule prior to the 9:00 am advisory.

It is unconscionable that, in the 25 years of operating the Tram and the subway, the MTA and RIOC have not figured out how to communicate effectively between themselves and with the Tram personnel and with residents who rely on uninterrupted subway and Tram service.

I urge my neighbors to join me in making their lack of confidence in RIOC's advisory system known.

I further encourage them to focus attention on RIOC's failure to promote effective communication between the MTA, RIOC and the Tram personnel that would serve the public.

Reminder, MTA's Fast Track Subway Program Reaches Roosevelt Island Tonight - No Nighttime Roosevelt Island F Train Service In Either Direction Starting 10 PM Monday February 27 thru 5 AM Friday March 2, Q Line Extended To Roosevelt Island At These Times - Extended Tram and Red Bus Service Thru 5 AM

Reported last week that there is no nighttime F Train Service to Roosevelt Island starting tonight:

The MTA is reporting that there will be no F train subway service to Roosevelt Island and other stations on the  6th Avenue subway line from 14th Street to Queensbridge/21 street starting 10 PM Monday February 27 until 5 AM Friday March 2 due to the Fast Track Subway repair program....

Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) issued the following advisory:

The MTA has advised the following:
Q Trains will be running via the F line

Feb 27 – Mar 2 from 10 PM to 5 AM

For service to Lexington Ave/63 St, Roosevelt Island, 21 St-Queensbridge, take the Q Train

Q Train Service is extended to 21 St-Queensbridge via the F Line after 57 St-7 Av...

... Tram and Red Bus Service will run until 5:00 a.m. during this change in service.

More information on this week's F Train Fast Track subway disruption from previous post. Remember the Q train will be servicing Roosevelt Island during the Fast Track Hours.

UPDATE 3:30 PM: - Just to be clear, the F train subway service disruption is only during the nighttime hours of 10 PM - 5 AM. There is regular F train Roosevelt Island service during all other hours.

UPDATE 2/28 - According to RIOC, there will be no extended 5 AM Tram and Red Bus Operations during the Fast Track F Train Subway service disruptions. Regular Tram and Red Bus hours apply. The RIOC advisory was a mistake. More info here.

No Queens Bound F Train Service At Roosevelt Island Right Now Due To Police Investigation

Received the following F Train Subway service advisory from the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) at 12:38 PM:

Please be advised due to a Police Investigation at the 21st Street-Queensbridge Station there is no F train Service into Queens.

Manhattan Bound F Train Service is running at this time.

RIOC Red Bus Service to Manhattan and the Q102 Bus are running on or close to schedule.

No Roosevelt Island F Train Service To Manhattan Friday March 12 12:01 AM - 5:00 AM

Image of Blurred, Moving F Train From Venus in Furs

Received the following Roosevelt Island F Train Subway Advisory from RIOC regarding service disruptions tonight:

Please be advised on Friday, March 12th from 12:01 AM - 5:00 AM, there will be no Southbound F service on Roosevelt Island due to emergency switch repairs at West 4th Street. RIOC will extend its Manhattan bound shuttle bus service until 5:00 AM.

We apologize for any inconvenience.

Sincerely,

Roosevelt Island Operating Corp Advisories Group

More from the MTA' s service disruption page.

Plan accordingly.

UPDATE 3/12 - RIOC President Steve Shane reports:

During the F train service disruption on Friday, March 12th, we ran a single bus on the hour from 12AM to 5AM to Manhattan. We had a total of 2 passengers on the 1AM bus from RI to Manhattan.

No Manhattan Bound F Train Service From Roosevelt Island To Manhattan Sunday From 12 AM - 12 PM

Received the following F subway train advisory for Roosevelt Island from RIOC earlier this afternoon:

Please be advised there will be no Southbound F Train on Sunday, February 14th from 12:01 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation will be running the Tram and Bus service throughout the service disruption.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Sincerely,

Roosevelt Island Operating Corp Advisories Group

There is no indication on the MTA web site yet of this Roosevelt Island F Train subway service interruption for Sunday.

It sure is not going to be pleasant when these F train service interruptions hit us during the Tram Outage.

Legendary Railroader Casey Jones is worried about Roosevelt Island train service.

You Tube Video of Johnny Cash's Casey Jones

No Queens Bound F Train Service To Roosevelt Island Friday 12:01 AM - Friday 5 AM

RIOC is reporting:

Subway (F Train) Advisory

The MTA has reported that on Friday, October 16, 12:01 AM - 5:00 AM, there will be no F Train northbound service at Roosevelt Island.

The Roosevelt Island Operating Corp. will operate the Tram and Bus Service throughout the service disruption.

Northbound service means Queens bound trains.