I hope everyone had an enjoyable
Thanksgiving holiday, with great food and
quality time with family and friends.
Tram Anniversary
November 30th marked the one year anniversary of the
Roosevelt Island Tramway, which reopened following a
nine-month modernization project. The entirely new
Tram system replaced the previous one, which served
Island residents for a remarkable 33 years.
Most of you have, I am sure, ridden the new Tram. It
is a far superior system, providing a smoother,
quicker ride while simultaneously using less
electricity. It's also better in inclement weather
and we have to shut down the system far less often
due to inclement weather.
The new Tram is also safer and includes several
back-up systems to ensure the tram returns safely to
the station in case of a power outage. And, just in
case of an emergency, the NYPD and FDNY are
continuously conducting training exercises on the
Tram.
Like the old Tram, this one is the first of its
kind. It offers riders an opportunity to experience
innovation in mass transit. No wonder it has been
written about by engineering magazines from across
the world!
All the media coverage has helped fuel interest in
riding the tram and visiting the Island and
consequently, we saw ridership numbers spike over
the summer. Last month alone, we had over 206,000
riders!
Revised Bus Policy
With the colder weather approaching, I am sure
ridership for the buses is sure to increase. As
such, we took the opportunity to review and amend
our policies regarding boarding RIOC buses in order
to ensure the safety of the passengers and drivers.
Below is the policy as written:
Hand baggage, instrument cases, bundles and parcels
may be carried onto RIOC buses by customers provided
that these articles can be carried on without
inconveniencing other customers and/or the driver
and does not obstruct the bus aisle or doors.
Persons with unfolded strollers and/or
shopping carts are not permitted to board RIOC buses
unless the driver, at his or her sole discretion,
determines that it will not cause an inconvenience
or safety hazard to other customers or the driver.
Orthopedic (wheelchair type) strollers for children
with disabilities are permitted on buses just as
wheelchairs are and must be secured in the
wheelchair area. Bus operators must check strollers
carefully to ensure that children with disabilities
are not denied accessible service.
In addition, signage on all buses will include the
following language:
Strollers and Shopping Carts must be folded
upon operator's request
Please let us know if you have any questions or
concerns.
Exercise at Sportspark
The holiday season should hopefully be filled with
lots of friends, family and great food. Most of us
tend to eat a lot this time of year and promise to
work it off as part of our New Year's resolution.
Thankfully, you don't have to wait for the New Year
to get started with a great fitness routine.
You can start working out at Sportspark today.
Sportspark, located right here on the Island, has
great amenities and classes. There is a recently
refurbished, handicapped accessible, pool that is
available for lap-swimming seven days a week, a
full-size basketball court with a new laminate floor
and six hoops for full court games, and a Ping Pong
Room with six Olympic regulation tables with free
play. There's also a weight room with brand new
equipment.
Classes are available for adults and children
learning to swim at all levels and for general
fitness instruction. There's a new Tango class and
zumba too.
For more information on class schedules and
instruction, visit
http://rioc.com/Sportspark.htm
Motorgate Improvements
I am happy to report that we have completed
waterproofing, repainting and restriping of the
Motorgate Parking Garage.
Workers were able to shotblast the concrete floors
to clean away the oils and dirt and then apply a
sealant to create a clean waterproof surface. Once
the floors were sealed, we decided to repaint
straight parking lines (instead of the crisscrossing
diagonal lines) to facilitate parking and to make
more room for cars.
We will continue to make additional renovations to
the garage including adding LED lighting, electric
car charging stations, and security cameras
throughout the garage and will update you on the
progress as we move forward.
|
2010 - Roosevelt
Island Operating Corporation.