By Joseph Morales

    For many, Roosevelt Island is a relaxing reprieve from all of the hustle and bustle of New York City. The roughly two mile island is known for its verdant parks and picturesque views of the Manhattan skyline, making it popular with tourists and locals alike. Almost 12,000 people live on the Island. Its location is directly sandwiched between Manhattan and Queens with the Queensboro Bridge running above its center. Between the iconic Roosevelt Island Tram, the F Train and the NYC Ferry, there are a plethora of transportation modes for getting on and off the Island. The island is also served by the Q102 bus to Astoria, Queens and the free Red Bus that traverses the island. 

         However, the number of travel options does not mean that it is easy for Roosevelt Island residents to get everywhere they need to go. So many people ride the tram and if it’s too crowded, it is not uncommon for people to need to wait for the next one. At times when the tram runs every 15 min during off-peak hours, this can make the waits unbearable especially during the summer months. The NYC Ferry links people to places in multiple boroughs, though it is extremely infrequent and does not leave people with strong connections to other modes at its terminals. When looking up transit directions for a trip directly served by the ferry on Google Maps, it did not even appear as an option. As for the subway, it is by far the most reliable travel mode. However, the island is served by just one line with no other routes nearby. This can be a major burden on residents if there are delays or service changes, as was seen during the 63rd St Tunnel Project from August 2023 and April 2024.

            Many of the Island’s transportation issues are due in large part to the island’s geography. However, tweaks and additions to certain modes may be able to make a huge difference to those who travel to and on the island daily. This can include several things from improving the red bus fleet to innovative adjustments to tram operations. 

             The tram’s overcrowding could be highly attributed to the number of tourists that use it especially during the warmer months. This could make it substantially difficult for those who live and work on Roosevelt Island to get to and from Manhattan Island. In addition, this is part of the larger issue of Roosevelt Island having a poor connection to Manhattan’s East Side despite being right across the river and even in the same community board district. People going to the East Side must either take the tram to the M15-SBS, or take the F Train to the Lexington Ave Line at 59th St(4,5,6). If one takes the subway, they must walk from five minutes to the F Train, aonly to have to descend up to three levels depending on what train they need to transfer to. While the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation(RIOC), has placed webcams at tram terminals to help residents gauge crowding, it does not make the tram more convenient for them than it would be otherwise.

            To better the commute of those who need to be on Roosevelt Island, one idea could be to give those who live and work on Roosevelt Island priority on the line to board trams. This could be done by developing a line structure similar to those seen on amusement rides. With this there could be a separate line for residents similar to a theme park FastPass line. To make this work, the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation(RIOC) who runs the tram would probably have to have a form of ID system for people to tap and/or swipe into the system when they pay their fare. In the age of cellphones and OMNY, a pass tied into cell phones or OMNY Cards can do the trick. This policy could make the tram a much more reliable and comfortable travel option for those who depend on it most. Also, since most non-resident/worker riders are there for recreational travel, this should not place an undue burden on anyone.

          Another policy change that could be helpful is a partnership between the RIOC/MTA to improve the red bus fleet. Maintenance issues and an aging bus fleet have made having five buses ready a major challenge. Currently, the RIOC has just two buses serving the red bus route. This has led to RIOC cutting express service along with Shopper Buses for seniors. The shopper buses took seniors to the Costco on Vernon Blvd in Queens. In addition, there is no service south of the tram station which includes popular destinations like Cornell Tech and the Sportspark.

            Last week before some major interventions, there was just one bus on the route when another had a mechanical failure. When there was just one bus, the RIOC encouraged riders to utilize the Q102 bus that required them to pay the $2.90 bus fare. While two buses are being purchased, they are not expected to be available for service until late 2024 to early 2025.

           To address the issue, the RIOC did consider temporarily leasing a bus. However, this was deemed to be prohibitively expensive. One thing that could work is for the RIOC to work with the MTA to use MTA buses in order to run red bus routes. Though this may seem hard to pull off, it may be doable with the MTA and RIOC both being state agencies. In fact, the RIOC has already done it to an extent as the MTA was able to send an extra bus to Roosevelt Island for an evening. However, RIOC Communications Department Director Bryant Daniels told the Roosevelt Islander that this was dependent on the bus being available and was “not something we anticipate will continue”. Nonetheless, the RIOC can continue fostering this positive relationship with the MTA that could be useful if and when more buses become available. This is something they are also already doing as the MTA also assists more regularly with the red bus fleet’s maintenance needs according to Daniels.

              Despite Roosevelt Island’s isolation, it definitely has significantly more transportation options than other parts of the city that are considered to be harder to reach. However, there are a few issues in which solutions might help to better connect Roosevelt Island to other parts of the city. Hopefully, the RIOC continues to innovate to make travel to and from Roosevelt Island as seamless as possible for residents and visitors.

Works Cited

“During Current Roosevelt Island Red Bus Crisis, Residents Pleasantly Surprised Last Night To Find The MTA Running A Subway Shuttle Bus On The Red Bus Route – But RIOC Does Not Expect The MTA Shuttle Bus To Continue.” Roosevelt Islander, 16 August 2024, https://rooseveltislander.blogspot.com/2024/08/during-current-roosevelt-island-red-bus.html. Accessed 20 August 2024.

“MTA Completes 63rd St Tunnel Rehab Project, Regular Roosevelt Island F Train Service Returns Today – MTA Bigwigs, RIOC Leadership & Cornell Tech Mascot Touchdown Greet Roosevelt Island F Train Riders At The Subway This Morning.” Roosevelt Islander Online, 1 April 2024, https://rooseveltislander.blogspot.com/2024/04/mta-completes-63rd-st-tunnel-rehab.html. Accessed 19 August 2024.

“Only 1 Of 5 Roosevelt Island Red Buses Currently In Service, ‘”We’re Sorry And Are Working As Hard As We Can To Restore Full Service As Quickly As Possible” Says RIOC – At Least Red Bus GPS Tracking Beta Testing Working Now.” Roosevelt Islander, 12 August 2024, https://rooseveltislander.blogspot.com/2024/08/only-1-of-5-roosevelt-island-red-buses.html. Accessed 20 August 2024.

“Overview – New York, Manhattan, and Roosevelt Island.” Manhattan Community Board 8, https://www.cb8m.com/overview/. Accessed 20 August 2024.

Poblete, Gabriel. “Roosevelt Island Revolt: Residents Call for Governance Changes Amid Corporation Chaos.” THE CITY – NYC News, 5 March 2024, https://www.thecity.nyc/2024/03/05/roosevelt-island-operating-corporation-revolt/. Accessed 21 August 2024.

Stone, David. “MTA Assists RIOC with Temporary Fixes for Red Bus Crisis.” Island Daily, 18 August 2024, https://rooseveltislanddaily.news/2024/08/18/mta-assists-rioc-with-temporary-fixes-for-red-bus-crisis/amp/. Accessed 20 August 2024.

Stone, David. “RIOC Cutting Red Bus Services: A Consequence of Neglect?” Island Daily, 15 August 2024, https://rooseveltislanddaily.news/2024/08/15/rioc-cutting-red-bus-services-a-consequence-of-neglect/. Accessed 20 August 2024.

“Tram.” Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation, https://rioc.ny.gov/302/Tram. Accessed 20 August 2024.