NYC DOT Response Re Queensboro Bridge Access

It appears that if a NYC DOT representative does attend tomorrow night's Community Board 8 Meeting regarding Roosevelt Island transportation issues they will have nothing to say other than they received the April 2007 CB8 Resolution, that they undertook no feasibility study regarding access to the QB bridge, and the benefits of such access are not worth the funds needed to create such access. Nothing new here. This is basically what they told CB8 before the resolution was passed.

The below e-mail was sent to me today by the NYC DOT in response to my April 28, 2008 FOIL requests regarding the status of the DOT's response to the April 2007 CB8 resolution.

Pretty much everything in the below letter has been stated to me before including by our own Stephen Shane, President of the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation. I am not disagreeing with the concepts that the benefits may be exceeded by the costs but I still believe any additional access is better than the status quo.

-----Original Message-----
From: dot.nyc.gov
Date: Mon, 23 Jun 2008 15:20:22
To: RooseveltIsland360@gmail.com

Dear Roosevelt Island 360:

We received your email regarding your question about the Community Board 8 resolution to conduct a feasibility study to determine access for the Roosevelt Island community to the 59th Street Bridge. Your request was forwarded to our Freedom of Information Office for review and consideration.

The Department of Transportation had addressed this issue to the Board, prior to them passing the resolution, that the installation of any kind of access was unfeasible for several reasons. The installation of a stairway would require meeting ADA requirements. An elevator installation would require the removal of a lane of traffic from one of the busiest bridges in NYC. Also of major concern are the security, maintenance, access, and Landmark issues. Additionally, the cost would be extraordinary yet the value would be extremely limited, particularly as compared to the existing and significantly greater capacity of existing alternates to the tram such as the subway and, most importantly, the Roosevelt Island Bridge.

Thank you for your interest in this matter.

Sincerely,

Margaret Forgione,
Borough Commissioner

CCU-08-2898
Man. Log #9159

-----Original Message-----
From: rooseveltisland360@gmail.com
Date: Mon, 23 Jun 2008 19:36:09
To: dot.nyc.gov
Subject: Re: Access to QB Bridge

Dear Ms. Forgione:

Thank you for your response. I greatly appreciate it. I understand your points although I do respectfully disagree with some of them.

The one point I am continually confused by is the statement that a lane of traffic would be impacted by an elevator. Is the DOT counting as a lane of traffic the outer pedestrian walkway?

I would think an elevator if built would connect to the pedestrian wakway and not an actual lane of traffic. Perhaps this option was not considered.

In closing I wanted to ask if a representative of your office will be attending the Manhattan Community Board 8 meeting tomorrow evening at 6:30 pm where transportation issues affecting Roosevelt Island are being discussed. It is my understanding that a representative of the NYC DOT was to be invited.

Thank you again for your response and time.