Well I was off line for 24 hours due to Yom Kippur and I come back and after checking into the Roosevelt Islander blog I learned that the Roosevelt Island Bridge was stuck open last night. Pretty wild. Apparently the bridge was not returned to normal until 5am Saturday morning.
NY1 Video: Direct Link
WCBS New York Video: Direct Link
Showing posts with label RI Bridge. Show all posts
Showing posts with label RI Bridge. Show all posts
Saturday, September 22, 2007
Thursday, September 20, 2007
LIC Rainey Park - Teach your Child How to Ride a Bike
Teaching kids to ride a bike can be stressful experience for parents and kids alike. The NYC DOT is sponsoring an event this Sunday, 09-23-2007, at Rainey Park that promises a "crash free" method that will be lots of fun.Per the image above, the event is from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm. Bring a kid, a bike, and a helmet. Rainey Park, from Roosevelt Island, is just across the RI Bridge and North on Vernon Boulevard (just before Costco).
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
U.N. Related Roosevelt Island Bridge & Southpoint Advisories
Southpoint Advisory
As of Tuesday, September 18th through Tuesday, October 2nd,
Southpoint will be subject to closure due to the U.N. General Assembly.
Bridge Advisory
Due to the U.N. Security Zone closures on the East River,
NYC DOT Bridge Operations Unit will be performing openings on the Roosevelt Island Bridge.
The openings will be starting Tuesday, September 18th through
Tuesday, October 2nd between the hours of 7:00am - 7:00pm.
Please be advised that each opening will take anywhere from
8 to 10 minutes to be completed. Traffic crossing the bridge will be interrupted.
Monday, September 10, 2007
Wed. 9/12 - Roosevelt Island Bridge - Test Openings
BRIDGE ADVISORY
Per RIOC:
NYC DOT Bridge Operations Unit will be performing openings on the Roosevelt Island Bridge for preventive maintenance. They will be conducting approximately 3 test openings on Wednesday, September 12th, between 11AM & 2PM.
Please be advised that each test opening will take anywhere from 8 to 10 minutes to be completed. The test openings will be appropriately spaced to provide the least amount of disturbance to traffic.
Sunday, September 2, 2007
Boating Incident by the Roosevelt Island Bridge
The Gothamist is reporting that at approximately 12:20 pm this afternoon, Sunday, September 2, 2007, there was a boat in distress in the East River’s Eastern Channel by the Roosevelt Island Bridge. I have seen no other reports about this incident.
As anyone who lives here knows the tides that control the flow of water up and down the East River can be quite strong so that is always a possibility for many unexperienced boaters. Again with no supporting reports it is unknown what lead to this incident and what information the Gothamist based their report on.
As anyone who lives here knows the tides that control the flow of water up and down the East River can be quite strong so that is always a possibility for many unexperienced boaters. Again with no supporting reports it is unknown what lead to this incident and what information the Gothamist based their report on.
Friday, August 31, 2007
Starting Oct. 1st - Abrasive Blasting Paint Removal on Roosevelt Island Bridge
Starting on October 1, 2007 or soon thereafter contractors will begin abrasive blasting procedures to remove the paint on the RI Bridge. The blasting per the 30 day notice posted today on the RIOC advisory webpage indicates that the blasting will be fully contained to protect the public. Per the Reconstruction Project brochure (which was stuffed in the plastic containing a recent Main Street Wire) vehicle and pedestrian access across the bridge will be maintained at all times.
The blasting process is scheduled to be completed by August 2009 (not 2008 but 2009) and could conceivably be running 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This statement is not stated in the brochure which indicates that general work will be between 7am and 7pm. So for the folks living on Main Street facing the bridge be prepared for noise along the lines of the abrasive blasting noise one hears by the 59th Street Bridge.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Steps from the Roosevelt Island Bridge: Noguchi, Socrates & Costco
While Roosevelt Island may be part of Manhattan for schools and voting issues we are physically connected to Queens via the Roosevelt Island Bridge. So three of my favorite places to walk to in Long Island City Queens via that bridge are the Noguchi Museum, Socrates Sculpture Park, and of course Costco.
The Noguchi Museum has a great set of programs for families including Art for Families for families with children ages 5 -11 and Art for Tots for families with children ages 2-4. Space is limited and reservations are required. The price for each session can not be beat. $5 per family for up to six family members which includes the cost of the supplies for the artwork you’ll go home with each week. And for grown up just looking to enjoy the museum and its outdoor sculpture garden the museum is located at 9-01 33rd Road at Vernon Boulevard.
To call Socrates Sculpture Park just a park does it a disservice. “It is an internationally renowned outdoor museum and artist residency program that also serves as a vital New York City park offering a wide variety of public services.” And I say that not just because that is what the website says. It is just a really cool place and always has something going on. It has a great view of Lighthouse Park from the Hallets Cove side of the Park. I just love the windmill chimes and would love to have a set up at Lighthouse Park.
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Pedestrian Safety Fencing Planned for Roosevelt Island Bridge
When I first read the pamphlets and DOT webpage about the Roosevelt Island Bridge reconstruction I took the phrase new “pedestrian safety fencing” to refer to the railing of the bridge. I have always been concerned about my kids walking alongside the rail and either dropping toys down to the water or falling through themselves.
It was only after reading the phrase again that I realized it refers to a fence separating pedestrians from passing cars and trucks. OK, I should have realized that from the get go. It never made sense how the original designers (Knappen Tippetts Abbott Engineering Company of NYC) of a bridge projected to expect 640 vehicle crossings a day felt that a pedestrian safety fence was not necessary in the first place. One of the central goals for NYC was that the new bridge would replace the upside-down building and relieve some of the congestion caused by cars and trucks exiting onto and from the bridge to that structure.
This morning I spoke briefly with the community liaison for the reconstruction project and explained I was interested in learning more about the pedestrian fence and the exterior railing. I hope to learn more.
Thursday, August 9, 2007
Roosevelt Island Bridge Test Opening Switched to Friday Aug. 10
Per RIOC’s advisory page the NYC DOT has [re]scheduled the test openings for this Friday. So either the DOT recognized the risk of a stuck bridge with subway issues affecting access to Roosevelt Island or their EMS unit never got to the island.
It did not make sense to me that they had to wait for a specific EMS unit when we have the FDNY Special Operations Command (“SOC”) on the Island. If anything you’d think the SOC would move some of its trucks off island in case of an emergency somewhere else in the City that they’d need to get to if the bridge became stuck open.
The DOT fact page about the bridge includes a section on past openings (test and vessel) but this section stopped being updated after 1998. I guess no one was finding the info useful or interesting enough so they stopped updating it.
It did not make sense to me that they had to wait for a specific EMS unit when we have the FDNY Special Operations Command (“SOC”) on the Island. If anything you’d think the SOC would move some of its trucks off island in case of an emergency somewhere else in the City that they’d need to get to if the bridge became stuck open.
The DOT fact page about the bridge includes a section on past openings (test and vessel) but this section stopped being updated after 1998. I guess no one was finding the info useful or interesting enough so they stopped updating it.
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
NYC DOT : Despite Floods Scheduled to Test RI Bridge Opening 8/8 Today
Per the RIOC website there is a BRIDGE ADVISORY.
“NYC DOT Bridge Operations Unit will be performing a test opening on the Roosevelt Island Bridge for preventive maintenance. They will be conducting the test opening on Wednesday, August 8th, between 11AM & 2PM. Please be advised that the test opening will take anywhere from 8 to 10 minutes to be completed. Thank you for your cooperation.”
I would expect with the rains and flooding that this would be postponed especially if the subway is still flooded out. Trying to find out now via 311.
UPDATE: 11:30 am
Apparently the tests are continuing but were delayed due to a [DOT policy?] that an EMS unit be on the Island side of the bridge before they commence the tests. Unbelievebale.
“NYC DOT Bridge Operations Unit will be performing a test opening on the Roosevelt Island Bridge for preventive maintenance. They will be conducting the test opening on Wednesday, August 8th, between 11AM & 2PM. Please be advised that the test opening will take anywhere from 8 to 10 minutes to be completed. Thank you for your cooperation.”
I would expect with the rains and flooding that this would be postponed especially if the subway is still flooded out. Trying to find out now via 311.
UPDATE: 11:30 am
Apparently the tests are continuing but were delayed due to a [DOT policy?] that an EMS unit be on the Island side of the bridge before they commence the tests. Unbelievebale.
Monday, August 6, 2007
DOT: Roosevelt Island Bridge Listed as "Fair"
Based on the NYC DOT’s 2006 Annual Report on the condition of NYC’s bridges the Roosevelt Island Bridge is listed as FAIR. According to the report approximately 58% of all “structures” fall into this category which is the largest category percentage wise. Granted learning the only constant source of egress from the island is only listed as “fair” is not great news but we should expect that within the next few years that the rating should jump to “Very Good”. This is due to the fact that the bridge will soon begin a major reconstruction project.
Per the 2006 report:
The reconstruction of the bridge is scheduled to start in March 2007. The estimated construction duration will be a total of 36 months with approximately 8 months’ lead time. The project’s scope of work includes rehabilitation of the existing mechanical and all of the electrical systems for the lift span, rehabilitation of the bridge operator house, installation of safety fences on the sidewalk, replacement of the street lighting, resurfacing of the approach roadways, installation of pigeon proofing systems and repainting the entire structure. The project will also include the installation of a dedicated right hand turn into southbound Vernon Boulevard in Queens, and the construction of a new back-up generator building under the Queens approach.
The aspects I am most excited about are the resurfacing of the sidewalks and the safety fences. Sometimes when walking over the bridge the sidewalks on the span just seem shaky and some segments of the fence are just to wide for my liking when traveling with kids.
I can't say if they actually started in March but the only activity I have seen is the construction of the trailers on the RI side of the span equivalent to the 4th level of Metropark and the staircase they built from that side down to the ground.
Saturday, July 21, 2007
Capobianco Field - Main Street - 360 Degree View
This video was shot from within Capobianco Field early one Sunday morning and includes views of Al Lewis Playground, the Roosevelt Island Lift Bridge, Eastwood, Westview, PS 217.
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