Bicycle Rider Breaks Leg In Car Collision On Roosevelt Island Bridge Helix Ramp Monday Evening – RIRA Recommends Closing Helix Ramp To Bike Riders

A bicycle rider was injured in a collision with a car on the Motorgate Helix Ramp to the Roosevelt Island Bridge last Monday July 13.

A resident reported Monday:

I think someone got run over on the ramp to RI bridge.possibly a biker. I can just see lots of police/nyfd

A spokesperson for the NYPD 114 precinct said on Tuesday:

… in regards to the collision yesterday on Roosevelt Island. It occurred on Monday, July 13, 2015 around 6 PM … According to the accident report, the vehicle was heading up the Roosevelt Island ramp in his lane and the bicyclist was heading down the ramp in the same lane as the automobile. The bicyclist was traveling in the wrong lane. They collided coming around the bend. The bicyclist did hurt what appears to be his leg from the collision and was removed to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

There are conflicting versions of the July 13 bike accident on the Roosevelt Island Bridge Motorgate Helix Ramp. Roosevelt Island Operating Corp ( RIOC ) Public Safety Department (PSD) Chief Jack McManus told me that the Bike Rider and Car were going up the ramp in the same direction when the car hit the bike rider from behind resulting in the accident and a broken leg for the cyclist. Asked to explain the discrepancy in accident reports, both NYPD and RIOC PSD said they were relaying the information told to them by the car driver and bike rider. The issue of bicycle safety on the helix ramp was discussed during the Roosevelt Island Residents Association ( RIRA ) July 14 Public Safety Committee (PSC) meeting. Image Of Bike Rider Coming Down Helix Ramp Yesterday (not the injured rider) The PSC unanimously voted to recommend closing the Motorgate Helix Ramp to bicycle riders. If the Motorgate Helix Ramp is closed to bicycle riders, they would have to take the Motorgate elevators or staircase instead to exit and enter Roosevelt Island. The decision to close the ramp to bicyclists is up to RIOC. Last October, a Roosevelt Island resident was killed riding her bike near the bottom of the Helix ramp in a collision with the Red Bus.