Are There Any Solutions To Fix Roosevelt Island Tram Long Lines And Overcrowding By Tourists?

The Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Operations Advisory Committee is meeting tomorrow, April 29, starting at 5:00 pm at the Good Shepherd Community Center (543 Main Street).

Here’s the Agenda.

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RIOC adds that:

A Public Session Focused On The Tram Related Matters Will Follow The Agenda Discussion …

…. To speak during the public comment period, please complete “Speak at a meeting” form at and submit it by 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, April 29, 2025.

Here’s what the Tram Lines were like Saturday April 19

and Sunday April 13.

During the March 6, 2025 RIOC Board of Directors Meeting Public Session, Roosevelt Island residents spoke up pleading for a solution to the long lines and overcrowding on the Roosevelt Island Tram caused by sightseeing tourists. The residents asked RIOC to implement some type of preferential Tram boarding for residents and workers before sightseeing tourists. RIOC Board Director Conway Ekpo suggested that the issue should be discussed at a future Operations Committee meeting which is happening tomorrow, 7 weeks later.

Here’s a portion of the March 6 meeting with a Roosevelt Island resident seeking priority boarding and Mr Ekpo’s response.

Roosevelt Island residents and workers are gearing up for demonstrations and protests,

renewing their call for preferential Roosevelt Island Tram boarding ahead of tourists.

Since early November 2024 more than 2500 people have signed the Trampled By Tourists, Priority Boarding for Residents and Workers on the Roosevelt Island Tram online and paper petition.

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However, according to an opinion drafted by the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) legal department, a residents/workers Tram boarding preference would be illegal.

Others have disputed RIOC’S legal opinion. RIOC refuses to make the full legal opinion public.

Can a solution be found that overcomes RIOC’s purported legal obstacle for providing priority Roosevelt Island Tram boarding to those who use the Tram for essential transportation purposes before those using the Tram as an amusement sightseeing attraction?

How about this?

RIOC sets up a permitting system to issue an annual Roosevelt Island Fast Line Pass that is available to everyone, resident, worker or visitor. The Fast Line Pass must be picked up in person on Roosevelt Island at least 24 hours before it can be used.

The Fast Line Pass allows the holder to board the Tram before a person who does not have a Fast Line Pass. A person who only rides the Tram as a one time sightseeing attraction is less likely to obtain the Fast Line Pass than a regular user of the Tram.

Logistics would need to be figured out for how the Fast Line Pass would work in practice, but the bottom line is that Roosevelt Island residents, workers and anyone else who uses the Roosevelt Island Tram for transportation purposes will have priority boarding over those using it for one time sightseeing amusement attraction.

Let’s see if tomorrow’s Tram discussion really tries to solve the problem of overcrowding on the Tram or will it just be another instance of RIOC placating residents by listening to their complaints but not doing anything about it.