|
On
March 1st, 2010, two months shy of the 34th
anniversary of its opening, service on the Roosevelt
Island Aerial Tramway will be suspended for
approximately six
months for extensive modernization and upgrades. Opened
in May 1976, the Tram was the first aerial tramway
system in the United States to be used for urban mass
transportation. Serving New Yorkers well by carrying
over 2 million passengers per year, the Tram had a
projected lifetime of 17 years. It was created
as a temporary solution while subway service to
Roosevelt Island was decades delayed.
Now, the once "stop gap" Tram has become an iconic
fixture of the
New York City skyline and is due for an update using
the technology that has developed in the 34 years
since its installation. Tram service has
been integrated with the MTA's MetroCard system
since 2005,
providing Tram riders with the same bus and subway
transfer privileges enjoyed by all MTA passengers.
The Tram modernization, projected to cost $25
million, is funded with $10 million from RIOC and $15 million from New York State.
When modernization work is completed in the Fall of
2010,
everything but the bases of the three towers will
have been replaced. The tower tops will be
swapped for new tracks that accommodate a wider
gauge cable and "dual
haul" system. The "dual haul" is a more advanced cable-propelled
transit system
that enables faster service and less turbulence in
high winds.
Rendering of new
Roosevelt Island Tram System. Due Sept., 2010
Aerial Tramway Project |
A Brief History |
Tram Facts |
Project Benefits |
Project Milestones |
Project Organization
Construction Impacts |
Supplemental Transportation |
FAQs
|
2010 - Roosevelt
Island Operating Corporation.