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Aerial Urban Tramway, Roosevelt Island, NYC, and Others
By Regia Marinho
Do you want to take a ride? A cable mode of transportation.
We want transportation as reliable as running water. ~Travis Kalanick
IN NEW YORK CITY
I’m suspect to talk about this, but I love the Roosevelt Island tram. I lived on the island for 15 years and I plan to return in the future.
The aerial tram takes passengers back and forth between the island and Manhattan, rising 250 feet above the city.
Is the Roosevelt Island Tram worth it?
The views of the bridge and the city from the tram (cablecar) itself are interesting, you are above the river, see the Manhattan buildings. The trip is high but short.
The Manhattan views from the Island during this trip are excellent.
The ride itself lasts about 5 minutes and you’ve lifted up 250 ft over the yellow taxis, through the skyscrapers of East Midtown, over the East River, and down onto Roosevelt Island.
Yes, bikes are permitted on the tram. They are crowded during rush hour.
The tiny island is located in the middle of the East River, parallel to Manhattan’s East 46th to 85th Streets.
Can you walk to Roosevelt Island?
From Queens, you can get there via the Roosevelt Island Bridge.
This is the only way to walk or drive onto the island. Its entrance is at Vernon Boulevard and Main Street in Astoria.
Years ago I made a trip from the 1st Ave Manhattan walking on the Queen's Bridge, and via the Roosevelt Island Bridge to the island in the dark, during a blackout in New York.
Along with a lot of people.
What’s the importance and the objective of this kind of transportation?
Some of them are an alternative to other types of transportation. Others are a backup system for the population. And others are there for recreation.
An aerial tramway, sky tram, cable car, ropeway, or aerial tram
