The consortium requests MTA to increase public transportation options to and from Randall’s Island from Queens and the South Bronx, either in the form of bus lanes or light rail as proposed by the RPA (Regional Plan Association), or railway via the Penn Station Access project.
Adding new bus routes or rail stations from Queens and The Bronx to the Island would be an important step to address long standing inequities by improving the quality of life, and economic opportunities, and recreation access to Randall’s Island for numerous groups of disadvantaged residents in NYC. As it stands, residents without cars, who live in the South Bronx, Queens and on the island, are unfairly deprived of access to recreational opportunities, employment options, personal network and social services. With the city’s new initiative of housing asylum seekers on Randalls Island, the need to improve resident’s access to the 3 boroughs became even more urgent
BACKGROUND
Access to 3 boroughs: The two islands, combined in 1960, have been connected by the RFK Bridge or Triboro Bridge, to Manhattan, the South Bronx, and Astoria Queens since 1936. While automotive access has been in place since 1936 from 3 boroughs, Randall’s Island is only accessible via public transport from one single borough, Manhattan, via a single bus line, M35 bus.
What’s on Randall’s Island: This centrally located island has experienced a number of major heavy investments in the last few decades – often spearheaded by Randall’s Island Park Alliance (RIPA). The island now provides access to Icahn Stadium, 20 indoor tennis courts at the John McEnroe Tennis Academy, 60+ athletic fields for baseball and soccer, golf, and access for fishing. It also offers New Yorkers access to playgrounds, wetlands, a native garden, and one of the city’s largest urban farms. In addition to the sporting and recreational amenities found on the island. Various seasonal venues, such as Electric Zoo, Governors Ball Music Festival, and the Panorama Music Festival, all bring visitors from throughout the 5 boroughs. A number of facilities on the island are important sources of jobs for New Yorkers too. These facilities include a major water treatment facility, the NYC Fire Academy, a police bureau, shelters, hospital..etc.
While we applaud the City’s investments on the island over the last few decades, we are writing to highlight that such development is not complete until the public have greater access to the island.
SOCIAL INEQUITIES
What we are addressing here is an issue of public access to social services that has, since the time of Robert Moses, limited access to Randall’s Island and privileged car-owning visitors. As a result of limited public transit access, Randall’s Island stands as a symbol of systemic income, racial and environmental inequity in terms of access to public land, parks, and greenspace. As it currently stands, Randall’s Island is effectively cut off from adjacent New York neighborhoods, limiting access primarily to cars due to inadequate public transit options.
This inequity is, perhaps, most powerfully seen in the routine utilization of the island by organizations that can afford to charter private shuttles (such as private schools). Residents without cars, who live in the South Bronx and Queens, are unfairly deprived of access to recreational opportunities, employment options, personal network and social services. It is also useful to note that due to the lack of public transport options, funding designated for social services and recreational activities to the providers on the island are now diverted to pay for private shuttles, which is an inefficient use of social resources and further disadvantages the population we need to help.
GROUP OF DISADVANTAGED NYC RESIDENTS
Expanding the M35 bus route or adding new bus routes from Queens and The Bronx would be an important step to improve the quality of life,economic opportunities, and recreation access to Randall’s Island for the island proximate residents
- For the residents of the South Bronx and Queens,
- Residents, especially children in public schools, will have much better access valuable green space and exercise opportunities
- The adults will have better access to jobs on Randall’s Island, or potentially to Manhattan and South Bronx, depending on the new bus routes
- For the 2000+ residents on Wards/Randalls Island and asylum seekers,
- They will be given a fairer and better access to visit their families, access healthcare and social services, and seek jobs in the South Bronx, Queens, and beyond. The residents on the island are a vulnerable population who need abundance of physical and emotional support. Lack of access to these support systems hampers their ability to recover and rebuild their lives
- For the operators on Wards Island that provide various forms of recreation and social services:
- They can significantly improve their ability to hire and retain staff, especially allowing them to hire staff from the South Bronx and Queens who do not own a car
- They can reallocate moneys from funding private shuttles to benefiting their clients
- Recreational space providers, and event organizers will benefit from higher attendance to their events