Who’s Injuring and Killing Pedestrians in AD 51?
No More Warnings—Fix Third Avenue Before It Kills Again
AD 51: Jan 1, 2022 - Jul 28, 2025
Blood on Third Avenue
Just two weeks ago, at dawn on July 11, a BMW ran a red light at Third Avenue and 52nd Street. Kex Un Chen, 80, and Faqiu Lin, 59, were crossing with the signal. The car did not stop. Both men died in the street. The driver fled. Police arrested him later that day. The charges: manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, reckless driving.
This was not the first time. It will not be the last. Since 2018, drivers have killed or seriously injured 80 people on this two-mile stretch of Third Avenue. The city’s answer? A sign that says: “be careful.” State Senator Andrew Gounardes said, “We should all be offended. Angry. Insulted. That the response from our city to two deaths blocks away from here is a sign that says: ‘be careful.’”
The Toll in Numbers
In the past 12 months, seven people have died and 997 have been injured in Assembly District 51. Children, elders, men, women. Pedestrians crossing with the light. Cyclists in the bike lane. Most are hit by cars and trucks. Some by motorcycles, mopeds, or bikes. The numbers do not tell you about the shoes left behind, the groceries scattered on the curb. But they do not lie.
Promises, Delays, and Demands
The city promised a redesign for Third Avenue. Community Board 7 approved it in 2023. The plan stalled. Assembly Member Marcela Mitaynes said, “We started talking about a plan in 2014 and it’s now 2025. What is going on? We got word last fall that there was a pause, but an indefinite pause and I don’t know what that means. There’s been no conversation, no updates.” She stood with families and called for action: “Safer streets are not a privilege, they are a right.”
Mitaynes has backed bills to extend school speed zones, require speed limiters for repeat offenders, and hold vehicle owners liable for camera violations. She has called for daylighting corners and regulating truck traffic. But the deaths keep coming. Words and votes are not enough.
What Now?
Call your council member. Call Assembly Member Mitaynes. Demand the city finish the Third Avenue redesign. Demand a 20 mph speed limit. Demand speed limiters for repeat offenders.
No more signs. No more delays. No more deaths in the crosswalk.
Frequently Asked Questions
▸ What is the New York State Assembly and how does it work?
▸ Where does AD 51 sit politically?
▸ Which areas are in AD 51?
▸ What types of vehicles caused injuries and deaths to pedestrians in AD 51?
▸ Are crashes just 'accidents' or are they preventable?
▸ What can local politicians do to make streets safer?
▸ What is CrashCount?
Citations
▸ Citations
- Two Killed In Sunset Park Hit-And-Run, ABC7, Published 2025-07-12
- Red Light Run Kills Two Pedestrians, Gothamist, Published 2025-07-12
- Sunset Park Demands Safer Third Avenue, Gothamist, Published 2025-07-23
- Sunset Park Hit-and-Run Spurs Demands, CBS New York, Published 2025-07-24
- After fatal hit-and-run, local pols and street safety advocates slam delay of Third Avenue safety plan, Brooklyn Paper, Published 2025-07-23
- Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4826750 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-07-28
- Sunset Park Urges City to Fast-Track Third Avenue Street Fixes, BKReader, Published 2025-07-24
- Brooklyn Leaders Demand Third Avenue Redesign, CBS New York, Published 2025-07-24
- Two Killed In Sunset Park Hit-And-Run, ABC7, Published 2025-07-12
- File S 8344, Open States, Published 2025-06-17
- File A 2299, Open States, Published 2025-01-16
- File A 5440, Open States, Published 2025-02-14
- Seven Brooklyn Electeds Join Growing Calls For Universal Daylighting, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-01-17
- V-DAY SPECIAL: Bigger Cargo Bikes and Last-Mile Warehouse Regulation is a Match Made In Heaven, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-02-14
- Poorer Brooklynites Bear the Brunt of Online Delivery Boom: Report, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-01-23
Fix the Problem
District 51
4907 4th Ave. Suite 1A, Brooklyn, NY 11220
Room 741, Legislative Office Building, Albany, NY 12248
Other Representatives
District 38
4417 4th Avenue, Ground Floor, Brooklyn, NY 11220
718-439-9012
250 Broadway, Suite 1746, New York, NY 10007
212-788-7387
District 17
6605 Fort Hamilton Parkway, Brooklyn, NY 11219
Room 615, Legislative Office Building, Albany, NY 12247
▸ Other Geographies
AD 51 Assembly District 51 sits in Brooklyn, Precinct 72, District 38, SD 17.
It contains Carroll Gardens-Cobble Hill-Gowanus-Red Hook, Sunset Park (West), Sunset Park (Central), Green-Wood Cemetery, Sunset Park (East)-Borough Park (West), Brooklyn CB7, Brooklyn CB6.
▸ See also
Traffic Safety Timeline for Assembly District 51
Unlicensed Motorcyclist Kills Elderly Pedestrian in Brooklyn▸An unlicensed motorcyclist struck an 82-year-old man crossing 5th Avenue at 60th Street. The impact broke the man’s skull. He died on the sunlit pavement, another life ended by reckless operation on city streets.
According to the police report, an 82-year-old pedestrian was killed at the corner of 5th Avenue and 60th Street in Brooklyn. The man was crossing the street when a northbound motorcycle, operated by an unlicensed rider, struck him head-on. The report states the impact was to the 'center front end' of the motorcycle, resulting in fatal head injuries to the pedestrian. The police report specifically notes the driver's license status as 'unlicensed,' highlighting a critical driver error. The narrative confirms the rider 'hit him square,' and the man died at the scene. While the report mentions the pedestrian was 'crossing without a signal,' it does not list this as a contributing factor, instead marking both contributing factors as 'unspecified.' The focus remains on the unlicensed operation of the motorcycle and the lethal consequences for a vulnerable road user.
E-Scooter Rider’s Arm Crushed by SUV Pullout▸A man on an e-scooter collided with a Honda SUV pulling from the curb on 5th Avenue. Metal struck flesh. His arm was crushed. He stayed conscious as the street fell silent, pain and shock hanging in the air.
According to the police report, a man riding an e-scooter was traveling straight northbound on 5th Avenue near 37th Street in Brooklyn when he struck the front of a Honda SUV that was pulling out from the curb. The report states the e-scooter rider suffered crush injuries to his arm but remained awake and conscious at the scene. The SUV, registered in New York and operated by a licensed driver from New Jersey, was described as 'starting from parking' at the time of the crash. The point of impact was the left front quarter panel of the SUV and the center front end of the e-scooter. The police report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' The narrative underscores the moment of impact: 'metal met flesh and the silence held.' No driver errors are explicitly cited, but the sequence of events highlights the systemic danger when vehicles pull from the curb into active traffic.
Broken Pavement Sends Moped Rider to Death▸A 66-year-old woman rode her moped west on 39th Street. The street gave way. She flew, struck her head, and died alone on the asphalt. No helmet. The city’s broken ground claimed her last breath.
A 66-year-old woman was killed while riding a moped westbound on 39th Street, near Council District 38, according to the police report. The report states, 'The pavement broke beneath her.' She was ejected from the moped, struck her head, and died at the scene. Police list 'Pavement Defective' as the primary contributing factor. The victim was not wearing a helmet, as noted in the report, but this is mentioned only after the systemic failure of the roadway. No other vehicles or persons were involved. The crash underscores the lethal consequences of neglected infrastructure, as the defective pavement directly led to the fatal ejection and head injury.
Turning Pickup Crushes E-Bike Rider on 4th Avenue▸A pickup truck turned left across 4th Avenue, striking a 49-year-old man on an e-bike. Thrown and crushed, he died in the street. The twisted bike and bloodied truck marked the violence of the city’s roads.
A 49-year-old man riding an e-bike was killed at the intersection of 4th Avenue and 53rd Street in Brooklyn when a pickup truck turned left and struck him, according to the police report. The report states the e-bike rider was 'thrown' and 'crushed,' dying at the scene. Both the pickup truck and the e-bike were cited for 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as contributing factors. The pickup, a 2007 Chevrolet, was making a left turn when it collided with the e-bike, which was traveling straight. The police report describes the aftermath: 'The bike lay twisted. The truck bore blood and silence.' The e-bike rider was ejected and suffered crush injuries to the entire body. The data does not specify helmet use or other victim behaviors as contributing factors. The crash underscores the lethal consequences when drivers fail to yield to vulnerable road users.
4Unconscious SUV Driver Plows Into Seven Cars▸A 51-year-old man lost consciousness on the Gowanus Expressway. His SUV slammed into seven vehicles. Metal twisted. Glass flew. He died at the scene. Several others suffered neck injuries as traffic crawled past the wreckage.
According to the police report, a 51-year-old man driving a station wagon/SUV westbound on the Gowanus Expressway lost consciousness behind the wheel. The report states, "His SUV struck seven cars. Metal tore. Glass scattered. Airbags bloomed." The driver died, "strapped in his seat, still and silent, as traffic crawled past the wreckage." The sole contributing factor listed is "Lost Consciousness." No driver errors are cited for the other vehicles. Multiple occupants in the struck cars suffered neck injuries, consistent with whiplash. The crash triggered a chain reaction across seven vehicles, leaving one dead and several injured.
Mitaynes Backs Safety Boosting Clean Deliveries Act▸Every day, 9,000 trucks thunder through Sunset Park and Red Hook. Warehouses choke streets. Black and Latino residents breathe the fumes and dodge danger. Lawmakers push the Clean Deliveries Act to curb the chaos. The burden falls hard. The fight is on.
The Clean Deliveries Act, now under consideration in Albany, aims to regulate last-mile warehouse traffic and emissions across New York State. The bill responds to a new report showing Sunset Park and Red Hook face the city's highest truck volumes—over 9,000 daily trips—linked to sprawling Amazon, FedEx, and UPS facilities. The report states, 'a quarter of residents across the Empire State live within half a mile of a distribution center that’s at least 50,000 square feet, disproportionately harming Black and Latino communities.' State Sen. Andrew Gounardes, representing the affected Brooklyn neighborhoods, calls for urgent action 'for the sake of our climate and the safety of our streets.' Assembly Member Marcela Mitaynes, whose district sees the most daily truck traffic, urges colleagues to pass the Act. Advocates like Kevin Garcia say the bill is 'key legislation to protect frontline communities from increased vehicular traffic and tailpipe emissions.' The Act would require emissions reviews, pollution minimization, and studies of low-emission zones in hotspots.
-
Poorer Brooklynites Bear the Brunt of Online Delivery Boom: Report,
Streetsblog NYC,
Published 2024-01-23
Mitaynes Supports Safety Boosting Universal Daylighting With Barriers▸Seven Brooklyn officials urge DOT to clear cars from corners. They want boulders, planters, and bike corrals—not just paint. Their call follows deadly crashes. They press the city to use state law and federal funds. DOT promises review. Advocates back the push.
On January 17, 2024, seven Brooklyn elected officials—including Council Member Shahana Hanif, Borough President Antonio Reynoso, Assembly Members Marcela Mitaynes, Jo Anne Simon, Robert Carroll, and State Senators Zellnor Myrie and Andrew Gounardes—issued a joint letter to the NYC Department of Transportation. They called for 'universal daylighting with hardened materials such as boulders, planters, and bike corrals' at intersections. The officials cited recent fatal crashes and urged the city to opt into a state law banning parking within 20 feet of corners. They want federal funds used for these changes. The group opposes DOT’s slow pace and reliance on paint, demanding physical barriers. Community board leaders and advocates support the move. DOT says it will review the letter and remains committed to evidence-based daylighting.
-
Seven Brooklyn Electeds Join Growing Calls For Universal Daylighting,
Streetsblog NYC,
Published 2024-01-17
Mitaynes Links Warehouse Emissions to Traffic Violence Risks▸Red Hook chokes on truck fumes. Lawmakers move. The Clean Deliveries Act aims to cut emissions from sprawling e-commerce warehouses. Kristen Gonzalez and others demand action. Diesel trucks crowd narrow streets. Pollution and danger rise. Residents pay the price.
Bill: Clean Deliveries Act. Announced November 29, 2023. Status: Proposed. Committee: Not specified. Lawmakers, including State Sen. Kristen Gonzalez (District 59), call for strict regulation of emissions from last-mile e-commerce warehouses. The bill would require environmental reviews for warehouses over 50,000 square feet, mandate plans to cut air pollution, and push for zero-emission delivery vehicles. Gonzalez said, 'The unchecked growth of large warehouses in neighborhoods across NYC has worsened air quality, noise pollution, and traffic safety for everyday New Yorkers.' Assembly Member Marcela Mitaynes, a co-sponsor, highlighted the link between warehouse traffic, pollution, and traffic violence. The Red Hook Business Alliance and community advocates back the bill, citing heavy truck traffic, poor air, and threats to safety in working-class neighborhoods. The legislation aims to hold warehouse operators accountable and protect residents from the mounting toll of delivery-driven pollution and danger.
-
Lawmakers say influx of e-commerce warehouses has spiked greenhouse gas emissions in Red Hook, urge regulation,
brooklynpaper.com,
Published 2023-11-29
Jeep Slams Parked Toyota, Driver Injured▸A Jeep hit a parked Toyota on 39th Street. The Toyota lurched forward. The driver, a 47-year-old man, was found unconscious and crushed. Illness struck before the crash. Sirens wailed, but help came too late.
A Jeep traveling west on 39th Street near 2nd Avenue in Brooklyn struck a parked Toyota. The impact forced the Toyota forward, severely injuring its 47-year-old driver. According to the police report, 'Illness took hold before impact.' The driver was found unconscious, suffering crush injuries to his entire body. The police list 'Illnes' as the contributing factor in the crash. No other driver errors are noted in the report. The Toyota was parked at the time of the collision. The report does not mention any actions by the injured driver that contributed to the crash.
Tractor-Trailer Crushes Parked Sedan on Bush Street▸A tractor-trailer turned onto Bush Street and crushed a parked Kia. The driver, trapped and bleeding, stayed conscious inside the wreck. The truck rolled on. Metal twisted. Blood pooled. The street bore the mark.
A tractor-trailer making a right turn onto Bush Street in Brooklyn struck a parked Kia sedan. According to the police report, the Kia was demolished beneath the trailer. The 36-year-old driver of the Kia was trapped inside, suffering severe lacerations to his arm but remained conscious. The truck continued forward after the impact, leaving its trailer damaged. The police report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' No driver errors were specifically cited in the data. The incident highlights the danger heavy trucks pose to stationary vehicles and their occupants on city streets.
E-Bike Rider Killed Striking Turning Truck▸A 19-year-old on an e-bike hit a turning diesel truck at 4th Avenue and 39th Street. Head trauma. Blood on the street. He died there, alone, under the lights. The crash was fast, brutal, final.
A 19-year-old e-bike rider died after colliding with a diesel truck making a right turn at the corner of 4th Avenue and 39th Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, the e-bike struck the truck at 2:30 a.m. The rider suffered fatal head trauma and died at the scene. The report lists 'Driver Inexperience' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as contributing factors. The rider was not wearing a helmet, as noted in the report, but the primary causes cited are driver errors. No other injuries were reported.
Distracted SUV Driver Strikes Pedestrian on Hamilton Avenue▸A westbound SUV hit a 55-year-old man crossing Hamilton Avenue. The right front bumper struck his head. Blood pooled on the street. The man stayed conscious. Police cited driver distraction. The street bore witness. The man survived, wounded.
A 55-year-old pedestrian suffered a head injury after being struck by a westbound SUV near 357 Hamilton Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, 'A westbound SUV struck a 55-year-old man crossing outside the intersection. He bled from the head. The right front bumper bore the wound. The man stayed conscious. The driver was distracted.' The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor. The impact left the man with severe bleeding but conscious at the scene. The data does not mention any helmet or signal use as a factor. The crash highlights the danger posed by driver distraction on city streets.
Box Truck Crushes Moped Rider’s Head▸A box truck and a moped moved south on 4th Avenue. The moped rider, 21, wore a helmet. He was ejected. His head was crushed. The truck showed no damage. The street showed the cost.
A box truck and a moped traveled south on 4th Avenue at 53rd Street in Brooklyn. The moped rider, age 21, was ejected and suffered a crushed head. According to the police report, 'A box truck and a moped moved south. The moped driver, 21, wore a helmet. He was ejected. Conscious. His head was crushed.' The data lists no specific driver errors, but the narrative shows the moped rider paid the price. The rider wore a helmet. The truck showed no damage, but the human toll was severe.
Box Truck Slams Tractor-Trailer on Gowanus Expressway▸A box truck, speeding, rammed a slowing tractor-trailer on the Gowanus Expressway. Steel twisted. The box truck driver, 34, bled from the face but stayed conscious. The crash left shattered glass and a trail of blood on the highway.
A violent crash unfolded on the Gowanus Expressway when a box truck, traveling at unsafe speed, struck the rear of a slowing tractor-trailer. According to the police report, 'A box truck, too fast, crushed into a slowing tractor-trailer. Steel folded. The driver, 34, wore his belt. Blood ran down his face. He stayed awake, staring through shattered glass at the wreck he made.' The driver of the box truck suffered severe facial lacerations but remained conscious. The police report lists 'Unsafe Speed' as the contributing factor in the crash. The tractor-trailer was slowing or stopping when it was hit. The only injury reported was to the box truck driver, who was wearing a lap belt and harness.
Mitaynes Backs Safety Boosting Equalized Tolling Plan▸Brooklyn officials demand equal tolls on all Manhattan crossings. They warn free bridges funnel traffic into certain neighborhoods. Their letter calls for fairness. The MTA stays silent. The Traffic Mobility Review Board will decide. Streets hang in the balance.
On July 18, 2023, Council Member Shahana Hanif and other Brooklyn officials called for 'equalized tolling on all crossings into Manhattan' as congestion pricing nears. Their letter to the Traffic Mobility Review Board states: 'No one community should disproportionately bear the burden of the cars and trucks passing through their neighborhood.' Hanif, along with Lincoln Restler, Alexa Avilés, Jennifer Gutiérrez, and Crystal Hudson, joined borough, state, and federal colleagues in this push. They propose a credit system to balance costs between DOT bridges and MTA tunnels, aiming to protect neighborhoods like the Brooklyn waterfront and the BQE corridor from traffic surges. The MTA declined comment. The Board will soon set final toll rates and rules. The federal government has approved the congestion pricing plan, with tolls for cars expected between $9 and $23. Over 100 exemption requests, including from taxi and for-hire vehicle drivers, are under review.
-
Pols call for ‘equalized tolling’ on all crossings into Manhattan under congestion pricing on eve of board deliberations,
amny.com,
Published 2023-07-18
2SUV Turns Left, E-Bike Teens Bleed on 25th Street▸An SUV turned left on 25th Street. Two teens on an e-bike struck its rear. One bled from the head, the other from the face. Both were conscious. Blood pooled on Brooklyn pavement. Failure to yield and unsafe speed marked the crash.
Two teenage boys riding an e-bike were injured when they struck the rear of an SUV making a left turn on 25th Street near 4th Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, 'An SUV turned left. An e-bike with two teen boys struck its rear. One bled from the head. The other, from the face. Both conscious. Both hurt. Blood pooled on the hot Brooklyn pavement.' The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Unsafe Speed' as contributing factors. Both teens suffered severe bleeding, one to the head and one to the face. The data also notes 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a factor. The SUV was damaged on the right rear quarter panel, while the e-bike was damaged at the front. No mention of helmet use or signaling as contributing factors.
Moped Rider Killed After Striking Jeep in Brooklyn▸A moped slammed into a Jeep on 4th Avenue. The young rider flew off and struck his head. He died in the street. The crash happened in darkness. Police cited traffic control disregarded.
A deadly crash unfolded at the corner of 4th Avenue and 52nd Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, a moped hit the side of a Jeep. The 21-year-old unlicensed moped rider was ejected, suffered a fatal head injury, and died at the scene. The report lists 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as a contributing factor. The Jeep driver was licensed and uninjured. The moped had no registered license, and the rider wore no helmet. The crash happened in darkness, with no other injuries reported.
Head-On Bike Collision Leaves Cyclist Bleeding▸Two bikes crashed head-on at 61st and 4th. One turned left. One went straight. A 23-year-old man hit the pavement, blood streaming from his head. He stayed conscious. The street stood still. Failure to yield and ignored signals brought pain.
Two bicyclists collided head-on at the corner of 61st Street and 4th Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, one cyclist was making a left turn while the other was going straight. The crash left a 23-year-old man with severe bleeding from the head, though he remained conscious. The police report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as contributing factors. No helmet was worn by the injured cyclist, as noted after the driver errors. The collision underscores the dangers faced by vulnerable road users on city streets.
Mitaynes Supports Safety Boosting Cargo Bike and Emissions Bills▸Lawmakers push two bills. One widens legal cargo bikes. One reins in dirty warehouses. Both target truck traffic choking city streets. Sponsors say the measures will cut pollution, asthma, and danger for people outside cars. Albany momentum grows.
Bills S6106 (Sen. Jessica Ramos) and A6968 (Asm. Marcela Mitaynes) are active in the New York State legislature. S6106 would expand the legal width of cargo bikes from 36 to 48 inches, making them more useful for deliveries. A6968 would let the Department of Environmental Conservation regulate emissions from last-mile warehouses and require plans to cut transportation pollution, including by using zero-emission vehicles like cargo bikes. The matter summary notes, 'The bills complement each other.' Ramos and Mitaynes sponsor the measures. Their staff and advocates say the bills will help replace polluting vans with cleaner cargo bikes, especially in low-income areas hit hard by asthma. Both bills are gaining support in Albany.
-
V-DAY SPECIAL: Bigger Cargo Bikes and Last-Mile Warehouse Regulation is a Match Made In Heaven,
Streetsblog NYC,
Published 2023-02-14
Mitaynes Supports Safety Boosting State Participation in BQE Planning▸Eighteen Brooklyn officials demand state DOT address BQE’s full deadly stretch. They reject piecemeal fixes. They call out decades of harm. The state’s refusal leaves neighborhoods exposed. The city’s hands are tied. The highway’s danger remains. Vulnerable lives hang in the balance.
On February 10, 2023, eighteen Brooklyn lawmakers issued a joint letter demanding New York State Department of Transportation (DOT) participate in comprehensive planning for the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE). The statement, prompted by a Streetsblog report, reads: "We ask that the NYS DOT remember the daily harms caused by the BQE in its current state—not just the crumbling cantilever section—and join us at the table in search of a solution." The group includes Reps. Nydia Velázquez, Dan Goldman, Borough President Antonio Reynoso, state Sens. Jabari Brisport, Julia Salazar, Kristen Gonzalez, Andrew Gounardes, Assembly Members Bobby Carroll, Maritza Davila, Phara Souffrant Forrest, Emily Gallagher, Jo Anne Simon, Marcela Mitaynes, and Council Members Alexa Avilés, Shahana Hanif, Crystal Hudson, Jennifer Gutiérrez, and Lincoln Restler. Senator Gounardes called the state’s refusal to join the city’s visioning process “unacceptable and irresponsible.” The lawmakers stress that the BQE’s harms—crashes, pollution, division—stretch from Bay Ridge to Greenpoint. Without state action, only city-owned segments see attention. The city’s efforts are limited. The state’s inaction leaves systemic danger unaddressed.
-
Brooklyn Pols Demand the State ‘Come to the Table’ on the BQE,
Streetsblog NYC,
Published 2023-02-10
An unlicensed motorcyclist struck an 82-year-old man crossing 5th Avenue at 60th Street. The impact broke the man’s skull. He died on the sunlit pavement, another life ended by reckless operation on city streets.
According to the police report, an 82-year-old pedestrian was killed at the corner of 5th Avenue and 60th Street in Brooklyn. The man was crossing the street when a northbound motorcycle, operated by an unlicensed rider, struck him head-on. The report states the impact was to the 'center front end' of the motorcycle, resulting in fatal head injuries to the pedestrian. The police report specifically notes the driver's license status as 'unlicensed,' highlighting a critical driver error. The narrative confirms the rider 'hit him square,' and the man died at the scene. While the report mentions the pedestrian was 'crossing without a signal,' it does not list this as a contributing factor, instead marking both contributing factors as 'unspecified.' The focus remains on the unlicensed operation of the motorcycle and the lethal consequences for a vulnerable road user.
E-Scooter Rider’s Arm Crushed by SUV Pullout▸A man on an e-scooter collided with a Honda SUV pulling from the curb on 5th Avenue. Metal struck flesh. His arm was crushed. He stayed conscious as the street fell silent, pain and shock hanging in the air.
According to the police report, a man riding an e-scooter was traveling straight northbound on 5th Avenue near 37th Street in Brooklyn when he struck the front of a Honda SUV that was pulling out from the curb. The report states the e-scooter rider suffered crush injuries to his arm but remained awake and conscious at the scene. The SUV, registered in New York and operated by a licensed driver from New Jersey, was described as 'starting from parking' at the time of the crash. The point of impact was the left front quarter panel of the SUV and the center front end of the e-scooter. The police report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' The narrative underscores the moment of impact: 'metal met flesh and the silence held.' No driver errors are explicitly cited, but the sequence of events highlights the systemic danger when vehicles pull from the curb into active traffic.
Broken Pavement Sends Moped Rider to Death▸A 66-year-old woman rode her moped west on 39th Street. The street gave way. She flew, struck her head, and died alone on the asphalt. No helmet. The city’s broken ground claimed her last breath.
A 66-year-old woman was killed while riding a moped westbound on 39th Street, near Council District 38, according to the police report. The report states, 'The pavement broke beneath her.' She was ejected from the moped, struck her head, and died at the scene. Police list 'Pavement Defective' as the primary contributing factor. The victim was not wearing a helmet, as noted in the report, but this is mentioned only after the systemic failure of the roadway. No other vehicles or persons were involved. The crash underscores the lethal consequences of neglected infrastructure, as the defective pavement directly led to the fatal ejection and head injury.
Turning Pickup Crushes E-Bike Rider on 4th Avenue▸A pickup truck turned left across 4th Avenue, striking a 49-year-old man on an e-bike. Thrown and crushed, he died in the street. The twisted bike and bloodied truck marked the violence of the city’s roads.
A 49-year-old man riding an e-bike was killed at the intersection of 4th Avenue and 53rd Street in Brooklyn when a pickup truck turned left and struck him, according to the police report. The report states the e-bike rider was 'thrown' and 'crushed,' dying at the scene. Both the pickup truck and the e-bike were cited for 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as contributing factors. The pickup, a 2007 Chevrolet, was making a left turn when it collided with the e-bike, which was traveling straight. The police report describes the aftermath: 'The bike lay twisted. The truck bore blood and silence.' The e-bike rider was ejected and suffered crush injuries to the entire body. The data does not specify helmet use or other victim behaviors as contributing factors. The crash underscores the lethal consequences when drivers fail to yield to vulnerable road users.
4Unconscious SUV Driver Plows Into Seven Cars▸A 51-year-old man lost consciousness on the Gowanus Expressway. His SUV slammed into seven vehicles. Metal twisted. Glass flew. He died at the scene. Several others suffered neck injuries as traffic crawled past the wreckage.
According to the police report, a 51-year-old man driving a station wagon/SUV westbound on the Gowanus Expressway lost consciousness behind the wheel. The report states, "His SUV struck seven cars. Metal tore. Glass scattered. Airbags bloomed." The driver died, "strapped in his seat, still and silent, as traffic crawled past the wreckage." The sole contributing factor listed is "Lost Consciousness." No driver errors are cited for the other vehicles. Multiple occupants in the struck cars suffered neck injuries, consistent with whiplash. The crash triggered a chain reaction across seven vehicles, leaving one dead and several injured.
Mitaynes Backs Safety Boosting Clean Deliveries Act▸Every day, 9,000 trucks thunder through Sunset Park and Red Hook. Warehouses choke streets. Black and Latino residents breathe the fumes and dodge danger. Lawmakers push the Clean Deliveries Act to curb the chaos. The burden falls hard. The fight is on.
The Clean Deliveries Act, now under consideration in Albany, aims to regulate last-mile warehouse traffic and emissions across New York State. The bill responds to a new report showing Sunset Park and Red Hook face the city's highest truck volumes—over 9,000 daily trips—linked to sprawling Amazon, FedEx, and UPS facilities. The report states, 'a quarter of residents across the Empire State live within half a mile of a distribution center that’s at least 50,000 square feet, disproportionately harming Black and Latino communities.' State Sen. Andrew Gounardes, representing the affected Brooklyn neighborhoods, calls for urgent action 'for the sake of our climate and the safety of our streets.' Assembly Member Marcela Mitaynes, whose district sees the most daily truck traffic, urges colleagues to pass the Act. Advocates like Kevin Garcia say the bill is 'key legislation to protect frontline communities from increased vehicular traffic and tailpipe emissions.' The Act would require emissions reviews, pollution minimization, and studies of low-emission zones in hotspots.
-
Poorer Brooklynites Bear the Brunt of Online Delivery Boom: Report,
Streetsblog NYC,
Published 2024-01-23
Mitaynes Supports Safety Boosting Universal Daylighting With Barriers▸Seven Brooklyn officials urge DOT to clear cars from corners. They want boulders, planters, and bike corrals—not just paint. Their call follows deadly crashes. They press the city to use state law and federal funds. DOT promises review. Advocates back the push.
On January 17, 2024, seven Brooklyn elected officials—including Council Member Shahana Hanif, Borough President Antonio Reynoso, Assembly Members Marcela Mitaynes, Jo Anne Simon, Robert Carroll, and State Senators Zellnor Myrie and Andrew Gounardes—issued a joint letter to the NYC Department of Transportation. They called for 'universal daylighting with hardened materials such as boulders, planters, and bike corrals' at intersections. The officials cited recent fatal crashes and urged the city to opt into a state law banning parking within 20 feet of corners. They want federal funds used for these changes. The group opposes DOT’s slow pace and reliance on paint, demanding physical barriers. Community board leaders and advocates support the move. DOT says it will review the letter and remains committed to evidence-based daylighting.
-
Seven Brooklyn Electeds Join Growing Calls For Universal Daylighting,
Streetsblog NYC,
Published 2024-01-17
Mitaynes Links Warehouse Emissions to Traffic Violence Risks▸Red Hook chokes on truck fumes. Lawmakers move. The Clean Deliveries Act aims to cut emissions from sprawling e-commerce warehouses. Kristen Gonzalez and others demand action. Diesel trucks crowd narrow streets. Pollution and danger rise. Residents pay the price.
Bill: Clean Deliveries Act. Announced November 29, 2023. Status: Proposed. Committee: Not specified. Lawmakers, including State Sen. Kristen Gonzalez (District 59), call for strict regulation of emissions from last-mile e-commerce warehouses. The bill would require environmental reviews for warehouses over 50,000 square feet, mandate plans to cut air pollution, and push for zero-emission delivery vehicles. Gonzalez said, 'The unchecked growth of large warehouses in neighborhoods across NYC has worsened air quality, noise pollution, and traffic safety for everyday New Yorkers.' Assembly Member Marcela Mitaynes, a co-sponsor, highlighted the link between warehouse traffic, pollution, and traffic violence. The Red Hook Business Alliance and community advocates back the bill, citing heavy truck traffic, poor air, and threats to safety in working-class neighborhoods. The legislation aims to hold warehouse operators accountable and protect residents from the mounting toll of delivery-driven pollution and danger.
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Lawmakers say influx of e-commerce warehouses has spiked greenhouse gas emissions in Red Hook, urge regulation,
brooklynpaper.com,
Published 2023-11-29
Jeep Slams Parked Toyota, Driver Injured▸A Jeep hit a parked Toyota on 39th Street. The Toyota lurched forward. The driver, a 47-year-old man, was found unconscious and crushed. Illness struck before the crash. Sirens wailed, but help came too late.
A Jeep traveling west on 39th Street near 2nd Avenue in Brooklyn struck a parked Toyota. The impact forced the Toyota forward, severely injuring its 47-year-old driver. According to the police report, 'Illness took hold before impact.' The driver was found unconscious, suffering crush injuries to his entire body. The police list 'Illnes' as the contributing factor in the crash. No other driver errors are noted in the report. The Toyota was parked at the time of the collision. The report does not mention any actions by the injured driver that contributed to the crash.
Tractor-Trailer Crushes Parked Sedan on Bush Street▸A tractor-trailer turned onto Bush Street and crushed a parked Kia. The driver, trapped and bleeding, stayed conscious inside the wreck. The truck rolled on. Metal twisted. Blood pooled. The street bore the mark.
A tractor-trailer making a right turn onto Bush Street in Brooklyn struck a parked Kia sedan. According to the police report, the Kia was demolished beneath the trailer. The 36-year-old driver of the Kia was trapped inside, suffering severe lacerations to his arm but remained conscious. The truck continued forward after the impact, leaving its trailer damaged. The police report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' No driver errors were specifically cited in the data. The incident highlights the danger heavy trucks pose to stationary vehicles and their occupants on city streets.
E-Bike Rider Killed Striking Turning Truck▸A 19-year-old on an e-bike hit a turning diesel truck at 4th Avenue and 39th Street. Head trauma. Blood on the street. He died there, alone, under the lights. The crash was fast, brutal, final.
A 19-year-old e-bike rider died after colliding with a diesel truck making a right turn at the corner of 4th Avenue and 39th Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, the e-bike struck the truck at 2:30 a.m. The rider suffered fatal head trauma and died at the scene. The report lists 'Driver Inexperience' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as contributing factors. The rider was not wearing a helmet, as noted in the report, but the primary causes cited are driver errors. No other injuries were reported.
Distracted SUV Driver Strikes Pedestrian on Hamilton Avenue▸A westbound SUV hit a 55-year-old man crossing Hamilton Avenue. The right front bumper struck his head. Blood pooled on the street. The man stayed conscious. Police cited driver distraction. The street bore witness. The man survived, wounded.
A 55-year-old pedestrian suffered a head injury after being struck by a westbound SUV near 357 Hamilton Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, 'A westbound SUV struck a 55-year-old man crossing outside the intersection. He bled from the head. The right front bumper bore the wound. The man stayed conscious. The driver was distracted.' The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor. The impact left the man with severe bleeding but conscious at the scene. The data does not mention any helmet or signal use as a factor. The crash highlights the danger posed by driver distraction on city streets.
Box Truck Crushes Moped Rider’s Head▸A box truck and a moped moved south on 4th Avenue. The moped rider, 21, wore a helmet. He was ejected. His head was crushed. The truck showed no damage. The street showed the cost.
A box truck and a moped traveled south on 4th Avenue at 53rd Street in Brooklyn. The moped rider, age 21, was ejected and suffered a crushed head. According to the police report, 'A box truck and a moped moved south. The moped driver, 21, wore a helmet. He was ejected. Conscious. His head was crushed.' The data lists no specific driver errors, but the narrative shows the moped rider paid the price. The rider wore a helmet. The truck showed no damage, but the human toll was severe.
Box Truck Slams Tractor-Trailer on Gowanus Expressway▸A box truck, speeding, rammed a slowing tractor-trailer on the Gowanus Expressway. Steel twisted. The box truck driver, 34, bled from the face but stayed conscious. The crash left shattered glass and a trail of blood on the highway.
A violent crash unfolded on the Gowanus Expressway when a box truck, traveling at unsafe speed, struck the rear of a slowing tractor-trailer. According to the police report, 'A box truck, too fast, crushed into a slowing tractor-trailer. Steel folded. The driver, 34, wore his belt. Blood ran down his face. He stayed awake, staring through shattered glass at the wreck he made.' The driver of the box truck suffered severe facial lacerations but remained conscious. The police report lists 'Unsafe Speed' as the contributing factor in the crash. The tractor-trailer was slowing or stopping when it was hit. The only injury reported was to the box truck driver, who was wearing a lap belt and harness.
Mitaynes Backs Safety Boosting Equalized Tolling Plan▸Brooklyn officials demand equal tolls on all Manhattan crossings. They warn free bridges funnel traffic into certain neighborhoods. Their letter calls for fairness. The MTA stays silent. The Traffic Mobility Review Board will decide. Streets hang in the balance.
On July 18, 2023, Council Member Shahana Hanif and other Brooklyn officials called for 'equalized tolling on all crossings into Manhattan' as congestion pricing nears. Their letter to the Traffic Mobility Review Board states: 'No one community should disproportionately bear the burden of the cars and trucks passing through their neighborhood.' Hanif, along with Lincoln Restler, Alexa Avilés, Jennifer Gutiérrez, and Crystal Hudson, joined borough, state, and federal colleagues in this push. They propose a credit system to balance costs between DOT bridges and MTA tunnels, aiming to protect neighborhoods like the Brooklyn waterfront and the BQE corridor from traffic surges. The MTA declined comment. The Board will soon set final toll rates and rules. The federal government has approved the congestion pricing plan, with tolls for cars expected between $9 and $23. Over 100 exemption requests, including from taxi and for-hire vehicle drivers, are under review.
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Pols call for ‘equalized tolling’ on all crossings into Manhattan under congestion pricing on eve of board deliberations,
amny.com,
Published 2023-07-18
2SUV Turns Left, E-Bike Teens Bleed on 25th Street▸An SUV turned left on 25th Street. Two teens on an e-bike struck its rear. One bled from the head, the other from the face. Both were conscious. Blood pooled on Brooklyn pavement. Failure to yield and unsafe speed marked the crash.
Two teenage boys riding an e-bike were injured when they struck the rear of an SUV making a left turn on 25th Street near 4th Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, 'An SUV turned left. An e-bike with two teen boys struck its rear. One bled from the head. The other, from the face. Both conscious. Both hurt. Blood pooled on the hot Brooklyn pavement.' The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Unsafe Speed' as contributing factors. Both teens suffered severe bleeding, one to the head and one to the face. The data also notes 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a factor. The SUV was damaged on the right rear quarter panel, while the e-bike was damaged at the front. No mention of helmet use or signaling as contributing factors.
Moped Rider Killed After Striking Jeep in Brooklyn▸A moped slammed into a Jeep on 4th Avenue. The young rider flew off and struck his head. He died in the street. The crash happened in darkness. Police cited traffic control disregarded.
A deadly crash unfolded at the corner of 4th Avenue and 52nd Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, a moped hit the side of a Jeep. The 21-year-old unlicensed moped rider was ejected, suffered a fatal head injury, and died at the scene. The report lists 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as a contributing factor. The Jeep driver was licensed and uninjured. The moped had no registered license, and the rider wore no helmet. The crash happened in darkness, with no other injuries reported.
Head-On Bike Collision Leaves Cyclist Bleeding▸Two bikes crashed head-on at 61st and 4th. One turned left. One went straight. A 23-year-old man hit the pavement, blood streaming from his head. He stayed conscious. The street stood still. Failure to yield and ignored signals brought pain.
Two bicyclists collided head-on at the corner of 61st Street and 4th Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, one cyclist was making a left turn while the other was going straight. The crash left a 23-year-old man with severe bleeding from the head, though he remained conscious. The police report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as contributing factors. No helmet was worn by the injured cyclist, as noted after the driver errors. The collision underscores the dangers faced by vulnerable road users on city streets.
Mitaynes Supports Safety Boosting Cargo Bike and Emissions Bills▸Lawmakers push two bills. One widens legal cargo bikes. One reins in dirty warehouses. Both target truck traffic choking city streets. Sponsors say the measures will cut pollution, asthma, and danger for people outside cars. Albany momentum grows.
Bills S6106 (Sen. Jessica Ramos) and A6968 (Asm. Marcela Mitaynes) are active in the New York State legislature. S6106 would expand the legal width of cargo bikes from 36 to 48 inches, making them more useful for deliveries. A6968 would let the Department of Environmental Conservation regulate emissions from last-mile warehouses and require plans to cut transportation pollution, including by using zero-emission vehicles like cargo bikes. The matter summary notes, 'The bills complement each other.' Ramos and Mitaynes sponsor the measures. Their staff and advocates say the bills will help replace polluting vans with cleaner cargo bikes, especially in low-income areas hit hard by asthma. Both bills are gaining support in Albany.
-
V-DAY SPECIAL: Bigger Cargo Bikes and Last-Mile Warehouse Regulation is a Match Made In Heaven,
Streetsblog NYC,
Published 2023-02-14
Mitaynes Supports Safety Boosting State Participation in BQE Planning▸Eighteen Brooklyn officials demand state DOT address BQE’s full deadly stretch. They reject piecemeal fixes. They call out decades of harm. The state’s refusal leaves neighborhoods exposed. The city’s hands are tied. The highway’s danger remains. Vulnerable lives hang in the balance.
On February 10, 2023, eighteen Brooklyn lawmakers issued a joint letter demanding New York State Department of Transportation (DOT) participate in comprehensive planning for the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE). The statement, prompted by a Streetsblog report, reads: "We ask that the NYS DOT remember the daily harms caused by the BQE in its current state—not just the crumbling cantilever section—and join us at the table in search of a solution." The group includes Reps. Nydia Velázquez, Dan Goldman, Borough President Antonio Reynoso, state Sens. Jabari Brisport, Julia Salazar, Kristen Gonzalez, Andrew Gounardes, Assembly Members Bobby Carroll, Maritza Davila, Phara Souffrant Forrest, Emily Gallagher, Jo Anne Simon, Marcela Mitaynes, and Council Members Alexa Avilés, Shahana Hanif, Crystal Hudson, Jennifer Gutiérrez, and Lincoln Restler. Senator Gounardes called the state’s refusal to join the city’s visioning process “unacceptable and irresponsible.” The lawmakers stress that the BQE’s harms—crashes, pollution, division—stretch from Bay Ridge to Greenpoint. Without state action, only city-owned segments see attention. The city’s efforts are limited. The state’s inaction leaves systemic danger unaddressed.
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Brooklyn Pols Demand the State ‘Come to the Table’ on the BQE,
Streetsblog NYC,
Published 2023-02-10
A man on an e-scooter collided with a Honda SUV pulling from the curb on 5th Avenue. Metal struck flesh. His arm was crushed. He stayed conscious as the street fell silent, pain and shock hanging in the air.
According to the police report, a man riding an e-scooter was traveling straight northbound on 5th Avenue near 37th Street in Brooklyn when he struck the front of a Honda SUV that was pulling out from the curb. The report states the e-scooter rider suffered crush injuries to his arm but remained awake and conscious at the scene. The SUV, registered in New York and operated by a licensed driver from New Jersey, was described as 'starting from parking' at the time of the crash. The point of impact was the left front quarter panel of the SUV and the center front end of the e-scooter. The police report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' The narrative underscores the moment of impact: 'metal met flesh and the silence held.' No driver errors are explicitly cited, but the sequence of events highlights the systemic danger when vehicles pull from the curb into active traffic.
Broken Pavement Sends Moped Rider to Death▸A 66-year-old woman rode her moped west on 39th Street. The street gave way. She flew, struck her head, and died alone on the asphalt. No helmet. The city’s broken ground claimed her last breath.
A 66-year-old woman was killed while riding a moped westbound on 39th Street, near Council District 38, according to the police report. The report states, 'The pavement broke beneath her.' She was ejected from the moped, struck her head, and died at the scene. Police list 'Pavement Defective' as the primary contributing factor. The victim was not wearing a helmet, as noted in the report, but this is mentioned only after the systemic failure of the roadway. No other vehicles or persons were involved. The crash underscores the lethal consequences of neglected infrastructure, as the defective pavement directly led to the fatal ejection and head injury.
Turning Pickup Crushes E-Bike Rider on 4th Avenue▸A pickup truck turned left across 4th Avenue, striking a 49-year-old man on an e-bike. Thrown and crushed, he died in the street. The twisted bike and bloodied truck marked the violence of the city’s roads.
A 49-year-old man riding an e-bike was killed at the intersection of 4th Avenue and 53rd Street in Brooklyn when a pickup truck turned left and struck him, according to the police report. The report states the e-bike rider was 'thrown' and 'crushed,' dying at the scene. Both the pickup truck and the e-bike were cited for 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as contributing factors. The pickup, a 2007 Chevrolet, was making a left turn when it collided with the e-bike, which was traveling straight. The police report describes the aftermath: 'The bike lay twisted. The truck bore blood and silence.' The e-bike rider was ejected and suffered crush injuries to the entire body. The data does not specify helmet use or other victim behaviors as contributing factors. The crash underscores the lethal consequences when drivers fail to yield to vulnerable road users.
4Unconscious SUV Driver Plows Into Seven Cars▸A 51-year-old man lost consciousness on the Gowanus Expressway. His SUV slammed into seven vehicles. Metal twisted. Glass flew. He died at the scene. Several others suffered neck injuries as traffic crawled past the wreckage.
According to the police report, a 51-year-old man driving a station wagon/SUV westbound on the Gowanus Expressway lost consciousness behind the wheel. The report states, "His SUV struck seven cars. Metal tore. Glass scattered. Airbags bloomed." The driver died, "strapped in his seat, still and silent, as traffic crawled past the wreckage." The sole contributing factor listed is "Lost Consciousness." No driver errors are cited for the other vehicles. Multiple occupants in the struck cars suffered neck injuries, consistent with whiplash. The crash triggered a chain reaction across seven vehicles, leaving one dead and several injured.
Mitaynes Backs Safety Boosting Clean Deliveries Act▸Every day, 9,000 trucks thunder through Sunset Park and Red Hook. Warehouses choke streets. Black and Latino residents breathe the fumes and dodge danger. Lawmakers push the Clean Deliveries Act to curb the chaos. The burden falls hard. The fight is on.
The Clean Deliveries Act, now under consideration in Albany, aims to regulate last-mile warehouse traffic and emissions across New York State. The bill responds to a new report showing Sunset Park and Red Hook face the city's highest truck volumes—over 9,000 daily trips—linked to sprawling Amazon, FedEx, and UPS facilities. The report states, 'a quarter of residents across the Empire State live within half a mile of a distribution center that’s at least 50,000 square feet, disproportionately harming Black and Latino communities.' State Sen. Andrew Gounardes, representing the affected Brooklyn neighborhoods, calls for urgent action 'for the sake of our climate and the safety of our streets.' Assembly Member Marcela Mitaynes, whose district sees the most daily truck traffic, urges colleagues to pass the Act. Advocates like Kevin Garcia say the bill is 'key legislation to protect frontline communities from increased vehicular traffic and tailpipe emissions.' The Act would require emissions reviews, pollution minimization, and studies of low-emission zones in hotspots.
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Poorer Brooklynites Bear the Brunt of Online Delivery Boom: Report,
Streetsblog NYC,
Published 2024-01-23
Mitaynes Supports Safety Boosting Universal Daylighting With Barriers▸Seven Brooklyn officials urge DOT to clear cars from corners. They want boulders, planters, and bike corrals—not just paint. Their call follows deadly crashes. They press the city to use state law and federal funds. DOT promises review. Advocates back the push.
On January 17, 2024, seven Brooklyn elected officials—including Council Member Shahana Hanif, Borough President Antonio Reynoso, Assembly Members Marcela Mitaynes, Jo Anne Simon, Robert Carroll, and State Senators Zellnor Myrie and Andrew Gounardes—issued a joint letter to the NYC Department of Transportation. They called for 'universal daylighting with hardened materials such as boulders, planters, and bike corrals' at intersections. The officials cited recent fatal crashes and urged the city to opt into a state law banning parking within 20 feet of corners. They want federal funds used for these changes. The group opposes DOT’s slow pace and reliance on paint, demanding physical barriers. Community board leaders and advocates support the move. DOT says it will review the letter and remains committed to evidence-based daylighting.
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Seven Brooklyn Electeds Join Growing Calls For Universal Daylighting,
Streetsblog NYC,
Published 2024-01-17
Mitaynes Links Warehouse Emissions to Traffic Violence Risks▸Red Hook chokes on truck fumes. Lawmakers move. The Clean Deliveries Act aims to cut emissions from sprawling e-commerce warehouses. Kristen Gonzalez and others demand action. Diesel trucks crowd narrow streets. Pollution and danger rise. Residents pay the price.
Bill: Clean Deliveries Act. Announced November 29, 2023. Status: Proposed. Committee: Not specified. Lawmakers, including State Sen. Kristen Gonzalez (District 59), call for strict regulation of emissions from last-mile e-commerce warehouses. The bill would require environmental reviews for warehouses over 50,000 square feet, mandate plans to cut air pollution, and push for zero-emission delivery vehicles. Gonzalez said, 'The unchecked growth of large warehouses in neighborhoods across NYC has worsened air quality, noise pollution, and traffic safety for everyday New Yorkers.' Assembly Member Marcela Mitaynes, a co-sponsor, highlighted the link between warehouse traffic, pollution, and traffic violence. The Red Hook Business Alliance and community advocates back the bill, citing heavy truck traffic, poor air, and threats to safety in working-class neighborhoods. The legislation aims to hold warehouse operators accountable and protect residents from the mounting toll of delivery-driven pollution and danger.
-
Lawmakers say influx of e-commerce warehouses has spiked greenhouse gas emissions in Red Hook, urge regulation,
brooklynpaper.com,
Published 2023-11-29
Jeep Slams Parked Toyota, Driver Injured▸A Jeep hit a parked Toyota on 39th Street. The Toyota lurched forward. The driver, a 47-year-old man, was found unconscious and crushed. Illness struck before the crash. Sirens wailed, but help came too late.
A Jeep traveling west on 39th Street near 2nd Avenue in Brooklyn struck a parked Toyota. The impact forced the Toyota forward, severely injuring its 47-year-old driver. According to the police report, 'Illness took hold before impact.' The driver was found unconscious, suffering crush injuries to his entire body. The police list 'Illnes' as the contributing factor in the crash. No other driver errors are noted in the report. The Toyota was parked at the time of the collision. The report does not mention any actions by the injured driver that contributed to the crash.
Tractor-Trailer Crushes Parked Sedan on Bush Street▸A tractor-trailer turned onto Bush Street and crushed a parked Kia. The driver, trapped and bleeding, stayed conscious inside the wreck. The truck rolled on. Metal twisted. Blood pooled. The street bore the mark.
A tractor-trailer making a right turn onto Bush Street in Brooklyn struck a parked Kia sedan. According to the police report, the Kia was demolished beneath the trailer. The 36-year-old driver of the Kia was trapped inside, suffering severe lacerations to his arm but remained conscious. The truck continued forward after the impact, leaving its trailer damaged. The police report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' No driver errors were specifically cited in the data. The incident highlights the danger heavy trucks pose to stationary vehicles and their occupants on city streets.
E-Bike Rider Killed Striking Turning Truck▸A 19-year-old on an e-bike hit a turning diesel truck at 4th Avenue and 39th Street. Head trauma. Blood on the street. He died there, alone, under the lights. The crash was fast, brutal, final.
A 19-year-old e-bike rider died after colliding with a diesel truck making a right turn at the corner of 4th Avenue and 39th Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, the e-bike struck the truck at 2:30 a.m. The rider suffered fatal head trauma and died at the scene. The report lists 'Driver Inexperience' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as contributing factors. The rider was not wearing a helmet, as noted in the report, but the primary causes cited are driver errors. No other injuries were reported.
Distracted SUV Driver Strikes Pedestrian on Hamilton Avenue▸A westbound SUV hit a 55-year-old man crossing Hamilton Avenue. The right front bumper struck his head. Blood pooled on the street. The man stayed conscious. Police cited driver distraction. The street bore witness. The man survived, wounded.
A 55-year-old pedestrian suffered a head injury after being struck by a westbound SUV near 357 Hamilton Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, 'A westbound SUV struck a 55-year-old man crossing outside the intersection. He bled from the head. The right front bumper bore the wound. The man stayed conscious. The driver was distracted.' The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor. The impact left the man with severe bleeding but conscious at the scene. The data does not mention any helmet or signal use as a factor. The crash highlights the danger posed by driver distraction on city streets.
Box Truck Crushes Moped Rider’s Head▸A box truck and a moped moved south on 4th Avenue. The moped rider, 21, wore a helmet. He was ejected. His head was crushed. The truck showed no damage. The street showed the cost.
A box truck and a moped traveled south on 4th Avenue at 53rd Street in Brooklyn. The moped rider, age 21, was ejected and suffered a crushed head. According to the police report, 'A box truck and a moped moved south. The moped driver, 21, wore a helmet. He was ejected. Conscious. His head was crushed.' The data lists no specific driver errors, but the narrative shows the moped rider paid the price. The rider wore a helmet. The truck showed no damage, but the human toll was severe.
Box Truck Slams Tractor-Trailer on Gowanus Expressway▸A box truck, speeding, rammed a slowing tractor-trailer on the Gowanus Expressway. Steel twisted. The box truck driver, 34, bled from the face but stayed conscious. The crash left shattered glass and a trail of blood on the highway.
A violent crash unfolded on the Gowanus Expressway when a box truck, traveling at unsafe speed, struck the rear of a slowing tractor-trailer. According to the police report, 'A box truck, too fast, crushed into a slowing tractor-trailer. Steel folded. The driver, 34, wore his belt. Blood ran down his face. He stayed awake, staring through shattered glass at the wreck he made.' The driver of the box truck suffered severe facial lacerations but remained conscious. The police report lists 'Unsafe Speed' as the contributing factor in the crash. The tractor-trailer was slowing or stopping when it was hit. The only injury reported was to the box truck driver, who was wearing a lap belt and harness.
Mitaynes Backs Safety Boosting Equalized Tolling Plan▸Brooklyn officials demand equal tolls on all Manhattan crossings. They warn free bridges funnel traffic into certain neighborhoods. Their letter calls for fairness. The MTA stays silent. The Traffic Mobility Review Board will decide. Streets hang in the balance.
On July 18, 2023, Council Member Shahana Hanif and other Brooklyn officials called for 'equalized tolling on all crossings into Manhattan' as congestion pricing nears. Their letter to the Traffic Mobility Review Board states: 'No one community should disproportionately bear the burden of the cars and trucks passing through their neighborhood.' Hanif, along with Lincoln Restler, Alexa Avilés, Jennifer Gutiérrez, and Crystal Hudson, joined borough, state, and federal colleagues in this push. They propose a credit system to balance costs between DOT bridges and MTA tunnels, aiming to protect neighborhoods like the Brooklyn waterfront and the BQE corridor from traffic surges. The MTA declined comment. The Board will soon set final toll rates and rules. The federal government has approved the congestion pricing plan, with tolls for cars expected between $9 and $23. Over 100 exemption requests, including from taxi and for-hire vehicle drivers, are under review.
-
Pols call for ‘equalized tolling’ on all crossings into Manhattan under congestion pricing on eve of board deliberations,
amny.com,
Published 2023-07-18
2SUV Turns Left, E-Bike Teens Bleed on 25th Street▸An SUV turned left on 25th Street. Two teens on an e-bike struck its rear. One bled from the head, the other from the face. Both were conscious. Blood pooled on Brooklyn pavement. Failure to yield and unsafe speed marked the crash.
Two teenage boys riding an e-bike were injured when they struck the rear of an SUV making a left turn on 25th Street near 4th Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, 'An SUV turned left. An e-bike with two teen boys struck its rear. One bled from the head. The other, from the face. Both conscious. Both hurt. Blood pooled on the hot Brooklyn pavement.' The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Unsafe Speed' as contributing factors. Both teens suffered severe bleeding, one to the head and one to the face. The data also notes 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a factor. The SUV was damaged on the right rear quarter panel, while the e-bike was damaged at the front. No mention of helmet use or signaling as contributing factors.
Moped Rider Killed After Striking Jeep in Brooklyn▸A moped slammed into a Jeep on 4th Avenue. The young rider flew off and struck his head. He died in the street. The crash happened in darkness. Police cited traffic control disregarded.
A deadly crash unfolded at the corner of 4th Avenue and 52nd Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, a moped hit the side of a Jeep. The 21-year-old unlicensed moped rider was ejected, suffered a fatal head injury, and died at the scene. The report lists 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as a contributing factor. The Jeep driver was licensed and uninjured. The moped had no registered license, and the rider wore no helmet. The crash happened in darkness, with no other injuries reported.
Head-On Bike Collision Leaves Cyclist Bleeding▸Two bikes crashed head-on at 61st and 4th. One turned left. One went straight. A 23-year-old man hit the pavement, blood streaming from his head. He stayed conscious. The street stood still. Failure to yield and ignored signals brought pain.
Two bicyclists collided head-on at the corner of 61st Street and 4th Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, one cyclist was making a left turn while the other was going straight. The crash left a 23-year-old man with severe bleeding from the head, though he remained conscious. The police report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as contributing factors. No helmet was worn by the injured cyclist, as noted after the driver errors. The collision underscores the dangers faced by vulnerable road users on city streets.
Mitaynes Supports Safety Boosting Cargo Bike and Emissions Bills▸Lawmakers push two bills. One widens legal cargo bikes. One reins in dirty warehouses. Both target truck traffic choking city streets. Sponsors say the measures will cut pollution, asthma, and danger for people outside cars. Albany momentum grows.
Bills S6106 (Sen. Jessica Ramos) and A6968 (Asm. Marcela Mitaynes) are active in the New York State legislature. S6106 would expand the legal width of cargo bikes from 36 to 48 inches, making them more useful for deliveries. A6968 would let the Department of Environmental Conservation regulate emissions from last-mile warehouses and require plans to cut transportation pollution, including by using zero-emission vehicles like cargo bikes. The matter summary notes, 'The bills complement each other.' Ramos and Mitaynes sponsor the measures. Their staff and advocates say the bills will help replace polluting vans with cleaner cargo bikes, especially in low-income areas hit hard by asthma. Both bills are gaining support in Albany.
-
V-DAY SPECIAL: Bigger Cargo Bikes and Last-Mile Warehouse Regulation is a Match Made In Heaven,
Streetsblog NYC,
Published 2023-02-14
Mitaynes Supports Safety Boosting State Participation in BQE Planning▸Eighteen Brooklyn officials demand state DOT address BQE’s full deadly stretch. They reject piecemeal fixes. They call out decades of harm. The state’s refusal leaves neighborhoods exposed. The city’s hands are tied. The highway’s danger remains. Vulnerable lives hang in the balance.
On February 10, 2023, eighteen Brooklyn lawmakers issued a joint letter demanding New York State Department of Transportation (DOT) participate in comprehensive planning for the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE). The statement, prompted by a Streetsblog report, reads: "We ask that the NYS DOT remember the daily harms caused by the BQE in its current state—not just the crumbling cantilever section—and join us at the table in search of a solution." The group includes Reps. Nydia Velázquez, Dan Goldman, Borough President Antonio Reynoso, state Sens. Jabari Brisport, Julia Salazar, Kristen Gonzalez, Andrew Gounardes, Assembly Members Bobby Carroll, Maritza Davila, Phara Souffrant Forrest, Emily Gallagher, Jo Anne Simon, Marcela Mitaynes, and Council Members Alexa Avilés, Shahana Hanif, Crystal Hudson, Jennifer Gutiérrez, and Lincoln Restler. Senator Gounardes called the state’s refusal to join the city’s visioning process “unacceptable and irresponsible.” The lawmakers stress that the BQE’s harms—crashes, pollution, division—stretch from Bay Ridge to Greenpoint. Without state action, only city-owned segments see attention. The city’s efforts are limited. The state’s inaction leaves systemic danger unaddressed.
-
Brooklyn Pols Demand the State ‘Come to the Table’ on the BQE,
Streetsblog NYC,
Published 2023-02-10
A 66-year-old woman rode her moped west on 39th Street. The street gave way. She flew, struck her head, and died alone on the asphalt. No helmet. The city’s broken ground claimed her last breath.
A 66-year-old woman was killed while riding a moped westbound on 39th Street, near Council District 38, according to the police report. The report states, 'The pavement broke beneath her.' She was ejected from the moped, struck her head, and died at the scene. Police list 'Pavement Defective' as the primary contributing factor. The victim was not wearing a helmet, as noted in the report, but this is mentioned only after the systemic failure of the roadway. No other vehicles or persons were involved. The crash underscores the lethal consequences of neglected infrastructure, as the defective pavement directly led to the fatal ejection and head injury.
Turning Pickup Crushes E-Bike Rider on 4th Avenue▸A pickup truck turned left across 4th Avenue, striking a 49-year-old man on an e-bike. Thrown and crushed, he died in the street. The twisted bike and bloodied truck marked the violence of the city’s roads.
A 49-year-old man riding an e-bike was killed at the intersection of 4th Avenue and 53rd Street in Brooklyn when a pickup truck turned left and struck him, according to the police report. The report states the e-bike rider was 'thrown' and 'crushed,' dying at the scene. Both the pickup truck and the e-bike were cited for 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as contributing factors. The pickup, a 2007 Chevrolet, was making a left turn when it collided with the e-bike, which was traveling straight. The police report describes the aftermath: 'The bike lay twisted. The truck bore blood and silence.' The e-bike rider was ejected and suffered crush injuries to the entire body. The data does not specify helmet use or other victim behaviors as contributing factors. The crash underscores the lethal consequences when drivers fail to yield to vulnerable road users.
4Unconscious SUV Driver Plows Into Seven Cars▸A 51-year-old man lost consciousness on the Gowanus Expressway. His SUV slammed into seven vehicles. Metal twisted. Glass flew. He died at the scene. Several others suffered neck injuries as traffic crawled past the wreckage.
According to the police report, a 51-year-old man driving a station wagon/SUV westbound on the Gowanus Expressway lost consciousness behind the wheel. The report states, "His SUV struck seven cars. Metal tore. Glass scattered. Airbags bloomed." The driver died, "strapped in his seat, still and silent, as traffic crawled past the wreckage." The sole contributing factor listed is "Lost Consciousness." No driver errors are cited for the other vehicles. Multiple occupants in the struck cars suffered neck injuries, consistent with whiplash. The crash triggered a chain reaction across seven vehicles, leaving one dead and several injured.
Mitaynes Backs Safety Boosting Clean Deliveries Act▸Every day, 9,000 trucks thunder through Sunset Park and Red Hook. Warehouses choke streets. Black and Latino residents breathe the fumes and dodge danger. Lawmakers push the Clean Deliveries Act to curb the chaos. The burden falls hard. The fight is on.
The Clean Deliveries Act, now under consideration in Albany, aims to regulate last-mile warehouse traffic and emissions across New York State. The bill responds to a new report showing Sunset Park and Red Hook face the city's highest truck volumes—over 9,000 daily trips—linked to sprawling Amazon, FedEx, and UPS facilities. The report states, 'a quarter of residents across the Empire State live within half a mile of a distribution center that’s at least 50,000 square feet, disproportionately harming Black and Latino communities.' State Sen. Andrew Gounardes, representing the affected Brooklyn neighborhoods, calls for urgent action 'for the sake of our climate and the safety of our streets.' Assembly Member Marcela Mitaynes, whose district sees the most daily truck traffic, urges colleagues to pass the Act. Advocates like Kevin Garcia say the bill is 'key legislation to protect frontline communities from increased vehicular traffic and tailpipe emissions.' The Act would require emissions reviews, pollution minimization, and studies of low-emission zones in hotspots.
-
Poorer Brooklynites Bear the Brunt of Online Delivery Boom: Report,
Streetsblog NYC,
Published 2024-01-23
Mitaynes Supports Safety Boosting Universal Daylighting With Barriers▸Seven Brooklyn officials urge DOT to clear cars from corners. They want boulders, planters, and bike corrals—not just paint. Their call follows deadly crashes. They press the city to use state law and federal funds. DOT promises review. Advocates back the push.
On January 17, 2024, seven Brooklyn elected officials—including Council Member Shahana Hanif, Borough President Antonio Reynoso, Assembly Members Marcela Mitaynes, Jo Anne Simon, Robert Carroll, and State Senators Zellnor Myrie and Andrew Gounardes—issued a joint letter to the NYC Department of Transportation. They called for 'universal daylighting with hardened materials such as boulders, planters, and bike corrals' at intersections. The officials cited recent fatal crashes and urged the city to opt into a state law banning parking within 20 feet of corners. They want federal funds used for these changes. The group opposes DOT’s slow pace and reliance on paint, demanding physical barriers. Community board leaders and advocates support the move. DOT says it will review the letter and remains committed to evidence-based daylighting.
-
Seven Brooklyn Electeds Join Growing Calls For Universal Daylighting,
Streetsblog NYC,
Published 2024-01-17
Mitaynes Links Warehouse Emissions to Traffic Violence Risks▸Red Hook chokes on truck fumes. Lawmakers move. The Clean Deliveries Act aims to cut emissions from sprawling e-commerce warehouses. Kristen Gonzalez and others demand action. Diesel trucks crowd narrow streets. Pollution and danger rise. Residents pay the price.
Bill: Clean Deliveries Act. Announced November 29, 2023. Status: Proposed. Committee: Not specified. Lawmakers, including State Sen. Kristen Gonzalez (District 59), call for strict regulation of emissions from last-mile e-commerce warehouses. The bill would require environmental reviews for warehouses over 50,000 square feet, mandate plans to cut air pollution, and push for zero-emission delivery vehicles. Gonzalez said, 'The unchecked growth of large warehouses in neighborhoods across NYC has worsened air quality, noise pollution, and traffic safety for everyday New Yorkers.' Assembly Member Marcela Mitaynes, a co-sponsor, highlighted the link between warehouse traffic, pollution, and traffic violence. The Red Hook Business Alliance and community advocates back the bill, citing heavy truck traffic, poor air, and threats to safety in working-class neighborhoods. The legislation aims to hold warehouse operators accountable and protect residents from the mounting toll of delivery-driven pollution and danger.
-
Lawmakers say influx of e-commerce warehouses has spiked greenhouse gas emissions in Red Hook, urge regulation,
brooklynpaper.com,
Published 2023-11-29
Jeep Slams Parked Toyota, Driver Injured▸A Jeep hit a parked Toyota on 39th Street. The Toyota lurched forward. The driver, a 47-year-old man, was found unconscious and crushed. Illness struck before the crash. Sirens wailed, but help came too late.
A Jeep traveling west on 39th Street near 2nd Avenue in Brooklyn struck a parked Toyota. The impact forced the Toyota forward, severely injuring its 47-year-old driver. According to the police report, 'Illness took hold before impact.' The driver was found unconscious, suffering crush injuries to his entire body. The police list 'Illnes' as the contributing factor in the crash. No other driver errors are noted in the report. The Toyota was parked at the time of the collision. The report does not mention any actions by the injured driver that contributed to the crash.
Tractor-Trailer Crushes Parked Sedan on Bush Street▸A tractor-trailer turned onto Bush Street and crushed a parked Kia. The driver, trapped and bleeding, stayed conscious inside the wreck. The truck rolled on. Metal twisted. Blood pooled. The street bore the mark.
A tractor-trailer making a right turn onto Bush Street in Brooklyn struck a parked Kia sedan. According to the police report, the Kia was demolished beneath the trailer. The 36-year-old driver of the Kia was trapped inside, suffering severe lacerations to his arm but remained conscious. The truck continued forward after the impact, leaving its trailer damaged. The police report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' No driver errors were specifically cited in the data. The incident highlights the danger heavy trucks pose to stationary vehicles and their occupants on city streets.
E-Bike Rider Killed Striking Turning Truck▸A 19-year-old on an e-bike hit a turning diesel truck at 4th Avenue and 39th Street. Head trauma. Blood on the street. He died there, alone, under the lights. The crash was fast, brutal, final.
A 19-year-old e-bike rider died after colliding with a diesel truck making a right turn at the corner of 4th Avenue and 39th Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, the e-bike struck the truck at 2:30 a.m. The rider suffered fatal head trauma and died at the scene. The report lists 'Driver Inexperience' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as contributing factors. The rider was not wearing a helmet, as noted in the report, but the primary causes cited are driver errors. No other injuries were reported.
Distracted SUV Driver Strikes Pedestrian on Hamilton Avenue▸A westbound SUV hit a 55-year-old man crossing Hamilton Avenue. The right front bumper struck his head. Blood pooled on the street. The man stayed conscious. Police cited driver distraction. The street bore witness. The man survived, wounded.
A 55-year-old pedestrian suffered a head injury after being struck by a westbound SUV near 357 Hamilton Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, 'A westbound SUV struck a 55-year-old man crossing outside the intersection. He bled from the head. The right front bumper bore the wound. The man stayed conscious. The driver was distracted.' The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor. The impact left the man with severe bleeding but conscious at the scene. The data does not mention any helmet or signal use as a factor. The crash highlights the danger posed by driver distraction on city streets.
Box Truck Crushes Moped Rider’s Head▸A box truck and a moped moved south on 4th Avenue. The moped rider, 21, wore a helmet. He was ejected. His head was crushed. The truck showed no damage. The street showed the cost.
A box truck and a moped traveled south on 4th Avenue at 53rd Street in Brooklyn. The moped rider, age 21, was ejected and suffered a crushed head. According to the police report, 'A box truck and a moped moved south. The moped driver, 21, wore a helmet. He was ejected. Conscious. His head was crushed.' The data lists no specific driver errors, but the narrative shows the moped rider paid the price. The rider wore a helmet. The truck showed no damage, but the human toll was severe.
Box Truck Slams Tractor-Trailer on Gowanus Expressway▸A box truck, speeding, rammed a slowing tractor-trailer on the Gowanus Expressway. Steel twisted. The box truck driver, 34, bled from the face but stayed conscious. The crash left shattered glass and a trail of blood on the highway.
A violent crash unfolded on the Gowanus Expressway when a box truck, traveling at unsafe speed, struck the rear of a slowing tractor-trailer. According to the police report, 'A box truck, too fast, crushed into a slowing tractor-trailer. Steel folded. The driver, 34, wore his belt. Blood ran down his face. He stayed awake, staring through shattered glass at the wreck he made.' The driver of the box truck suffered severe facial lacerations but remained conscious. The police report lists 'Unsafe Speed' as the contributing factor in the crash. The tractor-trailer was slowing or stopping when it was hit. The only injury reported was to the box truck driver, who was wearing a lap belt and harness.
Mitaynes Backs Safety Boosting Equalized Tolling Plan▸Brooklyn officials demand equal tolls on all Manhattan crossings. They warn free bridges funnel traffic into certain neighborhoods. Their letter calls for fairness. The MTA stays silent. The Traffic Mobility Review Board will decide. Streets hang in the balance.
On July 18, 2023, Council Member Shahana Hanif and other Brooklyn officials called for 'equalized tolling on all crossings into Manhattan' as congestion pricing nears. Their letter to the Traffic Mobility Review Board states: 'No one community should disproportionately bear the burden of the cars and trucks passing through their neighborhood.' Hanif, along with Lincoln Restler, Alexa Avilés, Jennifer Gutiérrez, and Crystal Hudson, joined borough, state, and federal colleagues in this push. They propose a credit system to balance costs between DOT bridges and MTA tunnels, aiming to protect neighborhoods like the Brooklyn waterfront and the BQE corridor from traffic surges. The MTA declined comment. The Board will soon set final toll rates and rules. The federal government has approved the congestion pricing plan, with tolls for cars expected between $9 and $23. Over 100 exemption requests, including from taxi and for-hire vehicle drivers, are under review.
-
Pols call for ‘equalized tolling’ on all crossings into Manhattan under congestion pricing on eve of board deliberations,
amny.com,
Published 2023-07-18
2SUV Turns Left, E-Bike Teens Bleed on 25th Street▸An SUV turned left on 25th Street. Two teens on an e-bike struck its rear. One bled from the head, the other from the face. Both were conscious. Blood pooled on Brooklyn pavement. Failure to yield and unsafe speed marked the crash.
Two teenage boys riding an e-bike were injured when they struck the rear of an SUV making a left turn on 25th Street near 4th Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, 'An SUV turned left. An e-bike with two teen boys struck its rear. One bled from the head. The other, from the face. Both conscious. Both hurt. Blood pooled on the hot Brooklyn pavement.' The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Unsafe Speed' as contributing factors. Both teens suffered severe bleeding, one to the head and one to the face. The data also notes 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a factor. The SUV was damaged on the right rear quarter panel, while the e-bike was damaged at the front. No mention of helmet use or signaling as contributing factors.
Moped Rider Killed After Striking Jeep in Brooklyn▸A moped slammed into a Jeep on 4th Avenue. The young rider flew off and struck his head. He died in the street. The crash happened in darkness. Police cited traffic control disregarded.
A deadly crash unfolded at the corner of 4th Avenue and 52nd Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, a moped hit the side of a Jeep. The 21-year-old unlicensed moped rider was ejected, suffered a fatal head injury, and died at the scene. The report lists 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as a contributing factor. The Jeep driver was licensed and uninjured. The moped had no registered license, and the rider wore no helmet. The crash happened in darkness, with no other injuries reported.
Head-On Bike Collision Leaves Cyclist Bleeding▸Two bikes crashed head-on at 61st and 4th. One turned left. One went straight. A 23-year-old man hit the pavement, blood streaming from his head. He stayed conscious. The street stood still. Failure to yield and ignored signals brought pain.
Two bicyclists collided head-on at the corner of 61st Street and 4th Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, one cyclist was making a left turn while the other was going straight. The crash left a 23-year-old man with severe bleeding from the head, though he remained conscious. The police report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as contributing factors. No helmet was worn by the injured cyclist, as noted after the driver errors. The collision underscores the dangers faced by vulnerable road users on city streets.
Mitaynes Supports Safety Boosting Cargo Bike and Emissions Bills▸Lawmakers push two bills. One widens legal cargo bikes. One reins in dirty warehouses. Both target truck traffic choking city streets. Sponsors say the measures will cut pollution, asthma, and danger for people outside cars. Albany momentum grows.
Bills S6106 (Sen. Jessica Ramos) and A6968 (Asm. Marcela Mitaynes) are active in the New York State legislature. S6106 would expand the legal width of cargo bikes from 36 to 48 inches, making them more useful for deliveries. A6968 would let the Department of Environmental Conservation regulate emissions from last-mile warehouses and require plans to cut transportation pollution, including by using zero-emission vehicles like cargo bikes. The matter summary notes, 'The bills complement each other.' Ramos and Mitaynes sponsor the measures. Their staff and advocates say the bills will help replace polluting vans with cleaner cargo bikes, especially in low-income areas hit hard by asthma. Both bills are gaining support in Albany.
-
V-DAY SPECIAL: Bigger Cargo Bikes and Last-Mile Warehouse Regulation is a Match Made In Heaven,
Streetsblog NYC,
Published 2023-02-14
Mitaynes Supports Safety Boosting State Participation in BQE Planning▸Eighteen Brooklyn officials demand state DOT address BQE’s full deadly stretch. They reject piecemeal fixes. They call out decades of harm. The state’s refusal leaves neighborhoods exposed. The city’s hands are tied. The highway’s danger remains. Vulnerable lives hang in the balance.
On February 10, 2023, eighteen Brooklyn lawmakers issued a joint letter demanding New York State Department of Transportation (DOT) participate in comprehensive planning for the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE). The statement, prompted by a Streetsblog report, reads: "We ask that the NYS DOT remember the daily harms caused by the BQE in its current state—not just the crumbling cantilever section—and join us at the table in search of a solution." The group includes Reps. Nydia Velázquez, Dan Goldman, Borough President Antonio Reynoso, state Sens. Jabari Brisport, Julia Salazar, Kristen Gonzalez, Andrew Gounardes, Assembly Members Bobby Carroll, Maritza Davila, Phara Souffrant Forrest, Emily Gallagher, Jo Anne Simon, Marcela Mitaynes, and Council Members Alexa Avilés, Shahana Hanif, Crystal Hudson, Jennifer Gutiérrez, and Lincoln Restler. Senator Gounardes called the state’s refusal to join the city’s visioning process “unacceptable and irresponsible.” The lawmakers stress that the BQE’s harms—crashes, pollution, division—stretch from Bay Ridge to Greenpoint. Without state action, only city-owned segments see attention. The city’s efforts are limited. The state’s inaction leaves systemic danger unaddressed.
-
Brooklyn Pols Demand the State ‘Come to the Table’ on the BQE,
Streetsblog NYC,
Published 2023-02-10
A pickup truck turned left across 4th Avenue, striking a 49-year-old man on an e-bike. Thrown and crushed, he died in the street. The twisted bike and bloodied truck marked the violence of the city’s roads.
A 49-year-old man riding an e-bike was killed at the intersection of 4th Avenue and 53rd Street in Brooklyn when a pickup truck turned left and struck him, according to the police report. The report states the e-bike rider was 'thrown' and 'crushed,' dying at the scene. Both the pickup truck and the e-bike were cited for 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as contributing factors. The pickup, a 2007 Chevrolet, was making a left turn when it collided with the e-bike, which was traveling straight. The police report describes the aftermath: 'The bike lay twisted. The truck bore blood and silence.' The e-bike rider was ejected and suffered crush injuries to the entire body. The data does not specify helmet use or other victim behaviors as contributing factors. The crash underscores the lethal consequences when drivers fail to yield to vulnerable road users.
4Unconscious SUV Driver Plows Into Seven Cars▸A 51-year-old man lost consciousness on the Gowanus Expressway. His SUV slammed into seven vehicles. Metal twisted. Glass flew. He died at the scene. Several others suffered neck injuries as traffic crawled past the wreckage.
According to the police report, a 51-year-old man driving a station wagon/SUV westbound on the Gowanus Expressway lost consciousness behind the wheel. The report states, "His SUV struck seven cars. Metal tore. Glass scattered. Airbags bloomed." The driver died, "strapped in his seat, still and silent, as traffic crawled past the wreckage." The sole contributing factor listed is "Lost Consciousness." No driver errors are cited for the other vehicles. Multiple occupants in the struck cars suffered neck injuries, consistent with whiplash. The crash triggered a chain reaction across seven vehicles, leaving one dead and several injured.
Mitaynes Backs Safety Boosting Clean Deliveries Act▸Every day, 9,000 trucks thunder through Sunset Park and Red Hook. Warehouses choke streets. Black and Latino residents breathe the fumes and dodge danger. Lawmakers push the Clean Deliveries Act to curb the chaos. The burden falls hard. The fight is on.
The Clean Deliveries Act, now under consideration in Albany, aims to regulate last-mile warehouse traffic and emissions across New York State. The bill responds to a new report showing Sunset Park and Red Hook face the city's highest truck volumes—over 9,000 daily trips—linked to sprawling Amazon, FedEx, and UPS facilities. The report states, 'a quarter of residents across the Empire State live within half a mile of a distribution center that’s at least 50,000 square feet, disproportionately harming Black and Latino communities.' State Sen. Andrew Gounardes, representing the affected Brooklyn neighborhoods, calls for urgent action 'for the sake of our climate and the safety of our streets.' Assembly Member Marcela Mitaynes, whose district sees the most daily truck traffic, urges colleagues to pass the Act. Advocates like Kevin Garcia say the bill is 'key legislation to protect frontline communities from increased vehicular traffic and tailpipe emissions.' The Act would require emissions reviews, pollution minimization, and studies of low-emission zones in hotspots.
-
Poorer Brooklynites Bear the Brunt of Online Delivery Boom: Report,
Streetsblog NYC,
Published 2024-01-23
Mitaynes Supports Safety Boosting Universal Daylighting With Barriers▸Seven Brooklyn officials urge DOT to clear cars from corners. They want boulders, planters, and bike corrals—not just paint. Their call follows deadly crashes. They press the city to use state law and federal funds. DOT promises review. Advocates back the push.
On January 17, 2024, seven Brooklyn elected officials—including Council Member Shahana Hanif, Borough President Antonio Reynoso, Assembly Members Marcela Mitaynes, Jo Anne Simon, Robert Carroll, and State Senators Zellnor Myrie and Andrew Gounardes—issued a joint letter to the NYC Department of Transportation. They called for 'universal daylighting with hardened materials such as boulders, planters, and bike corrals' at intersections. The officials cited recent fatal crashes and urged the city to opt into a state law banning parking within 20 feet of corners. They want federal funds used for these changes. The group opposes DOT’s slow pace and reliance on paint, demanding physical barriers. Community board leaders and advocates support the move. DOT says it will review the letter and remains committed to evidence-based daylighting.
-
Seven Brooklyn Electeds Join Growing Calls For Universal Daylighting,
Streetsblog NYC,
Published 2024-01-17
Mitaynes Links Warehouse Emissions to Traffic Violence Risks▸Red Hook chokes on truck fumes. Lawmakers move. The Clean Deliveries Act aims to cut emissions from sprawling e-commerce warehouses. Kristen Gonzalez and others demand action. Diesel trucks crowd narrow streets. Pollution and danger rise. Residents pay the price.
Bill: Clean Deliveries Act. Announced November 29, 2023. Status: Proposed. Committee: Not specified. Lawmakers, including State Sen. Kristen Gonzalez (District 59), call for strict regulation of emissions from last-mile e-commerce warehouses. The bill would require environmental reviews for warehouses over 50,000 square feet, mandate plans to cut air pollution, and push for zero-emission delivery vehicles. Gonzalez said, 'The unchecked growth of large warehouses in neighborhoods across NYC has worsened air quality, noise pollution, and traffic safety for everyday New Yorkers.' Assembly Member Marcela Mitaynes, a co-sponsor, highlighted the link between warehouse traffic, pollution, and traffic violence. The Red Hook Business Alliance and community advocates back the bill, citing heavy truck traffic, poor air, and threats to safety in working-class neighborhoods. The legislation aims to hold warehouse operators accountable and protect residents from the mounting toll of delivery-driven pollution and danger.
-
Lawmakers say influx of e-commerce warehouses has spiked greenhouse gas emissions in Red Hook, urge regulation,
brooklynpaper.com,
Published 2023-11-29
Jeep Slams Parked Toyota, Driver Injured▸A Jeep hit a parked Toyota on 39th Street. The Toyota lurched forward. The driver, a 47-year-old man, was found unconscious and crushed. Illness struck before the crash. Sirens wailed, but help came too late.
A Jeep traveling west on 39th Street near 2nd Avenue in Brooklyn struck a parked Toyota. The impact forced the Toyota forward, severely injuring its 47-year-old driver. According to the police report, 'Illness took hold before impact.' The driver was found unconscious, suffering crush injuries to his entire body. The police list 'Illnes' as the contributing factor in the crash. No other driver errors are noted in the report. The Toyota was parked at the time of the collision. The report does not mention any actions by the injured driver that contributed to the crash.
Tractor-Trailer Crushes Parked Sedan on Bush Street▸A tractor-trailer turned onto Bush Street and crushed a parked Kia. The driver, trapped and bleeding, stayed conscious inside the wreck. The truck rolled on. Metal twisted. Blood pooled. The street bore the mark.
A tractor-trailer making a right turn onto Bush Street in Brooklyn struck a parked Kia sedan. According to the police report, the Kia was demolished beneath the trailer. The 36-year-old driver of the Kia was trapped inside, suffering severe lacerations to his arm but remained conscious. The truck continued forward after the impact, leaving its trailer damaged. The police report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' No driver errors were specifically cited in the data. The incident highlights the danger heavy trucks pose to stationary vehicles and their occupants on city streets.
E-Bike Rider Killed Striking Turning Truck▸A 19-year-old on an e-bike hit a turning diesel truck at 4th Avenue and 39th Street. Head trauma. Blood on the street. He died there, alone, under the lights. The crash was fast, brutal, final.
A 19-year-old e-bike rider died after colliding with a diesel truck making a right turn at the corner of 4th Avenue and 39th Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, the e-bike struck the truck at 2:30 a.m. The rider suffered fatal head trauma and died at the scene. The report lists 'Driver Inexperience' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as contributing factors. The rider was not wearing a helmet, as noted in the report, but the primary causes cited are driver errors. No other injuries were reported.
Distracted SUV Driver Strikes Pedestrian on Hamilton Avenue▸A westbound SUV hit a 55-year-old man crossing Hamilton Avenue. The right front bumper struck his head. Blood pooled on the street. The man stayed conscious. Police cited driver distraction. The street bore witness. The man survived, wounded.
A 55-year-old pedestrian suffered a head injury after being struck by a westbound SUV near 357 Hamilton Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, 'A westbound SUV struck a 55-year-old man crossing outside the intersection. He bled from the head. The right front bumper bore the wound. The man stayed conscious. The driver was distracted.' The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor. The impact left the man with severe bleeding but conscious at the scene. The data does not mention any helmet or signal use as a factor. The crash highlights the danger posed by driver distraction on city streets.
Box Truck Crushes Moped Rider’s Head▸A box truck and a moped moved south on 4th Avenue. The moped rider, 21, wore a helmet. He was ejected. His head was crushed. The truck showed no damage. The street showed the cost.
A box truck and a moped traveled south on 4th Avenue at 53rd Street in Brooklyn. The moped rider, age 21, was ejected and suffered a crushed head. According to the police report, 'A box truck and a moped moved south. The moped driver, 21, wore a helmet. He was ejected. Conscious. His head was crushed.' The data lists no specific driver errors, but the narrative shows the moped rider paid the price. The rider wore a helmet. The truck showed no damage, but the human toll was severe.
Box Truck Slams Tractor-Trailer on Gowanus Expressway▸A box truck, speeding, rammed a slowing tractor-trailer on the Gowanus Expressway. Steel twisted. The box truck driver, 34, bled from the face but stayed conscious. The crash left shattered glass and a trail of blood on the highway.
A violent crash unfolded on the Gowanus Expressway when a box truck, traveling at unsafe speed, struck the rear of a slowing tractor-trailer. According to the police report, 'A box truck, too fast, crushed into a slowing tractor-trailer. Steel folded. The driver, 34, wore his belt. Blood ran down his face. He stayed awake, staring through shattered glass at the wreck he made.' The driver of the box truck suffered severe facial lacerations but remained conscious. The police report lists 'Unsafe Speed' as the contributing factor in the crash. The tractor-trailer was slowing or stopping when it was hit. The only injury reported was to the box truck driver, who was wearing a lap belt and harness.
Mitaynes Backs Safety Boosting Equalized Tolling Plan▸Brooklyn officials demand equal tolls on all Manhattan crossings. They warn free bridges funnel traffic into certain neighborhoods. Their letter calls for fairness. The MTA stays silent. The Traffic Mobility Review Board will decide. Streets hang in the balance.
On July 18, 2023, Council Member Shahana Hanif and other Brooklyn officials called for 'equalized tolling on all crossings into Manhattan' as congestion pricing nears. Their letter to the Traffic Mobility Review Board states: 'No one community should disproportionately bear the burden of the cars and trucks passing through their neighborhood.' Hanif, along with Lincoln Restler, Alexa Avilés, Jennifer Gutiérrez, and Crystal Hudson, joined borough, state, and federal colleagues in this push. They propose a credit system to balance costs between DOT bridges and MTA tunnels, aiming to protect neighborhoods like the Brooklyn waterfront and the BQE corridor from traffic surges. The MTA declined comment. The Board will soon set final toll rates and rules. The federal government has approved the congestion pricing plan, with tolls for cars expected between $9 and $23. Over 100 exemption requests, including from taxi and for-hire vehicle drivers, are under review.
-
Pols call for ‘equalized tolling’ on all crossings into Manhattan under congestion pricing on eve of board deliberations,
amny.com,
Published 2023-07-18
2SUV Turns Left, E-Bike Teens Bleed on 25th Street▸An SUV turned left on 25th Street. Two teens on an e-bike struck its rear. One bled from the head, the other from the face. Both were conscious. Blood pooled on Brooklyn pavement. Failure to yield and unsafe speed marked the crash.
Two teenage boys riding an e-bike were injured when they struck the rear of an SUV making a left turn on 25th Street near 4th Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, 'An SUV turned left. An e-bike with two teen boys struck its rear. One bled from the head. The other, from the face. Both conscious. Both hurt. Blood pooled on the hot Brooklyn pavement.' The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Unsafe Speed' as contributing factors. Both teens suffered severe bleeding, one to the head and one to the face. The data also notes 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a factor. The SUV was damaged on the right rear quarter panel, while the e-bike was damaged at the front. No mention of helmet use or signaling as contributing factors.
Moped Rider Killed After Striking Jeep in Brooklyn▸A moped slammed into a Jeep on 4th Avenue. The young rider flew off and struck his head. He died in the street. The crash happened in darkness. Police cited traffic control disregarded.
A deadly crash unfolded at the corner of 4th Avenue and 52nd Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, a moped hit the side of a Jeep. The 21-year-old unlicensed moped rider was ejected, suffered a fatal head injury, and died at the scene. The report lists 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as a contributing factor. The Jeep driver was licensed and uninjured. The moped had no registered license, and the rider wore no helmet. The crash happened in darkness, with no other injuries reported.
Head-On Bike Collision Leaves Cyclist Bleeding▸Two bikes crashed head-on at 61st and 4th. One turned left. One went straight. A 23-year-old man hit the pavement, blood streaming from his head. He stayed conscious. The street stood still. Failure to yield and ignored signals brought pain.
Two bicyclists collided head-on at the corner of 61st Street and 4th Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, one cyclist was making a left turn while the other was going straight. The crash left a 23-year-old man with severe bleeding from the head, though he remained conscious. The police report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as contributing factors. No helmet was worn by the injured cyclist, as noted after the driver errors. The collision underscores the dangers faced by vulnerable road users on city streets.
Mitaynes Supports Safety Boosting Cargo Bike and Emissions Bills▸Lawmakers push two bills. One widens legal cargo bikes. One reins in dirty warehouses. Both target truck traffic choking city streets. Sponsors say the measures will cut pollution, asthma, and danger for people outside cars. Albany momentum grows.
Bills S6106 (Sen. Jessica Ramos) and A6968 (Asm. Marcela Mitaynes) are active in the New York State legislature. S6106 would expand the legal width of cargo bikes from 36 to 48 inches, making them more useful for deliveries. A6968 would let the Department of Environmental Conservation regulate emissions from last-mile warehouses and require plans to cut transportation pollution, including by using zero-emission vehicles like cargo bikes. The matter summary notes, 'The bills complement each other.' Ramos and Mitaynes sponsor the measures. Their staff and advocates say the bills will help replace polluting vans with cleaner cargo bikes, especially in low-income areas hit hard by asthma. Both bills are gaining support in Albany.
-
V-DAY SPECIAL: Bigger Cargo Bikes and Last-Mile Warehouse Regulation is a Match Made In Heaven,
Streetsblog NYC,
Published 2023-02-14
Mitaynes Supports Safety Boosting State Participation in BQE Planning▸Eighteen Brooklyn officials demand state DOT address BQE’s full deadly stretch. They reject piecemeal fixes. They call out decades of harm. The state’s refusal leaves neighborhoods exposed. The city’s hands are tied. The highway’s danger remains. Vulnerable lives hang in the balance.
On February 10, 2023, eighteen Brooklyn lawmakers issued a joint letter demanding New York State Department of Transportation (DOT) participate in comprehensive planning for the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE). The statement, prompted by a Streetsblog report, reads: "We ask that the NYS DOT remember the daily harms caused by the BQE in its current state—not just the crumbling cantilever section—and join us at the table in search of a solution." The group includes Reps. Nydia Velázquez, Dan Goldman, Borough President Antonio Reynoso, state Sens. Jabari Brisport, Julia Salazar, Kristen Gonzalez, Andrew Gounardes, Assembly Members Bobby Carroll, Maritza Davila, Phara Souffrant Forrest, Emily Gallagher, Jo Anne Simon, Marcela Mitaynes, and Council Members Alexa Avilés, Shahana Hanif, Crystal Hudson, Jennifer Gutiérrez, and Lincoln Restler. Senator Gounardes called the state’s refusal to join the city’s visioning process “unacceptable and irresponsible.” The lawmakers stress that the BQE’s harms—crashes, pollution, division—stretch from Bay Ridge to Greenpoint. Without state action, only city-owned segments see attention. The city’s efforts are limited. The state’s inaction leaves systemic danger unaddressed.
-
Brooklyn Pols Demand the State ‘Come to the Table’ on the BQE,
Streetsblog NYC,
Published 2023-02-10
A 51-year-old man lost consciousness on the Gowanus Expressway. His SUV slammed into seven vehicles. Metal twisted. Glass flew. He died at the scene. Several others suffered neck injuries as traffic crawled past the wreckage.
According to the police report, a 51-year-old man driving a station wagon/SUV westbound on the Gowanus Expressway lost consciousness behind the wheel. The report states, "His SUV struck seven cars. Metal tore. Glass scattered. Airbags bloomed." The driver died, "strapped in his seat, still and silent, as traffic crawled past the wreckage." The sole contributing factor listed is "Lost Consciousness." No driver errors are cited for the other vehicles. Multiple occupants in the struck cars suffered neck injuries, consistent with whiplash. The crash triggered a chain reaction across seven vehicles, leaving one dead and several injured.
Mitaynes Backs Safety Boosting Clean Deliveries Act▸Every day, 9,000 trucks thunder through Sunset Park and Red Hook. Warehouses choke streets. Black and Latino residents breathe the fumes and dodge danger. Lawmakers push the Clean Deliveries Act to curb the chaos. The burden falls hard. The fight is on.
The Clean Deliveries Act, now under consideration in Albany, aims to regulate last-mile warehouse traffic and emissions across New York State. The bill responds to a new report showing Sunset Park and Red Hook face the city's highest truck volumes—over 9,000 daily trips—linked to sprawling Amazon, FedEx, and UPS facilities. The report states, 'a quarter of residents across the Empire State live within half a mile of a distribution center that’s at least 50,000 square feet, disproportionately harming Black and Latino communities.' State Sen. Andrew Gounardes, representing the affected Brooklyn neighborhoods, calls for urgent action 'for the sake of our climate and the safety of our streets.' Assembly Member Marcela Mitaynes, whose district sees the most daily truck traffic, urges colleagues to pass the Act. Advocates like Kevin Garcia say the bill is 'key legislation to protect frontline communities from increased vehicular traffic and tailpipe emissions.' The Act would require emissions reviews, pollution minimization, and studies of low-emission zones in hotspots.
-
Poorer Brooklynites Bear the Brunt of Online Delivery Boom: Report,
Streetsblog NYC,
Published 2024-01-23
Mitaynes Supports Safety Boosting Universal Daylighting With Barriers▸Seven Brooklyn officials urge DOT to clear cars from corners. They want boulders, planters, and bike corrals—not just paint. Their call follows deadly crashes. They press the city to use state law and federal funds. DOT promises review. Advocates back the push.
On January 17, 2024, seven Brooklyn elected officials—including Council Member Shahana Hanif, Borough President Antonio Reynoso, Assembly Members Marcela Mitaynes, Jo Anne Simon, Robert Carroll, and State Senators Zellnor Myrie and Andrew Gounardes—issued a joint letter to the NYC Department of Transportation. They called for 'universal daylighting with hardened materials such as boulders, planters, and bike corrals' at intersections. The officials cited recent fatal crashes and urged the city to opt into a state law banning parking within 20 feet of corners. They want federal funds used for these changes. The group opposes DOT’s slow pace and reliance on paint, demanding physical barriers. Community board leaders and advocates support the move. DOT says it will review the letter and remains committed to evidence-based daylighting.
-
Seven Brooklyn Electeds Join Growing Calls For Universal Daylighting,
Streetsblog NYC,
Published 2024-01-17
Mitaynes Links Warehouse Emissions to Traffic Violence Risks▸Red Hook chokes on truck fumes. Lawmakers move. The Clean Deliveries Act aims to cut emissions from sprawling e-commerce warehouses. Kristen Gonzalez and others demand action. Diesel trucks crowd narrow streets. Pollution and danger rise. Residents pay the price.
Bill: Clean Deliveries Act. Announced November 29, 2023. Status: Proposed. Committee: Not specified. Lawmakers, including State Sen. Kristen Gonzalez (District 59), call for strict regulation of emissions from last-mile e-commerce warehouses. The bill would require environmental reviews for warehouses over 50,000 square feet, mandate plans to cut air pollution, and push for zero-emission delivery vehicles. Gonzalez said, 'The unchecked growth of large warehouses in neighborhoods across NYC has worsened air quality, noise pollution, and traffic safety for everyday New Yorkers.' Assembly Member Marcela Mitaynes, a co-sponsor, highlighted the link between warehouse traffic, pollution, and traffic violence. The Red Hook Business Alliance and community advocates back the bill, citing heavy truck traffic, poor air, and threats to safety in working-class neighborhoods. The legislation aims to hold warehouse operators accountable and protect residents from the mounting toll of delivery-driven pollution and danger.
-
Lawmakers say influx of e-commerce warehouses has spiked greenhouse gas emissions in Red Hook, urge regulation,
brooklynpaper.com,
Published 2023-11-29
Jeep Slams Parked Toyota, Driver Injured▸A Jeep hit a parked Toyota on 39th Street. The Toyota lurched forward. The driver, a 47-year-old man, was found unconscious and crushed. Illness struck before the crash. Sirens wailed, but help came too late.
A Jeep traveling west on 39th Street near 2nd Avenue in Brooklyn struck a parked Toyota. The impact forced the Toyota forward, severely injuring its 47-year-old driver. According to the police report, 'Illness took hold before impact.' The driver was found unconscious, suffering crush injuries to his entire body. The police list 'Illnes' as the contributing factor in the crash. No other driver errors are noted in the report. The Toyota was parked at the time of the collision. The report does not mention any actions by the injured driver that contributed to the crash.
Tractor-Trailer Crushes Parked Sedan on Bush Street▸A tractor-trailer turned onto Bush Street and crushed a parked Kia. The driver, trapped and bleeding, stayed conscious inside the wreck. The truck rolled on. Metal twisted. Blood pooled. The street bore the mark.
A tractor-trailer making a right turn onto Bush Street in Brooklyn struck a parked Kia sedan. According to the police report, the Kia was demolished beneath the trailer. The 36-year-old driver of the Kia was trapped inside, suffering severe lacerations to his arm but remained conscious. The truck continued forward after the impact, leaving its trailer damaged. The police report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' No driver errors were specifically cited in the data. The incident highlights the danger heavy trucks pose to stationary vehicles and their occupants on city streets.
E-Bike Rider Killed Striking Turning Truck▸A 19-year-old on an e-bike hit a turning diesel truck at 4th Avenue and 39th Street. Head trauma. Blood on the street. He died there, alone, under the lights. The crash was fast, brutal, final.
A 19-year-old e-bike rider died after colliding with a diesel truck making a right turn at the corner of 4th Avenue and 39th Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, the e-bike struck the truck at 2:30 a.m. The rider suffered fatal head trauma and died at the scene. The report lists 'Driver Inexperience' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as contributing factors. The rider was not wearing a helmet, as noted in the report, but the primary causes cited are driver errors. No other injuries were reported.
Distracted SUV Driver Strikes Pedestrian on Hamilton Avenue▸A westbound SUV hit a 55-year-old man crossing Hamilton Avenue. The right front bumper struck his head. Blood pooled on the street. The man stayed conscious. Police cited driver distraction. The street bore witness. The man survived, wounded.
A 55-year-old pedestrian suffered a head injury after being struck by a westbound SUV near 357 Hamilton Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, 'A westbound SUV struck a 55-year-old man crossing outside the intersection. He bled from the head. The right front bumper bore the wound. The man stayed conscious. The driver was distracted.' The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor. The impact left the man with severe bleeding but conscious at the scene. The data does not mention any helmet or signal use as a factor. The crash highlights the danger posed by driver distraction on city streets.
Box Truck Crushes Moped Rider’s Head▸A box truck and a moped moved south on 4th Avenue. The moped rider, 21, wore a helmet. He was ejected. His head was crushed. The truck showed no damage. The street showed the cost.
A box truck and a moped traveled south on 4th Avenue at 53rd Street in Brooklyn. The moped rider, age 21, was ejected and suffered a crushed head. According to the police report, 'A box truck and a moped moved south. The moped driver, 21, wore a helmet. He was ejected. Conscious. His head was crushed.' The data lists no specific driver errors, but the narrative shows the moped rider paid the price. The rider wore a helmet. The truck showed no damage, but the human toll was severe.
Box Truck Slams Tractor-Trailer on Gowanus Expressway▸A box truck, speeding, rammed a slowing tractor-trailer on the Gowanus Expressway. Steel twisted. The box truck driver, 34, bled from the face but stayed conscious. The crash left shattered glass and a trail of blood on the highway.
A violent crash unfolded on the Gowanus Expressway when a box truck, traveling at unsafe speed, struck the rear of a slowing tractor-trailer. According to the police report, 'A box truck, too fast, crushed into a slowing tractor-trailer. Steel folded. The driver, 34, wore his belt. Blood ran down his face. He stayed awake, staring through shattered glass at the wreck he made.' The driver of the box truck suffered severe facial lacerations but remained conscious. The police report lists 'Unsafe Speed' as the contributing factor in the crash. The tractor-trailer was slowing or stopping when it was hit. The only injury reported was to the box truck driver, who was wearing a lap belt and harness.
Mitaynes Backs Safety Boosting Equalized Tolling Plan▸Brooklyn officials demand equal tolls on all Manhattan crossings. They warn free bridges funnel traffic into certain neighborhoods. Their letter calls for fairness. The MTA stays silent. The Traffic Mobility Review Board will decide. Streets hang in the balance.
On July 18, 2023, Council Member Shahana Hanif and other Brooklyn officials called for 'equalized tolling on all crossings into Manhattan' as congestion pricing nears. Their letter to the Traffic Mobility Review Board states: 'No one community should disproportionately bear the burden of the cars and trucks passing through their neighborhood.' Hanif, along with Lincoln Restler, Alexa Avilés, Jennifer Gutiérrez, and Crystal Hudson, joined borough, state, and federal colleagues in this push. They propose a credit system to balance costs between DOT bridges and MTA tunnels, aiming to protect neighborhoods like the Brooklyn waterfront and the BQE corridor from traffic surges. The MTA declined comment. The Board will soon set final toll rates and rules. The federal government has approved the congestion pricing plan, with tolls for cars expected between $9 and $23. Over 100 exemption requests, including from taxi and for-hire vehicle drivers, are under review.
-
Pols call for ‘equalized tolling’ on all crossings into Manhattan under congestion pricing on eve of board deliberations,
amny.com,
Published 2023-07-18
2SUV Turns Left, E-Bike Teens Bleed on 25th Street▸An SUV turned left on 25th Street. Two teens on an e-bike struck its rear. One bled from the head, the other from the face. Both were conscious. Blood pooled on Brooklyn pavement. Failure to yield and unsafe speed marked the crash.
Two teenage boys riding an e-bike were injured when they struck the rear of an SUV making a left turn on 25th Street near 4th Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, 'An SUV turned left. An e-bike with two teen boys struck its rear. One bled from the head. The other, from the face. Both conscious. Both hurt. Blood pooled on the hot Brooklyn pavement.' The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Unsafe Speed' as contributing factors. Both teens suffered severe bleeding, one to the head and one to the face. The data also notes 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a factor. The SUV was damaged on the right rear quarter panel, while the e-bike was damaged at the front. No mention of helmet use or signaling as contributing factors.
Moped Rider Killed After Striking Jeep in Brooklyn▸A moped slammed into a Jeep on 4th Avenue. The young rider flew off and struck his head. He died in the street. The crash happened in darkness. Police cited traffic control disregarded.
A deadly crash unfolded at the corner of 4th Avenue and 52nd Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, a moped hit the side of a Jeep. The 21-year-old unlicensed moped rider was ejected, suffered a fatal head injury, and died at the scene. The report lists 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as a contributing factor. The Jeep driver was licensed and uninjured. The moped had no registered license, and the rider wore no helmet. The crash happened in darkness, with no other injuries reported.
Head-On Bike Collision Leaves Cyclist Bleeding▸Two bikes crashed head-on at 61st and 4th. One turned left. One went straight. A 23-year-old man hit the pavement, blood streaming from his head. He stayed conscious. The street stood still. Failure to yield and ignored signals brought pain.
Two bicyclists collided head-on at the corner of 61st Street and 4th Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, one cyclist was making a left turn while the other was going straight. The crash left a 23-year-old man with severe bleeding from the head, though he remained conscious. The police report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as contributing factors. No helmet was worn by the injured cyclist, as noted after the driver errors. The collision underscores the dangers faced by vulnerable road users on city streets.
Mitaynes Supports Safety Boosting Cargo Bike and Emissions Bills▸Lawmakers push two bills. One widens legal cargo bikes. One reins in dirty warehouses. Both target truck traffic choking city streets. Sponsors say the measures will cut pollution, asthma, and danger for people outside cars. Albany momentum grows.
Bills S6106 (Sen. Jessica Ramos) and A6968 (Asm. Marcela Mitaynes) are active in the New York State legislature. S6106 would expand the legal width of cargo bikes from 36 to 48 inches, making them more useful for deliveries. A6968 would let the Department of Environmental Conservation regulate emissions from last-mile warehouses and require plans to cut transportation pollution, including by using zero-emission vehicles like cargo bikes. The matter summary notes, 'The bills complement each other.' Ramos and Mitaynes sponsor the measures. Their staff and advocates say the bills will help replace polluting vans with cleaner cargo bikes, especially in low-income areas hit hard by asthma. Both bills are gaining support in Albany.
-
V-DAY SPECIAL: Bigger Cargo Bikes and Last-Mile Warehouse Regulation is a Match Made In Heaven,
Streetsblog NYC,
Published 2023-02-14
Mitaynes Supports Safety Boosting State Participation in BQE Planning▸Eighteen Brooklyn officials demand state DOT address BQE’s full deadly stretch. They reject piecemeal fixes. They call out decades of harm. The state’s refusal leaves neighborhoods exposed. The city’s hands are tied. The highway’s danger remains. Vulnerable lives hang in the balance.
On February 10, 2023, eighteen Brooklyn lawmakers issued a joint letter demanding New York State Department of Transportation (DOT) participate in comprehensive planning for the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE). The statement, prompted by a Streetsblog report, reads: "We ask that the NYS DOT remember the daily harms caused by the BQE in its current state—not just the crumbling cantilever section—and join us at the table in search of a solution." The group includes Reps. Nydia Velázquez, Dan Goldman, Borough President Antonio Reynoso, state Sens. Jabari Brisport, Julia Salazar, Kristen Gonzalez, Andrew Gounardes, Assembly Members Bobby Carroll, Maritza Davila, Phara Souffrant Forrest, Emily Gallagher, Jo Anne Simon, Marcela Mitaynes, and Council Members Alexa Avilés, Shahana Hanif, Crystal Hudson, Jennifer Gutiérrez, and Lincoln Restler. Senator Gounardes called the state’s refusal to join the city’s visioning process “unacceptable and irresponsible.” The lawmakers stress that the BQE’s harms—crashes, pollution, division—stretch from Bay Ridge to Greenpoint. Without state action, only city-owned segments see attention. The city’s efforts are limited. The state’s inaction leaves systemic danger unaddressed.
-
Brooklyn Pols Demand the State ‘Come to the Table’ on the BQE,
Streetsblog NYC,
Published 2023-02-10
Every day, 9,000 trucks thunder through Sunset Park and Red Hook. Warehouses choke streets. Black and Latino residents breathe the fumes and dodge danger. Lawmakers push the Clean Deliveries Act to curb the chaos. The burden falls hard. The fight is on.
The Clean Deliveries Act, now under consideration in Albany, aims to regulate last-mile warehouse traffic and emissions across New York State. The bill responds to a new report showing Sunset Park and Red Hook face the city's highest truck volumes—over 9,000 daily trips—linked to sprawling Amazon, FedEx, and UPS facilities. The report states, 'a quarter of residents across the Empire State live within half a mile of a distribution center that’s at least 50,000 square feet, disproportionately harming Black and Latino communities.' State Sen. Andrew Gounardes, representing the affected Brooklyn neighborhoods, calls for urgent action 'for the sake of our climate and the safety of our streets.' Assembly Member Marcela Mitaynes, whose district sees the most daily truck traffic, urges colleagues to pass the Act. Advocates like Kevin Garcia say the bill is 'key legislation to protect frontline communities from increased vehicular traffic and tailpipe emissions.' The Act would require emissions reviews, pollution minimization, and studies of low-emission zones in hotspots.
- Poorer Brooklynites Bear the Brunt of Online Delivery Boom: Report, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-01-23
Mitaynes Supports Safety Boosting Universal Daylighting With Barriers▸Seven Brooklyn officials urge DOT to clear cars from corners. They want boulders, planters, and bike corrals—not just paint. Their call follows deadly crashes. They press the city to use state law and federal funds. DOT promises review. Advocates back the push.
On January 17, 2024, seven Brooklyn elected officials—including Council Member Shahana Hanif, Borough President Antonio Reynoso, Assembly Members Marcela Mitaynes, Jo Anne Simon, Robert Carroll, and State Senators Zellnor Myrie and Andrew Gounardes—issued a joint letter to the NYC Department of Transportation. They called for 'universal daylighting with hardened materials such as boulders, planters, and bike corrals' at intersections. The officials cited recent fatal crashes and urged the city to opt into a state law banning parking within 20 feet of corners. They want federal funds used for these changes. The group opposes DOT’s slow pace and reliance on paint, demanding physical barriers. Community board leaders and advocates support the move. DOT says it will review the letter and remains committed to evidence-based daylighting.
-
Seven Brooklyn Electeds Join Growing Calls For Universal Daylighting,
Streetsblog NYC,
Published 2024-01-17
Mitaynes Links Warehouse Emissions to Traffic Violence Risks▸Red Hook chokes on truck fumes. Lawmakers move. The Clean Deliveries Act aims to cut emissions from sprawling e-commerce warehouses. Kristen Gonzalez and others demand action. Diesel trucks crowd narrow streets. Pollution and danger rise. Residents pay the price.
Bill: Clean Deliveries Act. Announced November 29, 2023. Status: Proposed. Committee: Not specified. Lawmakers, including State Sen. Kristen Gonzalez (District 59), call for strict regulation of emissions from last-mile e-commerce warehouses. The bill would require environmental reviews for warehouses over 50,000 square feet, mandate plans to cut air pollution, and push for zero-emission delivery vehicles. Gonzalez said, 'The unchecked growth of large warehouses in neighborhoods across NYC has worsened air quality, noise pollution, and traffic safety for everyday New Yorkers.' Assembly Member Marcela Mitaynes, a co-sponsor, highlighted the link between warehouse traffic, pollution, and traffic violence. The Red Hook Business Alliance and community advocates back the bill, citing heavy truck traffic, poor air, and threats to safety in working-class neighborhoods. The legislation aims to hold warehouse operators accountable and protect residents from the mounting toll of delivery-driven pollution and danger.
-
Lawmakers say influx of e-commerce warehouses has spiked greenhouse gas emissions in Red Hook, urge regulation,
brooklynpaper.com,
Published 2023-11-29
Jeep Slams Parked Toyota, Driver Injured▸A Jeep hit a parked Toyota on 39th Street. The Toyota lurched forward. The driver, a 47-year-old man, was found unconscious and crushed. Illness struck before the crash. Sirens wailed, but help came too late.
A Jeep traveling west on 39th Street near 2nd Avenue in Brooklyn struck a parked Toyota. The impact forced the Toyota forward, severely injuring its 47-year-old driver. According to the police report, 'Illness took hold before impact.' The driver was found unconscious, suffering crush injuries to his entire body. The police list 'Illnes' as the contributing factor in the crash. No other driver errors are noted in the report. The Toyota was parked at the time of the collision. The report does not mention any actions by the injured driver that contributed to the crash.
Tractor-Trailer Crushes Parked Sedan on Bush Street▸A tractor-trailer turned onto Bush Street and crushed a parked Kia. The driver, trapped and bleeding, stayed conscious inside the wreck. The truck rolled on. Metal twisted. Blood pooled. The street bore the mark.
A tractor-trailer making a right turn onto Bush Street in Brooklyn struck a parked Kia sedan. According to the police report, the Kia was demolished beneath the trailer. The 36-year-old driver of the Kia was trapped inside, suffering severe lacerations to his arm but remained conscious. The truck continued forward after the impact, leaving its trailer damaged. The police report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' No driver errors were specifically cited in the data. The incident highlights the danger heavy trucks pose to stationary vehicles and their occupants on city streets.
E-Bike Rider Killed Striking Turning Truck▸A 19-year-old on an e-bike hit a turning diesel truck at 4th Avenue and 39th Street. Head trauma. Blood on the street. He died there, alone, under the lights. The crash was fast, brutal, final.
A 19-year-old e-bike rider died after colliding with a diesel truck making a right turn at the corner of 4th Avenue and 39th Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, the e-bike struck the truck at 2:30 a.m. The rider suffered fatal head trauma and died at the scene. The report lists 'Driver Inexperience' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as contributing factors. The rider was not wearing a helmet, as noted in the report, but the primary causes cited are driver errors. No other injuries were reported.
Distracted SUV Driver Strikes Pedestrian on Hamilton Avenue▸A westbound SUV hit a 55-year-old man crossing Hamilton Avenue. The right front bumper struck his head. Blood pooled on the street. The man stayed conscious. Police cited driver distraction. The street bore witness. The man survived, wounded.
A 55-year-old pedestrian suffered a head injury after being struck by a westbound SUV near 357 Hamilton Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, 'A westbound SUV struck a 55-year-old man crossing outside the intersection. He bled from the head. The right front bumper bore the wound. The man stayed conscious. The driver was distracted.' The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor. The impact left the man with severe bleeding but conscious at the scene. The data does not mention any helmet or signal use as a factor. The crash highlights the danger posed by driver distraction on city streets.
Box Truck Crushes Moped Rider’s Head▸A box truck and a moped moved south on 4th Avenue. The moped rider, 21, wore a helmet. He was ejected. His head was crushed. The truck showed no damage. The street showed the cost.
A box truck and a moped traveled south on 4th Avenue at 53rd Street in Brooklyn. The moped rider, age 21, was ejected and suffered a crushed head. According to the police report, 'A box truck and a moped moved south. The moped driver, 21, wore a helmet. He was ejected. Conscious. His head was crushed.' The data lists no specific driver errors, but the narrative shows the moped rider paid the price. The rider wore a helmet. The truck showed no damage, but the human toll was severe.
Box Truck Slams Tractor-Trailer on Gowanus Expressway▸A box truck, speeding, rammed a slowing tractor-trailer on the Gowanus Expressway. Steel twisted. The box truck driver, 34, bled from the face but stayed conscious. The crash left shattered glass and a trail of blood on the highway.
A violent crash unfolded on the Gowanus Expressway when a box truck, traveling at unsafe speed, struck the rear of a slowing tractor-trailer. According to the police report, 'A box truck, too fast, crushed into a slowing tractor-trailer. Steel folded. The driver, 34, wore his belt. Blood ran down his face. He stayed awake, staring through shattered glass at the wreck he made.' The driver of the box truck suffered severe facial lacerations but remained conscious. The police report lists 'Unsafe Speed' as the contributing factor in the crash. The tractor-trailer was slowing or stopping when it was hit. The only injury reported was to the box truck driver, who was wearing a lap belt and harness.
Mitaynes Backs Safety Boosting Equalized Tolling Plan▸Brooklyn officials demand equal tolls on all Manhattan crossings. They warn free bridges funnel traffic into certain neighborhoods. Their letter calls for fairness. The MTA stays silent. The Traffic Mobility Review Board will decide. Streets hang in the balance.
On July 18, 2023, Council Member Shahana Hanif and other Brooklyn officials called for 'equalized tolling on all crossings into Manhattan' as congestion pricing nears. Their letter to the Traffic Mobility Review Board states: 'No one community should disproportionately bear the burden of the cars and trucks passing through their neighborhood.' Hanif, along with Lincoln Restler, Alexa Avilés, Jennifer Gutiérrez, and Crystal Hudson, joined borough, state, and federal colleagues in this push. They propose a credit system to balance costs between DOT bridges and MTA tunnels, aiming to protect neighborhoods like the Brooklyn waterfront and the BQE corridor from traffic surges. The MTA declined comment. The Board will soon set final toll rates and rules. The federal government has approved the congestion pricing plan, with tolls for cars expected between $9 and $23. Over 100 exemption requests, including from taxi and for-hire vehicle drivers, are under review.
-
Pols call for ‘equalized tolling’ on all crossings into Manhattan under congestion pricing on eve of board deliberations,
amny.com,
Published 2023-07-18
2SUV Turns Left, E-Bike Teens Bleed on 25th Street▸An SUV turned left on 25th Street. Two teens on an e-bike struck its rear. One bled from the head, the other from the face. Both were conscious. Blood pooled on Brooklyn pavement. Failure to yield and unsafe speed marked the crash.
Two teenage boys riding an e-bike were injured when they struck the rear of an SUV making a left turn on 25th Street near 4th Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, 'An SUV turned left. An e-bike with two teen boys struck its rear. One bled from the head. The other, from the face. Both conscious. Both hurt. Blood pooled on the hot Brooklyn pavement.' The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Unsafe Speed' as contributing factors. Both teens suffered severe bleeding, one to the head and one to the face. The data also notes 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a factor. The SUV was damaged on the right rear quarter panel, while the e-bike was damaged at the front. No mention of helmet use or signaling as contributing factors.
Moped Rider Killed After Striking Jeep in Brooklyn▸A moped slammed into a Jeep on 4th Avenue. The young rider flew off and struck his head. He died in the street. The crash happened in darkness. Police cited traffic control disregarded.
A deadly crash unfolded at the corner of 4th Avenue and 52nd Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, a moped hit the side of a Jeep. The 21-year-old unlicensed moped rider was ejected, suffered a fatal head injury, and died at the scene. The report lists 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as a contributing factor. The Jeep driver was licensed and uninjured. The moped had no registered license, and the rider wore no helmet. The crash happened in darkness, with no other injuries reported.
Head-On Bike Collision Leaves Cyclist Bleeding▸Two bikes crashed head-on at 61st and 4th. One turned left. One went straight. A 23-year-old man hit the pavement, blood streaming from his head. He stayed conscious. The street stood still. Failure to yield and ignored signals brought pain.
Two bicyclists collided head-on at the corner of 61st Street and 4th Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, one cyclist was making a left turn while the other was going straight. The crash left a 23-year-old man with severe bleeding from the head, though he remained conscious. The police report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as contributing factors. No helmet was worn by the injured cyclist, as noted after the driver errors. The collision underscores the dangers faced by vulnerable road users on city streets.
Mitaynes Supports Safety Boosting Cargo Bike and Emissions Bills▸Lawmakers push two bills. One widens legal cargo bikes. One reins in dirty warehouses. Both target truck traffic choking city streets. Sponsors say the measures will cut pollution, asthma, and danger for people outside cars. Albany momentum grows.
Bills S6106 (Sen. Jessica Ramos) and A6968 (Asm. Marcela Mitaynes) are active in the New York State legislature. S6106 would expand the legal width of cargo bikes from 36 to 48 inches, making them more useful for deliveries. A6968 would let the Department of Environmental Conservation regulate emissions from last-mile warehouses and require plans to cut transportation pollution, including by using zero-emission vehicles like cargo bikes. The matter summary notes, 'The bills complement each other.' Ramos and Mitaynes sponsor the measures. Their staff and advocates say the bills will help replace polluting vans with cleaner cargo bikes, especially in low-income areas hit hard by asthma. Both bills are gaining support in Albany.
-
V-DAY SPECIAL: Bigger Cargo Bikes and Last-Mile Warehouse Regulation is a Match Made In Heaven,
Streetsblog NYC,
Published 2023-02-14
Mitaynes Supports Safety Boosting State Participation in BQE Planning▸Eighteen Brooklyn officials demand state DOT address BQE’s full deadly stretch. They reject piecemeal fixes. They call out decades of harm. The state’s refusal leaves neighborhoods exposed. The city’s hands are tied. The highway’s danger remains. Vulnerable lives hang in the balance.
On February 10, 2023, eighteen Brooklyn lawmakers issued a joint letter demanding New York State Department of Transportation (DOT) participate in comprehensive planning for the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE). The statement, prompted by a Streetsblog report, reads: "We ask that the NYS DOT remember the daily harms caused by the BQE in its current state—not just the crumbling cantilever section—and join us at the table in search of a solution." The group includes Reps. Nydia Velázquez, Dan Goldman, Borough President Antonio Reynoso, state Sens. Jabari Brisport, Julia Salazar, Kristen Gonzalez, Andrew Gounardes, Assembly Members Bobby Carroll, Maritza Davila, Phara Souffrant Forrest, Emily Gallagher, Jo Anne Simon, Marcela Mitaynes, and Council Members Alexa Avilés, Shahana Hanif, Crystal Hudson, Jennifer Gutiérrez, and Lincoln Restler. Senator Gounardes called the state’s refusal to join the city’s visioning process “unacceptable and irresponsible.” The lawmakers stress that the BQE’s harms—crashes, pollution, division—stretch from Bay Ridge to Greenpoint. Without state action, only city-owned segments see attention. The city’s efforts are limited. The state’s inaction leaves systemic danger unaddressed.
-
Brooklyn Pols Demand the State ‘Come to the Table’ on the BQE,
Streetsblog NYC,
Published 2023-02-10
Seven Brooklyn officials urge DOT to clear cars from corners. They want boulders, planters, and bike corrals—not just paint. Their call follows deadly crashes. They press the city to use state law and federal funds. DOT promises review. Advocates back the push.
On January 17, 2024, seven Brooklyn elected officials—including Council Member Shahana Hanif, Borough President Antonio Reynoso, Assembly Members Marcela Mitaynes, Jo Anne Simon, Robert Carroll, and State Senators Zellnor Myrie and Andrew Gounardes—issued a joint letter to the NYC Department of Transportation. They called for 'universal daylighting with hardened materials such as boulders, planters, and bike corrals' at intersections. The officials cited recent fatal crashes and urged the city to opt into a state law banning parking within 20 feet of corners. They want federal funds used for these changes. The group opposes DOT’s slow pace and reliance on paint, demanding physical barriers. Community board leaders and advocates support the move. DOT says it will review the letter and remains committed to evidence-based daylighting.
- Seven Brooklyn Electeds Join Growing Calls For Universal Daylighting, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-01-17
Mitaynes Links Warehouse Emissions to Traffic Violence Risks▸Red Hook chokes on truck fumes. Lawmakers move. The Clean Deliveries Act aims to cut emissions from sprawling e-commerce warehouses. Kristen Gonzalez and others demand action. Diesel trucks crowd narrow streets. Pollution and danger rise. Residents pay the price.
Bill: Clean Deliveries Act. Announced November 29, 2023. Status: Proposed. Committee: Not specified. Lawmakers, including State Sen. Kristen Gonzalez (District 59), call for strict regulation of emissions from last-mile e-commerce warehouses. The bill would require environmental reviews for warehouses over 50,000 square feet, mandate plans to cut air pollution, and push for zero-emission delivery vehicles. Gonzalez said, 'The unchecked growth of large warehouses in neighborhoods across NYC has worsened air quality, noise pollution, and traffic safety for everyday New Yorkers.' Assembly Member Marcela Mitaynes, a co-sponsor, highlighted the link between warehouse traffic, pollution, and traffic violence. The Red Hook Business Alliance and community advocates back the bill, citing heavy truck traffic, poor air, and threats to safety in working-class neighborhoods. The legislation aims to hold warehouse operators accountable and protect residents from the mounting toll of delivery-driven pollution and danger.
-
Lawmakers say influx of e-commerce warehouses has spiked greenhouse gas emissions in Red Hook, urge regulation,
brooklynpaper.com,
Published 2023-11-29
Jeep Slams Parked Toyota, Driver Injured▸A Jeep hit a parked Toyota on 39th Street. The Toyota lurched forward. The driver, a 47-year-old man, was found unconscious and crushed. Illness struck before the crash. Sirens wailed, but help came too late.
A Jeep traveling west on 39th Street near 2nd Avenue in Brooklyn struck a parked Toyota. The impact forced the Toyota forward, severely injuring its 47-year-old driver. According to the police report, 'Illness took hold before impact.' The driver was found unconscious, suffering crush injuries to his entire body. The police list 'Illnes' as the contributing factor in the crash. No other driver errors are noted in the report. The Toyota was parked at the time of the collision. The report does not mention any actions by the injured driver that contributed to the crash.
Tractor-Trailer Crushes Parked Sedan on Bush Street▸A tractor-trailer turned onto Bush Street and crushed a parked Kia. The driver, trapped and bleeding, stayed conscious inside the wreck. The truck rolled on. Metal twisted. Blood pooled. The street bore the mark.
A tractor-trailer making a right turn onto Bush Street in Brooklyn struck a parked Kia sedan. According to the police report, the Kia was demolished beneath the trailer. The 36-year-old driver of the Kia was trapped inside, suffering severe lacerations to his arm but remained conscious. The truck continued forward after the impact, leaving its trailer damaged. The police report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' No driver errors were specifically cited in the data. The incident highlights the danger heavy trucks pose to stationary vehicles and their occupants on city streets.
E-Bike Rider Killed Striking Turning Truck▸A 19-year-old on an e-bike hit a turning diesel truck at 4th Avenue and 39th Street. Head trauma. Blood on the street. He died there, alone, under the lights. The crash was fast, brutal, final.
A 19-year-old e-bike rider died after colliding with a diesel truck making a right turn at the corner of 4th Avenue and 39th Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, the e-bike struck the truck at 2:30 a.m. The rider suffered fatal head trauma and died at the scene. The report lists 'Driver Inexperience' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as contributing factors. The rider was not wearing a helmet, as noted in the report, but the primary causes cited are driver errors. No other injuries were reported.
Distracted SUV Driver Strikes Pedestrian on Hamilton Avenue▸A westbound SUV hit a 55-year-old man crossing Hamilton Avenue. The right front bumper struck his head. Blood pooled on the street. The man stayed conscious. Police cited driver distraction. The street bore witness. The man survived, wounded.
A 55-year-old pedestrian suffered a head injury after being struck by a westbound SUV near 357 Hamilton Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, 'A westbound SUV struck a 55-year-old man crossing outside the intersection. He bled from the head. The right front bumper bore the wound. The man stayed conscious. The driver was distracted.' The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor. The impact left the man with severe bleeding but conscious at the scene. The data does not mention any helmet or signal use as a factor. The crash highlights the danger posed by driver distraction on city streets.
Box Truck Crushes Moped Rider’s Head▸A box truck and a moped moved south on 4th Avenue. The moped rider, 21, wore a helmet. He was ejected. His head was crushed. The truck showed no damage. The street showed the cost.
A box truck and a moped traveled south on 4th Avenue at 53rd Street in Brooklyn. The moped rider, age 21, was ejected and suffered a crushed head. According to the police report, 'A box truck and a moped moved south. The moped driver, 21, wore a helmet. He was ejected. Conscious. His head was crushed.' The data lists no specific driver errors, but the narrative shows the moped rider paid the price. The rider wore a helmet. The truck showed no damage, but the human toll was severe.
Box Truck Slams Tractor-Trailer on Gowanus Expressway▸A box truck, speeding, rammed a slowing tractor-trailer on the Gowanus Expressway. Steel twisted. The box truck driver, 34, bled from the face but stayed conscious. The crash left shattered glass and a trail of blood on the highway.
A violent crash unfolded on the Gowanus Expressway when a box truck, traveling at unsafe speed, struck the rear of a slowing tractor-trailer. According to the police report, 'A box truck, too fast, crushed into a slowing tractor-trailer. Steel folded. The driver, 34, wore his belt. Blood ran down his face. He stayed awake, staring through shattered glass at the wreck he made.' The driver of the box truck suffered severe facial lacerations but remained conscious. The police report lists 'Unsafe Speed' as the contributing factor in the crash. The tractor-trailer was slowing or stopping when it was hit. The only injury reported was to the box truck driver, who was wearing a lap belt and harness.
Mitaynes Backs Safety Boosting Equalized Tolling Plan▸Brooklyn officials demand equal tolls on all Manhattan crossings. They warn free bridges funnel traffic into certain neighborhoods. Their letter calls for fairness. The MTA stays silent. The Traffic Mobility Review Board will decide. Streets hang in the balance.
On July 18, 2023, Council Member Shahana Hanif and other Brooklyn officials called for 'equalized tolling on all crossings into Manhattan' as congestion pricing nears. Their letter to the Traffic Mobility Review Board states: 'No one community should disproportionately bear the burden of the cars and trucks passing through their neighborhood.' Hanif, along with Lincoln Restler, Alexa Avilés, Jennifer Gutiérrez, and Crystal Hudson, joined borough, state, and federal colleagues in this push. They propose a credit system to balance costs between DOT bridges and MTA tunnels, aiming to protect neighborhoods like the Brooklyn waterfront and the BQE corridor from traffic surges. The MTA declined comment. The Board will soon set final toll rates and rules. The federal government has approved the congestion pricing plan, with tolls for cars expected between $9 and $23. Over 100 exemption requests, including from taxi and for-hire vehicle drivers, are under review.
-
Pols call for ‘equalized tolling’ on all crossings into Manhattan under congestion pricing on eve of board deliberations,
amny.com,
Published 2023-07-18
2SUV Turns Left, E-Bike Teens Bleed on 25th Street▸An SUV turned left on 25th Street. Two teens on an e-bike struck its rear. One bled from the head, the other from the face. Both were conscious. Blood pooled on Brooklyn pavement. Failure to yield and unsafe speed marked the crash.
Two teenage boys riding an e-bike were injured when they struck the rear of an SUV making a left turn on 25th Street near 4th Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, 'An SUV turned left. An e-bike with two teen boys struck its rear. One bled from the head. The other, from the face. Both conscious. Both hurt. Blood pooled on the hot Brooklyn pavement.' The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Unsafe Speed' as contributing factors. Both teens suffered severe bleeding, one to the head and one to the face. The data also notes 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a factor. The SUV was damaged on the right rear quarter panel, while the e-bike was damaged at the front. No mention of helmet use or signaling as contributing factors.
Moped Rider Killed After Striking Jeep in Brooklyn▸A moped slammed into a Jeep on 4th Avenue. The young rider flew off and struck his head. He died in the street. The crash happened in darkness. Police cited traffic control disregarded.
A deadly crash unfolded at the corner of 4th Avenue and 52nd Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, a moped hit the side of a Jeep. The 21-year-old unlicensed moped rider was ejected, suffered a fatal head injury, and died at the scene. The report lists 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as a contributing factor. The Jeep driver was licensed and uninjured. The moped had no registered license, and the rider wore no helmet. The crash happened in darkness, with no other injuries reported.
Head-On Bike Collision Leaves Cyclist Bleeding▸Two bikes crashed head-on at 61st and 4th. One turned left. One went straight. A 23-year-old man hit the pavement, blood streaming from his head. He stayed conscious. The street stood still. Failure to yield and ignored signals brought pain.
Two bicyclists collided head-on at the corner of 61st Street and 4th Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, one cyclist was making a left turn while the other was going straight. The crash left a 23-year-old man with severe bleeding from the head, though he remained conscious. The police report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as contributing factors. No helmet was worn by the injured cyclist, as noted after the driver errors. The collision underscores the dangers faced by vulnerable road users on city streets.
Mitaynes Supports Safety Boosting Cargo Bike and Emissions Bills▸Lawmakers push two bills. One widens legal cargo bikes. One reins in dirty warehouses. Both target truck traffic choking city streets. Sponsors say the measures will cut pollution, asthma, and danger for people outside cars. Albany momentum grows.
Bills S6106 (Sen. Jessica Ramos) and A6968 (Asm. Marcela Mitaynes) are active in the New York State legislature. S6106 would expand the legal width of cargo bikes from 36 to 48 inches, making them more useful for deliveries. A6968 would let the Department of Environmental Conservation regulate emissions from last-mile warehouses and require plans to cut transportation pollution, including by using zero-emission vehicles like cargo bikes. The matter summary notes, 'The bills complement each other.' Ramos and Mitaynes sponsor the measures. Their staff and advocates say the bills will help replace polluting vans with cleaner cargo bikes, especially in low-income areas hit hard by asthma. Both bills are gaining support in Albany.
-
V-DAY SPECIAL: Bigger Cargo Bikes and Last-Mile Warehouse Regulation is a Match Made In Heaven,
Streetsblog NYC,
Published 2023-02-14
Mitaynes Supports Safety Boosting State Participation in BQE Planning▸Eighteen Brooklyn officials demand state DOT address BQE’s full deadly stretch. They reject piecemeal fixes. They call out decades of harm. The state’s refusal leaves neighborhoods exposed. The city’s hands are tied. The highway’s danger remains. Vulnerable lives hang in the balance.
On February 10, 2023, eighteen Brooklyn lawmakers issued a joint letter demanding New York State Department of Transportation (DOT) participate in comprehensive planning for the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE). The statement, prompted by a Streetsblog report, reads: "We ask that the NYS DOT remember the daily harms caused by the BQE in its current state—not just the crumbling cantilever section—and join us at the table in search of a solution." The group includes Reps. Nydia Velázquez, Dan Goldman, Borough President Antonio Reynoso, state Sens. Jabari Brisport, Julia Salazar, Kristen Gonzalez, Andrew Gounardes, Assembly Members Bobby Carroll, Maritza Davila, Phara Souffrant Forrest, Emily Gallagher, Jo Anne Simon, Marcela Mitaynes, and Council Members Alexa Avilés, Shahana Hanif, Crystal Hudson, Jennifer Gutiérrez, and Lincoln Restler. Senator Gounardes called the state’s refusal to join the city’s visioning process “unacceptable and irresponsible.” The lawmakers stress that the BQE’s harms—crashes, pollution, division—stretch from Bay Ridge to Greenpoint. Without state action, only city-owned segments see attention. The city’s efforts are limited. The state’s inaction leaves systemic danger unaddressed.
-
Brooklyn Pols Demand the State ‘Come to the Table’ on the BQE,
Streetsblog NYC,
Published 2023-02-10
Red Hook chokes on truck fumes. Lawmakers move. The Clean Deliveries Act aims to cut emissions from sprawling e-commerce warehouses. Kristen Gonzalez and others demand action. Diesel trucks crowd narrow streets. Pollution and danger rise. Residents pay the price.
Bill: Clean Deliveries Act. Announced November 29, 2023. Status: Proposed. Committee: Not specified. Lawmakers, including State Sen. Kristen Gonzalez (District 59), call for strict regulation of emissions from last-mile e-commerce warehouses. The bill would require environmental reviews for warehouses over 50,000 square feet, mandate plans to cut air pollution, and push for zero-emission delivery vehicles. Gonzalez said, 'The unchecked growth of large warehouses in neighborhoods across NYC has worsened air quality, noise pollution, and traffic safety for everyday New Yorkers.' Assembly Member Marcela Mitaynes, a co-sponsor, highlighted the link between warehouse traffic, pollution, and traffic violence. The Red Hook Business Alliance and community advocates back the bill, citing heavy truck traffic, poor air, and threats to safety in working-class neighborhoods. The legislation aims to hold warehouse operators accountable and protect residents from the mounting toll of delivery-driven pollution and danger.
- Lawmakers say influx of e-commerce warehouses has spiked greenhouse gas emissions in Red Hook, urge regulation, brooklynpaper.com, Published 2023-11-29
Jeep Slams Parked Toyota, Driver Injured▸A Jeep hit a parked Toyota on 39th Street. The Toyota lurched forward. The driver, a 47-year-old man, was found unconscious and crushed. Illness struck before the crash. Sirens wailed, but help came too late.
A Jeep traveling west on 39th Street near 2nd Avenue in Brooklyn struck a parked Toyota. The impact forced the Toyota forward, severely injuring its 47-year-old driver. According to the police report, 'Illness took hold before impact.' The driver was found unconscious, suffering crush injuries to his entire body. The police list 'Illnes' as the contributing factor in the crash. No other driver errors are noted in the report. The Toyota was parked at the time of the collision. The report does not mention any actions by the injured driver that contributed to the crash.
Tractor-Trailer Crushes Parked Sedan on Bush Street▸A tractor-trailer turned onto Bush Street and crushed a parked Kia. The driver, trapped and bleeding, stayed conscious inside the wreck. The truck rolled on. Metal twisted. Blood pooled. The street bore the mark.
A tractor-trailer making a right turn onto Bush Street in Brooklyn struck a parked Kia sedan. According to the police report, the Kia was demolished beneath the trailer. The 36-year-old driver of the Kia was trapped inside, suffering severe lacerations to his arm but remained conscious. The truck continued forward after the impact, leaving its trailer damaged. The police report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' No driver errors were specifically cited in the data. The incident highlights the danger heavy trucks pose to stationary vehicles and their occupants on city streets.
E-Bike Rider Killed Striking Turning Truck▸A 19-year-old on an e-bike hit a turning diesel truck at 4th Avenue and 39th Street. Head trauma. Blood on the street. He died there, alone, under the lights. The crash was fast, brutal, final.
A 19-year-old e-bike rider died after colliding with a diesel truck making a right turn at the corner of 4th Avenue and 39th Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, the e-bike struck the truck at 2:30 a.m. The rider suffered fatal head trauma and died at the scene. The report lists 'Driver Inexperience' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as contributing factors. The rider was not wearing a helmet, as noted in the report, but the primary causes cited are driver errors. No other injuries were reported.
Distracted SUV Driver Strikes Pedestrian on Hamilton Avenue▸A westbound SUV hit a 55-year-old man crossing Hamilton Avenue. The right front bumper struck his head. Blood pooled on the street. The man stayed conscious. Police cited driver distraction. The street bore witness. The man survived, wounded.
A 55-year-old pedestrian suffered a head injury after being struck by a westbound SUV near 357 Hamilton Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, 'A westbound SUV struck a 55-year-old man crossing outside the intersection. He bled from the head. The right front bumper bore the wound. The man stayed conscious. The driver was distracted.' The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor. The impact left the man with severe bleeding but conscious at the scene. The data does not mention any helmet or signal use as a factor. The crash highlights the danger posed by driver distraction on city streets.
Box Truck Crushes Moped Rider’s Head▸A box truck and a moped moved south on 4th Avenue. The moped rider, 21, wore a helmet. He was ejected. His head was crushed. The truck showed no damage. The street showed the cost.
A box truck and a moped traveled south on 4th Avenue at 53rd Street in Brooklyn. The moped rider, age 21, was ejected and suffered a crushed head. According to the police report, 'A box truck and a moped moved south. The moped driver, 21, wore a helmet. He was ejected. Conscious. His head was crushed.' The data lists no specific driver errors, but the narrative shows the moped rider paid the price. The rider wore a helmet. The truck showed no damage, but the human toll was severe.
Box Truck Slams Tractor-Trailer on Gowanus Expressway▸A box truck, speeding, rammed a slowing tractor-trailer on the Gowanus Expressway. Steel twisted. The box truck driver, 34, bled from the face but stayed conscious. The crash left shattered glass and a trail of blood on the highway.
A violent crash unfolded on the Gowanus Expressway when a box truck, traveling at unsafe speed, struck the rear of a slowing tractor-trailer. According to the police report, 'A box truck, too fast, crushed into a slowing tractor-trailer. Steel folded. The driver, 34, wore his belt. Blood ran down his face. He stayed awake, staring through shattered glass at the wreck he made.' The driver of the box truck suffered severe facial lacerations but remained conscious. The police report lists 'Unsafe Speed' as the contributing factor in the crash. The tractor-trailer was slowing or stopping when it was hit. The only injury reported was to the box truck driver, who was wearing a lap belt and harness.
Mitaynes Backs Safety Boosting Equalized Tolling Plan▸Brooklyn officials demand equal tolls on all Manhattan crossings. They warn free bridges funnel traffic into certain neighborhoods. Their letter calls for fairness. The MTA stays silent. The Traffic Mobility Review Board will decide. Streets hang in the balance.
On July 18, 2023, Council Member Shahana Hanif and other Brooklyn officials called for 'equalized tolling on all crossings into Manhattan' as congestion pricing nears. Their letter to the Traffic Mobility Review Board states: 'No one community should disproportionately bear the burden of the cars and trucks passing through their neighborhood.' Hanif, along with Lincoln Restler, Alexa Avilés, Jennifer Gutiérrez, and Crystal Hudson, joined borough, state, and federal colleagues in this push. They propose a credit system to balance costs between DOT bridges and MTA tunnels, aiming to protect neighborhoods like the Brooklyn waterfront and the BQE corridor from traffic surges. The MTA declined comment. The Board will soon set final toll rates and rules. The federal government has approved the congestion pricing plan, with tolls for cars expected between $9 and $23. Over 100 exemption requests, including from taxi and for-hire vehicle drivers, are under review.
-
Pols call for ‘equalized tolling’ on all crossings into Manhattan under congestion pricing on eve of board deliberations,
amny.com,
Published 2023-07-18
2SUV Turns Left, E-Bike Teens Bleed on 25th Street▸An SUV turned left on 25th Street. Two teens on an e-bike struck its rear. One bled from the head, the other from the face. Both were conscious. Blood pooled on Brooklyn pavement. Failure to yield and unsafe speed marked the crash.
Two teenage boys riding an e-bike were injured when they struck the rear of an SUV making a left turn on 25th Street near 4th Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, 'An SUV turned left. An e-bike with two teen boys struck its rear. One bled from the head. The other, from the face. Both conscious. Both hurt. Blood pooled on the hot Brooklyn pavement.' The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Unsafe Speed' as contributing factors. Both teens suffered severe bleeding, one to the head and one to the face. The data also notes 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a factor. The SUV was damaged on the right rear quarter panel, while the e-bike was damaged at the front. No mention of helmet use or signaling as contributing factors.
Moped Rider Killed After Striking Jeep in Brooklyn▸A moped slammed into a Jeep on 4th Avenue. The young rider flew off and struck his head. He died in the street. The crash happened in darkness. Police cited traffic control disregarded.
A deadly crash unfolded at the corner of 4th Avenue and 52nd Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, a moped hit the side of a Jeep. The 21-year-old unlicensed moped rider was ejected, suffered a fatal head injury, and died at the scene. The report lists 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as a contributing factor. The Jeep driver was licensed and uninjured. The moped had no registered license, and the rider wore no helmet. The crash happened in darkness, with no other injuries reported.
Head-On Bike Collision Leaves Cyclist Bleeding▸Two bikes crashed head-on at 61st and 4th. One turned left. One went straight. A 23-year-old man hit the pavement, blood streaming from his head. He stayed conscious. The street stood still. Failure to yield and ignored signals brought pain.
Two bicyclists collided head-on at the corner of 61st Street and 4th Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, one cyclist was making a left turn while the other was going straight. The crash left a 23-year-old man with severe bleeding from the head, though he remained conscious. The police report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as contributing factors. No helmet was worn by the injured cyclist, as noted after the driver errors. The collision underscores the dangers faced by vulnerable road users on city streets.
Mitaynes Supports Safety Boosting Cargo Bike and Emissions Bills▸Lawmakers push two bills. One widens legal cargo bikes. One reins in dirty warehouses. Both target truck traffic choking city streets. Sponsors say the measures will cut pollution, asthma, and danger for people outside cars. Albany momentum grows.
Bills S6106 (Sen. Jessica Ramos) and A6968 (Asm. Marcela Mitaynes) are active in the New York State legislature. S6106 would expand the legal width of cargo bikes from 36 to 48 inches, making them more useful for deliveries. A6968 would let the Department of Environmental Conservation regulate emissions from last-mile warehouses and require plans to cut transportation pollution, including by using zero-emission vehicles like cargo bikes. The matter summary notes, 'The bills complement each other.' Ramos and Mitaynes sponsor the measures. Their staff and advocates say the bills will help replace polluting vans with cleaner cargo bikes, especially in low-income areas hit hard by asthma. Both bills are gaining support in Albany.
-
V-DAY SPECIAL: Bigger Cargo Bikes and Last-Mile Warehouse Regulation is a Match Made In Heaven,
Streetsblog NYC,
Published 2023-02-14
Mitaynes Supports Safety Boosting State Participation in BQE Planning▸Eighteen Brooklyn officials demand state DOT address BQE’s full deadly stretch. They reject piecemeal fixes. They call out decades of harm. The state’s refusal leaves neighborhoods exposed. The city’s hands are tied. The highway’s danger remains. Vulnerable lives hang in the balance.
On February 10, 2023, eighteen Brooklyn lawmakers issued a joint letter demanding New York State Department of Transportation (DOT) participate in comprehensive planning for the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE). The statement, prompted by a Streetsblog report, reads: "We ask that the NYS DOT remember the daily harms caused by the BQE in its current state—not just the crumbling cantilever section—and join us at the table in search of a solution." The group includes Reps. Nydia Velázquez, Dan Goldman, Borough President Antonio Reynoso, state Sens. Jabari Brisport, Julia Salazar, Kristen Gonzalez, Andrew Gounardes, Assembly Members Bobby Carroll, Maritza Davila, Phara Souffrant Forrest, Emily Gallagher, Jo Anne Simon, Marcela Mitaynes, and Council Members Alexa Avilés, Shahana Hanif, Crystal Hudson, Jennifer Gutiérrez, and Lincoln Restler. Senator Gounardes called the state’s refusal to join the city’s visioning process “unacceptable and irresponsible.” The lawmakers stress that the BQE’s harms—crashes, pollution, division—stretch from Bay Ridge to Greenpoint. Without state action, only city-owned segments see attention. The city’s efforts are limited. The state’s inaction leaves systemic danger unaddressed.
-
Brooklyn Pols Demand the State ‘Come to the Table’ on the BQE,
Streetsblog NYC,
Published 2023-02-10
A Jeep hit a parked Toyota on 39th Street. The Toyota lurched forward. The driver, a 47-year-old man, was found unconscious and crushed. Illness struck before the crash. Sirens wailed, but help came too late.
A Jeep traveling west on 39th Street near 2nd Avenue in Brooklyn struck a parked Toyota. The impact forced the Toyota forward, severely injuring its 47-year-old driver. According to the police report, 'Illness took hold before impact.' The driver was found unconscious, suffering crush injuries to his entire body. The police list 'Illnes' as the contributing factor in the crash. No other driver errors are noted in the report. The Toyota was parked at the time of the collision. The report does not mention any actions by the injured driver that contributed to the crash.
Tractor-Trailer Crushes Parked Sedan on Bush Street▸A tractor-trailer turned onto Bush Street and crushed a parked Kia. The driver, trapped and bleeding, stayed conscious inside the wreck. The truck rolled on. Metal twisted. Blood pooled. The street bore the mark.
A tractor-trailer making a right turn onto Bush Street in Brooklyn struck a parked Kia sedan. According to the police report, the Kia was demolished beneath the trailer. The 36-year-old driver of the Kia was trapped inside, suffering severe lacerations to his arm but remained conscious. The truck continued forward after the impact, leaving its trailer damaged. The police report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' No driver errors were specifically cited in the data. The incident highlights the danger heavy trucks pose to stationary vehicles and their occupants on city streets.
E-Bike Rider Killed Striking Turning Truck▸A 19-year-old on an e-bike hit a turning diesel truck at 4th Avenue and 39th Street. Head trauma. Blood on the street. He died there, alone, under the lights. The crash was fast, brutal, final.
A 19-year-old e-bike rider died after colliding with a diesel truck making a right turn at the corner of 4th Avenue and 39th Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, the e-bike struck the truck at 2:30 a.m. The rider suffered fatal head trauma and died at the scene. The report lists 'Driver Inexperience' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as contributing factors. The rider was not wearing a helmet, as noted in the report, but the primary causes cited are driver errors. No other injuries were reported.
Distracted SUV Driver Strikes Pedestrian on Hamilton Avenue▸A westbound SUV hit a 55-year-old man crossing Hamilton Avenue. The right front bumper struck his head. Blood pooled on the street. The man stayed conscious. Police cited driver distraction. The street bore witness. The man survived, wounded.
A 55-year-old pedestrian suffered a head injury after being struck by a westbound SUV near 357 Hamilton Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, 'A westbound SUV struck a 55-year-old man crossing outside the intersection. He bled from the head. The right front bumper bore the wound. The man stayed conscious. The driver was distracted.' The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor. The impact left the man with severe bleeding but conscious at the scene. The data does not mention any helmet or signal use as a factor. The crash highlights the danger posed by driver distraction on city streets.
Box Truck Crushes Moped Rider’s Head▸A box truck and a moped moved south on 4th Avenue. The moped rider, 21, wore a helmet. He was ejected. His head was crushed. The truck showed no damage. The street showed the cost.
A box truck and a moped traveled south on 4th Avenue at 53rd Street in Brooklyn. The moped rider, age 21, was ejected and suffered a crushed head. According to the police report, 'A box truck and a moped moved south. The moped driver, 21, wore a helmet. He was ejected. Conscious. His head was crushed.' The data lists no specific driver errors, but the narrative shows the moped rider paid the price. The rider wore a helmet. The truck showed no damage, but the human toll was severe.
Box Truck Slams Tractor-Trailer on Gowanus Expressway▸A box truck, speeding, rammed a slowing tractor-trailer on the Gowanus Expressway. Steel twisted. The box truck driver, 34, bled from the face but stayed conscious. The crash left shattered glass and a trail of blood on the highway.
A violent crash unfolded on the Gowanus Expressway when a box truck, traveling at unsafe speed, struck the rear of a slowing tractor-trailer. According to the police report, 'A box truck, too fast, crushed into a slowing tractor-trailer. Steel folded. The driver, 34, wore his belt. Blood ran down his face. He stayed awake, staring through shattered glass at the wreck he made.' The driver of the box truck suffered severe facial lacerations but remained conscious. The police report lists 'Unsafe Speed' as the contributing factor in the crash. The tractor-trailer was slowing or stopping when it was hit. The only injury reported was to the box truck driver, who was wearing a lap belt and harness.
Mitaynes Backs Safety Boosting Equalized Tolling Plan▸Brooklyn officials demand equal tolls on all Manhattan crossings. They warn free bridges funnel traffic into certain neighborhoods. Their letter calls for fairness. The MTA stays silent. The Traffic Mobility Review Board will decide. Streets hang in the balance.
On July 18, 2023, Council Member Shahana Hanif and other Brooklyn officials called for 'equalized tolling on all crossings into Manhattan' as congestion pricing nears. Their letter to the Traffic Mobility Review Board states: 'No one community should disproportionately bear the burden of the cars and trucks passing through their neighborhood.' Hanif, along with Lincoln Restler, Alexa Avilés, Jennifer Gutiérrez, and Crystal Hudson, joined borough, state, and federal colleagues in this push. They propose a credit system to balance costs between DOT bridges and MTA tunnels, aiming to protect neighborhoods like the Brooklyn waterfront and the BQE corridor from traffic surges. The MTA declined comment. The Board will soon set final toll rates and rules. The federal government has approved the congestion pricing plan, with tolls for cars expected between $9 and $23. Over 100 exemption requests, including from taxi and for-hire vehicle drivers, are under review.
-
Pols call for ‘equalized tolling’ on all crossings into Manhattan under congestion pricing on eve of board deliberations,
amny.com,
Published 2023-07-18
2SUV Turns Left, E-Bike Teens Bleed on 25th Street▸An SUV turned left on 25th Street. Two teens on an e-bike struck its rear. One bled from the head, the other from the face. Both were conscious. Blood pooled on Brooklyn pavement. Failure to yield and unsafe speed marked the crash.
Two teenage boys riding an e-bike were injured when they struck the rear of an SUV making a left turn on 25th Street near 4th Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, 'An SUV turned left. An e-bike with two teen boys struck its rear. One bled from the head. The other, from the face. Both conscious. Both hurt. Blood pooled on the hot Brooklyn pavement.' The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Unsafe Speed' as contributing factors. Both teens suffered severe bleeding, one to the head and one to the face. The data also notes 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a factor. The SUV was damaged on the right rear quarter panel, while the e-bike was damaged at the front. No mention of helmet use or signaling as contributing factors.
Moped Rider Killed After Striking Jeep in Brooklyn▸A moped slammed into a Jeep on 4th Avenue. The young rider flew off and struck his head. He died in the street. The crash happened in darkness. Police cited traffic control disregarded.
A deadly crash unfolded at the corner of 4th Avenue and 52nd Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, a moped hit the side of a Jeep. The 21-year-old unlicensed moped rider was ejected, suffered a fatal head injury, and died at the scene. The report lists 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as a contributing factor. The Jeep driver was licensed and uninjured. The moped had no registered license, and the rider wore no helmet. The crash happened in darkness, with no other injuries reported.
Head-On Bike Collision Leaves Cyclist Bleeding▸Two bikes crashed head-on at 61st and 4th. One turned left. One went straight. A 23-year-old man hit the pavement, blood streaming from his head. He stayed conscious. The street stood still. Failure to yield and ignored signals brought pain.
Two bicyclists collided head-on at the corner of 61st Street and 4th Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, one cyclist was making a left turn while the other was going straight. The crash left a 23-year-old man with severe bleeding from the head, though he remained conscious. The police report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as contributing factors. No helmet was worn by the injured cyclist, as noted after the driver errors. The collision underscores the dangers faced by vulnerable road users on city streets.
Mitaynes Supports Safety Boosting Cargo Bike and Emissions Bills▸Lawmakers push two bills. One widens legal cargo bikes. One reins in dirty warehouses. Both target truck traffic choking city streets. Sponsors say the measures will cut pollution, asthma, and danger for people outside cars. Albany momentum grows.
Bills S6106 (Sen. Jessica Ramos) and A6968 (Asm. Marcela Mitaynes) are active in the New York State legislature. S6106 would expand the legal width of cargo bikes from 36 to 48 inches, making them more useful for deliveries. A6968 would let the Department of Environmental Conservation regulate emissions from last-mile warehouses and require plans to cut transportation pollution, including by using zero-emission vehicles like cargo bikes. The matter summary notes, 'The bills complement each other.' Ramos and Mitaynes sponsor the measures. Their staff and advocates say the bills will help replace polluting vans with cleaner cargo bikes, especially in low-income areas hit hard by asthma. Both bills are gaining support in Albany.
-
V-DAY SPECIAL: Bigger Cargo Bikes and Last-Mile Warehouse Regulation is a Match Made In Heaven,
Streetsblog NYC,
Published 2023-02-14
Mitaynes Supports Safety Boosting State Participation in BQE Planning▸Eighteen Brooklyn officials demand state DOT address BQE’s full deadly stretch. They reject piecemeal fixes. They call out decades of harm. The state’s refusal leaves neighborhoods exposed. The city’s hands are tied. The highway’s danger remains. Vulnerable lives hang in the balance.
On February 10, 2023, eighteen Brooklyn lawmakers issued a joint letter demanding New York State Department of Transportation (DOT) participate in comprehensive planning for the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE). The statement, prompted by a Streetsblog report, reads: "We ask that the NYS DOT remember the daily harms caused by the BQE in its current state—not just the crumbling cantilever section—and join us at the table in search of a solution." The group includes Reps. Nydia Velázquez, Dan Goldman, Borough President Antonio Reynoso, state Sens. Jabari Brisport, Julia Salazar, Kristen Gonzalez, Andrew Gounardes, Assembly Members Bobby Carroll, Maritza Davila, Phara Souffrant Forrest, Emily Gallagher, Jo Anne Simon, Marcela Mitaynes, and Council Members Alexa Avilés, Shahana Hanif, Crystal Hudson, Jennifer Gutiérrez, and Lincoln Restler. Senator Gounardes called the state’s refusal to join the city’s visioning process “unacceptable and irresponsible.” The lawmakers stress that the BQE’s harms—crashes, pollution, division—stretch from Bay Ridge to Greenpoint. Without state action, only city-owned segments see attention. The city’s efforts are limited. The state’s inaction leaves systemic danger unaddressed.
-
Brooklyn Pols Demand the State ‘Come to the Table’ on the BQE,
Streetsblog NYC,
Published 2023-02-10
A tractor-trailer turned onto Bush Street and crushed a parked Kia. The driver, trapped and bleeding, stayed conscious inside the wreck. The truck rolled on. Metal twisted. Blood pooled. The street bore the mark.
A tractor-trailer making a right turn onto Bush Street in Brooklyn struck a parked Kia sedan. According to the police report, the Kia was demolished beneath the trailer. The 36-year-old driver of the Kia was trapped inside, suffering severe lacerations to his arm but remained conscious. The truck continued forward after the impact, leaving its trailer damaged. The police report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' No driver errors were specifically cited in the data. The incident highlights the danger heavy trucks pose to stationary vehicles and their occupants on city streets.
E-Bike Rider Killed Striking Turning Truck▸A 19-year-old on an e-bike hit a turning diesel truck at 4th Avenue and 39th Street. Head trauma. Blood on the street. He died there, alone, under the lights. The crash was fast, brutal, final.
A 19-year-old e-bike rider died after colliding with a diesel truck making a right turn at the corner of 4th Avenue and 39th Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, the e-bike struck the truck at 2:30 a.m. The rider suffered fatal head trauma and died at the scene. The report lists 'Driver Inexperience' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as contributing factors. The rider was not wearing a helmet, as noted in the report, but the primary causes cited are driver errors. No other injuries were reported.
Distracted SUV Driver Strikes Pedestrian on Hamilton Avenue▸A westbound SUV hit a 55-year-old man crossing Hamilton Avenue. The right front bumper struck his head. Blood pooled on the street. The man stayed conscious. Police cited driver distraction. The street bore witness. The man survived, wounded.
A 55-year-old pedestrian suffered a head injury after being struck by a westbound SUV near 357 Hamilton Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, 'A westbound SUV struck a 55-year-old man crossing outside the intersection. He bled from the head. The right front bumper bore the wound. The man stayed conscious. The driver was distracted.' The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor. The impact left the man with severe bleeding but conscious at the scene. The data does not mention any helmet or signal use as a factor. The crash highlights the danger posed by driver distraction on city streets.
Box Truck Crushes Moped Rider’s Head▸A box truck and a moped moved south on 4th Avenue. The moped rider, 21, wore a helmet. He was ejected. His head was crushed. The truck showed no damage. The street showed the cost.
A box truck and a moped traveled south on 4th Avenue at 53rd Street in Brooklyn. The moped rider, age 21, was ejected and suffered a crushed head. According to the police report, 'A box truck and a moped moved south. The moped driver, 21, wore a helmet. He was ejected. Conscious. His head was crushed.' The data lists no specific driver errors, but the narrative shows the moped rider paid the price. The rider wore a helmet. The truck showed no damage, but the human toll was severe.
Box Truck Slams Tractor-Trailer on Gowanus Expressway▸A box truck, speeding, rammed a slowing tractor-trailer on the Gowanus Expressway. Steel twisted. The box truck driver, 34, bled from the face but stayed conscious. The crash left shattered glass and a trail of blood on the highway.
A violent crash unfolded on the Gowanus Expressway when a box truck, traveling at unsafe speed, struck the rear of a slowing tractor-trailer. According to the police report, 'A box truck, too fast, crushed into a slowing tractor-trailer. Steel folded. The driver, 34, wore his belt. Blood ran down his face. He stayed awake, staring through shattered glass at the wreck he made.' The driver of the box truck suffered severe facial lacerations but remained conscious. The police report lists 'Unsafe Speed' as the contributing factor in the crash. The tractor-trailer was slowing or stopping when it was hit. The only injury reported was to the box truck driver, who was wearing a lap belt and harness.
Mitaynes Backs Safety Boosting Equalized Tolling Plan▸Brooklyn officials demand equal tolls on all Manhattan crossings. They warn free bridges funnel traffic into certain neighborhoods. Their letter calls for fairness. The MTA stays silent. The Traffic Mobility Review Board will decide. Streets hang in the balance.
On July 18, 2023, Council Member Shahana Hanif and other Brooklyn officials called for 'equalized tolling on all crossings into Manhattan' as congestion pricing nears. Their letter to the Traffic Mobility Review Board states: 'No one community should disproportionately bear the burden of the cars and trucks passing through their neighborhood.' Hanif, along with Lincoln Restler, Alexa Avilés, Jennifer Gutiérrez, and Crystal Hudson, joined borough, state, and federal colleagues in this push. They propose a credit system to balance costs between DOT bridges and MTA tunnels, aiming to protect neighborhoods like the Brooklyn waterfront and the BQE corridor from traffic surges. The MTA declined comment. The Board will soon set final toll rates and rules. The federal government has approved the congestion pricing plan, with tolls for cars expected between $9 and $23. Over 100 exemption requests, including from taxi and for-hire vehicle drivers, are under review.
-
Pols call for ‘equalized tolling’ on all crossings into Manhattan under congestion pricing on eve of board deliberations,
amny.com,
Published 2023-07-18
2SUV Turns Left, E-Bike Teens Bleed on 25th Street▸An SUV turned left on 25th Street. Two teens on an e-bike struck its rear. One bled from the head, the other from the face. Both were conscious. Blood pooled on Brooklyn pavement. Failure to yield and unsafe speed marked the crash.
Two teenage boys riding an e-bike were injured when they struck the rear of an SUV making a left turn on 25th Street near 4th Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, 'An SUV turned left. An e-bike with two teen boys struck its rear. One bled from the head. The other, from the face. Both conscious. Both hurt. Blood pooled on the hot Brooklyn pavement.' The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Unsafe Speed' as contributing factors. Both teens suffered severe bleeding, one to the head and one to the face. The data also notes 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a factor. The SUV was damaged on the right rear quarter panel, while the e-bike was damaged at the front. No mention of helmet use or signaling as contributing factors.
Moped Rider Killed After Striking Jeep in Brooklyn▸A moped slammed into a Jeep on 4th Avenue. The young rider flew off and struck his head. He died in the street. The crash happened in darkness. Police cited traffic control disregarded.
A deadly crash unfolded at the corner of 4th Avenue and 52nd Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, a moped hit the side of a Jeep. The 21-year-old unlicensed moped rider was ejected, suffered a fatal head injury, and died at the scene. The report lists 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as a contributing factor. The Jeep driver was licensed and uninjured. The moped had no registered license, and the rider wore no helmet. The crash happened in darkness, with no other injuries reported.
Head-On Bike Collision Leaves Cyclist Bleeding▸Two bikes crashed head-on at 61st and 4th. One turned left. One went straight. A 23-year-old man hit the pavement, blood streaming from his head. He stayed conscious. The street stood still. Failure to yield and ignored signals brought pain.
Two bicyclists collided head-on at the corner of 61st Street and 4th Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, one cyclist was making a left turn while the other was going straight. The crash left a 23-year-old man with severe bleeding from the head, though he remained conscious. The police report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as contributing factors. No helmet was worn by the injured cyclist, as noted after the driver errors. The collision underscores the dangers faced by vulnerable road users on city streets.
Mitaynes Supports Safety Boosting Cargo Bike and Emissions Bills▸Lawmakers push two bills. One widens legal cargo bikes. One reins in dirty warehouses. Both target truck traffic choking city streets. Sponsors say the measures will cut pollution, asthma, and danger for people outside cars. Albany momentum grows.
Bills S6106 (Sen. Jessica Ramos) and A6968 (Asm. Marcela Mitaynes) are active in the New York State legislature. S6106 would expand the legal width of cargo bikes from 36 to 48 inches, making them more useful for deliveries. A6968 would let the Department of Environmental Conservation regulate emissions from last-mile warehouses and require plans to cut transportation pollution, including by using zero-emission vehicles like cargo bikes. The matter summary notes, 'The bills complement each other.' Ramos and Mitaynes sponsor the measures. Their staff and advocates say the bills will help replace polluting vans with cleaner cargo bikes, especially in low-income areas hit hard by asthma. Both bills are gaining support in Albany.
-
V-DAY SPECIAL: Bigger Cargo Bikes and Last-Mile Warehouse Regulation is a Match Made In Heaven,
Streetsblog NYC,
Published 2023-02-14
Mitaynes Supports Safety Boosting State Participation in BQE Planning▸Eighteen Brooklyn officials demand state DOT address BQE’s full deadly stretch. They reject piecemeal fixes. They call out decades of harm. The state’s refusal leaves neighborhoods exposed. The city’s hands are tied. The highway’s danger remains. Vulnerable lives hang in the balance.
On February 10, 2023, eighteen Brooklyn lawmakers issued a joint letter demanding New York State Department of Transportation (DOT) participate in comprehensive planning for the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE). The statement, prompted by a Streetsblog report, reads: "We ask that the NYS DOT remember the daily harms caused by the BQE in its current state—not just the crumbling cantilever section—and join us at the table in search of a solution." The group includes Reps. Nydia Velázquez, Dan Goldman, Borough President Antonio Reynoso, state Sens. Jabari Brisport, Julia Salazar, Kristen Gonzalez, Andrew Gounardes, Assembly Members Bobby Carroll, Maritza Davila, Phara Souffrant Forrest, Emily Gallagher, Jo Anne Simon, Marcela Mitaynes, and Council Members Alexa Avilés, Shahana Hanif, Crystal Hudson, Jennifer Gutiérrez, and Lincoln Restler. Senator Gounardes called the state’s refusal to join the city’s visioning process “unacceptable and irresponsible.” The lawmakers stress that the BQE’s harms—crashes, pollution, division—stretch from Bay Ridge to Greenpoint. Without state action, only city-owned segments see attention. The city’s efforts are limited. The state’s inaction leaves systemic danger unaddressed.
-
Brooklyn Pols Demand the State ‘Come to the Table’ on the BQE,
Streetsblog NYC,
Published 2023-02-10
A 19-year-old on an e-bike hit a turning diesel truck at 4th Avenue and 39th Street. Head trauma. Blood on the street. He died there, alone, under the lights. The crash was fast, brutal, final.
A 19-year-old e-bike rider died after colliding with a diesel truck making a right turn at the corner of 4th Avenue and 39th Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, the e-bike struck the truck at 2:30 a.m. The rider suffered fatal head trauma and died at the scene. The report lists 'Driver Inexperience' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as contributing factors. The rider was not wearing a helmet, as noted in the report, but the primary causes cited are driver errors. No other injuries were reported.
Distracted SUV Driver Strikes Pedestrian on Hamilton Avenue▸A westbound SUV hit a 55-year-old man crossing Hamilton Avenue. The right front bumper struck his head. Blood pooled on the street. The man stayed conscious. Police cited driver distraction. The street bore witness. The man survived, wounded.
A 55-year-old pedestrian suffered a head injury after being struck by a westbound SUV near 357 Hamilton Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, 'A westbound SUV struck a 55-year-old man crossing outside the intersection. He bled from the head. The right front bumper bore the wound. The man stayed conscious. The driver was distracted.' The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor. The impact left the man with severe bleeding but conscious at the scene. The data does not mention any helmet or signal use as a factor. The crash highlights the danger posed by driver distraction on city streets.
Box Truck Crushes Moped Rider’s Head▸A box truck and a moped moved south on 4th Avenue. The moped rider, 21, wore a helmet. He was ejected. His head was crushed. The truck showed no damage. The street showed the cost.
A box truck and a moped traveled south on 4th Avenue at 53rd Street in Brooklyn. The moped rider, age 21, was ejected and suffered a crushed head. According to the police report, 'A box truck and a moped moved south. The moped driver, 21, wore a helmet. He was ejected. Conscious. His head was crushed.' The data lists no specific driver errors, but the narrative shows the moped rider paid the price. The rider wore a helmet. The truck showed no damage, but the human toll was severe.
Box Truck Slams Tractor-Trailer on Gowanus Expressway▸A box truck, speeding, rammed a slowing tractor-trailer on the Gowanus Expressway. Steel twisted. The box truck driver, 34, bled from the face but stayed conscious. The crash left shattered glass and a trail of blood on the highway.
A violent crash unfolded on the Gowanus Expressway when a box truck, traveling at unsafe speed, struck the rear of a slowing tractor-trailer. According to the police report, 'A box truck, too fast, crushed into a slowing tractor-trailer. Steel folded. The driver, 34, wore his belt. Blood ran down his face. He stayed awake, staring through shattered glass at the wreck he made.' The driver of the box truck suffered severe facial lacerations but remained conscious. The police report lists 'Unsafe Speed' as the contributing factor in the crash. The tractor-trailer was slowing or stopping when it was hit. The only injury reported was to the box truck driver, who was wearing a lap belt and harness.
Mitaynes Backs Safety Boosting Equalized Tolling Plan▸Brooklyn officials demand equal tolls on all Manhattan crossings. They warn free bridges funnel traffic into certain neighborhoods. Their letter calls for fairness. The MTA stays silent. The Traffic Mobility Review Board will decide. Streets hang in the balance.
On July 18, 2023, Council Member Shahana Hanif and other Brooklyn officials called for 'equalized tolling on all crossings into Manhattan' as congestion pricing nears. Their letter to the Traffic Mobility Review Board states: 'No one community should disproportionately bear the burden of the cars and trucks passing through their neighborhood.' Hanif, along with Lincoln Restler, Alexa Avilés, Jennifer Gutiérrez, and Crystal Hudson, joined borough, state, and federal colleagues in this push. They propose a credit system to balance costs between DOT bridges and MTA tunnels, aiming to protect neighborhoods like the Brooklyn waterfront and the BQE corridor from traffic surges. The MTA declined comment. The Board will soon set final toll rates and rules. The federal government has approved the congestion pricing plan, with tolls for cars expected between $9 and $23. Over 100 exemption requests, including from taxi and for-hire vehicle drivers, are under review.
-
Pols call for ‘equalized tolling’ on all crossings into Manhattan under congestion pricing on eve of board deliberations,
amny.com,
Published 2023-07-18
2SUV Turns Left, E-Bike Teens Bleed on 25th Street▸An SUV turned left on 25th Street. Two teens on an e-bike struck its rear. One bled from the head, the other from the face. Both were conscious. Blood pooled on Brooklyn pavement. Failure to yield and unsafe speed marked the crash.
Two teenage boys riding an e-bike were injured when they struck the rear of an SUV making a left turn on 25th Street near 4th Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, 'An SUV turned left. An e-bike with two teen boys struck its rear. One bled from the head. The other, from the face. Both conscious. Both hurt. Blood pooled on the hot Brooklyn pavement.' The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Unsafe Speed' as contributing factors. Both teens suffered severe bleeding, one to the head and one to the face. The data also notes 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a factor. The SUV was damaged on the right rear quarter panel, while the e-bike was damaged at the front. No mention of helmet use or signaling as contributing factors.
Moped Rider Killed After Striking Jeep in Brooklyn▸A moped slammed into a Jeep on 4th Avenue. The young rider flew off and struck his head. He died in the street. The crash happened in darkness. Police cited traffic control disregarded.
A deadly crash unfolded at the corner of 4th Avenue and 52nd Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, a moped hit the side of a Jeep. The 21-year-old unlicensed moped rider was ejected, suffered a fatal head injury, and died at the scene. The report lists 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as a contributing factor. The Jeep driver was licensed and uninjured. The moped had no registered license, and the rider wore no helmet. The crash happened in darkness, with no other injuries reported.
Head-On Bike Collision Leaves Cyclist Bleeding▸Two bikes crashed head-on at 61st and 4th. One turned left. One went straight. A 23-year-old man hit the pavement, blood streaming from his head. He stayed conscious. The street stood still. Failure to yield and ignored signals brought pain.
Two bicyclists collided head-on at the corner of 61st Street and 4th Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, one cyclist was making a left turn while the other was going straight. The crash left a 23-year-old man with severe bleeding from the head, though he remained conscious. The police report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as contributing factors. No helmet was worn by the injured cyclist, as noted after the driver errors. The collision underscores the dangers faced by vulnerable road users on city streets.
Mitaynes Supports Safety Boosting Cargo Bike and Emissions Bills▸Lawmakers push two bills. One widens legal cargo bikes. One reins in dirty warehouses. Both target truck traffic choking city streets. Sponsors say the measures will cut pollution, asthma, and danger for people outside cars. Albany momentum grows.
Bills S6106 (Sen. Jessica Ramos) and A6968 (Asm. Marcela Mitaynes) are active in the New York State legislature. S6106 would expand the legal width of cargo bikes from 36 to 48 inches, making them more useful for deliveries. A6968 would let the Department of Environmental Conservation regulate emissions from last-mile warehouses and require plans to cut transportation pollution, including by using zero-emission vehicles like cargo bikes. The matter summary notes, 'The bills complement each other.' Ramos and Mitaynes sponsor the measures. Their staff and advocates say the bills will help replace polluting vans with cleaner cargo bikes, especially in low-income areas hit hard by asthma. Both bills are gaining support in Albany.
-
V-DAY SPECIAL: Bigger Cargo Bikes and Last-Mile Warehouse Regulation is a Match Made In Heaven,
Streetsblog NYC,
Published 2023-02-14
Mitaynes Supports Safety Boosting State Participation in BQE Planning▸Eighteen Brooklyn officials demand state DOT address BQE’s full deadly stretch. They reject piecemeal fixes. They call out decades of harm. The state’s refusal leaves neighborhoods exposed. The city’s hands are tied. The highway’s danger remains. Vulnerable lives hang in the balance.
On February 10, 2023, eighteen Brooklyn lawmakers issued a joint letter demanding New York State Department of Transportation (DOT) participate in comprehensive planning for the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE). The statement, prompted by a Streetsblog report, reads: "We ask that the NYS DOT remember the daily harms caused by the BQE in its current state—not just the crumbling cantilever section—and join us at the table in search of a solution." The group includes Reps. Nydia Velázquez, Dan Goldman, Borough President Antonio Reynoso, state Sens. Jabari Brisport, Julia Salazar, Kristen Gonzalez, Andrew Gounardes, Assembly Members Bobby Carroll, Maritza Davila, Phara Souffrant Forrest, Emily Gallagher, Jo Anne Simon, Marcela Mitaynes, and Council Members Alexa Avilés, Shahana Hanif, Crystal Hudson, Jennifer Gutiérrez, and Lincoln Restler. Senator Gounardes called the state’s refusal to join the city’s visioning process “unacceptable and irresponsible.” The lawmakers stress that the BQE’s harms—crashes, pollution, division—stretch from Bay Ridge to Greenpoint. Without state action, only city-owned segments see attention. The city’s efforts are limited. The state’s inaction leaves systemic danger unaddressed.
-
Brooklyn Pols Demand the State ‘Come to the Table’ on the BQE,
Streetsblog NYC,
Published 2023-02-10
A westbound SUV hit a 55-year-old man crossing Hamilton Avenue. The right front bumper struck his head. Blood pooled on the street. The man stayed conscious. Police cited driver distraction. The street bore witness. The man survived, wounded.
A 55-year-old pedestrian suffered a head injury after being struck by a westbound SUV near 357 Hamilton Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, 'A westbound SUV struck a 55-year-old man crossing outside the intersection. He bled from the head. The right front bumper bore the wound. The man stayed conscious. The driver was distracted.' The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor. The impact left the man with severe bleeding but conscious at the scene. The data does not mention any helmet or signal use as a factor. The crash highlights the danger posed by driver distraction on city streets.
Box Truck Crushes Moped Rider’s Head▸A box truck and a moped moved south on 4th Avenue. The moped rider, 21, wore a helmet. He was ejected. His head was crushed. The truck showed no damage. The street showed the cost.
A box truck and a moped traveled south on 4th Avenue at 53rd Street in Brooklyn. The moped rider, age 21, was ejected and suffered a crushed head. According to the police report, 'A box truck and a moped moved south. The moped driver, 21, wore a helmet. He was ejected. Conscious. His head was crushed.' The data lists no specific driver errors, but the narrative shows the moped rider paid the price. The rider wore a helmet. The truck showed no damage, but the human toll was severe.
Box Truck Slams Tractor-Trailer on Gowanus Expressway▸A box truck, speeding, rammed a slowing tractor-trailer on the Gowanus Expressway. Steel twisted. The box truck driver, 34, bled from the face but stayed conscious. The crash left shattered glass and a trail of blood on the highway.
A violent crash unfolded on the Gowanus Expressway when a box truck, traveling at unsafe speed, struck the rear of a slowing tractor-trailer. According to the police report, 'A box truck, too fast, crushed into a slowing tractor-trailer. Steel folded. The driver, 34, wore his belt. Blood ran down his face. He stayed awake, staring through shattered glass at the wreck he made.' The driver of the box truck suffered severe facial lacerations but remained conscious. The police report lists 'Unsafe Speed' as the contributing factor in the crash. The tractor-trailer was slowing or stopping when it was hit. The only injury reported was to the box truck driver, who was wearing a lap belt and harness.
Mitaynes Backs Safety Boosting Equalized Tolling Plan▸Brooklyn officials demand equal tolls on all Manhattan crossings. They warn free bridges funnel traffic into certain neighborhoods. Their letter calls for fairness. The MTA stays silent. The Traffic Mobility Review Board will decide. Streets hang in the balance.
On July 18, 2023, Council Member Shahana Hanif and other Brooklyn officials called for 'equalized tolling on all crossings into Manhattan' as congestion pricing nears. Their letter to the Traffic Mobility Review Board states: 'No one community should disproportionately bear the burden of the cars and trucks passing through their neighborhood.' Hanif, along with Lincoln Restler, Alexa Avilés, Jennifer Gutiérrez, and Crystal Hudson, joined borough, state, and federal colleagues in this push. They propose a credit system to balance costs between DOT bridges and MTA tunnels, aiming to protect neighborhoods like the Brooklyn waterfront and the BQE corridor from traffic surges. The MTA declined comment. The Board will soon set final toll rates and rules. The federal government has approved the congestion pricing plan, with tolls for cars expected between $9 and $23. Over 100 exemption requests, including from taxi and for-hire vehicle drivers, are under review.
-
Pols call for ‘equalized tolling’ on all crossings into Manhattan under congestion pricing on eve of board deliberations,
amny.com,
Published 2023-07-18
2SUV Turns Left, E-Bike Teens Bleed on 25th Street▸An SUV turned left on 25th Street. Two teens on an e-bike struck its rear. One bled from the head, the other from the face. Both were conscious. Blood pooled on Brooklyn pavement. Failure to yield and unsafe speed marked the crash.
Two teenage boys riding an e-bike were injured when they struck the rear of an SUV making a left turn on 25th Street near 4th Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, 'An SUV turned left. An e-bike with two teen boys struck its rear. One bled from the head. The other, from the face. Both conscious. Both hurt. Blood pooled on the hot Brooklyn pavement.' The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Unsafe Speed' as contributing factors. Both teens suffered severe bleeding, one to the head and one to the face. The data also notes 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a factor. The SUV was damaged on the right rear quarter panel, while the e-bike was damaged at the front. No mention of helmet use or signaling as contributing factors.
Moped Rider Killed After Striking Jeep in Brooklyn▸A moped slammed into a Jeep on 4th Avenue. The young rider flew off and struck his head. He died in the street. The crash happened in darkness. Police cited traffic control disregarded.
A deadly crash unfolded at the corner of 4th Avenue and 52nd Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, a moped hit the side of a Jeep. The 21-year-old unlicensed moped rider was ejected, suffered a fatal head injury, and died at the scene. The report lists 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as a contributing factor. The Jeep driver was licensed and uninjured. The moped had no registered license, and the rider wore no helmet. The crash happened in darkness, with no other injuries reported.
Head-On Bike Collision Leaves Cyclist Bleeding▸Two bikes crashed head-on at 61st and 4th. One turned left. One went straight. A 23-year-old man hit the pavement, blood streaming from his head. He stayed conscious. The street stood still. Failure to yield and ignored signals brought pain.
Two bicyclists collided head-on at the corner of 61st Street and 4th Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, one cyclist was making a left turn while the other was going straight. The crash left a 23-year-old man with severe bleeding from the head, though he remained conscious. The police report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as contributing factors. No helmet was worn by the injured cyclist, as noted after the driver errors. The collision underscores the dangers faced by vulnerable road users on city streets.
Mitaynes Supports Safety Boosting Cargo Bike and Emissions Bills▸Lawmakers push two bills. One widens legal cargo bikes. One reins in dirty warehouses. Both target truck traffic choking city streets. Sponsors say the measures will cut pollution, asthma, and danger for people outside cars. Albany momentum grows.
Bills S6106 (Sen. Jessica Ramos) and A6968 (Asm. Marcela Mitaynes) are active in the New York State legislature. S6106 would expand the legal width of cargo bikes from 36 to 48 inches, making them more useful for deliveries. A6968 would let the Department of Environmental Conservation regulate emissions from last-mile warehouses and require plans to cut transportation pollution, including by using zero-emission vehicles like cargo bikes. The matter summary notes, 'The bills complement each other.' Ramos and Mitaynes sponsor the measures. Their staff and advocates say the bills will help replace polluting vans with cleaner cargo bikes, especially in low-income areas hit hard by asthma. Both bills are gaining support in Albany.
-
V-DAY SPECIAL: Bigger Cargo Bikes and Last-Mile Warehouse Regulation is a Match Made In Heaven,
Streetsblog NYC,
Published 2023-02-14
Mitaynes Supports Safety Boosting State Participation in BQE Planning▸Eighteen Brooklyn officials demand state DOT address BQE’s full deadly stretch. They reject piecemeal fixes. They call out decades of harm. The state’s refusal leaves neighborhoods exposed. The city’s hands are tied. The highway’s danger remains. Vulnerable lives hang in the balance.
On February 10, 2023, eighteen Brooklyn lawmakers issued a joint letter demanding New York State Department of Transportation (DOT) participate in comprehensive planning for the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE). The statement, prompted by a Streetsblog report, reads: "We ask that the NYS DOT remember the daily harms caused by the BQE in its current state—not just the crumbling cantilever section—and join us at the table in search of a solution." The group includes Reps. Nydia Velázquez, Dan Goldman, Borough President Antonio Reynoso, state Sens. Jabari Brisport, Julia Salazar, Kristen Gonzalez, Andrew Gounardes, Assembly Members Bobby Carroll, Maritza Davila, Phara Souffrant Forrest, Emily Gallagher, Jo Anne Simon, Marcela Mitaynes, and Council Members Alexa Avilés, Shahana Hanif, Crystal Hudson, Jennifer Gutiérrez, and Lincoln Restler. Senator Gounardes called the state’s refusal to join the city’s visioning process “unacceptable and irresponsible.” The lawmakers stress that the BQE’s harms—crashes, pollution, division—stretch from Bay Ridge to Greenpoint. Without state action, only city-owned segments see attention. The city’s efforts are limited. The state’s inaction leaves systemic danger unaddressed.
-
Brooklyn Pols Demand the State ‘Come to the Table’ on the BQE,
Streetsblog NYC,
Published 2023-02-10
A box truck and a moped moved south on 4th Avenue. The moped rider, 21, wore a helmet. He was ejected. His head was crushed. The truck showed no damage. The street showed the cost.
A box truck and a moped traveled south on 4th Avenue at 53rd Street in Brooklyn. The moped rider, age 21, was ejected and suffered a crushed head. According to the police report, 'A box truck and a moped moved south. The moped driver, 21, wore a helmet. He was ejected. Conscious. His head was crushed.' The data lists no specific driver errors, but the narrative shows the moped rider paid the price. The rider wore a helmet. The truck showed no damage, but the human toll was severe.
Box Truck Slams Tractor-Trailer on Gowanus Expressway▸A box truck, speeding, rammed a slowing tractor-trailer on the Gowanus Expressway. Steel twisted. The box truck driver, 34, bled from the face but stayed conscious. The crash left shattered glass and a trail of blood on the highway.
A violent crash unfolded on the Gowanus Expressway when a box truck, traveling at unsafe speed, struck the rear of a slowing tractor-trailer. According to the police report, 'A box truck, too fast, crushed into a slowing tractor-trailer. Steel folded. The driver, 34, wore his belt. Blood ran down his face. He stayed awake, staring through shattered glass at the wreck he made.' The driver of the box truck suffered severe facial lacerations but remained conscious. The police report lists 'Unsafe Speed' as the contributing factor in the crash. The tractor-trailer was slowing or stopping when it was hit. The only injury reported was to the box truck driver, who was wearing a lap belt and harness.
Mitaynes Backs Safety Boosting Equalized Tolling Plan▸Brooklyn officials demand equal tolls on all Manhattan crossings. They warn free bridges funnel traffic into certain neighborhoods. Their letter calls for fairness. The MTA stays silent. The Traffic Mobility Review Board will decide. Streets hang in the balance.
On July 18, 2023, Council Member Shahana Hanif and other Brooklyn officials called for 'equalized tolling on all crossings into Manhattan' as congestion pricing nears. Their letter to the Traffic Mobility Review Board states: 'No one community should disproportionately bear the burden of the cars and trucks passing through their neighborhood.' Hanif, along with Lincoln Restler, Alexa Avilés, Jennifer Gutiérrez, and Crystal Hudson, joined borough, state, and federal colleagues in this push. They propose a credit system to balance costs between DOT bridges and MTA tunnels, aiming to protect neighborhoods like the Brooklyn waterfront and the BQE corridor from traffic surges. The MTA declined comment. The Board will soon set final toll rates and rules. The federal government has approved the congestion pricing plan, with tolls for cars expected between $9 and $23. Over 100 exemption requests, including from taxi and for-hire vehicle drivers, are under review.
-
Pols call for ‘equalized tolling’ on all crossings into Manhattan under congestion pricing on eve of board deliberations,
amny.com,
Published 2023-07-18
2SUV Turns Left, E-Bike Teens Bleed on 25th Street▸An SUV turned left on 25th Street. Two teens on an e-bike struck its rear. One bled from the head, the other from the face. Both were conscious. Blood pooled on Brooklyn pavement. Failure to yield and unsafe speed marked the crash.
Two teenage boys riding an e-bike were injured when they struck the rear of an SUV making a left turn on 25th Street near 4th Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, 'An SUV turned left. An e-bike with two teen boys struck its rear. One bled from the head. The other, from the face. Both conscious. Both hurt. Blood pooled on the hot Brooklyn pavement.' The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Unsafe Speed' as contributing factors. Both teens suffered severe bleeding, one to the head and one to the face. The data also notes 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a factor. The SUV was damaged on the right rear quarter panel, while the e-bike was damaged at the front. No mention of helmet use or signaling as contributing factors.
Moped Rider Killed After Striking Jeep in Brooklyn▸A moped slammed into a Jeep on 4th Avenue. The young rider flew off and struck his head. He died in the street. The crash happened in darkness. Police cited traffic control disregarded.
A deadly crash unfolded at the corner of 4th Avenue and 52nd Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, a moped hit the side of a Jeep. The 21-year-old unlicensed moped rider was ejected, suffered a fatal head injury, and died at the scene. The report lists 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as a contributing factor. The Jeep driver was licensed and uninjured. The moped had no registered license, and the rider wore no helmet. The crash happened in darkness, with no other injuries reported.
Head-On Bike Collision Leaves Cyclist Bleeding▸Two bikes crashed head-on at 61st and 4th. One turned left. One went straight. A 23-year-old man hit the pavement, blood streaming from his head. He stayed conscious. The street stood still. Failure to yield and ignored signals brought pain.
Two bicyclists collided head-on at the corner of 61st Street and 4th Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, one cyclist was making a left turn while the other was going straight. The crash left a 23-year-old man with severe bleeding from the head, though he remained conscious. The police report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as contributing factors. No helmet was worn by the injured cyclist, as noted after the driver errors. The collision underscores the dangers faced by vulnerable road users on city streets.
Mitaynes Supports Safety Boosting Cargo Bike and Emissions Bills▸Lawmakers push two bills. One widens legal cargo bikes. One reins in dirty warehouses. Both target truck traffic choking city streets. Sponsors say the measures will cut pollution, asthma, and danger for people outside cars. Albany momentum grows.
Bills S6106 (Sen. Jessica Ramos) and A6968 (Asm. Marcela Mitaynes) are active in the New York State legislature. S6106 would expand the legal width of cargo bikes from 36 to 48 inches, making them more useful for deliveries. A6968 would let the Department of Environmental Conservation regulate emissions from last-mile warehouses and require plans to cut transportation pollution, including by using zero-emission vehicles like cargo bikes. The matter summary notes, 'The bills complement each other.' Ramos and Mitaynes sponsor the measures. Their staff and advocates say the bills will help replace polluting vans with cleaner cargo bikes, especially in low-income areas hit hard by asthma. Both bills are gaining support in Albany.
-
V-DAY SPECIAL: Bigger Cargo Bikes and Last-Mile Warehouse Regulation is a Match Made In Heaven,
Streetsblog NYC,
Published 2023-02-14
Mitaynes Supports Safety Boosting State Participation in BQE Planning▸Eighteen Brooklyn officials demand state DOT address BQE’s full deadly stretch. They reject piecemeal fixes. They call out decades of harm. The state’s refusal leaves neighborhoods exposed. The city’s hands are tied. The highway’s danger remains. Vulnerable lives hang in the balance.
On February 10, 2023, eighteen Brooklyn lawmakers issued a joint letter demanding New York State Department of Transportation (DOT) participate in comprehensive planning for the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE). The statement, prompted by a Streetsblog report, reads: "We ask that the NYS DOT remember the daily harms caused by the BQE in its current state—not just the crumbling cantilever section—and join us at the table in search of a solution." The group includes Reps. Nydia Velázquez, Dan Goldman, Borough President Antonio Reynoso, state Sens. Jabari Brisport, Julia Salazar, Kristen Gonzalez, Andrew Gounardes, Assembly Members Bobby Carroll, Maritza Davila, Phara Souffrant Forrest, Emily Gallagher, Jo Anne Simon, Marcela Mitaynes, and Council Members Alexa Avilés, Shahana Hanif, Crystal Hudson, Jennifer Gutiérrez, and Lincoln Restler. Senator Gounardes called the state’s refusal to join the city’s visioning process “unacceptable and irresponsible.” The lawmakers stress that the BQE’s harms—crashes, pollution, division—stretch from Bay Ridge to Greenpoint. Without state action, only city-owned segments see attention. The city’s efforts are limited. The state’s inaction leaves systemic danger unaddressed.
-
Brooklyn Pols Demand the State ‘Come to the Table’ on the BQE,
Streetsblog NYC,
Published 2023-02-10
A box truck, speeding, rammed a slowing tractor-trailer on the Gowanus Expressway. Steel twisted. The box truck driver, 34, bled from the face but stayed conscious. The crash left shattered glass and a trail of blood on the highway.
A violent crash unfolded on the Gowanus Expressway when a box truck, traveling at unsafe speed, struck the rear of a slowing tractor-trailer. According to the police report, 'A box truck, too fast, crushed into a slowing tractor-trailer. Steel folded. The driver, 34, wore his belt. Blood ran down his face. He stayed awake, staring through shattered glass at the wreck he made.' The driver of the box truck suffered severe facial lacerations but remained conscious. The police report lists 'Unsafe Speed' as the contributing factor in the crash. The tractor-trailer was slowing or stopping when it was hit. The only injury reported was to the box truck driver, who was wearing a lap belt and harness.
Mitaynes Backs Safety Boosting Equalized Tolling Plan▸Brooklyn officials demand equal tolls on all Manhattan crossings. They warn free bridges funnel traffic into certain neighborhoods. Their letter calls for fairness. The MTA stays silent. The Traffic Mobility Review Board will decide. Streets hang in the balance.
On July 18, 2023, Council Member Shahana Hanif and other Brooklyn officials called for 'equalized tolling on all crossings into Manhattan' as congestion pricing nears. Their letter to the Traffic Mobility Review Board states: 'No one community should disproportionately bear the burden of the cars and trucks passing through their neighborhood.' Hanif, along with Lincoln Restler, Alexa Avilés, Jennifer Gutiérrez, and Crystal Hudson, joined borough, state, and federal colleagues in this push. They propose a credit system to balance costs between DOT bridges and MTA tunnels, aiming to protect neighborhoods like the Brooklyn waterfront and the BQE corridor from traffic surges. The MTA declined comment. The Board will soon set final toll rates and rules. The federal government has approved the congestion pricing plan, with tolls for cars expected between $9 and $23. Over 100 exemption requests, including from taxi and for-hire vehicle drivers, are under review.
-
Pols call for ‘equalized tolling’ on all crossings into Manhattan under congestion pricing on eve of board deliberations,
amny.com,
Published 2023-07-18
2SUV Turns Left, E-Bike Teens Bleed on 25th Street▸An SUV turned left on 25th Street. Two teens on an e-bike struck its rear. One bled from the head, the other from the face. Both were conscious. Blood pooled on Brooklyn pavement. Failure to yield and unsafe speed marked the crash.
Two teenage boys riding an e-bike were injured when they struck the rear of an SUV making a left turn on 25th Street near 4th Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, 'An SUV turned left. An e-bike with two teen boys struck its rear. One bled from the head. The other, from the face. Both conscious. Both hurt. Blood pooled on the hot Brooklyn pavement.' The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Unsafe Speed' as contributing factors. Both teens suffered severe bleeding, one to the head and one to the face. The data also notes 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a factor. The SUV was damaged on the right rear quarter panel, while the e-bike was damaged at the front. No mention of helmet use or signaling as contributing factors.
Moped Rider Killed After Striking Jeep in Brooklyn▸A moped slammed into a Jeep on 4th Avenue. The young rider flew off and struck his head. He died in the street. The crash happened in darkness. Police cited traffic control disregarded.
A deadly crash unfolded at the corner of 4th Avenue and 52nd Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, a moped hit the side of a Jeep. The 21-year-old unlicensed moped rider was ejected, suffered a fatal head injury, and died at the scene. The report lists 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as a contributing factor. The Jeep driver was licensed and uninjured. The moped had no registered license, and the rider wore no helmet. The crash happened in darkness, with no other injuries reported.
Head-On Bike Collision Leaves Cyclist Bleeding▸Two bikes crashed head-on at 61st and 4th. One turned left. One went straight. A 23-year-old man hit the pavement, blood streaming from his head. He stayed conscious. The street stood still. Failure to yield and ignored signals brought pain.
Two bicyclists collided head-on at the corner of 61st Street and 4th Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, one cyclist was making a left turn while the other was going straight. The crash left a 23-year-old man with severe bleeding from the head, though he remained conscious. The police report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as contributing factors. No helmet was worn by the injured cyclist, as noted after the driver errors. The collision underscores the dangers faced by vulnerable road users on city streets.
Mitaynes Supports Safety Boosting Cargo Bike and Emissions Bills▸Lawmakers push two bills. One widens legal cargo bikes. One reins in dirty warehouses. Both target truck traffic choking city streets. Sponsors say the measures will cut pollution, asthma, and danger for people outside cars. Albany momentum grows.
Bills S6106 (Sen. Jessica Ramos) and A6968 (Asm. Marcela Mitaynes) are active in the New York State legislature. S6106 would expand the legal width of cargo bikes from 36 to 48 inches, making them more useful for deliveries. A6968 would let the Department of Environmental Conservation regulate emissions from last-mile warehouses and require plans to cut transportation pollution, including by using zero-emission vehicles like cargo bikes. The matter summary notes, 'The bills complement each other.' Ramos and Mitaynes sponsor the measures. Their staff and advocates say the bills will help replace polluting vans with cleaner cargo bikes, especially in low-income areas hit hard by asthma. Both bills are gaining support in Albany.
-
V-DAY SPECIAL: Bigger Cargo Bikes and Last-Mile Warehouse Regulation is a Match Made In Heaven,
Streetsblog NYC,
Published 2023-02-14
Mitaynes Supports Safety Boosting State Participation in BQE Planning▸Eighteen Brooklyn officials demand state DOT address BQE’s full deadly stretch. They reject piecemeal fixes. They call out decades of harm. The state’s refusal leaves neighborhoods exposed. The city’s hands are tied. The highway’s danger remains. Vulnerable lives hang in the balance.
On February 10, 2023, eighteen Brooklyn lawmakers issued a joint letter demanding New York State Department of Transportation (DOT) participate in comprehensive planning for the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE). The statement, prompted by a Streetsblog report, reads: "We ask that the NYS DOT remember the daily harms caused by the BQE in its current state—not just the crumbling cantilever section—and join us at the table in search of a solution." The group includes Reps. Nydia Velázquez, Dan Goldman, Borough President Antonio Reynoso, state Sens. Jabari Brisport, Julia Salazar, Kristen Gonzalez, Andrew Gounardes, Assembly Members Bobby Carroll, Maritza Davila, Phara Souffrant Forrest, Emily Gallagher, Jo Anne Simon, Marcela Mitaynes, and Council Members Alexa Avilés, Shahana Hanif, Crystal Hudson, Jennifer Gutiérrez, and Lincoln Restler. Senator Gounardes called the state’s refusal to join the city’s visioning process “unacceptable and irresponsible.” The lawmakers stress that the BQE’s harms—crashes, pollution, division—stretch from Bay Ridge to Greenpoint. Without state action, only city-owned segments see attention. The city’s efforts are limited. The state’s inaction leaves systemic danger unaddressed.
-
Brooklyn Pols Demand the State ‘Come to the Table’ on the BQE,
Streetsblog NYC,
Published 2023-02-10
Brooklyn officials demand equal tolls on all Manhattan crossings. They warn free bridges funnel traffic into certain neighborhoods. Their letter calls for fairness. The MTA stays silent. The Traffic Mobility Review Board will decide. Streets hang in the balance.
On July 18, 2023, Council Member Shahana Hanif and other Brooklyn officials called for 'equalized tolling on all crossings into Manhattan' as congestion pricing nears. Their letter to the Traffic Mobility Review Board states: 'No one community should disproportionately bear the burden of the cars and trucks passing through their neighborhood.' Hanif, along with Lincoln Restler, Alexa Avilés, Jennifer Gutiérrez, and Crystal Hudson, joined borough, state, and federal colleagues in this push. They propose a credit system to balance costs between DOT bridges and MTA tunnels, aiming to protect neighborhoods like the Brooklyn waterfront and the BQE corridor from traffic surges. The MTA declined comment. The Board will soon set final toll rates and rules. The federal government has approved the congestion pricing plan, with tolls for cars expected between $9 and $23. Over 100 exemption requests, including from taxi and for-hire vehicle drivers, are under review.
- Pols call for ‘equalized tolling’ on all crossings into Manhattan under congestion pricing on eve of board deliberations, amny.com, Published 2023-07-18
2SUV Turns Left, E-Bike Teens Bleed on 25th Street▸An SUV turned left on 25th Street. Two teens on an e-bike struck its rear. One bled from the head, the other from the face. Both were conscious. Blood pooled on Brooklyn pavement. Failure to yield and unsafe speed marked the crash.
Two teenage boys riding an e-bike were injured when they struck the rear of an SUV making a left turn on 25th Street near 4th Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, 'An SUV turned left. An e-bike with two teen boys struck its rear. One bled from the head. The other, from the face. Both conscious. Both hurt. Blood pooled on the hot Brooklyn pavement.' The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Unsafe Speed' as contributing factors. Both teens suffered severe bleeding, one to the head and one to the face. The data also notes 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a factor. The SUV was damaged on the right rear quarter panel, while the e-bike was damaged at the front. No mention of helmet use or signaling as contributing factors.
Moped Rider Killed After Striking Jeep in Brooklyn▸A moped slammed into a Jeep on 4th Avenue. The young rider flew off and struck his head. He died in the street. The crash happened in darkness. Police cited traffic control disregarded.
A deadly crash unfolded at the corner of 4th Avenue and 52nd Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, a moped hit the side of a Jeep. The 21-year-old unlicensed moped rider was ejected, suffered a fatal head injury, and died at the scene. The report lists 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as a contributing factor. The Jeep driver was licensed and uninjured. The moped had no registered license, and the rider wore no helmet. The crash happened in darkness, with no other injuries reported.
Head-On Bike Collision Leaves Cyclist Bleeding▸Two bikes crashed head-on at 61st and 4th. One turned left. One went straight. A 23-year-old man hit the pavement, blood streaming from his head. He stayed conscious. The street stood still. Failure to yield and ignored signals brought pain.
Two bicyclists collided head-on at the corner of 61st Street and 4th Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, one cyclist was making a left turn while the other was going straight. The crash left a 23-year-old man with severe bleeding from the head, though he remained conscious. The police report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as contributing factors. No helmet was worn by the injured cyclist, as noted after the driver errors. The collision underscores the dangers faced by vulnerable road users on city streets.
Mitaynes Supports Safety Boosting Cargo Bike and Emissions Bills▸Lawmakers push two bills. One widens legal cargo bikes. One reins in dirty warehouses. Both target truck traffic choking city streets. Sponsors say the measures will cut pollution, asthma, and danger for people outside cars. Albany momentum grows.
Bills S6106 (Sen. Jessica Ramos) and A6968 (Asm. Marcela Mitaynes) are active in the New York State legislature. S6106 would expand the legal width of cargo bikes from 36 to 48 inches, making them more useful for deliveries. A6968 would let the Department of Environmental Conservation regulate emissions from last-mile warehouses and require plans to cut transportation pollution, including by using zero-emission vehicles like cargo bikes. The matter summary notes, 'The bills complement each other.' Ramos and Mitaynes sponsor the measures. Their staff and advocates say the bills will help replace polluting vans with cleaner cargo bikes, especially in low-income areas hit hard by asthma. Both bills are gaining support in Albany.
-
V-DAY SPECIAL: Bigger Cargo Bikes and Last-Mile Warehouse Regulation is a Match Made In Heaven,
Streetsblog NYC,
Published 2023-02-14
Mitaynes Supports Safety Boosting State Participation in BQE Planning▸Eighteen Brooklyn officials demand state DOT address BQE’s full deadly stretch. They reject piecemeal fixes. They call out decades of harm. The state’s refusal leaves neighborhoods exposed. The city’s hands are tied. The highway’s danger remains. Vulnerable lives hang in the balance.
On February 10, 2023, eighteen Brooklyn lawmakers issued a joint letter demanding New York State Department of Transportation (DOT) participate in comprehensive planning for the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE). The statement, prompted by a Streetsblog report, reads: "We ask that the NYS DOT remember the daily harms caused by the BQE in its current state—not just the crumbling cantilever section—and join us at the table in search of a solution." The group includes Reps. Nydia Velázquez, Dan Goldman, Borough President Antonio Reynoso, state Sens. Jabari Brisport, Julia Salazar, Kristen Gonzalez, Andrew Gounardes, Assembly Members Bobby Carroll, Maritza Davila, Phara Souffrant Forrest, Emily Gallagher, Jo Anne Simon, Marcela Mitaynes, and Council Members Alexa Avilés, Shahana Hanif, Crystal Hudson, Jennifer Gutiérrez, and Lincoln Restler. Senator Gounardes called the state’s refusal to join the city’s visioning process “unacceptable and irresponsible.” The lawmakers stress that the BQE’s harms—crashes, pollution, division—stretch from Bay Ridge to Greenpoint. Without state action, only city-owned segments see attention. The city’s efforts are limited. The state’s inaction leaves systemic danger unaddressed.
-
Brooklyn Pols Demand the State ‘Come to the Table’ on the BQE,
Streetsblog NYC,
Published 2023-02-10
An SUV turned left on 25th Street. Two teens on an e-bike struck its rear. One bled from the head, the other from the face. Both were conscious. Blood pooled on Brooklyn pavement. Failure to yield and unsafe speed marked the crash.
Two teenage boys riding an e-bike were injured when they struck the rear of an SUV making a left turn on 25th Street near 4th Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, 'An SUV turned left. An e-bike with two teen boys struck its rear. One bled from the head. The other, from the face. Both conscious. Both hurt. Blood pooled on the hot Brooklyn pavement.' The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Unsafe Speed' as contributing factors. Both teens suffered severe bleeding, one to the head and one to the face. The data also notes 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a factor. The SUV was damaged on the right rear quarter panel, while the e-bike was damaged at the front. No mention of helmet use or signaling as contributing factors.
Moped Rider Killed After Striking Jeep in Brooklyn▸A moped slammed into a Jeep on 4th Avenue. The young rider flew off and struck his head. He died in the street. The crash happened in darkness. Police cited traffic control disregarded.
A deadly crash unfolded at the corner of 4th Avenue and 52nd Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, a moped hit the side of a Jeep. The 21-year-old unlicensed moped rider was ejected, suffered a fatal head injury, and died at the scene. The report lists 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as a contributing factor. The Jeep driver was licensed and uninjured. The moped had no registered license, and the rider wore no helmet. The crash happened in darkness, with no other injuries reported.
Head-On Bike Collision Leaves Cyclist Bleeding▸Two bikes crashed head-on at 61st and 4th. One turned left. One went straight. A 23-year-old man hit the pavement, blood streaming from his head. He stayed conscious. The street stood still. Failure to yield and ignored signals brought pain.
Two bicyclists collided head-on at the corner of 61st Street and 4th Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, one cyclist was making a left turn while the other was going straight. The crash left a 23-year-old man with severe bleeding from the head, though he remained conscious. The police report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as contributing factors. No helmet was worn by the injured cyclist, as noted after the driver errors. The collision underscores the dangers faced by vulnerable road users on city streets.
Mitaynes Supports Safety Boosting Cargo Bike and Emissions Bills▸Lawmakers push two bills. One widens legal cargo bikes. One reins in dirty warehouses. Both target truck traffic choking city streets. Sponsors say the measures will cut pollution, asthma, and danger for people outside cars. Albany momentum grows.
Bills S6106 (Sen. Jessica Ramos) and A6968 (Asm. Marcela Mitaynes) are active in the New York State legislature. S6106 would expand the legal width of cargo bikes from 36 to 48 inches, making them more useful for deliveries. A6968 would let the Department of Environmental Conservation regulate emissions from last-mile warehouses and require plans to cut transportation pollution, including by using zero-emission vehicles like cargo bikes. The matter summary notes, 'The bills complement each other.' Ramos and Mitaynes sponsor the measures. Their staff and advocates say the bills will help replace polluting vans with cleaner cargo bikes, especially in low-income areas hit hard by asthma. Both bills are gaining support in Albany.
-
V-DAY SPECIAL: Bigger Cargo Bikes and Last-Mile Warehouse Regulation is a Match Made In Heaven,
Streetsblog NYC,
Published 2023-02-14
Mitaynes Supports Safety Boosting State Participation in BQE Planning▸Eighteen Brooklyn officials demand state DOT address BQE’s full deadly stretch. They reject piecemeal fixes. They call out decades of harm. The state’s refusal leaves neighborhoods exposed. The city’s hands are tied. The highway’s danger remains. Vulnerable lives hang in the balance.
On February 10, 2023, eighteen Brooklyn lawmakers issued a joint letter demanding New York State Department of Transportation (DOT) participate in comprehensive planning for the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE). The statement, prompted by a Streetsblog report, reads: "We ask that the NYS DOT remember the daily harms caused by the BQE in its current state—not just the crumbling cantilever section—and join us at the table in search of a solution." The group includes Reps. Nydia Velázquez, Dan Goldman, Borough President Antonio Reynoso, state Sens. Jabari Brisport, Julia Salazar, Kristen Gonzalez, Andrew Gounardes, Assembly Members Bobby Carroll, Maritza Davila, Phara Souffrant Forrest, Emily Gallagher, Jo Anne Simon, Marcela Mitaynes, and Council Members Alexa Avilés, Shahana Hanif, Crystal Hudson, Jennifer Gutiérrez, and Lincoln Restler. Senator Gounardes called the state’s refusal to join the city’s visioning process “unacceptable and irresponsible.” The lawmakers stress that the BQE’s harms—crashes, pollution, division—stretch from Bay Ridge to Greenpoint. Without state action, only city-owned segments see attention. The city’s efforts are limited. The state’s inaction leaves systemic danger unaddressed.
-
Brooklyn Pols Demand the State ‘Come to the Table’ on the BQE,
Streetsblog NYC,
Published 2023-02-10
A moped slammed into a Jeep on 4th Avenue. The young rider flew off and struck his head. He died in the street. The crash happened in darkness. Police cited traffic control disregarded.
A deadly crash unfolded at the corner of 4th Avenue and 52nd Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, a moped hit the side of a Jeep. The 21-year-old unlicensed moped rider was ejected, suffered a fatal head injury, and died at the scene. The report lists 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as a contributing factor. The Jeep driver was licensed and uninjured. The moped had no registered license, and the rider wore no helmet. The crash happened in darkness, with no other injuries reported.
Head-On Bike Collision Leaves Cyclist Bleeding▸Two bikes crashed head-on at 61st and 4th. One turned left. One went straight. A 23-year-old man hit the pavement, blood streaming from his head. He stayed conscious. The street stood still. Failure to yield and ignored signals brought pain.
Two bicyclists collided head-on at the corner of 61st Street and 4th Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, one cyclist was making a left turn while the other was going straight. The crash left a 23-year-old man with severe bleeding from the head, though he remained conscious. The police report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as contributing factors. No helmet was worn by the injured cyclist, as noted after the driver errors. The collision underscores the dangers faced by vulnerable road users on city streets.
Mitaynes Supports Safety Boosting Cargo Bike and Emissions Bills▸Lawmakers push two bills. One widens legal cargo bikes. One reins in dirty warehouses. Both target truck traffic choking city streets. Sponsors say the measures will cut pollution, asthma, and danger for people outside cars. Albany momentum grows.
Bills S6106 (Sen. Jessica Ramos) and A6968 (Asm. Marcela Mitaynes) are active in the New York State legislature. S6106 would expand the legal width of cargo bikes from 36 to 48 inches, making them more useful for deliveries. A6968 would let the Department of Environmental Conservation regulate emissions from last-mile warehouses and require plans to cut transportation pollution, including by using zero-emission vehicles like cargo bikes. The matter summary notes, 'The bills complement each other.' Ramos and Mitaynes sponsor the measures. Their staff and advocates say the bills will help replace polluting vans with cleaner cargo bikes, especially in low-income areas hit hard by asthma. Both bills are gaining support in Albany.
-
V-DAY SPECIAL: Bigger Cargo Bikes and Last-Mile Warehouse Regulation is a Match Made In Heaven,
Streetsblog NYC,
Published 2023-02-14
Mitaynes Supports Safety Boosting State Participation in BQE Planning▸Eighteen Brooklyn officials demand state DOT address BQE’s full deadly stretch. They reject piecemeal fixes. They call out decades of harm. The state’s refusal leaves neighborhoods exposed. The city’s hands are tied. The highway’s danger remains. Vulnerable lives hang in the balance.
On February 10, 2023, eighteen Brooklyn lawmakers issued a joint letter demanding New York State Department of Transportation (DOT) participate in comprehensive planning for the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE). The statement, prompted by a Streetsblog report, reads: "We ask that the NYS DOT remember the daily harms caused by the BQE in its current state—not just the crumbling cantilever section—and join us at the table in search of a solution." The group includes Reps. Nydia Velázquez, Dan Goldman, Borough President Antonio Reynoso, state Sens. Jabari Brisport, Julia Salazar, Kristen Gonzalez, Andrew Gounardes, Assembly Members Bobby Carroll, Maritza Davila, Phara Souffrant Forrest, Emily Gallagher, Jo Anne Simon, Marcela Mitaynes, and Council Members Alexa Avilés, Shahana Hanif, Crystal Hudson, Jennifer Gutiérrez, and Lincoln Restler. Senator Gounardes called the state’s refusal to join the city’s visioning process “unacceptable and irresponsible.” The lawmakers stress that the BQE’s harms—crashes, pollution, division—stretch from Bay Ridge to Greenpoint. Without state action, only city-owned segments see attention. The city’s efforts are limited. The state’s inaction leaves systemic danger unaddressed.
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Brooklyn Pols Demand the State ‘Come to the Table’ on the BQE,
Streetsblog NYC,
Published 2023-02-10
Two bikes crashed head-on at 61st and 4th. One turned left. One went straight. A 23-year-old man hit the pavement, blood streaming from his head. He stayed conscious. The street stood still. Failure to yield and ignored signals brought pain.
Two bicyclists collided head-on at the corner of 61st Street and 4th Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, one cyclist was making a left turn while the other was going straight. The crash left a 23-year-old man with severe bleeding from the head, though he remained conscious. The police report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as contributing factors. No helmet was worn by the injured cyclist, as noted after the driver errors. The collision underscores the dangers faced by vulnerable road users on city streets.
Mitaynes Supports Safety Boosting Cargo Bike and Emissions Bills▸Lawmakers push two bills. One widens legal cargo bikes. One reins in dirty warehouses. Both target truck traffic choking city streets. Sponsors say the measures will cut pollution, asthma, and danger for people outside cars. Albany momentum grows.
Bills S6106 (Sen. Jessica Ramos) and A6968 (Asm. Marcela Mitaynes) are active in the New York State legislature. S6106 would expand the legal width of cargo bikes from 36 to 48 inches, making them more useful for deliveries. A6968 would let the Department of Environmental Conservation regulate emissions from last-mile warehouses and require plans to cut transportation pollution, including by using zero-emission vehicles like cargo bikes. The matter summary notes, 'The bills complement each other.' Ramos and Mitaynes sponsor the measures. Their staff and advocates say the bills will help replace polluting vans with cleaner cargo bikes, especially in low-income areas hit hard by asthma. Both bills are gaining support in Albany.
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V-DAY SPECIAL: Bigger Cargo Bikes and Last-Mile Warehouse Regulation is a Match Made In Heaven,
Streetsblog NYC,
Published 2023-02-14
Mitaynes Supports Safety Boosting State Participation in BQE Planning▸Eighteen Brooklyn officials demand state DOT address BQE’s full deadly stretch. They reject piecemeal fixes. They call out decades of harm. The state’s refusal leaves neighborhoods exposed. The city’s hands are tied. The highway’s danger remains. Vulnerable lives hang in the balance.
On February 10, 2023, eighteen Brooklyn lawmakers issued a joint letter demanding New York State Department of Transportation (DOT) participate in comprehensive planning for the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE). The statement, prompted by a Streetsblog report, reads: "We ask that the NYS DOT remember the daily harms caused by the BQE in its current state—not just the crumbling cantilever section—and join us at the table in search of a solution." The group includes Reps. Nydia Velázquez, Dan Goldman, Borough President Antonio Reynoso, state Sens. Jabari Brisport, Julia Salazar, Kristen Gonzalez, Andrew Gounardes, Assembly Members Bobby Carroll, Maritza Davila, Phara Souffrant Forrest, Emily Gallagher, Jo Anne Simon, Marcela Mitaynes, and Council Members Alexa Avilés, Shahana Hanif, Crystal Hudson, Jennifer Gutiérrez, and Lincoln Restler. Senator Gounardes called the state’s refusal to join the city’s visioning process “unacceptable and irresponsible.” The lawmakers stress that the BQE’s harms—crashes, pollution, division—stretch from Bay Ridge to Greenpoint. Without state action, only city-owned segments see attention. The city’s efforts are limited. The state’s inaction leaves systemic danger unaddressed.
-
Brooklyn Pols Demand the State ‘Come to the Table’ on the BQE,
Streetsblog NYC,
Published 2023-02-10
Lawmakers push two bills. One widens legal cargo bikes. One reins in dirty warehouses. Both target truck traffic choking city streets. Sponsors say the measures will cut pollution, asthma, and danger for people outside cars. Albany momentum grows.
Bills S6106 (Sen. Jessica Ramos) and A6968 (Asm. Marcela Mitaynes) are active in the New York State legislature. S6106 would expand the legal width of cargo bikes from 36 to 48 inches, making them more useful for deliveries. A6968 would let the Department of Environmental Conservation regulate emissions from last-mile warehouses and require plans to cut transportation pollution, including by using zero-emission vehicles like cargo bikes. The matter summary notes, 'The bills complement each other.' Ramos and Mitaynes sponsor the measures. Their staff and advocates say the bills will help replace polluting vans with cleaner cargo bikes, especially in low-income areas hit hard by asthma. Both bills are gaining support in Albany.
- V-DAY SPECIAL: Bigger Cargo Bikes and Last-Mile Warehouse Regulation is a Match Made In Heaven, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-02-14
Mitaynes Supports Safety Boosting State Participation in BQE Planning▸Eighteen Brooklyn officials demand state DOT address BQE’s full deadly stretch. They reject piecemeal fixes. They call out decades of harm. The state’s refusal leaves neighborhoods exposed. The city’s hands are tied. The highway’s danger remains. Vulnerable lives hang in the balance.
On February 10, 2023, eighteen Brooklyn lawmakers issued a joint letter demanding New York State Department of Transportation (DOT) participate in comprehensive planning for the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE). The statement, prompted by a Streetsblog report, reads: "We ask that the NYS DOT remember the daily harms caused by the BQE in its current state—not just the crumbling cantilever section—and join us at the table in search of a solution." The group includes Reps. Nydia Velázquez, Dan Goldman, Borough President Antonio Reynoso, state Sens. Jabari Brisport, Julia Salazar, Kristen Gonzalez, Andrew Gounardes, Assembly Members Bobby Carroll, Maritza Davila, Phara Souffrant Forrest, Emily Gallagher, Jo Anne Simon, Marcela Mitaynes, and Council Members Alexa Avilés, Shahana Hanif, Crystal Hudson, Jennifer Gutiérrez, and Lincoln Restler. Senator Gounardes called the state’s refusal to join the city’s visioning process “unacceptable and irresponsible.” The lawmakers stress that the BQE’s harms—crashes, pollution, division—stretch from Bay Ridge to Greenpoint. Without state action, only city-owned segments see attention. The city’s efforts are limited. The state’s inaction leaves systemic danger unaddressed.
-
Brooklyn Pols Demand the State ‘Come to the Table’ on the BQE,
Streetsblog NYC,
Published 2023-02-10
Eighteen Brooklyn officials demand state DOT address BQE’s full deadly stretch. They reject piecemeal fixes. They call out decades of harm. The state’s refusal leaves neighborhoods exposed. The city’s hands are tied. The highway’s danger remains. Vulnerable lives hang in the balance.
On February 10, 2023, eighteen Brooklyn lawmakers issued a joint letter demanding New York State Department of Transportation (DOT) participate in comprehensive planning for the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE). The statement, prompted by a Streetsblog report, reads: "We ask that the NYS DOT remember the daily harms caused by the BQE in its current state—not just the crumbling cantilever section—and join us at the table in search of a solution." The group includes Reps. Nydia Velázquez, Dan Goldman, Borough President Antonio Reynoso, state Sens. Jabari Brisport, Julia Salazar, Kristen Gonzalez, Andrew Gounardes, Assembly Members Bobby Carroll, Maritza Davila, Phara Souffrant Forrest, Emily Gallagher, Jo Anne Simon, Marcela Mitaynes, and Council Members Alexa Avilés, Shahana Hanif, Crystal Hudson, Jennifer Gutiérrez, and Lincoln Restler. Senator Gounardes called the state’s refusal to join the city’s visioning process “unacceptable and irresponsible.” The lawmakers stress that the BQE’s harms—crashes, pollution, division—stretch from Bay Ridge to Greenpoint. Without state action, only city-owned segments see attention. The city’s efforts are limited. The state’s inaction leaves systemic danger unaddressed.
- Brooklyn Pols Demand the State ‘Come to the Table’ on the BQE, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-02-10