Blood in the Crosswalk: No More Excuses, No More Delays

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

City’s BQE plan adds new highway ramps, pushing more traffic onto Hicks Street. Politicians and experts slam the move. They say it copies old mistakes, ignores safety, and brings pollution closer to homes. Bike lanes appear, but real safety gains remain unclear.

On July 7, 2023, the Department of Transportation unveiled redesign concepts for the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway’s Atlantic Avenue interchange. The plans, discussed in committee, propose new highway off-ramps on Hicks Street. The matter summary states: 'DOT proposals rely on outdated approaches by building new highway ramps instead of eliminating them.' Assembly Member Jo Anne Simon criticized the plan for increasing traffic and pollution near homes, urging a new approach: 'They need to go back to the drawing board.' State Sen. Andrew Gounardes called out the reliance on old infrastructure, saying, 'The proposals should not be doubling down on the infrastructure and transportation of the past.' Former DOT Commissioner Hank Gutman said, 'They don't improve safety, they don't improve traffic, and they certainly don't improve any of the surrounding communities.' All concepts include a buffered or protected bike lane on Atlantic Avenue, but the impact on vulnerable road users remains uncertain.

• DOT Plan for BQE’s Atlantic Ave. Interchange is ‘The Robert Moses Playbook’: Pols and Experts, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-07-07

Two bikes slammed head-on on Tillary Street. Steel met steel. An 18-year-old boy fell, face torn, blood pooling on the dark pavement. No helmets. The street stayed silent. Driver inexperience marked the night. Flesh broke. The city watched.

Two bicyclists collided head-on on Tillary Street. An 18-year-old male rider was left unconscious, suffering severe bleeding and facial injuries. According to the police report, 'Two bikes collided head-on in the dark. No helmets. No warning. An 18-year-old boy lay unconscious, his face torn, bleeding on the pavement.' The report lists 'Driver Inexperience' as a contributing factor. No other vehicles were involved. Both bikes were traveling straight, one east and one west. The data notes that neither rider wore a helmet, but this is only mentioned after the primary cause: driver inexperience. The crash left the street quiet, marked by blood and broken flesh.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4641690, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A Toyota sedan struck a 46-year-old man near 465 State Street in Brooklyn. The street was dark. The man bled from his head, conscious but wounded. The car showed no damage. The night was quiet. Blood marked the asphalt.

A 46-year-old pedestrian was hit by a Toyota sedan near 465 State Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, the crash happened in the dark. The man suffered a head injury and severe bleeding but stayed conscious. The sedan, traveling east, showed no visible damage. The report lists no specific driver errors or contributing factors. The pedestrian was not at an intersection and was engaged in 'other actions in roadway.' No mention of helmet or signal use appears in the report. The street was still except for the aftermath of the crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4633777, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

Albany lawmakers refuse to vote on Sammy’s Law. The bill would let New York City lower speed limits below 25 mph. Council and mayor back it. Assembly leadership stalls. Streets stay dangerous. Families wait. The city’s hands remain tied.

Sammy’s Law, named after 12-year-old Sammy Cohen Eckstein, would let New York City set speed limits below the state’s 25 mph minimum. The bill, carried by State Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal and Assembly Member Linda Rosenthal, stalled in the Assembly despite strong support from the City Council and Mayor. Council Member Jen Gutierrez called the refusal to vote 'unbelievable,' saying, 'Families across the city deserve this vote.' Amy Cohen, Sammy’s mother, called the inaction 'unconscionable.' Assembly Member Jo Anne Simon said the bill lacks support to reach the floor. The bill passed the City Council’s home rule message but faces Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie’s resistance. The session ends June 8. Without action, the city cannot lower speed limits to protect pedestrians and cyclists.

• Sammy’s Law Not Expected to Pass in Assembly, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-05-31

NYPD and Jo Anne Simon call for tougher drunk driving laws. Police ramp up DWI patrols for Memorial Day. Officials urge Albany to drop legal BAC to .05%. They cite rising deaths. Advocates say alcohol fuels a third of crashes. Streets stay deadly.

On May 26, 2023, Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon (District 52) joined NYPD and city officials to announce increased traffic enforcement for Memorial Day and to advocate for state legislation lowering the legal blood-alcohol concentration (BAC) threshold from .08% to .05%. The announcement, made at One Police Plaza, highlighted the bill sponsored by Simon and Sen. John Liu. The matter summary states, 'Officials called on Albany to pass legislation to lower the BAC threshold to .05%, arguing it would reduce DWI fatalities by about 10% and align with other countries.' Simon declared, 'Lowering the BAC limit from .08% to .05% is desperately needed to adequately tackle this epidemic of traffic violence.' NYPD Chief Kim Royster and DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez echoed the urgency. The bill awaits action in Albany. No formal safety analyst note was provided, but officials cite 43 NYC DWI deaths in 2021 and say 30% of state crashes involve alcohol.

• NYPD to step up enforcement of drink driving over Memorial Day weekend, amny.com, Published 2023-05-26

Flatbush Avenue. Dawn. A sedan and SUV slam head-on. Metal twists. A woman bleeds from her arm. A pickup takes the hit. Unsafe speed shreds calm. The city shrugs. Lives scar. The road stays ruthless.

A sedan and an SUV collided head-on near Flatbush Avenue and Livingston Street at dawn. According to the police report, 'Speed tore metal.' The crash left a 38-year-old woman, the sedan driver, with severe arm lacerations. A pickup truck was also struck in the crash. The only contributing factor listed in the data is 'Unsafe Speed.' No other driver errors are noted. The report states, 'The belt held her. The road did not.' The violence of speed left the woman injured and the vehicles mangled. The crash highlights the danger when drivers move too fast for city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4624746, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A box truck drifted off Flushing Avenue and smashed into a parked SUV. The man inside, 38, died on impact. The SUV’s front buckled. The truck stood untouched. Police blamed driver distraction. No one else was hurt.

A fatal crash struck Flushing Avenue near North Oxford Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, a box truck veered into a parked SUV. The man inside the SUV, age 38, was killed instantly. The SUV’s front was crushed. The box truck showed no damage. Police listed 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor. No other injuries were reported. The report notes the SUV occupant was unbelted, but only after citing distraction as the primary cause. The data lists no errors by the victim. The crash underscores the deadly risk when drivers lose focus.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4623158, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

Brooklyn power players met behind closed doors. They fought to keep the BQE wide and fast. Former party boss Frank Seddio led the charge. Some officials want fewer lanes for cleaner air and safer streets. City Hall claims neutrality. The debate rages on.

On March 4, 2023, a closed-door City Hall meeting gathered Brooklyn political figures to debate the future of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE). The event, organized by Deputy Mayor Meera Joshi, focused on whether to reduce the BQE from three lanes to two. Former Brooklyn Democratic Party Chair Frank Seddio opposed the lane reduction, urging allies to resist the change. The meeting excluded some officials who support shrinking the highway, such as Assembly Member Jo Anne Simon and State Senator Andrew Gounardes, who cite environmental and community health concerns. Council Member Lincoln Restler criticized the city for favoring a three-lane solution and sidelining affected communities. City Hall denied taking a side, stating, 'the decision would be based on a DOT traffic study.' No formal council bill or vote was recorded, and no safety analyst assessed the impact on vulnerable road users.

• THE POWER BROKERS: Brooklyn Machine Fights Smaller BQE at Closed-Door City Hall Meeting, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-03-04

A Lexus sedan hit a man walking with traffic near 621 Hicks Street. The car’s front end crumpled. The man lay bleeding from the head, silent under the streetlight. The street was cold. The impact was sudden. The danger was real.

A southbound Lexus sedan struck a 36-year-old man walking with traffic at the intersection near 621 Hicks Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, 'A southbound Lexus struck a 36-year-old man walking with traffic. The sedan’s front crumpled. The man lay bleeding from the head, silent on the asphalt, under the streetlight’s cold glow.' The pedestrian suffered a head injury and severe bleeding. The data lists no specific driver errors or contributing factors. The crash highlights the risk pedestrians face at intersections, especially at night. No helmet or signal use is mentioned in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4607398, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

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 sedan veered left on Atlantic Avenue. An e-scooter kept straight. Steel struck flesh. The rider flew, hit pavement, knee torn wide. Blood pooled. He lay conscious, helmeted, leg split open. The car's bumper cracked.

A sedan and an e-scooter collided on Atlantic Avenue near Council District 33. The sedan veered left while the e-scooter continued straight. According to the police report, 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' was the contributing factor. The impact threw the 34-year-old e-scooter rider to the ground, causing severe lacerations and a torn knee. The rider was ejected and remained conscious, wearing a helmet. The sedan’s left front bumper was damaged. No injuries were reported for the sedan’s driver. The crash shows the danger when drivers lose focus and veer into the path of vulnerable road users.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4599050, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

City and state officials want to drop the legal blood-alcohol limit to 0.05. The bill sits in committee. Drunk drivers killed 42 people last year. Officials talk tough but focus on drinking, not driving. The danger remains for those outside the car.

Senate and Assembly bill, sponsored by Sen. John Liu and Assembly Member Jo Anne Simon, seeks to lower New York’s drunk driving threshold from 0.08 to 0.05 percent BAC. Announced at a December 22, 2022 press conference, the bill has stalled in committee for years. The matter aims to redefine DWI: 'driving while intoxicated would be defined as anything above a blood-alcohol content of 0.05 percent.' Simon and Liu back the measure; city DOT and NYPD leaders joined them. DOT Deputy Commissioner Margaret Forgione said, 'There is not really a safe level of drinking and driving, but the law suggests there is.' In 2021, 42 people died in drunk driving crashes, up 60 percent from previous years. Officials promise enforcement and education, but their messaging targets drinking, not the act of driving. Vulnerable road users remain at risk while the law lags.

• How to Cut Drunk Driving — Discourage the Drinking … Or the Driving?, streetsblog.org, Published 2022-12-22

City officials push Albany to drop the drunk driving threshold from 0.08 to 0.05 percent. The bill lingers in committee. Drunk drivers killed 42 New Yorkers last year. Messaging still centers on not drinking, not on not driving.

Senate Bill sponsored by John Liu and Assembly Member Jo Anne Simon seeks to lower New York’s DWI blood-alcohol threshold from 0.08% to 0.05%. The bill, re-submitted in the last legislative session, remains stuck in committee. At a December 22, 2022 press conference, DOT Deputy Commissioner Margaret Forgione said, 'There is not really a safe level of drinking and driving, but the law suggests there is.' Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez and NYPD’s Kim Royster also spoke, focusing on enforcement and urging drivers to avoid drinking before driving. Advocates like Alisa McMorris of Mothers Against Drunk Driving called for stronger messaging: 'We want people to make choices before they leave their home.' Despite evidence that lowering the threshold could cut traffic deaths by 10%, city messaging still stops short of telling people not to drive to events where they plan to drink.

• How to Cut Drunk Driving — Discourage the Drinking … Or the Driving?, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2022-12-22

A Tesla turned left on Tillary. Its bumper hit a woman crossing Jay. She fell hard. Blood pooled. Lacerations marked her body. She stayed conscious. The street kept moving. The car showed no damage. The woman bore the cost.

A woman, age 50, was struck and injured by a Tesla sedan making a left turn at the corner of Tillary Street and Jay Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, 'A woman crossed against the light. A Tesla turned left. The bumper struck her full. She dropped hard. Blood pooled. Lacerations tore her body. She stayed awake. The street did not blink.' The pedestrian suffered severe lacerations to her entire body but remained conscious at the scene. The police report lists 'Pedestrian/Bicyclist/Other Pedestrian Error/Confusion' as a contributing factor. The Tesla’s left front bumper made contact, but the vehicle sustained no damage. No other driver errors were cited in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4591105, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A GMC SUV turned left on Taylor Street. The driver failed to yield. The right front bumper hit a 59-year-old woman in the crosswalk. She fell, head first. She died in the street. The driver kept going. The danger was clear.

A 59-year-old woman was killed while crossing Taylor Street near Kent Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, she was in a marked crosswalk when a GMC SUV turned left and struck her with its right front bumper. The report states, 'The driver did not yield.' The woman fell head first and died at the scene. The police report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Passing or Lane Usage Improper' as contributing factors. The driver was making a left turn at the time of the crash. No mention is made of helmet or signal use as a factor. The crash highlights the lethal consequences of driver error in city crosswalks.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4585564, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A Honda SUV crashed into a stopped Kia on Union Street. Metal twisted. A 70-year-old woman in the front seat suffered a broken back and amputation. Four others hurt. Both drivers looked away. Distraction ruled the moment. Pain followed.

A Honda SUV struck a stopped Kia sedan near 620 Union Street in Brooklyn. The impact left a 70-year-old woman in the front passenger seat with a broken back and amputation. Three other passengers and both drivers were injured, all reporting pain or back injuries. According to the police report, 'Both drivers had looked away.' The listed contributing factor for both vehicles was 'Driver Inattention/Distraction.' The SUV was moving straight ahead, while the sedan was stopped in traffic. The crash shows the danger when drivers lose focus, as distraction led directly to severe harm for vulnerable passengers. No other contributing factors were cited in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4581818, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A sedan tore down Saint Marks Place. It hit parked cars. Metal screamed. The driver, a 22-year-old man, crushed his arm. Passengers were shaken. The street was left scarred, the echo of speed and steel hanging in the air.

A sedan, moving at unsafe speed, crashed into a line of parked vehicles on Saint Marks Place near 3rd Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, 'A speeding sedan plowed through parked cars. Metal crumpled. A 22-year-old man, unbelted, crushed his arm.' The crash left the driver with serious crush injuries to his arm. Several passengers, including adults and children, were also involved but did not report specific injuries. The police report lists 'Unsafe Speed' as the contributing factor. The driver was not using any safety equipment. No evidence in the report blames the victims or notes any other contributing factors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4580944, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A man, 38, died behind the wheel of a parked Lexus on Hicks Street. Head wound. No seatbelt. Only a child restraint. The car silent. The street colder. No other injuries reported. No contributing factors listed by police.

A 38-year-old man was found dead in the driver’s seat of a parked 2022 Lexus sedan near 509 Hicks Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, the man suffered a head wound and was not wearing a seatbelt; only a child restraint was present. The report states, 'A man, 38, slumped dead behind the wheel of a parked 2022 Lexus. Head wound. No seatbelt. Only a child restraint.' No other people were injured. Police did not list any contributing factors or driver errors in the data. The vehicle’s left front bumper was damaged, but the cause is not specified. No helmet or signal issues were reported.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4580866, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A Volvo turned right on Tillary Street. The driver looked away. A woman crossed with the light. The car struck her. Her leg broke under the bumper. The street stayed quiet. The driver failed to yield. She lay hurt on the pavement.

A Volvo sedan struck a 27-year-old woman as she crossed Tillary Street at Cadman Plaza West in Brooklyn. According to the police report, the woman walked with the signal when the car turned right and hit her, shattering her leg. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as contributing factors. The driver, a 56-year-old man, did not report injuries. The car showed no visible damage. The woman suffered crush injuries to her lower leg and foot. She was conscious at the scene. The crash highlights the danger when drivers turn and fail to see people in the crosswalk.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4575251, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15