Heastie Delayed. Bronx Families Paid. Streets Still Bleed.

Senate Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins opposed new congestion tolls and tax hikes. She backed a $1 billion state reserve for the MTA. The editorial called the toll plan a kludge. Riders lose promised upgrades. Streets stay clogged. No relief for those on foot or bike.

On June 7, 2024, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins was mentioned in an editorial statement on congestion pricing policy. The editorial, titled 'Cleaning up after congestion pricing is messy — but worth it,' praised Stewart-Cousins and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie for rejecting both congestion tolls and a metro-area mobility tax hike. The piece argued, 'the congestion toll was a ridiculous kludge that Hochul was right to kill.' Instead, it supported a $1 billion one-year state reserve for the MTA. Stewart-Cousins' stance blocks new funding streams that could have paid for safer streets, electric buses, and accessible stations. The editorial criticized MTA spending but ignored the danger and delay this decision brings to vulnerable road users. No safety analyst reviewed the impact.

• Cleaning up after congestion pricing is messy — but worth it, nypost.com, Published 2024-06-07

Albany lawmakers ended session in chaos. Governor Hochul froze congestion pricing. The MTA faces a billion-dollar hole. Projects for safer, more accessible transit now hang in limbo. Vulnerable New Yorkers lose as leaders stall and blame each other.

On June 7, 2024, the New York State Legislature adjourned without addressing the $1 billion funding gap for the MTA, created by Governor Kathy Hochul’s abrupt pause of congestion pricing. The bill or action, discussed in committee and at press conferences by Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, left the MTA warning of capital cuts. The matter summary states, 'Modernization and improvement projects like electric buses, accessible stations and new signals will likely need to be deprioritized.' Hochul defended her decision, claiming to protect working-class New Yorkers, but advocates and reporters questioned her reversal. With no new funding, critical upgrades for transit safety and accessibility are at risk, leaving vulnerable road users exposed as state leaders fail to act.

• State of Confusion: Albany Pols Adjourn, Hochul Gets Delusional, MTA Plans Capital Cuts in Wild Final Day, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-06-07

Albany lawmakers left town. Hochul froze congestion pricing. The MTA lost $1 billion. Projects for safer, more accessible transit now hang in limbo. Riders, walkers, and cyclists face a bleaker future. No fix. No plan. Only confusion and risk.

On June 7, 2024, state leaders adjourned without resolving the MTA’s $1 billion funding gap. The crisis followed Governor Hochul’s abrupt halt of congestion pricing, a move that stripped the MTA of critical capital. The MTA warned, "Modernization and improvement projects like electric buses, accessible stations and new signals will likely need to be deprioritized." State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie both expressed uncertainty. The matter, titled "State of Confusion: Albany Pols Adjourn, Hochul Gets Delusional, MTA Plans Capital Cuts in Wild Final Day," leaves transit upgrades stalled. Stewart-Cousins was mentioned but took no direct action. With no new funding, the MTA’s ability to deliver safer, more reliable service for vulnerable New Yorkers is now in jeopardy.

• State of Confusion: Albany Pols Adjourn, Hochul Gets Delusional, MTA Plans Capital Cuts in Wild Final Day, streetsblog.org, Published 2024-06-07

Two sedans slammed head-on on Hammersley Avenue. Steel twisted. Airbags burst. A 35-year-old woman, legs broken and burned, was pulled out alive. Four rode in one car, one in the other. Failure to yield carved pain into the Bronx night.

According to the police report, two sedans collided head-on near Hammersley Avenue and Gunther Avenue in the Bronx. The crash involved a 2012 Volkswagen sedan traveling south with a single occupant and a 2016 Honda sedan traveling east with four occupants. The report states both vehicles were 'going straight ahead' when they struck each other, with the point of impact listed as 'center front end' for both cars. The narrative describes the aftermath: 'Steel crumpled. Airbags burst. A 35-year-old woman, burned and broken in the legs, was pulled conscious from the wreck.' The police report explicitly cites 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the contributing factor for both drivers. No mention is made of any victim behavior contributing to the crash. The focus remains on driver error and the violent consequences of failing to yield.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4731286, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

Two SUVs collided head-on at East 233rd and Boston Road. Metal twisted. A 44-year-old man gripped the wheel, blood pouring from his arm. The crash was sudden, the pain sharp. The turn was wrong. The street bore the brunt.

At the intersection of East 233rd Street and Boston Road in the Bronx, two sport utility vehicles slammed into each other head-on, according to the police report. The report states both vehicles were involved in 'Turning Improperly.' One SUV, traveling east, was going straight ahead, while the other, traveling southwest, was making a left turn. The impact crushed the front ends of both vehicles. A 44-year-old male driver suffered severe lacerations to his lower arm and hand but remained conscious, as detailed in the police narrative: 'A 44-year-old man clutched the wheel, blood streaming from his arm. He did not lose consciousness.' The police report explicitly lists 'Turning Improperly' as the contributing factor for both drivers, underscoring driver error as the cause of the crash. No mention is made of any victim behavior contributing to the collision. The crash highlights the ongoing danger at intersections where driver actions can have immediate, violent consequences.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4727541, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

Albany lawmakers urge a 20% cut in driving by 2050. The bill would shift funds from highways to transit, biking, and walking. Electeds from Brooklyn to Buffalo back the move. Streets could change. Fewer cars. More space for people. Lives at stake.

Bill A4120/S1981 aims to cut vehicle miles traveled in New York by 20% by 2050. On May 15, 2024, more than a dozen local officials sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, urging passage before session’s end in June. The letter, organized by Local Progress, states: 'This means projects that expanded cycling infrastructure, pedestrian walkways, and public transit were prioritized over outdated highway expansions and lane widening.' State Senator Andrew Gounardes sponsors the bill. Alex Marion, Syracuse city auditor, signed on, saying, 'If we can reduce the vehicle miles traveled, we can look at the space of streets differently.' The bill would force planners to consider car miles in every project, shifting focus from car movement to safer, people-first streets. The policy could help undo decades of harm from highways that split communities and reinforce segregation.

• New York Pols Back Gounardes’s Bill to Cut Driving by 20%, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-05-15

State leaders urge passage of A4120/S1981 to slash driving by one-fifth. The bill aims to shift funding from highways to transit, cycling, and walking. Advocates say fewer cars mean fewer deaths. The clock ticks toward the session’s end.

Bill A4120/S1981, now before the New York State Legislature, seeks a 20% reduction in vehicle miles traveled (VMT) by 2050. The measure is championed by State Sen. Andrew Gounardes and backed by a coalition of local officials. On May 15, 2024, a letter to Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins called for swift passage before the session ends in June. The letter states, 'The state Legislature should pass the law before the end of this session in June, which could pivot transportation funding toward more beneficial uses like mass transit and biking and walking infrastructure.' Stewart-Cousins is mentioned as a key recipient. The bill would force agencies to prioritize projects for pedestrians, cyclists, and transit riders over highway expansion. Advocates argue this shift will save lives, cut pollution, and undo harms from car-centric planning.

• New York Pols Back Gounardes's Bill to Cut Driving by 20%, streetsblog.org, Published 2024-05-15

Albany passed Sammy’s Law. The city can now set lower speed limits. Lawmakers carved out wide roads, leaving many deadly corridors untouched. Advocates fought for years. Families of crash victims cheered. The fight for safer streets is not over.

Sammy’s Law, passed on April 22, 2024, as part of New York’s $273-billion state budget, grants New York City the authority to set its own speed limits on most roads. The bill, long blocked by Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, finally moved forward under Governor Kathy Hochul’s push. The measure, described as 'a significant legislative achievement,' excludes roads outside Manhattan with three or more travel lanes in one direction—a concession to car-centric lawmakers. The law requires community board notification and comment, but their input is only advisory. Families of road violence victims and street safety advocates celebrated the win. Council Member Selvena Brooks-Powers, Transportation Chair, conditioned her support on street redesigns in underserved neighborhoods. The law’s carve-out leaves many of the city’s deadliest roads unchanged, withholding proven safety benefits from major thoroughfares.

• Behind the Scenes: How Gov. Hochul Got ‘Sammy’s Law’ Over the Finish Line, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-04-22

A pickup turned left across East 222nd. A moped slammed in. A young passenger flew off, struck the street, blood pooling from his head. Sirens cut through the Bronx night. Failure to yield left a man broken and bleeding.

According to the police report, a pickup truck was making a left turn at East 222nd Street and Laconia Avenue when a westbound moped, traveling straight, collided with the truck. The report cites 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as a contributing factor. The moped’s unlicensed rider continued straight, and the impact ejected a 22-year-old male passenger from the moped. The passenger struck the street and suffered a severe head injury, described as 'severe bleeding,' and was found conscious at the scene. The police report notes the passenger was not wearing a helmet, but this is mentioned after the primary driver error. The crash underscores the danger when drivers fail to yield, as documented in the official report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4717158, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

The Assembly refused to include Sammy’s Law in the state budget. The bill would let New York City lower its speed limit to 20 mph. Advocates, families, and city leaders back it. The Assembly’s inaction leaves vulnerable road users exposed. Grief and anger mount.

On March 13, 2024, the New York State Assembly declined to advance Sammy’s Law (no bill number cited), which would let New York City set its own speed limit. The measure was left out of the Assembly’s budget, despite support from the State Senate, Governor Hochul, Mayor Adams, and the City Council. The bill’s sponsor, Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal, did not comment. The Assembly’s move angered advocates and families, including Amy Cohen of Families for Safe Streets, who said, 'We are very disappointed that the Assembly didn’t follow suit.' Elizabeth Adams of Transportation Alternatives called the decision a failure to join 'more than 130 unions, hospitals, business leaders, and community-led organizations that recognize the urgent need for this common-sense legislation.' The Assembly’s inaction keeps city streets dangerous for pedestrians and cyclists. A rally is planned to push for the bill’s passage.

• Déjà-Vu All Over Again: Assembly Balks on ‘Sammy’s Law,’ Bill Sponsor Silent, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-03-13

Albany leaders raid transit funds to pay drivers. Advocates rage. Sixteen groups demand OBTA money fix buses and trains, not bankroll toll rebates. Lawmakers ignore pleas. Millions outside Manhattan lose. Streets stay deadly. Transit riders wait. Cars win.

On February 23, 2024, sixteen advocacy groups sent a letter to Governor Hochul, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie. They condemned the use of Outer Borough Transit Account (OBTA) funds for toll rebates instead of transit improvements. The OBTA, created in 2018 from a surcharge on Manhattan taxi and for-hire rides, was meant to boost transit service or lower fares outside Manhattan. Yet, $22.2 million has gone to toll rebates for drivers in the Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island. Only one transit project—the Far Rockaway City Ticket—has seen funding. Riders Alliance Director Danny Pearlstein said, “The Outer Borough Transit Account should clearly also help the millions of people outside Manhattan who don't have cars and who depend on public transit.” Lawmakers have not responded. Vulnerable road users—bus riders, train passengers, pedestrians—remain sidelined as car subsidies persist.

• Advocates Slam Albany Pols for Using Transit Fund to Encourage Driving, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-02-23

State lawmakers unlocked millions from the Outer Borough Transportation Account. The money will fund toll rebates and transit projects. Some cash backs driving. Some boosts buses. Advocates push for more bus service. Riders need better, faster, safer options now.

Bill: Outer Borough Transportation Account (OBTA) funding allocation. Status: Active as of January 24, 2024. Committee: State legislature, with final approval by the Capital Program Review Board. The OBTA, created in 2018, collects a taxi surcharge as 'Phase I' of congestion pricing. The first $300 million funded subway repairs; the next $50 million now goes to projects chosen by state legislators and the governor. The bill summary notes, 'A special fund created in 2018 to pay for transportation 'carrots' intended to counteract the supposed stick of congestion pricing finally has a balance of tens of millions of dollars.' Assembly Member Nily Rozic (D-Queens) secured restored Q46 bus service. Lisa Daglian of the Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the MTA called for a weekly City Ticket. Danny Pearlstein of Riders Alliance demanded better bus service, saying, 'The most important thing is better bus service.' The fund will shape how New Yorkers travel as congestion pricing nears.

• The Money For Congestion Pricing ‘Carrots’ Is Finally Here, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-01-24

Advocates stormed Albany for Sammy’s Law. They want New York City to set its own speed limits. Last year, Speaker Heastie blocked a vote. Mothers starved in protest. Lawmakers stalled. Now, survivors and families demand action. Data shows lower speeds save lives.

On January 23, 2024, advocates launched a renewed push for Sammy’s Law in Albany. The bill, which would let New York City control its own speed limits, stalled last year when Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie refused to allow a vote, despite majority support. Brooklyn Assembly Member Emily Gallagher, a strong supporter, noted, 'Even [lawmakers] who had City Council members from their districts supporting the bill were still not interested.' Queens Assembly Member Jessica González-Rojas, recently injured by a driver, said, 'Had the car been going faster ... I might not be here.' Amy Cohen of Families for Safe Streets highlighted broad support: 'We have organizations from across the city supporting Sammy’s Law.' City data shows a 36% drop in pedestrian deaths after the 2014 speed limit reduction. The bill remains in limbo, but advocates are not backing down.

• This Year’s Mettle: The Push for Sammy’s Law Begins — With or Without Carl Heastie, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-01-23

A Volvo SUV tore down Dyre Avenue before dawn. It smashed into parked cars and flipped. The 25-year-old driver bled from the head. Speed and alcohol fueled the crash. The street was left scarred and silent.

A Volvo SUV crashed near 4033 Dyre Avenue in the Bronx before sunrise. The SUV struck several parked cars and overturned. The 25-year-old male driver suffered head injuries and was pulled out conscious. According to the police report, 'Speed and alcohol hung heavy in the cold Bronx air.' The report lists 'Unsafe Speed' and 'Alcohol Involvement' as contributing factors. No other people were reported injured. Parked vehicles, including sedans and another SUV, were damaged. The data shows no helmet or signal issues. The crash highlights the lethal mix of speed and alcohol behind the wheel.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4691379, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

State lawmakers push Sammy’s Law after a deadly year. The bill gives New York City power to set its own speed limits. Advocates cite 257 lives lost to reckless drivers. Lower speeds mean fewer deaths. The fight continues in Albany.

Sammy’s Law, a state bill, would let New York City control its own speed limits. The measure stalled last year when Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie blocked a vote, despite support from Governor Hochul, the state Senate, Mayor Adams, and the City Council. Assembly Member Linda Rosenthal, who sponsors the bill, rallied outside Heastie’s office, saying, 'Last year, 257 people were killed on New York City streets by reckless and speeding drivers. Each of these deaths was preventable.' Amy Cohen, whose son Sammy was killed in 2013, called for urgent action: 'We can’t wait any longer. People like Sammy, and so many others are dying on our streets.' Advocates point to a 36-percent drop in pedestrian deaths after the city lowered speed limits in 2014. The bill would not set new limits automatically, but would give the city the power to act.

• New Year, New Opportunity to Pass ‘Sammy’s Law’, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-12-18

Two SUVs slammed together at East 222nd and Bronxwood. Metal twisted. A woman in the front seat took the blow. Blood ran from her head. Speed killed the silence. The night held its breath.

Two sport utility vehicles crashed at the corner of East 222nd Street and Bronxwood Avenue in the Bronx. According to the police report, both vehicles were going straight when they collided. A 47-year-old woman, riding as a front passenger and wearing a seatbelt, suffered severe head lacerations. The report states, 'Speed too high. Signals missed.' The listed contributing factor is 'Unsafe Speed.' No driver or vehicle occupant errors beyond speed are noted in the data. The crash left the street quiet and the woman injured, her wounds a stark reminder of the force unleashed when drivers move too fast.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4688839, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A man on a GOTRAX e-scooter crashed on Givan Avenue. He struck something in the dark. Distraction listed. Ejected. Head and chest crushed. He died on the cold Bronx street. No helmet. The night swallowed him.

A 44-year-old man riding a GOTRAX e-scooter was killed late at night on Givan Avenue near Sexton Place in the Bronx. According to the police report, the rider 'struck something in the dark' and was ejected from the scooter. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor. The man suffered fatal head and chest injuries. No other vehicles or people were involved. The police report notes he was not wearing a helmet, but this is mentioned only after the primary factor of distraction. The crash left him dead at the scene.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4679918, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A motorscooter slammed into a box truck on Laconia Avenue. The rider, unlicensed and helmetless, was thrown beneath the truck. His chest was crushed. He died in the street. The crash left the scooter demolished and the truck damaged underneath.

A 27-year-old man riding a motorscooter collided with a southbound box truck on Laconia Avenue near East 214th Street in the Bronx. According to the police report, the rider was unlicensed and not wearing a helmet. He was ejected from the scooter and crushed beneath the truck’s undercarriage, suffering fatal chest injuries. The police report lists 'Driver Inexperience' as a contributing factor. The motorscooter was demolished in the crash. The box truck sustained damage to its undercarriage. The rider died at the scene. Helmet use is mentioned only as a detail after the driver error.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4671925, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A Honda SUV struck a parked Mercedes on White Plains Road. Metal tore. The sedan driver, 27, was pinned, his arm crushed. The crash echoed southbound speed against stillness. Flesh yielded to steel. Sirens followed the violence.

A Honda SUV traveling south on White Plains Road crashed into a parked Mercedes sedan. The impact was severe. According to the police report, 'A Honda SUV slammed into a parked Mercedes. Metal screamed. The driver, 27, was trapped, his arm crushed inside the sedan.' The driver of the sedan suffered crush injuries to his arm and was conscious at the scene. The police report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as a contributing factor. No other errors or helmet or signal issues are noted. The violence of the crash left the sedan's left side doors mangled and the SUV's front bumper damaged. The toll: one injured, steel twisted, danger unchecked.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4666810, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

Speed cameras now run all day, every day. Violations dropped 30 percent in one year. Streets once deadly saw sharp falls in speeding and injuries. Cameras outpaced cops, issuing millions of tickets. Still, cyclist injuries climb. The fight for safer streets continues.

This report details the outcome of New York City's 24/7 speed camera enforcement, launched August 1, 2022. The Department of Transportation (DOT) announced a 30 percent drop in violations on enforced corridors. The matter summary states, 'Success: Drivers are Slowing Down on Streets with 24/7 Speed Cameras.' DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez called the expanded enforcement 'a highly effective tool to keep New Yorkers safe.' Key corridors saw dramatic reductions: 96 percent on Houston Street, 74 percent on North Conduit Boulevard, 68 percent on Bruckner Boulevard. Injuries fell at high-crash sites—45 percent on Tremont Avenue, 33 percent on Kings Highway, 16 percent on Queens Boulevard, 19 percent on Hylan Boulevard. Automated cameras issued over 3.7 million tickets, dwarfing police efforts. Despite progress, cyclist injuries are on pace for a record high, and advocates now push for city control over speed limits.

• Success: Drivers are Slowing Down on Streets with 24/7 Speed Cameras, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-08-28