Morgan Avenue: Blood on the Asphalt, Silence from City Hall

Jun 7 - Albany lawmakers walked away. The MTA’s billion-dollar gap remains. No deal. No new funding. Subway upgrades, electric buses, and station fixes hang in the balance. Riders, not drivers, face the cost. Streets stay clogged. Danger lingers for all outside a car.

"The governor is pointing an unloaded gun at us and asking to give her the ammunition to shoot us and our constituents." -- Julia Salazar

On June 7, 2024, New York’s legislature ended its session without plugging the MTA’s multi-billion-dollar budget hole. The gap opened when Governor Hochul halted Manhattan’s congestion pricing. The bill, discussed but not passed, would have replaced lost revenue—$1 billion a year meant for transit upgrades. Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, mentioned in the debate, said, 'Our conference is reticent to commit a billion dollars annually for the next 15 years without having some understanding in place as to how we're going to deal with congestion as well.' Lawmakers could not agree on new taxes or a legislative IOU. The inaction leaves critical MTA projects—like electric buses and accessible stations—at risk. Vulnerable road users lose most: less transit means more cars, more danger, and fewer safe options for those on foot, bike, or bus.

• NY lawmakers won’t tackle Hochul-created MTA budget hole, for now, gothamist.com, Published 2024-06-07

Jun 7 - Senate backs S 9752. Mt. Vernon gets green light for up to 20 school speed zones. Law aims to slow cars near kids. Most senators vote yes. A few say no. Streets may change. Danger remains for the young.

Senate Bill S 9752, sponsored by Jamaal Bailey, authorizes Mt. Vernon to launch a school speed zone demonstration program, with up to twenty zones allowed. The bill passed the Senate on June 7, 2024, during a committee vote. The matter title reads: 'Authorizes the city of Mt. Vernon to establish a school speed zone demonstration program; authorizes installation in no more than twenty school speed zones in such city.' Bailey and a majority of senators voted yes, while a handful opposed. The bill targets speeding near schools, a known threat to children and other vulnerable road users. No formal safety analyst note was provided.

• File S 9752, Open States, Published 2024-06-07

Jun 6 - A northbound pick-up truck was struck on its left rear quarter panel by a concrete mixer also traveling north. The pick-up driver, a 31-year-old man, suffered upper arm and shoulder injuries and was left in shock. Both vehicles sustained damage.

According to the police report, a 31-year-old male driver of a 2023 pick-up truck traveling north on McGuinness Boulevard in Brooklyn was hit on the left rear quarter panel by a northbound concrete mixer. The collision occurred at 13:21. The pick-up truck driver was injured, sustaining upper arm and shoulder injuries, and was reported to be in shock. The driver was wearing a lap belt and was not ejected from the vehicle. Both vehicles showed damage consistent with the point of impact: the pick-up truck's left rear quarter panel and the concrete mixer's right front bumper. The report lists no specific contributing factors or driver errors such as failure to yield or speeding. No victim behaviors were cited as contributing factors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4731222 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Jun 6 - Lawmakers back speed cameras near Kingston schools. Cameras catch drivers who speed. The bill passed both chambers. It sunsets in 2029. Children and families walk safer, but the fix is temporary.

Senate Bill S 8607, titled 'Establishes a school speed zone camera demonstration program in the city of Kingston,' passed the Senate on June 6, 2024, and the Assembly on June 7, 2024. The bill, sponsored by Senator Michelle Hinchey, creates a camera program to catch speeding drivers near schools. The program ends December 31, 2029. The measure saw broad support in both chambers, but some lawmakers voted no. The bill aims to protect children and families on foot near schools, but its impact will end unless renewed. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File S 8607, Open States, Published 2024-06-06

Jun 6 - Council calls for five mile per hour speed limit on Open Streets. Streets slow. Danger drops. Pedestrians and cyclists get space. Resolution adopted. Albany must act.

Res 0079-2024, adopted by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on June 6, 2024, urges Albany to let New York City set a five mile per hour speed limit on Open Streets. The resolution states: "authorize New York City to set a five mile per hour speed limit on streets participating in the Open Streets program." Council Member Shahana K. Hanif led as primary sponsor, joined by Amanda Farías, Crystal Hudson, Julie Won, and Carlina Rivera. The measure passed committee and full council on June 6. The bill aims to cut speed and risk where people walk, bike, and gather. The council's push now waits for state lawmakers and the governor.

• File Res 0079-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-06-06

Jun 6 - Council calls for five mile per hour speed limit on Open Streets. Streets slow. Danger drops. Pedestrians and cyclists get space. Resolution adopted. Albany must act.

Res 0079-2024, adopted by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on June 6, 2024, urges Albany to let New York City set a five mile per hour speed limit on Open Streets. The resolution states: "authorize New York City to set a five mile per hour speed limit on streets participating in the Open Streets program." Council Member Shahana K. Hanif led as primary sponsor, joined by Amanda Farías, Crystal Hudson, Julie Won, and Carlina Rivera. The measure passed committee and full council on June 6. The bill aims to cut speed and risk where people walk, bike, and gather. The council's push now waits for state lawmakers and the governor.

• File Res 0079-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-06-06

Jun 6 - Council calls for five mile per hour speed limit on Open Streets. Streets slow. Danger drops. Pedestrians and cyclists get space. Resolution adopted. Albany must act.

Res 0079-2024, adopted by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on June 6, 2024, urges Albany to let New York City set a five mile per hour speed limit on Open Streets. The resolution states: "authorize New York City to set a five mile per hour speed limit on streets participating in the Open Streets program." Council Member Shahana K. Hanif led as primary sponsor, joined by Amanda Farías, Crystal Hudson, Julie Won, and Carlina Rivera. The measure passed committee and full council on June 6. The bill aims to cut speed and risk where people walk, bike, and gather. The council's push now waits for state lawmakers and the governor.

• File Res 0079-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-06-06

Jun 6 - Council calls for five mile per hour speed limit on Open Streets. Streets slow. Danger drops. Pedestrians and cyclists get space. Resolution adopted. Albany must act.

Res 0079-2024, adopted by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on June 6, 2024, urges Albany to let New York City set a five mile per hour speed limit on Open Streets. The resolution states: "authorize New York City to set a five mile per hour speed limit on streets participating in the Open Streets program." Council Member Shahana K. Hanif led as primary sponsor, joined by Amanda Farías, Crystal Hudson, Julie Won, and Carlina Rivera. The measure passed committee and full council on June 6. The bill aims to cut speed and risk where people walk, bike, and gather. The council's push now waits for state lawmakers and the governor.

• File Res 0079-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-06-06

Jun 6 - Council calls for five mile per hour speed limit on Open Streets. Streets slow. Danger drops. Pedestrians and cyclists get space. Resolution adopted. Albany must act.

Res 0079-2024, adopted by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on June 6, 2024, urges Albany to let New York City set a five mile per hour speed limit on Open Streets. The resolution states: "authorize New York City to set a five mile per hour speed limit on streets participating in the Open Streets program." Council Member Shahana K. Hanif led as primary sponsor, joined by Amanda Farías, Crystal Hudson, Julie Won, and Carlina Rivera. The measure passed committee and full council on June 6. The bill aims to cut speed and risk where people walk, bike, and gather. The council's push now waits for state lawmakers and the governor.

• File Res 0079-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-06-06

Jun 6 - Lawmakers back speed cameras near Kingston schools. Cameras catch drivers who speed. The bill passed both chambers. It sunsets in 2029. Children and families walk safer, but the fix is temporary.

Senate Bill S 8607, titled 'Establishes a school speed zone camera demonstration program in the city of Kingston,' passed the Senate on June 6, 2024, and the Assembly on June 7, 2024. The bill, sponsored by Senator Michelle Hinchey, creates a camera program to catch speeding drivers near schools. The program ends December 31, 2029. The measure saw broad support in both chambers, but some lawmakers voted no. The bill aims to protect children and families on foot near schools, but its impact will end unless renewed. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File S 8607, Open States, Published 2024-06-06

Jun 4 - Lawmakers blasted city officials for letting trash haulers with deadly records win new contracts. Council grilled DSNY for picking low bids over safety. Victims’ lives lost in the math. Oversight weak. Dangerous firms keep rolling. Streets stay risky for all.

On June 4, 2024, the City Council held an oversight hearing on commercial waste zone implementation and contractor selection. The hearing spotlighted the Commercial Waste Zones law, which aims to cut crashes by limiting private trash haulers in each zone. Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, author of the 2019 reform, and Council Member Shaun Abreu led the charge, questioning why companies like Cogent Waste Solutions—with poor safety records—were awarded contracts. Reynoso declared, "Saving $20 for a business is not worth five human lives." DSNY Commissioner Jessica Tisch defended the process, promising to terminate contracts after multiple at-fault fatalities. BIC Commissioner Liz Crotty admitted, "Safety is not a factor" in license denial. Lawmakers condemned the city for putting cost before safety, leaving vulnerable road users at risk.

• Pols Slam City For Giving Rogue Carters Permits for New Zones, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-06-04

Jun 3 - A dump truck backing unsafely on North 9 Street was struck by a westbound SUV. The truck’s front passenger suffered neck injuries and whiplash. The crash exposed the dangers of unsafe vehicle maneuvers in Brooklyn’s streets.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 6:48 AM on North 9 Street in Brooklyn. A dump truck was backing unsafely when it was struck by a westbound station wagon/SUV traveling straight ahead. The report lists 'Backing Unsafely' as the contributing factor, highlighting driver error by the truck operator. The SUV impacted the center back end of the truck, causing damage to the SUV’s center front end. The front passenger in the dump truck, a 33-year-old male, was injured with neck trauma and whiplash but was not ejected and was conscious at the scene. He was restrained with a lap belt and harness. The report does not cite any contributing factors related to the passenger or other road users, focusing solely on the truck driver’s unsafe backing maneuver as the cause.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4730082 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Jun 3 - Senate backs S 9718. Bill orders safe street design for all. Cyclists, walkers, and riders get new protections. Some senators vote no. The car’s grip loosens, but danger remains.

Senate bill S 9718, titled 'Enables safe access to public roads for all users by utilizing complete street design principles,' passed committee votes on May 28 and June 3, 2024. Primary sponsor Sean Ryan, with co-sponsors Liz Krueger, Monica Martinez, Jack M. Martins, Anthony H. Palumbo, and Julia Salazar, pushed the measure. The bill mandates street designs that protect everyone, not just drivers. Most senators voted yes, but a block of no votes showed resistance. The bill’s language centers vulnerable users. It marks a shift: streets must serve people, not just cars.

• File S 9718, Open States, Published 2024-06-03

Jun 3 - Senate backs S 9718. Bill orders safe street design for all. Cyclists, walkers, and riders get new protections. Some senators vote no. The car’s grip loosens, but danger remains.

Senate bill S 9718, titled 'Enables safe access to public roads for all users by utilizing complete street design principles,' passed committee votes on May 28 and June 3, 2024. Primary sponsor Sean Ryan, with co-sponsors Liz Krueger, Monica Martinez, Jack M. Martins, Anthony H. Palumbo, and Julia Salazar, pushed the measure. The bill mandates street designs that protect everyone, not just drivers. Most senators voted yes, but a block of no votes showed resistance. The bill’s language centers vulnerable users. It marks a shift: streets must serve people, not just cars.

• File S 9718, Open States, Published 2024-06-03

May 30 - A box truck veered distractedly on the BQE, smashing its rear quarter into a motorcycle. The rider, 33, stayed upright but suffered a fractured arm and hand. The truck driver failed to pay attention. The road did not forgive.

According to the police report, a crash occurred at 22:20 on the Brooklyn Queens Expressway. A 33-year-old male motorcycle driver was injured, sustaining a fracture and dislocation to his elbow, lower arm, and hand. The report cites the box truck driver's errors as 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Turning Improperly' while changing lanes northbound. The motorcycle was traveling straight ahead when the truck's right rear quarter panel struck its right front bumper. The motorcycle driver was conscious and not ejected but suffered serious injuries. No contributing factors related to the motorcycle driver were noted in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4732009 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

May 30 - A Vespa and Ford SUV collided head-on on Morgan Avenue. The rider, helmet split, was thrown to the pavement, blood pooling beneath him. He remained conscious, bleeding from the head, while the SUV showed no damage.

According to the police report, a Vespa and a Ford SUV collided head-on during a right turn on Morgan Avenue near Meserole Street in Brooklyn. The report states the Vespa rider, age 31, was ejected from his motorcycle, his helmet split, and he suffered severe head bleeding but remained conscious at the scene. The crash occurred at 14:44. The police report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor in the collision. Both vehicles were making right turns when the impact occurred, with the Vespa striking the right front quarter panel of the SUV. The SUV sustained no damage, while the Vespa was damaged at the center front end. The report does not cite any victim behavior as a contributing factor, focusing instead on driver inattention as the primary cause.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4729324 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

May 30 - A motorcycle changing lanes struck a northbound bicyclist on Lorimer Street, Brooklyn. The bicyclist was ejected, suffering abdominal and pelvic injuries and abrasions. Police cited driver inattention and following too closely as key factors in the crash.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 10:28 on Lorimer Street in Brooklyn. A motorcycle traveling south was changing lanes when it collided head-on with a northbound bicyclist. The bicyclist, a 44-year-old woman wearing a helmet, was ejected and sustained serious injuries to her abdomen and pelvis, along with abrasions. The report identifies the motorcycle driver's inattention and distraction as primary contributing factors, along with following too closely. The motorcycle showed no damage, while the bicycle sustained damage to its center front end. The report highlights driver errors—specifically failure to maintain attention and unsafe lane changes—as central to the crash, without attributing fault to the bicyclist.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4730641 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

May 28 - Senate backs S 9718. Bill orders safe street design for all. Cyclists, walkers, and riders get new protections. Some senators vote no. The car’s grip loosens, but danger remains.

Senate bill S 9718, titled 'Enables safe access to public roads for all users by utilizing complete street design principles,' passed committee votes on May 28 and June 3, 2024. Primary sponsor Sean Ryan, with co-sponsors Liz Krueger, Monica Martinez, Jack M. Martins, Anthony H. Palumbo, and Julia Salazar, pushed the measure. The bill mandates street designs that protect everyone, not just drivers. Most senators voted yes, but a block of no votes showed resistance. The bill’s language centers vulnerable users. It marks a shift: streets must serve people, not just cars.

• File S 9718, Open States, Published 2024-05-28

May 27 - A sedan making a U-turn rear-ended a motorscooter traveling east on Grand Street in Brooklyn. The motorscooter driver, a 21-year-old man, suffered knee and lower leg abrasions. Police cited the sedan driver’s failure to maintain safe distance as the cause.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 20:20 on Grand Street in Brooklyn. A sedan, driven by a licensed male driver, was making a U-turn when it collided with the center front end of a motorscooter traveling east. The motorscooter driver, a 21-year-old male with a permit license, was injured with abrasions to his knee and lower leg but was conscious and not ejected. The report identifies "Following Too Closely" as the contributing factor, indicating the sedan driver failed to maintain a safe distance during the maneuver. The motorscooter driver was wearing a helmet, but no victim behaviors were cited as contributing factors. The sedan sustained damage to its left side doors, confirming the point of impact. This crash highlights driver error in close-quarters vehicle maneuvers.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4729325 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

May 25 - A rear-end collision on Metropolitan Avenue in Brooklyn injured a 69-year-old front passenger. The SUV driver followed too closely and was inattentive. The passenger suffered chest injuries and whiplash, restrained by a lap belt and harness.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 7:40 AM on Metropolitan Avenue in Brooklyn. A Station Wagon/SUV traveling west struck the rear of a sedan also traveling west. The impact was centered on the back end of the sedan and the front end of the SUV. The report cites 'Following Too Closely' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as contributing factors attributed to the SUV driver. A 69-year-old female front passenger in the SUV was injured, sustaining chest injuries and whiplash. She was not ejected and was restrained by a lap belt and harness. The collision involved multiple vehicles traveling straight ahead, with the SUV striking the sedan from behind. The report does not list any contributing factors related to the passenger’s behavior.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4728090 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19