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

Dec 14 - Conduit Avenue kills. Brooklyn and Queens borough presidents call it urgent. They want DOT to turn this deadly, crash-heavy road into a safe corridor. In less than two years, 1,321 crashes. Seventy pedestrians and 14 cyclists hurt. Five dead. DOT silent.

On December 14, 2023, Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso and Queens Borough President Donovan Richards pressed the Department of Transportation to overhaul Conduit Avenue. Their letter called for a transformation of the avenue, described as "one of the most dangerous and non-inclusive roadways in the entire city." The officials urged DOT to prioritize traffic safety, cycling and mass transit infrastructure, pedestrian walkability, and green space. Between January 2022 and December 2023, Conduit Avenue saw 1,321 crashes, injuring 880 people—including 70 pedestrians and 14 cyclists—and killing five. Three intersections are listed as DOT pedestrian safety priorities, but the corridor itself is not. Richards and Reynoso have formed a task force and are pushing for action. DOT has not commented.

• Boob Tube: Brooklyn, Queens Leaders Want DOT to Fix Dangerous Conduit Ave., Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-12-14

Dec 13 - A 39-year-old male bicyclist suffered knee and lower leg fractures in a crash on Union Avenue. The collision involved another vehicle traveling south. The bicyclist remained conscious but sustained serious injuries. No vehicle damage was reported.

According to the police report, a bicyclist traveling south on Union Avenue was injured in a collision involving another vehicle also traveling south. The bicyclist, a 39-year-old man, suffered fractures and dislocations to his knee and lower leg. The report lists driver inattention and distraction as contributing factors, along with other vehicular causes. The bicyclist was not ejected and was conscious at the scene. The point of impact was noted as 'Other' on the bicyclist's vehicle and 'Left Front Bumper' on the other vehicle. No damage was reported to either vehicle. The report does not specify helmet use as a factor.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4688402 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Dec 13 - A sedan in police pursuit struck an eastbound e-bike on Marcy Avenue. The e-bike driver, 25, was partially ejected and suffered knee and lower leg injuries. The crash happened just after midnight. Police cited failure to yield right-of-way.

According to the police report, a 25-year-old male e-bike driver was injured in a collision with a sedan on Marcy Avenue in Brooklyn. The sedan was involved in a police pursuit traveling south when it struck the e-bike going east. The e-bike rider was partially ejected and sustained contusions and injuries to his knee, lower leg, and foot. The report lists "Failure to Yield Right-of-Way" as a contributing factor. The e-bike driver was wearing a helmet. The sedan had three occupants at the time of the crash. The impact occurred at the center front end of both vehicles.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4691222 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Dec 12 - A 27-year-old male bicyclist was injured on Wythe Avenue. The bike struck the right front bumper of a turning vehicle. The rider suffered bruises and lower leg injuries. Alcohol and driver distraction contributed to the crash.

According to the police report, a 27-year-old male bicyclist traveling north on Wythe Avenue collided with a vehicle making a right turn westbound. The point of impact was the bike's left front quarter panel and the vehicle's right front bumper. The bicyclist sustained contusions and injuries to the knee, lower leg, and foot but was conscious and wearing a helmet. The report lists alcohol involvement and driver inattention or distraction as contributing factors. The driver was unlicensed. No blame is placed on the bicyclist, who was the sole occupant of the bike. The crash highlights the dangers posed by impaired and distracted driving.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4691135 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Dec 11 - A sedan driver, distracted and speeding, hit a 24-year-old man crossing Morgan Avenue. The impact broke the man’s leg and knocked him unconscious. The car showed no damage. The street became a scene of pain.

According to the police report, a sedan traveling south on Morgan Avenue struck a 24-year-old male pedestrian who was crossing outside a crosswalk. The pedestrian suffered fractures and dislocations to his knee, lower leg, and foot, and was found unconscious at the scene. The report lists driver inattention and unsafe speed as contributing factors. No vehicle damage was reported. No other safety equipment or pedestrian actions contributed. The crash left the pedestrian with severe injuries.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4686734 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Dec 10 - Two SUVs slammed together on the Brooklyn Queens Expressway. A teen driver nodded off. He and a young passenger bled and shook from the hit. Metal twisted. The road stayed hard.

According to the police report, two sport utility vehicles collided on the Brooklyn Queens Expressway. A 19-year-old male driver and a 17-year-old female passenger were injured, suffering arm and leg wounds with minor bleeding and shock. The report lists 'Fell Asleep' as a contributing factor. Both vehicles took damage to their bumpers. The driver’s loss of alertness led to the crash, injuring both occupants. No other factors were cited in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4686091 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Dec 8 - A sedan struck an 11-year-old girl crossing Marcy Avenue against the signal. The driver failed to yield right-of-way. The girl suffered an elbow and lower arm injury. The impact hit the vehicle's left front bumper. She remained conscious after the crash.

According to the police report, a sedan traveling west on Marcy Avenue struck an 11-year-old female pedestrian at an intersection. The pedestrian was crossing against the signal when the collision occurred. The report lists the driver’s failure to yield right-of-way as a contributing factor. The pedestrian sustained injuries to her elbow and lower arm but remained conscious. The vehicle’s point of impact was the left front bumper, and the driver was licensed and traveling straight ahead. No other contributing factors such as helmet use or signaling were noted. The crash highlights the dangers posed by driver errors in yielding to pedestrians.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4686737 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Dec 7 - A 20-year-old on a moped hit a tanker’s side at Greenpoint and Kingsland. He was thrown from the seat, head struck the pavement. No helmet. He died alone. The tanker rolled on, untouched. The street stayed cold and silent.

A deadly crash unfolded at Greenpoint Avenue and Kingsland Avenue. A 20-year-old moped rider struck the side of a turning tanker truck. According to the police report, the moped operator was ejected and suffered fatal head injuries. The report lists 'Passing or Lane Usage Improper' as a contributing factor. The moped rider was not wearing a helmet, as noted in the data, but this is mentioned only after the driver error. The tanker sustained no damage and continued on. No other injuries were reported. The crash left one young life ended in the street.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4685506 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Dec 4 - A passenger hanging outside a vehicle on Metropolitan Avenue suffered abrasions to his elbow and lower arm. The driver, making a left turn, struck him with the right front quarter panel. The passenger was conscious and not ejected from the vehicle.

According to the police report, a vehicle making a left turn on Metropolitan Avenue in Brooklyn struck a passenger hanging outside the vehicle. The passenger, a 26-year-old male, was injured with abrasions to his elbow and lower arm but remained conscious and was not ejected. The report lists "Driver Inattention/Distraction" as a contributing factor. The point of impact was the vehicle's right front quarter panel. No other driver errors or victim factors were noted. The passenger was riding outside the vehicle without safety equipment. The crash caused moderate injury but no loss of consciousness.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4686425 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Dec 3 - A BMW SUV rear-ended a stopped Mazda on Meeker Avenue. Three Mazda occupants suffered neck injuries. Police cite alcohol and speed. Impact crushed the Mazda’s rear and BMW’s front.

According to the police report, a BMW SUV traveling west struck the rear of a Mazda SUV stopped in traffic on Meeker Avenue. Three Mazda occupants, ages 25 to 31, suffered neck injuries diagnosed as whiplash. All were conscious and restrained. The report lists alcohol involvement and unsafe speed as contributing factors. The BMW driver was licensed and moving straight ahead. The Mazda had five occupants, with three injured. Damage centered on the Mazda’s rear and the BMW’s front. Driver errors—alcohol involvement and unsafe speed—led to the rear-end crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4684132 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Dec 2 - A taxi struck a sedan from behind on Stewart Avenue in Brooklyn. The sedan’s female driver suffered a shoulder and upper arm contusion. Both drivers were distracted. The taxi hit the sedan’s left rear bumper with its left front quarter panel.

According to the police report, a taxi traveling northeast rear-ended a sedan going southeast on Stewart Avenue in Brooklyn. The sedan’s 31-year-old female driver was injured, sustaining a contusion and bruising to her shoulder and upper arm. The report lists driver inattention and distraction as contributing factors for both drivers. The taxi’s left front bumper struck the sedan’s left rear bumper. Both drivers were licensed and traveling straight ahead at the time of the crash. The sedan driver was conscious and not ejected. No other safety equipment or victim actions were noted as contributing factors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4684125 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Dec 1 - Two SUVs slammed head-on on Manhattan Avenue in Brooklyn. A 53-year-old woman driving one SUV suffered neck abrasions. Police cite unsafe speed and traffic control disregard. Both vehicles took heavy front-end damage.

According to the police report, two sport utility vehicles collided head-on at Manhattan Avenue and Scholes Street in Brooklyn. A 53-year-old female driver was injured, sustaining neck abrasions. She was conscious and restrained by a lap belt and harness. The report lists unsafe speed and traffic control disregarded as contributing factors. Both SUVs were traveling straight—one north, one east—when they struck each other at the center front ends. The crash caused significant front-end damage to both vehicles. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4684135 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Nov 29 - Mayor Adams gutted the McGuinness Blvd. safety plan. Two lanes each way remain. Bike lanes go unprotected. Crossing distances stretch. Local leaders say nothing changed for people on foot. Cyclists dodge cars and illegal parking. The danger stays. The fight continues.

On November 29, 2023, Mayor Eric Adams’s administration scaled back the Department of Transportation’s original McGuinness Boulevard redesign. The DOT’s first plan would have cut traffic lanes and added a parking-protected bike lane. Adams ordered a weaker version after business pushback. The compromise left two car lanes in each direction during the day. Elected officials—U.S. Rep. Nydia Velázquez, Assembly Member Emily Gallagher, State Sen. Kristen Gonzalez, Borough President Antonio Reynoso, and Council Member Lincoln Restler—sent a letter urging DOT to restore the full safety plan, writing, “Nothing has been done to improve conditions for pedestrians.” Advocates say the new design increases crossing distances and leaves cyclists and pedestrians exposed. DOT says work will continue into 2024. The boulevard remains dangerous for vulnerable road users.

• Eric Adams’s McGuinness Blvd. Capitulation Did ‘Nothing’ for Pedestrians, Greenpoint Pols Charge, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-11-29

Nov 29 - Mayor Adams gutted the McGuinness Blvd. safety plan. Two lanes each way remain. Bike lanes go unprotected. Crossing distances stretch. Local leaders say nothing changed for people on foot. Cyclists dodge cars and illegal parking. The danger stays. The fight continues.

On November 29, 2023, Mayor Eric Adams’s administration scaled back the Department of Transportation’s original McGuinness Boulevard redesign. The DOT’s first plan would have cut traffic lanes and added a parking-protected bike lane. Adams ordered a weaker version after business pushback. The compromise left two car lanes in each direction during the day. Elected officials—U.S. Rep. Nydia Velázquez, Assembly Member Emily Gallagher, State Sen. Kristen Gonzalez, Borough President Antonio Reynoso, and Council Member Lincoln Restler—sent a letter urging DOT to restore the full safety plan, writing, “Nothing has been done to improve conditions for pedestrians.” Advocates say the new design increases crossing distances and leaves cyclists and pedestrians exposed. DOT says work will continue into 2024. The boulevard remains dangerous for vulnerable road users.

• Eric Adams’s McGuinness Blvd. Capitulation Did ‘Nothing’ for Pedestrians, Greenpoint Pols Charge, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-11-29

Nov 29 - 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

Nov 29 - Mayor Adams gutted the McGuinness Blvd. safety plan. Two lanes each way remain. Bike lanes go unprotected. Crossing distances stretch. Local leaders say nothing changed for people on foot. Cyclists dodge cars and illegal parking. The danger stays. The fight continues.

On November 29, 2023, Mayor Eric Adams’s administration scaled back the Department of Transportation’s original McGuinness Boulevard redesign. The DOT’s first plan would have cut traffic lanes and added a parking-protected bike lane. Adams ordered a weaker version after business pushback. The compromise left two car lanes in each direction during the day. Elected officials—U.S. Rep. Nydia Velázquez, Assembly Member Emily Gallagher, State Sen. Kristen Gonzalez, Borough President Antonio Reynoso, and Council Member Lincoln Restler—sent a letter urging DOT to restore the full safety plan, writing, “Nothing has been done to improve conditions for pedestrians.” Advocates say the new design increases crossing distances and leaves cyclists and pedestrians exposed. DOT says work will continue into 2024. The boulevard remains dangerous for vulnerable road users.

• Eric Adams’s McGuinness Blvd. Capitulation Did ‘Nothing’ for Pedestrians, Greenpoint Pols Charge, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-11-29

Nov 26 - Sedans slammed together on the Brooklyn Queens Expressway. One driver took the hit—back pain, whiplash. Police blamed tailgating and unsafe speed. Metal crumpled. The road did not forgive.

According to the police report, three sedans collided on the Brooklyn Queens Expressway. The crash happened when a driver following too closely and at unsafe speed struck a slowing vehicle, causing a chain reaction. A 57-year-old male driver suffered back injuries and whiplash. He was conscious and restrained by a lap belt and harness. The report lists 'Following Too Closely' and 'Unsafe Speed' as contributing factors. No other driver errors or victim factors were noted. The crash underscores the danger of tailgating and speed on busy city highways.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4683034 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Nov 24 - A man on a bike struck a woman crossing Bedford Avenue. Both fell. Both hurt. Blood on the street. Head and arm injuries. No one lost consciousness. Brooklyn traffic did not stop.

According to the police report, a 66-year-old male bicyclist traveling north on Bedford Avenue collided with a 68-year-old female pedestrian who was crossing against the signal at the intersection with Rodney Street. The bicyclist was partially ejected and suffered injuries to his elbow, lower arm, and hand. The pedestrian sustained head injuries. Both were conscious after the crash and treated for contusions and bruises. The police report lists 'Unspecified' as the contributing factors for both parties. No specific driver errors were documented in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4683008 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Nov 24 - A taxi made a right turn at high speed and crashed into a parked vehicle in Brooklyn. The taxi driver, a 50-year-old man, suffered knee and lower leg injuries. The parked vehicle sustained damage to its center back end.

According to the police report, a 2023 Tesla taxi was making a right turn in Brooklyn when it collided with a parked vehicle. The taxi driver, a 50-year-old man, was injured with contusions and trauma to his knee, lower leg, and foot. The report lists "Unsafe Speed" as a contributing factor. The parked vehicle was damaged at the center back end. The taxi driver was conscious and not ejected from the vehicle. No other contributing factors or victim errors were noted in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4684129 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Nov 21 - A 19-year-old woman was struck while crossing Marcy Avenue in Brooklyn. She suffered bruises and hip injuries. The driver, traveling west in a sedan, showed no vehicle damage. Police cited pedestrian confusion as a contributing factor.

According to the police report, a 19-year-old female pedestrian was injured at the intersection of Marcy Avenue and Hooper Street in Brooklyn. She was crossing with the signal when the collision occurred. The driver, a licensed male in a 2023 Nissan sedan traveling westbound, was not cited for any errors, and the vehicle showed no damage. The report lists 'Pedestrian/Bicyclist/Other Pedestrian Error/Confusion' as a contributing factor. The pedestrian sustained contusions and injuries to her hip and upper leg but remained conscious. No driver errors such as failure to yield or speeding were noted in the data.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4684162 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19