Queens Bleeds While Leaders Stall—How Many More Must Die?

Feb 17 - Council Member Joann Ariola moves to hammer drivers who block fire hydrants. Her bill would hike fines to $1,000 and let New Yorkers send 311 videos for instant tickets. Blocked hydrants delayed response to deadly fires. Streets stay dangerous. Lives lost.

On February 17, 2025, Council Member Joann Ariola (District 32) announced draft legislation to crack down on drivers who block fire hydrants. The bill, not yet numbered, would raise fines from $115 to $1,000 and allow 311 video submissions for automatic summonses. Ariola said, 'We have seen two fires in the past week that have resulted in fatalities where the firefighters were unable to access the closest fire hydrant.' The measure responds to a surge in complaints—over 134,000 in 2023—about blocked hydrants. Ariola’s office blamed lost parking to DOT bike lanes and racks, but the DOT countered, calling protected bike lanes a proven safety tool. FDNY Commissioner Robert S. Tucker said blocked hydrants slowed firefighting in a recent fatal fire. The bill aims to keep hydrants clear and prevent more deaths.

• Blocked NYC fire hydrant complaints doubled since pandemic as bike lanes, lack of cops may be to blame, nypost.com, Published 2025-02-17

Feb 14 - A minivan left the road in Queens. It hit a tree. One woman died. Three others, all seniors, went to the hospital. The crash happened on Brookville Boulevard, near Sunrise Highway. Police are investigating. The road stayed quiet after.

According to the NY Daily News (published February 14, 2025), a minivan from Eunhae Adult Daycare crashed while leaving a senior residence in Queens. The 74-year-old driver 'lost control of the wheel at the Sunrise Highway.' The vehicle veered off Brookville Blvd and struck a tree. Four people were inside, all seniors. One woman in her 70s died after being found unconscious in the back seat. Three others, including the driver, were hospitalized but expected to survive. Police are investigating the cause. The article highlights the dangers faced by passengers in vehicles operated by older drivers and the risks at busy intersections like Brookville Boulevard and Sunrise Highway.

• Minivan Crash Kills Woman, Injures Three, NY Daily News, Published 2025-02-14

Feb 13 - Two sedans collided head-on on Seagirt Blvd at night. Both women drivers suffered neck and chest injuries. Shock and pain followed. Each wore seat belts. The crash left both cars with front-end damage.

According to the police report, two sedans crashed at 20:05 on Seagirt Blvd. A 22-year-old woman turned left as a 72-year-old woman drove straight north. Both drivers were injured—one with neck pain, the other with chest pain. Both experienced shock and nausea. Each was restrained by lap belt and harness. The report lists unspecified contributing factors for both drivers. No pedestrians were involved. The crash shows the danger when left turns cross paths with oncoming traffic.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4792448 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Feb 13 - Council orders DOT to repaint pavement lines within five days after resurfacing. Delays must be explained to the public. Clear markings mean fewer deadly gaps for walkers and riders.

Int 1160-2025, now enacted, passed the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and full Council in February 2025. The law demands the Department of Transportation install pavement markings or temporary lines within five business days after any street resurfacing. If DOT misses the deadline, it must notify the public and explain the delay. The bill’s matter title: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to installing pavement markings.' Council Member Farah N. Louis led as primary sponsor, joined by Brannan, Schulman, Banks, Farías, Carr, and Ariola. The law took effect March 15, 2025. Timely markings close the deadly window when streets lack crosswalks and lanes, protecting people on foot and bike.

• File Int 1160-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-02-13

Feb 13 - Council orders DOT to repaint pavement lines within five days after resurfacing. Delays must be explained to the public. Clear markings mean fewer deadly gaps for walkers and riders.

Int 1160-2025, now enacted, passed the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and full Council in February 2025. The law demands the Department of Transportation install pavement markings or temporary lines within five business days after any street resurfacing. If DOT misses the deadline, it must notify the public and explain the delay. The bill’s matter title: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to installing pavement markings.' Council Member Farah N. Louis led as primary sponsor, joined by Brannan, Schulman, Banks, Farías, Carr, and Ariola. The law took effect March 15, 2025. Timely markings close the deadly window when streets lack crosswalks and lanes, protecting people on foot and bike.

• File Int 1160-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-02-13

Feb 13 - Council orders DOT to repaint pavement lines within five days after resurfacing. Delays must be explained to the public. Clear markings mean fewer deadly gaps for walkers and riders.

Int 1160-2025, now enacted, passed the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and full Council in February 2025. The law demands the Department of Transportation install pavement markings or temporary lines within five business days after any street resurfacing. If DOT misses the deadline, it must notify the public and explain the delay. The bill’s matter title: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to installing pavement markings.' Council Member Farah N. Louis led as primary sponsor, joined by Brannan, Schulman, Banks, Farías, Carr, and Ariola. The law took effect March 15, 2025. Timely markings close the deadly window when streets lack crosswalks and lanes, protecting people on foot and bike.

• File Int 1160-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-02-13

Feb 13 - Council orders DOT to repaint pavement lines within five days after resurfacing. Delays must be explained to the public. Clear markings mean fewer deadly gaps for walkers and riders.

Int 1160-2025, now enacted, passed the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and full Council in February 2025. The law demands the Department of Transportation install pavement markings or temporary lines within five business days after any street resurfacing. If DOT misses the deadline, it must notify the public and explain the delay. The bill’s matter title: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to installing pavement markings.' Council Member Farah N. Louis led as primary sponsor, joined by Brannan, Schulman, Banks, Farías, Carr, and Ariola. The law took effect March 15, 2025. Timely markings close the deadly window when streets lack crosswalks and lanes, protecting people on foot and bike.

• File Int 1160-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-02-13

Feb 10 - After congestion pricing began, yellow cab trips jumped 10%. Council Member Brooks-Powers led the hearing. Taxi leaders worry about fare hikes. For-hire rides dipped 1%. Officials say it’s early. The city’s streets shift. Vulnerable road users brace for change.

On February 10, 2025, the City Council’s Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, chaired by Selvena N. Brooks-Powers (District 31), held an oversight hearing on congestion pricing and its impact on the taxi industry. The matter, titled 'NYC yellow cab trips up 10% after launch of congestion pricing: taxi commission,' revealed that yellow cab trips rose by 10% during the first week after congestion pricing began. Brooks-Powers noted that new tolls will likely be passed to riders as higher fares. Commissioner David Do of the Taxi and Limousine Commission testified that for-hire vehicle trips dropped 1%. The data is preliminary, covering only the first month of the program. No safety analyst assessment was provided for vulnerable road users.

• NYC yellow cab trips up 10% after launch of congestion pricing: taxi commission, amny.com, Published 2025-02-10

Feb 8 - A car struck an underpass on Belt Parkway. Metal twisted. A woman, 27, died at the hospital. A man survived. Police do not know who drove. The wreck left questions. The system failed to protect its passengers.

According to NY Daily News (published February 8, 2025), a single-car crash on Queens’ Belt Parkway killed a 27-year-old woman and injured a 30-year-old man. The white Toyota sedan hit an underpass near 225th Street around 3:50 a.m. Both occupants were found outside the wreck when police arrived. Investigators are unsure who was driving at the time of impact: 'Since both occupants were out of the car at the time of the crash, investigators haven't figured out who was driving, police said.' The woman died at Long Island Jewish Hospital-Valley Stream; the man was expected to survive. The article highlights ongoing uncertainty about driver identity and underscores the persistent risks on city highways, especially where loss of vehicle control leads to deadly outcomes. The investigation continues.

• Woman Killed In Queens Parkway Crash, NY Daily News, Published 2025-02-08

Feb 7 - A 60-year-old woman crossing with the signal was struck at a Queens intersection. The driver failed to yield right-of-way, causing abrasions and injuries to her entire body. The pedestrian remained conscious despite the severity of the crash.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 17:45 near 58-03 Rockaway Beach Blvd in Queens. A 60-year-old female pedestrian was crossing the intersection with the signal when she was struck by a vehicle. The report explicitly cites 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the contributing factor attributed to the driver. The pedestrian suffered abrasions and injuries to her entire body, classified as injury severity level 3, but remained conscious. The vehicle involved is unspecified in type and details, and no information about the driver’s license status or vehicle damage is provided. The report does not list any pedestrian behaviors as contributing factors, focusing solely on the driver's failure to yield.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4792183 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Feb 5 - A man slammed his Mercedes into a stopped car on the Whitestone Expressway. The impact threw an MTA worker onto the pavement. The driver ran. The worker died. Police found the abandoned car. The driver had no license.

NY Daily News reported on February 5, 2025, that James Vennitti, 63, was arrested for a deadly hit-and-run on the Whitestone Expressway in Queens. On February 10, 2024, Vennitti allegedly rear-ended David Berney, 43, after Berney and another driver stopped in the middle lane following a minor collision. The crash threw Berney from his car, killing him at the scene. The other driver was injured. Vennitti, unlicensed, abandoned his Mercedes and fled on foot. Police arrested him a year later. A grand jury indicted Vennitti for leaving the scene of a fatal crash and driving without a license. The case highlights the lethal risk of unlicensed driving and the dangers of stopped vehicles on high-speed roads.

• Unlicensed Driver Flees Queens Fatal Crash, NY Daily News, Published 2025-02-05

Feb 4 - SUV driver, distracted and speeding, struck a 7-year-old boy crossing Beach 29 Street. The child suffered abrasions. No damage to the vehicle. Another pedestrian hurt by driver inattention.

According to the police report, a 7-year-old boy was injured while crossing at a marked crosswalk at Beach 29 Street in Queens at 14:20. The child suffered abrasions to his elbow, lower arm, and hand but remained conscious. The involved vehicle, a Nissan SUV, was making a right turn and showed no damage. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Unsafe Speed' as contributing factors. The pedestrian was crossing without a signal but within a marked crosswalk. The crash highlights the risk to vulnerable road users when drivers fail to pay attention and control their speed.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4790632 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Feb 4 - A sedan making a left turn struck a 69-year-old woman crossing with the signal. She suffered shoulder and upper arm injuries. The driver failed to yield. The crash happened on New Haven Avenue near Beach 19 Street.

According to the police report, a sedan traveling east on New Haven Avenue near Beach 19 Street in Queens struck a 69-year-old woman at 7:50 AM. The woman was crossing the intersection with the signal when the sedan, making a left turn, hit her. She sustained injuries to her shoulder and upper arm but remained conscious. The police report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the contributing factor. The driver was licensed and the vehicle showed no damage. The pedestrian’s lawful crossing is noted but not cited as a cause. This crash underscores the danger when drivers fail to yield to people in the crosswalk.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4790366 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Jan 30 - A sedan traveling south on Cross Bay Blvd overturned after the driver reacted to an uninvolved vehicle. The 32-year-old male driver suffered neck injuries and whiplash. The crash caused serious harm despite the driver wearing a lap belt and harness.

According to the police report, a 32-year-old male driver in a 2011 Nissan sedan traveling south on Cross Bay Blvd overturned the vehicle after reacting to an uninvolved vehicle. The report lists 'Reaction to Uninvolved Vehicle' as the contributing factor twice, indicating the driver's response to external traffic conditions led to the crash. The driver was not ejected and was conscious but sustained neck injuries and whiplash, classified as injury severity 3. The driver was properly restrained with a lap belt and harness. The vehicle's point of impact was the center front end, and the crash resulted in the sedan overturning. No pedestrian or cyclist was involved, and no victim behaviors were cited as contributing factors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4789874 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Jan 22 - Council Chair Brooks-Powers blasted DOT for missing bike and bus lane targets. She pushed a bill to force public tracking. DOT made excuses. The city fell short for the third year. Vulnerable road users wait. The council wants answers, not promises.

""DOT gives us their word every hearing and we are not getting results,"" -- Selvena N. Brooks-Powers

On January 22, 2025, Council Transportation Committee Chair Selvena Brooks-Powers confronted the Department of Transportation at a public hearing. She cited DOT's repeated failure to meet the 2019 Streets Master Plan benchmarks—50 miles of protected bike lanes and 30 miles of bus lanes each year. In 2024, DOT delivered only 5.3 miles of bus lanes and 25.7 miles of bike lanes. Brooks-Powers introduced Intro 1105, a bill requiring DOT to publish a tracker of its progress. She declared, "DOT gives us their word every hearing and we are not getting results." DOT First Deputy Commissioner Margaret Forgione objected, claiming the tracker would add paperwork and reduce community engagement. Brooks-Powers countered, "DOT needs to be more transparent about its project pipeline so we can identify bottlenecks." The committee signaled intent to advance the bill. The city’s failure leaves pedestrians, cyclists, and bus riders exposed.

• Council Transportation Chair Tells DOT That She’s Sick of the Streets Plan Excuses, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-01-22

Jan 22 - A Toyota RAV4 jumped the curb on 90th Avenue, slammed into a garage, and collapsed the structure. The driver, Mamadou Barry, was trapped. First responders pulled him out, but he died at the hospital. No other injuries reported.

According to NY Daily News (2025-01-22), Mamadou Barry, 63, was driving his Toyota RAV4 along 90th Ave. in Jamaica, Queens, around 5:20 a.m. when he lost control, hopped a curb at 143rd St., and crashed into a detached garage. The impact caused the garage to collapse onto both his SUV and a parked, unoccupied Prius. Police said Barry was trapped and later died at Jamaica Hospital. The article notes, 'he lost control of the SUV, which went crashing into a detached garage in Queens, police said.' Family members stated Barry had no known medical issues. The cause of the crash remains unclear. No other injuries were reported. The incident highlights the dangers faced by drivers and bystanders in residential areas where structures sit close to the street.

• Uber Driver Dies in Queens Crash, NY Daily News, Published 2025-01-22

Jan 19 - An SUV traveling east on Rockaway Fwy struck an object or vehicle, injuring two child passengers. Both suffered bruises and contusions to chest and lower limbs. The driver was using a hands-free cell phone, contributing to the crash.

According to the police report, a 2012 Honda SUV driven by a licensed female driver was traveling east on Rockaway Fwy in Queens at 19:27 when it crashed. The vehicle sustained damage to its center front end. Two child occupants, ages 6 and 14, seated in the right rear and front passenger seats respectively, were injured with contusions and bruises to the chest and lower leg areas. Both children were conscious and restrained with lap belts and harnesses. The report identifies the driver’s use of a hands-free cell phone as a contributing factor to the crash, indicating driver distraction. No other contributing factors or victim behaviors were noted. The injuries occurred inside the vehicle, with no ejections reported.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4791441 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Jan 17 - A distracted SUV driver hit a 51-year-old woman crossing a marked crosswalk without a signal. She suffered abdominal and pelvic injuries, conscious but bruised. The crash exposed driver inattention as a deadly hazard on Queens streets.

According to the police report, at 8:05 PM in Queens near 20-29 Seagirt Blvd, a Station Wagon/SUV driven by an inattentive driver struck a 51-year-old female pedestrian. The pedestrian was crossing in a marked crosswalk but without a crossing signal. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the primary contributing factor. The pedestrian sustained injuries to her abdomen and pelvis, classified as injury severity 3, and was conscious with contusions and bruises. The vehicle involved was a 2010 Audi SUV with no occupants other than the driver. This crash highlights the critical role of driver distraction in pedestrian injuries, with no contributing factors attributed to the pedestrian's actions beyond crossing without a signal.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4787184 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Jan 17 - Two sedans collided on Cross Bay Blvd in Queens. The striking vehicle disregarded traffic control and followed too closely, hitting the stopped car from behind. Five occupants suffered whiplash and back injuries, all conscious and not ejected.

According to the police report, at 12:44 PM on Cross Bay Blvd in Queens, a sedan traveling south struck another sedan stopped in traffic from behind. The report cites 'Traffic Control Disregarded' and 'Following Too Closely' as contributing factors for the striking vehicle. The impact occurred at the center front end of the striking vehicle and the center back end of the struck vehicle. Five occupants were injured: the striking vehicle's driver and four passengers in the struck vehicle. Injuries included whiplash and back pain, with bodily injuries to the head, back, and elbow-lower-arm-hand areas. All injured parties were conscious and none were ejected. Safety equipment use varied, with some passengers wearing lap belts and harnesses. The crash highlights driver errors in traffic control compliance and maintaining safe following distance.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4787549 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Jan 16 - Reinvent Albany blasted a bill to exempt NYPD officers from Manhattan congestion tolls. The group called it unfair, a $22 million giveaway to a powerful few. They warned it would drain funds, raise tolls, and reward special interests over public safety.

On January 16, 2025, Reinvent Albany, a good government watchdog, issued a statement opposing a bill from Assembly Member Stacey Pheffer Amato and Senator Jessica Scarcella-Spanton. The bill seeks to exempt NYPD officers, even off-duty, from paying congestion pricing tolls in Manhattan’s central business district. Reinvent Albany called the measure 'contrary to notions of basic fairness' and a '$22 million handout' to a special interest. The Traffic Mobility Review Board had already rejected such exemptions. The group warned that multiple exemption bills could cost the public $100 million yearly and force higher tolls for everyone else. Neither Pheffer Amato nor Scarcella-Spanton commented. The watchdog urged lawmakers to serve the many, not the powerful few.

• Watchdog Group: No Congestion Pricing Toll Exemptions for Cops!, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-01-16