No More Bodies in the Road: Demand Safe Streets Now

Council Member Julie Menin pushes to license dark stores. Marte seeks weight limits and bans on punishing slow delivery. The bills aim at fast-delivery apps that push workers to rush, risking crashes. Pedestrians and cyclists face danger from hurried e-bike riders.

On July 13, 2022, Council Member Julie Menin (District 5) introduced a bill to license and regulate 'dark stores' used by rapid grocery delivery apps. The bill, now before the City Council, gives the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection power to revoke licenses for deceptive practices. Christopher Marte, another council member, proposed two related bills: one limits delivery backpack weights, the other bans retaliation against workers who refuse unsafe deliveries or miss tight deadlines. Marte’s bill also requires companies promising 15-minute delivery to state that speed is not guaranteed, citing 'the safety of the public and delivery workers.' Menin said, 'These stores are operating in the city in a completely unregulated fashion.' The bills respond to concerns that fast-delivery apps push workers to break traffic laws, endangering pedestrians and cyclists as e-bikes speed through city streets.

• Fast-delivery apps face NYC crackdown over ‘dark stores,’ worker safety, nypost.com, Published 2022-07-13

Council members push to ban non-essential helicopter flights from city-owned helipads. The bill targets tourist and luxury flights, sparing only essential services. Noise, pollution, and safety risks drive the move. The city’s airspace faces a reckoning.

On June 27, 2022, Council Member Lincoln Restler and colleagues introduced a bill to ban all non-essential helicopter flights from the Wall Street and East 34th Street city-owned helipads. The legislation, discussed in the City Council, exempts NYPD, news, and hospital helicopters. The bill’s matter title: 'Stop the Chop.' Council Members Amanda Farias, Gale Brewer, Shahana Hanif, Alexa Avilés, Crystal Hudson, Jennifer Gutiérrez, Christopher Marte, and Carlina Rivera joined as sponsors. Hanif stated, 'Our airspace is not for sale to the highest bidder and should only be available to essential needs of our city.' The bill responds to mounting complaints—nearly 60,000 since 2010—over helicopter noise and pollution. The proposal aims to cut thousands of flights, reduce greenhouse gases, and restore peace to city parks and neighborhoods.

• OPINION: Here’s How the Council Will ‘Stop the Chop’ in New York, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2022-06-27

Council pushed for bold school safety signs. Painted warnings and overhead alerts near every school entrance. The bill died in committee. Streets stay the same. Children still cross in danger. Drivers keep rolling through.

Int 0555-2022 was introduced on June 16, 2022, in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The bill required the Department of Transportation to install painted and overhead safety signs on every street with a school entrance. The matter summary reads: 'to alert drivers to the presence of school-aged children and pedestrians.' Council Member Tiffany Cabán led as primary sponsor, joined by Rivera, Marte, Yeger, Sanchez, Won, Restler, Joseph, Gutiérrez, Ung, Louis, Abreu, and Hanif. The bill was filed at the end of session on December 31, 2023. No safety analyst note was provided. The measure stalled. No new protections for kids on city streets.

• File Int 0555-2022, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2022-06-16

Council bill targets cars blocking bike lanes, bus lanes, sidewalks, and hydrants near schools. Civilians can report violators. Each offense draws a $175 fine. The city pays whistleblowers a cut. The bill stalled. Streets stay dangerous.

Int 0501-2022 was introduced to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on June 2, 2022. The bill, titled 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to hazardous obstruction by vehicles and civilian complaints to the department of transportation for hazardous obstruction violations,' aimed to create a new civil penalty for vehicles blocking bike lanes, bus lanes, sidewalks, crosswalks, or hydrants within 1,320 feet of a school. The penalty: $175 per violation, enforced through the Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings. Civilians, except city employees, could file complaints and receive 25% of collected fines. The Department of Transportation would support this with a phased-in reporting program and annual public reports. Council Member Carlina Rivera led as primary sponsor, joined by over two dozen co-sponsors. The bill was filed at the end of session on December 31, 2023, and did not become law. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File Int 0501-2022, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2022-06-02

Council bill Int 0500-2022 would kill private vehicle parking permits. All existing permits get revoked. Only disabled drivers and union contracts are spared. The bill targets abuse and privilege. It died in committee. Streets stay dangerous.

Int 0500-2022 was introduced on June 2, 2022, in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The bill sought to "prohibit the issuance of private vehicle parking permits and revoke such existing permits," with exceptions for people with disabilities and collective bargaining agreements. Council Member Christopher Marte led as primary sponsor, joined by Restler, Brewer, Joseph, Nurse, Cabán, Avilés, Bottcher, Won, Ossé, and Richardson Jordan, plus the Brooklyn Borough President. The bill aimed to end a system that let private cars claim curb space, fueling illegal parking and danger for those on foot or bike. It was filed at the end of session on December 31, 2023, without a vote. The status quo remains: permits still shield drivers, while vulnerable road users face the risk.

• File Int 0500-2022, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2022-06-02

Council bill Int 0401-2022 would force the city to install speed humps on streets bordering parks over one acre. The measure targets reckless driving near green spaces. The transportation committee filed the bill at session’s end. No action taken.

Int 0401-2022 was introduced in the City Council on May 19, 2022, and referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The bill’s title: “A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to requiring the installation of speed humps on roadways adjacent to any park equal or greater than one acre.” Council Member Shahana K. Hanif led as primary sponsor, joined by sixteen co-sponsors. The bill would have required the Department of Transportation to install speed humps on all roadways next to parks at least one acre in size, unless the DOT commissioner found installation unsafe or inconsistent with guidelines. The bill was filed without passage at the end of the session. No safety analyst assessment was provided.

• File Int 0401-2022, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2022-05-19

A taxi turned left. A sedan barreled straight. In the intersection, a 21-year-old man was struck. He suffered a head wound. Blood pooled on the street. He died there, under harsh lights, alone in the city’s dark.

A deadly collision unfolded at East Houston Street and 1st Avenue in Manhattan. According to the police report, a taxi making a left turn and a sedan going straight collided in the intersection. A 21-year-old pedestrian was struck and killed, suffering a fatal head injury and severe bleeding. The report lists 'Alcohol Involvement' as a contributing factor. Several vehicle occupants were also injured. The police report does not specify any errors by the pedestrian. The crash highlights the lethal consequences when driver impairment enters the intersection.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4524167, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

CUNY students and Councilman Marte rallied at City Hall. They called out slow buses and high fares. They demanded more bus lanes, safer streets, and affordable rides. Marte said 30 miles of new lanes is not enough. The city must do more.

On April 11, 2022, Councilman Christopher Marte (District 1) joined CUNY students and transit advocates at a public rally outside City Hall. The event targeted New York City’s sluggish bus service and the high cost of MTA fares. The rally demanded Mayor Adams speed up bus commutes, install at least 30 miles of new bus lanes in 2022, and expand the Fair Fares program for low-income riders. Marte declared, 'It shouldn't just be a vote to get 30 miles of additional bus lanes. That should be the minimum.' The rally pressed the city to prioritize bus lanes, bike lanes, and pedestrian-oriented streets, echoing the Streets Master Plan. No formal bill was under consideration, but the council and advocates pushed for $3.1 billion in funding for these changes. The action highlights the urgent need for safer, faster, and more affordable transit for vulnerable New Yorkers.

• CUNY students say NYC’s sluggish buses slow down their studies, nydailynews.com, Published 2022-04-11

A flatbed truck turned right at Elizabeth and Prince. The cyclist rode straight. Steel hit flesh. Blood pooled. The truck rolled on. The bike crumpled. The man screamed, conscious, bleeding hard. Morning light caught the wreckage.

A flatbed truck turned right at the corner of Elizabeth Street and Prince Street in Manhattan. A 46-year-old man on a bicycle rode straight. According to the police report, 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' contributed to the crash. The truck’s right front bumper struck the cyclist, hitting his lower leg and foot. He was partially ejected, conscious, and suffered severe bleeding. The bike folded under the impact. The truck showed no damage and continued on. No other injuries were reported. The police report lists no errors by the cyclist. The only listed contributing factor is driver inattention.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4516087, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

Canal Street is chaos. Cars rule, people dodge. Pedestrians make up most users, but get little space. Council Member Marte calls for urgent fixes. Residents want wider sidewalks, bike lanes, and real enforcement. The city stalls. Danger grows. Action cannot wait.

On March 9, 2022, a public statement titled 'It’s Time for Immediate Action on Canal Street' spotlighted the deadly imbalance on Canal Street. The Department of Transportation and Council Member Chris Marte faced residents at a design workshop. The matter: 'What is to be done about traffic and safety on Canal Street?' Marte pledged support for urgent changes. The op-ed notes that pedestrians are 65% of users but get as little as 10% of street space. Residents demand widened sidewalks, protected bike lanes, and enforcement against double-parking and crosswalk invasions. The call is clear: shift space from cars to people. The city’s inaction leaves vulnerable road users at daily risk. The time for talk is over. The street must change now.

• Op-Ed: It’s Time for Immediate Action on Canal Street, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2022-03-09

Councilman Marte targets grocery apps. No more 15-minute delivery ads. Fast promises push e-bike riders to break laws. Pedestrians and workers pay the price. Marte says: slow down, save lives. The bill aims to cut the deadly rush.

On February 21, 2022, Councilman Christopher Marte introduced a bill in the New York City Council to ban on-demand grocery apps from advertising 15-minute delivery times. The bill, not yet assigned a committee or vote date, responds to the rise of companies like Gorillas and Getir. The matter summary states the bill 'would bar on-demand grocery apps from advertising 15-minute delivery times, citing threats to worker and pedestrian safety.' Marte, representing District 1, argues that these ads pressure delivery workers on e-bikes and scooters to break traffic laws, endangering themselves and pedestrians. 'We don’t think that should be legal,' Marte said. He believes giving workers more time will save lives by reducing the rush. The bill is part of a broader push for delivery worker protections.

• NYC bill would ban grocery apps from advertising 15-minute delivery times, nypost.com, Published 2022-02-21

Council called on the MTA to make every renovated subway station fully accessible. Only a fraction of stations have elevators. Lawmakers want no more half-measures. The resolution was filed at session’s end. Riders with disabilities remain stranded underground.

Resolution 0009-2022 was introduced on February 10, 2022, in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. It called on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to ensure any subway station undergoing enhancement or renovation becomes fully accessible to people with disabilities. The matter title reads: 'Resolution calling upon the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to make any subway stations undergoing enhancement or renovation fully accessible to people with disabilities.' Council Member Darlene Mealy sponsored the resolution, joined by Brannan, Menin, Louis, Yeger, Hanif, Hudson, Marte, Joseph, Riley, and Brooks-Powers. The resolution was filed at the end of session on December 31, 2023. Only 117 out of 493 subway stations are accessible. The Council’s action highlights the city’s failure to guarantee safe, equal passage for all riders. Elevators and upgrades are overdue. The bill’s filing leaves vulnerable New Yorkers waiting.

• File Res 0009-2022, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2022-02-10

Council grilled city officials on outdoor dining fees. Activists demanded fair curb pricing. Motorists get free space; restaurants must pay. Some council members griped about noise and trash. Consensus: city must manage public space better. No mention of direct safety impact.

On February 9, 2022, the City Council held a hearing on making the Open Restaurants program permanent. The matter, titled 'Could Fees for Outdoor Dining Lead to Proper Pricing of City’s Curbs?', focused on charging restaurants for curbside space. Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez explained fees would depend on location and size, starting at $1,050. Council members Julie Menin and Christopher Marte raised concerns about noise, garbage, and parking loss. Livable streets groups, including Open Plans and Transportation Alternatives, supported curbside fees and called for an Office of Public Space Management. Marco Conner DiAquoi of Transportation Alternatives noted, 'Seventy-five percent of our public curb space is devoted to the movement and storage of vehicles.' The hearing showed broad support for better public space management, but the safety impact for vulnerable road users was not addressed.

• Hearing Day: Could Fees for Outdoor Dining Lead to Proper Pricing of City’s Curbs?, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2022-02-09

Council grilled city officials on permanent outdoor dining and curbside fees. Advocates demanded fair use of public space. Council Member Julie Menin raised noise and garbage concerns. The hearing exposed the fight over who controls the curb—and who pays.

On February 9, 2022, the City Council held a hearing on making the Open Restaurants program permanent and charging fees for curbside dining. The matter, titled 'Hearing Day: Could Fees for Outdoor Dining Lead to Proper Pricing of City’s Curbs?', was discussed in committee. Council Member Julie Menin, representing District 5, participated and voiced concerns about noise, garbage, and parking loss. Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez explained that fees would depend on location and space size. Advocates like Sara Lind and Marco Conner DiAquoi argued for equity, noting, 'Seventy-five percent of our public curb space is devoted to the movement and storage of vehicles.' The hearing highlighted calls for better public space management and a dedicated oversight office. Community boards remained divided, citing nightlife and local control issues. The debate centered on reclaiming curb space from cars and making the city safer and fairer for all.

• Hearing Day: Could Fees for Outdoor Dining Lead to Proper Pricing of City’s Curbs?, streetsblog.org, Published 2022-02-09