No More Waiting in the Dark: Demand Safe Streets Now

Council bill orders speed humps on streets by parks over one acre. DOT must install unless safety or guidelines say no. Seventeen council members back the move. The bill sits in committee. Streets by parks may soon slow cars.

Int 0262-2024 was introduced to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on February 28, 2024. The bill states: "requiring the installation of speed humps on roadways adjacent to any park equal or greater than one acre." Lincoln Restler leads as primary sponsor, joined by seventeen co-sponsors including Joseph, Feliz, Louis, Marte, and others. The Department of Transportation must install speed humps on qualifying streets unless the commissioner finds it unsafe or inconsistent with DOT guidelines. The bill remains in committee. If passed, it would take effect 180 days after becoming law. The measure aims to slow traffic near parks, where walkers and children cross.

• File Int 0262-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

Council members push for a hard look at last mile delivery hubs. Trucks swarm neighborhoods. Streets clog. Collisions rise. The bill demands data. It targets the city’s growing freight problem. Vulnerable New Yorkers walk these streets. The study could expose the toll.

Int 0113-2024 sits with the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Introduced February 28, 2024, it orders the Department of Transportation to study how last mile delivery facilities batter local streets and communities. The bill summary reads: 'estimating the amount of delivery vehicles arriving at or departing from each facility, and the impact that additional vehicle traffic has on parking, street congestion, vehicle collisions and other traffic incidents.' Public Advocate Jumaane Williams leads as primary sponsor, joined by Alexa Avilés, Shekar Krishnan, Amanda Farías, and over twenty others. The bill was referred to committee on the day it was introduced. No safety analyst has yet weighed in, but the bill’s focus is clear: count the trucks, count the crashes, and show the cost to people on foot and bike.

• File Int 0113-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

Council calls for state action on lower speed limits, crash victims’ rights, and safer street design. The resolution pushes Albany to let New York City set its own speed limits and demands stronger protections for people hurt or killed by cars.

Resolution 0090-2024 sits in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Introduced February 28, 2024, it urges the State Legislature and Governor to pass S.2422 ('Sammy’s Law'), A.1901 (Crash Victims Bill of Rights), and the full SAFE Streets Act package. The matter title reads: 'Resolution calling on the New York State Legislature to pass, and the Governor to sign, S.2422, also known as ‘Sammy’s Law,’ in relation to allowing New York city to establish a lower speed limit, and A.1901, enacting a crash victims bill of rights, as well as the other bills of the package known as the SAFE Streets Act.' Council Member Shahana K. Hanif leads as primary sponsor, joined by Gutiérrez, Restler, Ossé, Avilés, Sanchez, Krishnan, Rivera, Cabán, Brewer, Abreu, Marte, Brannan, Schulman, Won, Feliz, Bottcher, Nurse, Hudson, and the Brooklyn Borough President. The SAFE Streets Act targets reckless driving, demands safer street design, and gives crash victims more rights. The resolution’s focus is clear: fewer deaths, more justice, safer streets for all.

• File Res 0090-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

A 71-year-old woman, crossing Jerome Avenue with the signal, was struck and left bleeding in the crosswalk. The driver vanished. Blood marked the intersection. No name, no car, only the echo of impact and silence.

According to the police report, a 71-year-old woman was crossing Jerome Avenue at East Burnside Avenue in the Bronx, using the crosswalk and following the signal, when she was struck by a vehicle. The report states she was found unconscious, suffering severe lacerations and injuries to her entire body. The driver did not remain at the scene; the vehicle and its operator vanished, leaving no identifying information. The narrative notes: 'A 71-year-old woman lay unconscious in the crosswalk, blood on the pavement, body torn. She crossed with the signal. A vehicle struck her and vanished.' The police report does not list any contributing factors for the driver, but the act of fleeing the scene after striking a pedestrian in a crosswalk underscores the systemic danger faced by vulnerable road users. The victim’s compliance with the crossing signal is noted only after the driver’s failure to remain at the scene.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4705544, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

Council backs state bills to force moped buyers to show a valid license and register at the point of sale. Unregistered mopeds menace streets. Pedestrians and cyclists pay the price. The measure aims to close loopholes and cut illegal, dangerous riding.

Resolution 0024-2024 sits with the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Introduced February 8, 2024, it urges Albany to pass A.8052 and S.7703. The resolution calls for 'purchasers of limited use motorcycles present a driver’s license appropriate for the legal operation... and register such limited use motorcycles, prior to completing a purchase.' Council Member Gale A. Brewer leads, joined by Rivera, Schulman, Krishnan, Won, Bottcher, and others. The bills would require dealers to check licenses and register mopeds at sale. The Council notes that illegal, unregistered mopeds endanger pedestrians, cyclists, and riders. NYPD seized over 8,600 illegal mopeds by September 2023. The resolution presses for safeguards to keep unlicensed, unregistered vehicles off city streets.

• File Res 0024-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-08

Council members want 500 corridors lit for walkers each year. The bill demands bright sidewalks—no less than 1 footcandle. Most corridors must connect, forming safer, well-lit routes. The measure sits in committee, waiting for action. Darkness remains a threat.

Int 0079-2024, introduced on February 8, 2024, sits 'Laid Over in Committee' with the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The bill, titled 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to installation of pedestrian lighting fixtures,' would require the transportation commissioner to install sidewalk lighting in at least 500 commercial corridors per year, each lit to a minimum of 1 footcandle (11 lux). At least 450 corridors must be contiguous to others with new or existing lighting. Council Member Selvena N. Brooks-Powers leads as primary sponsor, joined by Restler, Krishnan, Bottcher, and many others. The bill aims to cut through the city’s darkness, demanding light for those on foot. It remains stalled in committee, its promise unrealized.

• File Int 0079-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-08

A 26-year-old man, unlicensed and unhelmeted, slammed his motorscooter head-on at Grand Concourse and East 184th. His skull split. Blood pooled. He lay conscious, gasping, deep cuts across his head. The morning was still dark.

A violent crash unfolded on Grand Concourse at East 184th in the Bronx. According to the police report, a 26-year-old man, operating a motorscooter without a license and without a helmet, crashed head-on. The report describes the aftermath: 'His skull split. Blood pooled on the street. He lay conscious, gasping, deep cuts across his head.' The incident occurred while it was still dark. The police report lists the driver's unlicensed status and lack of helmet as facts, but does not cite any other contributing factors. No other vehicles or persons were involved. The focus remains on the systemic danger of unlicensed, unprotected operation of motor vehicles on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4699571, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A Toyota SUV struck a man crossing Jerome Avenue. The driver looked away. The SUV’s front end crumpled. The man’s face bled, torn open. He stayed conscious in the Bronx night. Distraction behind the wheel left flesh and metal wrecked.

A 2018 Toyota SUV, heading south on Jerome Avenue near 196th Street, hit a 38-year-old man in the intersection. According to the police report, the pedestrian suffered severe lacerations to his face but remained conscious at the scene. The SUV’s front end was dented. The report states, “The driver had looked away.” The listed contributing factor is 'Driver Inattention/Distraction.' No other contributing factors from the pedestrian are cited. The crash highlights the danger posed when drivers lose focus, leaving vulnerable road users exposed to harm.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4684371, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A moped struck a car making a U-turn on Jerome Avenue. The rider’s legs shattered. He stayed conscious. Sirens came late. The street was quiet except for his scream. The crash left pain and broken bodies behind.

A moped rider, age 32, suffered severe crush injuries to his legs after colliding with a car making a U-turn on Jerome Avenue near East 184th Street in the Bronx. According to the police report, the moped 'slammed into a car’s left side mid-U-turn.' The rider remained conscious at the scene. The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as a contributing factor in the crash. The moped was traveling straight when it struck the car’s left side doors. No helmet use or signaling issues were cited in the report. The crash highlights the danger faced by vulnerable road users on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4670159, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A Jeep smashed into a parked Volvo truck on Major Deegan. The Jeep’s front crumpled. Its driver, 51, bled from the face but stayed awake. Police list distraction as the cause. The truck never moved. Metal, blood, and silence followed.

A 1991 Jeep struck a parked Volvo truck on the Major Deegan Expressway. The Jeep’s front end folded in the crash. The driver, a 51-year-old man, suffered severe bleeding to his face but remained conscious. According to the police report, 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' was the contributing factor. The Volvo truck was parked and did not move before the collision. No other injuries were reported. The data lists no errors for the parked truck. The only listed cause is distraction by the Jeep driver. No mention of helmet or signal use appears in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4667683, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A 16-year-old on a moped slammed into a parked sedan on Kingsbridge Terrace. He flew from the seat. His head struck the street. Blood pooled. He stayed conscious, but his head was split open. Unsafe speed marked the crash.

A 16-year-old boy, unlicensed and riding a moped, crashed into a parked sedan on Kingsbridge Terrace in the Bronx. According to the police report, the moped was traveling at unsafe speed when it struck the left front bumper of the sedan. The impact ejected the teen from the moped. He landed hard, suffering severe head lacerations but remained conscious. The report lists 'Unsafe Speed' as a contributing factor. The teen was not wearing a helmet, as noted in the data, but the primary cause cited is unsafe speed. No other injuries were reported. The sedan was unoccupied and parked at the time of the crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4665781, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A woman on a moped slammed into a parked garbage truck on University Avenue. She flew from the seat. Her head hit the pavement. Blood pooled in the dark. She lay unconscious, her injuries grave. Distraction behind the handlebars proved deadly.

A 33-year-old woman riding a moped crashed into a parked garbage truck near 2265 University Avenue in the Bronx. According to the police report, she was ejected from the moped and suffered severe head lacerations, lying unconscious at the scene. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor. The woman was not wearing a helmet, as noted in the data, but the primary cause cited is driver distraction. The garbage truck was parked and sustained no damage. No other injuries were reported.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4665012, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A man crossed Grand Concourse with the light. An e-scooter sped through. The frame smashed his face. Blood spilled. He fell, semiconscious. The scooter kept going. The street stayed hard and silent.

A 35-year-old man was crossing Grand Concourse with the signal when an e-scooter hit him at speed. According to the police report, 'A man crossed with the light. An e-scooter came fast. His face met the frame. Blood poured. He dropped, semiconscious, 35 years old. The scooter rolled on, untouched.' The pedestrian suffered severe bleeding and facial injuries, left semiconscious at the intersection. The police report lists 'Unsafe Speed' as a contributing factor. The e-scooter showed no damage and continued on after the crash. No helmet or signal use is mentioned in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4657593, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

Council pushed for 500 solar-lit crosswalks. The bill demanded action—100 new devices each year. It called for a hard look at results. But the session ended. The bill died. Streets wait. Pedestrians keep crossing in the dark.

Int 1151-2023, introduced August 3, 2023, in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, aimed to require the Department of Transportation to install at least 100 illuminated, solar-powered traffic control devices at crosswalks each year for five years—a total of 500. The bill also ordered a study comparing these devices to unlit signs, probing their power to deter traffic violations and mapping out logistical hurdles. The matter summary reads: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to the installation of solar-powered crosswalks.' Council Member Lincoln Restler led as primary sponsor, joined by Menin, Brooks-Powers, Rivera, and over thirty others. The bill was filed at session’s end on December 31, 2023. No safety analyst note was provided. The city’s crosswalks remain unchanged. Vulnerable road users remain exposed.

• File Int 1151-2023, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2023-08-03

A Ford SUV swung wide on University Avenue. The moped hit head-on. The rider flew, helmetless. His skull split open. Blood pooled on the street. He survived. He remembers. The crash left scars and questions in the Bronx.

A Ford SUV made a wide U-turn on University Avenue near Morton Place. A moped, heading straight, struck the SUV head-on. According to the police report, the SUV driver was inattentive and speeding. The moped rider, unlicensed and not wearing a helmet, was ejected and suffered severe head injuries. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Unsafe Speed' as contributing factors. The moped rider, age 29, survived but sustained a split skull and severe lacerations. The crash left blood on the asphalt and a survivor who remembers every moment.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4645187, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A man, fifty, struck by a westbound vehicle on Jerome Avenue. The car’s front end hit him. His leg was torn from knee to foot. He lay conscious, blood pooling on the asphalt. The street kept moving. The wound was brutal. The pain, unspoken.

A 50-year-old man walking near Jerome Avenue and East 183rd Street in the Bronx was struck by a westbound vehicle’s front end. According to the police report, the impact tore his leg from knee to foot. He remained conscious on the pavement as blood pooled around him. The report lists no contributing factors or driver errors. The vehicle type and driver details are unspecified. The man suffered a traumatic amputation. No information is provided about the pedestrian’s actions or location at the time of the crash. The street kept moving as he lay injured. No helmet or signal use is mentioned.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4643627, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A Toyota sedan struck a baby boy on Grand Concourse. His hip shattered. He lay broken and incoherent in the street. The night was silent. The dark pressed in. No driver error listed. The child suffered. The city watched.

A Toyota sedan hit a baby boy near Grand Concourse and East 183rd Street in the Bronx. According to the police report, the child’s hip was crushed. He lay in the street, incoherent, with severe injuries. The report lists no contributing factors or driver errors. The boy, a pedestrian, suffered crush injuries to his hip and upper leg. No information is given about the driver’s actions or the circumstances leading up to the crash. The police report does not mention any helmet or signal use. The facts remain stark: a child was struck and gravely hurt by a car in the Bronx.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4637236, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A car hit a man head-on at West Fordham Road and Loring Place North. His head split. Blood pooled by the curb. He tried to speak but could not. The driver was new. The night stayed silent.

A 41-year-old pedestrian was struck head-on by a vehicle at West Fordham Road and Loring Place North in the Bronx. According to the police report, 'The driver was new behind the wheel.' The man suffered severe head lacerations and was left incoherent at the scene. The only contributing factor listed is 'Driver Inexperience.' The impact was to the center front end of the vehicle. No other contributing factors, such as helmet or signal use, are noted in the data. The crash left the pedestrian gravely injured, with blood pooling by the curb.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4634415, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A car hit a 17-year-old boy riding his bike near East 198th Street. The front end smashed him. His head was torn. Blood spread on the street. He stayed conscious, half-thrown from the bike. Traffic control was ignored. Doors bent. Flesh cut.

A 17-year-old male bicyclist was struck by a vehicle on Grand Concourse near East 198th Street in the Bronx. According to the police report, the crash involved the center front end of a vehicle colliding with the right side doors of the bike. The boy suffered severe head lacerations and was partially ejected, but remained conscious at the scene. The report states, 'Traffic control ignored.' The listed contributing factor is 'Traffic Control Disregarded.' No helmet use or signaling is mentioned as a contributing factor. The data shows a clear failure to obey traffic controls, leading to serious injury for the young cyclist.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4630902, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A Nova bus hit a 62-year-old man on an e-scooter at University Avenue and West Burnside. His head split open. Blood marked the street. The bus rolled on, untouched. The man lay broken. The city’s danger did not blink.

A Nova bus struck a 62-year-old man riding an e-scooter at the corner of University Avenue and West Burnside Avenue. According to the police report, the bus hit the man, leaving him semiconscious with severe head lacerations and blood on the pavement. The report lists 'Pedestrian/Bicyclist/Other Pedestrian Error/Confusion' as a contributing factor. No driver errors are cited in the data. The e-scooter rider was not wearing a helmet, which is noted in the narrative after the collision details. The bus continued on, unmarked. The crash left the vulnerable road user gravely injured, underscoring the risks faced by those outside steel and glass.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4622190, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15