Broken Children, Broken Promises: Streets Still Bleed

Mayor Adams wants Randy Mastro, a foe of bike lanes and congestion pricing, to lead the Law Department. Council members push back. Mastro’s record signals danger for pedestrians and cyclists. His history favors cars. The fight over his confirmation has begun.

On April 18, 2024, a New York Times report revealed Mayor Adams’s intent to appoint Randy Mastro, former Giuliani deputy mayor, as head of the city’s Law Department. Mastro is known for opposing bike lanes and congestion pricing, having fought the Prospect Park West bike lane and represented New Jersey against congestion pricing. Council Members Sandy Nurse and Tiffany Caban voiced strong opposition, with Caban declaring, 'No way in hell I vote to confirm Randy Mastro.' Joe Borelli, a congestion pricing opponent, supported the move, saying, 'I want more people who think like me on congestion pricing in City Hall.' The appointment signals a car-first agenda. Council resistance is fierce. Vulnerable road users—pedestrians, cyclists, bus riders—face greater risk if Mastro’s priorities shape city policy.

• Randy Mastro Aspires to Join Mayor’s Inner Circle of Congestion Pricing Foes, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-04-18

Council wants signs at every school door. Paint on the street. Metal overhead. Drivers warned: children cross here. The bill sits in committee. Kids walk. Cars speed. The city waits.

Int 0714-2024 sits before the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Introduced March 19, 2024, the bill would require the Department of Transportation to paint and install overhead school safety signs on every street with a school entrance. The matter title reads: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to installing safety signs near schools.' Council Member Susan Zhuang leads as primary sponsor, joined by Rivera, Gennaro, Won, Hanif, Gutiérrez, Louis, Cabán, Restler, Farías, Banks, and Riley as co-sponsors. The bill aims to alert drivers to the presence of school-aged children and pedestrians. It remains in committee, with no vote or enactment date set. The measure targets a simple truth: children cross streets, drivers often do not see them. Signs alone will not stop cars, but they mark danger.

• File Int 0714-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-03-19

Council moves to form an advisory board on school crossing guard deployment. NYPD, DOT, and DOE must join. The board will send reports twice a year to city leaders. The aim: track, review, and recommend guard placement. Streets near schools stay dangerous.

Bill Int 0448-2024 sits in the Committee on Public Safety. Introduced February 28, 2024, it calls for an advisory board on school crossing guard deployment. The board would include the NYPD, Department of Transportation, and Department of Education. According to the bill summary: 'Such advisory board would be responsible for submitting biannual reports, relating to recommended deployment of school crossing guards, to the Mayor, the City Council Speaker and the Police Commissioner.' Council Member Kamillah Hanks leads as primary sponsor, joined by Stevens, Schulman, Salaam, Won, Cabán, Riley, Farías, Restler, Williams, Narcisse, Banks, Louis, Brooks-Powers, Marmorato, and the Bronx Borough President. The bill demands city agencies work together, but it does not guarantee more guards or safer crossings. The danger for children at city intersections remains.

• File Int 0448-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

Council bill pushes DOT to open streets wider and longer on busy holidays. Memorial Day, Juneteenth, July Fourth, Labor Day, Halloween—cars barred, people free. Community groups get a say. Streets shift from danger to refuge, if the city acts.

Int 0270-2024 sits with the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Introduced February 28, 2024, it amends city law to require the Department of Transportation to expand Open Streets hours on holidays with heavy foot traffic. The bill’s summary reads: 'special activation of the Open Streets program on certain holidays and time periods with significant pedestrian traffic.' Council Member Shekar Krishnan leads as primary sponsor, joined by Rivera, Brooks-Powers, Louis, Nurse, Ossé, Sanchez, Cabán, Banks, Avilés, Riley, Salaam, Hanif, Feliz, Won, Restler, and Joseph. The bill directs DOT to seek community input for more activation days. Applications for these special activations follow the same review as regular Open Streets. The measure aims to give pedestrians and cyclists more space and time, cutting car risk when crowds surge.

• File Int 0270-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

Council bill Int 0255-2024 demands NYPD track every time officers use cars as weapons. No more hiding behind vague reports. The city must count each incident. Data will show the toll. Vulnerable New Yorkers deserve the truth.

Int 0255-2024 sits in the Committee on Public Safety after introduction on February 28, 2024. The bill, titled "A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to use of force incidents involving police department use of a motor vehicle," forces the NYPD to add 'use of a motor vehicle to gain control of a subject' as a specific reporting category in quarterly and annual use of force reports. Council Member Lincoln Restler leads as primary sponsor, joined by Hudson, Won, Hanif, Bottcher, Brewer, Avilés, Abreu, Ossé, Krishnan, Williams, Cabán, Nurse, Sanchez, and the Brooklyn Borough President. The bill targets a gap: current NYPD reports do not name motor vehicles as a means of force. This change brings police violence by car into the light, exposing patterns that endanger pedestrians and other vulnerable road users.

• File Int 0255-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

Council wants NYPD to show where crossing guards stand. The bill orders a map online. Streets are dangerous. Kids cross in chaos. The public will see the gaps. The city must face the truth in plain sight.

Int 0447-2024, now in the Committee on Public Safety, was introduced on February 28, 2024. The bill, titled "A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to reporting on crossing guard deployment," demands the NYPD post an online map showing where crossing guards are stationed. Council Member Kamillah Hanks leads as primary sponsor, joined by Stevens, Schulman, Menin, Salaam, Brewer, Marte, and others, including a request from the Bronx Borough President. The bill is for 'informational purposes only,' but the impact is clear: families and advocates will finally see where the city leaves children exposed. The measure forces transparency. It makes the city’s priorities visible block by block.

• File Int 0447-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

Council bill demands 100 miles of protected bike lanes each year for six years. Streets will change. Barriers will rise. Cyclists will get space. The city moves to shield riders from cars. The pace quickens. Safety, not talk, hits the pavement.

Int 0271-2024 sits in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Introduced on February 28, 2024, the bill orders the Department of Transportation to install 100 miles of protected bike lanes per year for six years. The matter title reads: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to the installation of protected bicycle lanes.' Lincoln Restler leads as primary sponsor, joined by Carlina Rivera, Farah N. Louis, Shahana K. Hanif, Chi A. Ossé, Gale A. Brewer, Tiffany Cabán, Sandy Nurse, Crystal Hudson, Yusef Salaam, Erik D. Bottcher, Jennifer Gutiérrez, Oswald Feliz, Julie Won, and Rita C. Joseph. The bill’s summary states protected lanes 'increase cycling and ensure the safety of New Yorkers.' If passed, the law will force the city to build real protection for people on bikes, not just paint. The measure aims to cut risk for cyclists and push back against deadly streets.

• File Int 0271-2024, 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 wants DOT to study how street design can keep commercial trucks out of residential neighborhoods. The bill demands a report. Streets packed with trucks endanger walkers and cyclists. The committee holds the bill. No action yet. Pressure mounts.

Int 0114-2024 sits in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Introduced February 28, 2024, the bill orders the Department of Transportation to report on using street design to limit or reduce commercial vehicle use in residential areas. The matter title reads: 'A Local Law in relation to requiring the department of transportation to study street design as a means to limit or reduce the use by commercial vehicles of streets in residential neighborhoods.' Council Member Jennifer Gutiérrez leads as primary sponsor, joined by Avilés, the Public Advocate, and others. The bill was referred to committee on the day it was introduced. Streets crowded with trucks put vulnerable road users at risk. The bill seeks data and solutions, but action is pending.

• File Int 0114-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

Council moves to study charging stations for e-bike delivery workers. The bill forms a task force to weigh cost, location, and fire risk. Delivery riders face battery dangers daily. The city stalls on safe infrastructure. The committee holds the bill.

Int 0194-2024 sits with the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure since February 28, 2024. The bill, titled 'A Local Law in relation to establishing a task force to study the feasibility of building charging stations for bicycles with electric assist to be used by food delivery workers,' calls for a task force to examine where and how to build charging stations for e-bike couriers. Council Members Restler (primary sponsor), Gutiérrez, Avilés, Won, Cabán, Marte, Hanif, Nurse, Hudson, Brewer, and Farías back the measure. The task force must review costs, possible third-party funding, station locations, and fire risks from lithium-ion batteries. The bill aims to protect delivery workers, who face daily hazards from unsafe charging and lack of city support. No votes have been held. The bill remains in committee.

• File Int 0194-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

Council calls on maritime importers to shift last-mile deliveries from trucks to boats. Streets choke on diesel rigs. Noise, fumes, danger follow. Waterways offer relief. The resolution sits in committee. Sponsors demand action. Vulnerable New Yorkers wait.

Res 0053-2024, now in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, was introduced on February 28, 2024. The resolution urges 'top maritime importers to New York City ports to commit to making the City’s streets greener by reducing truck traffic and using marine vessels for last mile deliveries throughout the boroughs.' Council Member Jennifer Gutiérrez leads as primary sponsor, joined by Avilés, Hudson, Salaam, Cabán, Ayala, Restler, Hanif, Won, Brooks-Powers, Nurse, Public Advocate Williams, and the Brooklyn Borough President. The measure responds to freight growth and truck congestion, which fuel pollution and endanger street users. The Council’s call aims to clear trucks from city streets, cut emissions, and make roads safer for everyone outside a car.

• File Res 0053-2024, 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

Council members push Albany to let cyclists treat stop signs as yields, red lights as stops. The resolution aims to cut conflict, keep riders moving, and match laws in safer cities. Pedestrian right-of-way stays untouched. The bill sits in committee.

Resolution 0185-2024, now in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, calls on the State Legislature and Governor to pass S.2643/A.3986. The measure, introduced February 28, 2024, urges that 'bicyclists treat stop signs as yield signs, and red lights as stop signs.' Council Members Julie Won (primary sponsor), Lincoln Restler, Tiffany Cabán, and the Brooklyn Borough President (by request) back the move. The resolution highlights that similar laws in other states have improved safety for all road users. It stresses that pedestrian rights remain unchanged—cyclists must still yield. The bill reflects a shift toward laws that recognize the realities of cycling and aim to reduce deadly car-bike conflicts.

• File Res 0185-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

Pickup truck smashed into a sedan’s side on 28th Avenue. Airbag burst. Harness pressed tight. A 29-year-old woman, belted and still, died in her seat. Alcohol played its part. Metal and blood pooled in Queens before dawn.

A pickup truck struck the side of a westbound sedan on 28th Avenue near 47th Street in Queens, killing a 29-year-old front passenger. According to the police report, the woman was belted and seated upright when the impact tore open the airbag and left her bleeding out in her seat. The crash occurred at 4:09 a.m. The report explicitly lists 'Alcohol Involvement' as a contributing factor. The pickup was traveling straight ahead, while the sedan was also moving westbound. The police narrative states: 'A pickup struck a westbound sedan’s side. The front passenger, 29, belted and still, bled out in her seat. Airbag torn open. Harness tight across her chest. Alcohol was involved.' No evidence in the report suggests any contributing behavior on the part of the victim. The focus remains on the lethal combination of driver action and alcohol involvement.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4705035, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

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 BMW hit a man on 85th Street. His head was crushed. He died where he fell. No intersection, no crowd, no noise. The street stayed quiet. No one else was hurt. The city moved on. The loss stayed.

A 43-year-old man walking near 25-17 85th Street in Queens was struck and killed by a BMW. According to the police report, 'A BMW struck a 43-year-old man. His head was crushed. He died where he fell, alone, not at an intersection. The street stayed quiet. No one else was hurt.' The crash occurred away from any intersection. The report lists no contributing factors or driver errors. No other injuries were reported. The victim, a pedestrian, suffered fatal head injuries. No mention of helmet use or signaling appears in the data. The deadly impact ended one life and left the street unchanged.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4679552, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A BMW turned right on Astoria Boulevard before dawn. The street was empty. A man walked outside the crosswalk. The car struck him. His body lay broken in the dark. Two sedans, one parked, one moving. One life ended. The city kept moving.

A 50-year-old man was killed when a BMW sedan, making a right turn on Astoria Boulevard near Steinway Street, struck and crushed him at 4:02 a.m. According to the police report, 'A 50-year-old man crushed beneath a turning BMW at 4:02 a.m. Two sedans, one parked, one moving. No intersection. The street was empty. Then it wasn’t. His body lay broken in the dark.' The pedestrian was not at an intersection and was engaged in 'other actions in roadway.' The BMW’s right front bumper was the point of impact. The police report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' No driver errors are detailed in the data. The second vehicle, a Nissan sedan, was parked and unoccupied at the time of the crash. No mention of helmet or signal use is included.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4672149, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A sedan sped down 23rd Avenue and slammed into a parked car near 91st Street. Metal shrieked. The driver, fifty, bled from the head. Sirens cut the air. The street bore witness to speed and steel.

A crash on 23rd Avenue near 91st Street in Queens left a 50-year-old driver injured. According to the police report, a speeding sedan struck a parked car with force. The driver suffered severe head lacerations and was found conscious, belted, with the airbag deployed. The report lists 'Unsafe Speed' as the contributing factor. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved. The impact also rocked a nearby bus. The data shows no errors by other road users. The only listed cause is the sedan's unsafe speed, which led to the violent collision and injury.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4673176, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

Over 200 Astoria residents packed a DOT workshop after a spike in traffic deaths. Cyclists and pedestrians have died. Drivers speed, double-park, and ignore signals. Councilwoman Cabán and others demand urgent action. DOT vows to return with a safety plan.

On September 14, 2023, the Department of Transportation held a public street safety workshop in Astoria, Queens, following a surge in traffic violence. The event, covered on September 18, 2023, drew over 200 residents and was organized by Western Queens elected officials. The workshop addressed a 'significant increase in traffic-related deaths, including several high-profile fatalities involving cyclists and pedestrians.' Councilwoman Tiffany Cabán, State Senator Kristen Gonzalez, and Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani called the deaths preventable and demanded urgent changes. Cabán stated, 'If it saves lives, it’s worth doing.' DOT officials, including Queens Borough Commissioner Nicole Garcia and senior program manager Kyle Gorman, presented plans for 31st Avenue and collected resident feedback on dangerous driving, lack of protected bike lanes, and unsafe intersections. The DOT pledged to return with a proposal. No formal bill number or committee was cited; the event focused on immediate community engagement and systemic change.

• Astoria residents turnout for DOT street safety workshop following surge in traffic violence this year, amny.com, Published 2023-09-18

A moped slammed into a parked sedan on Ditmars Boulevard. The rider’s legs tore open. Blood spilled on the quiet street. He stayed conscious. No one else was hurt. The crash left flesh and bone exposed in the midnight dark.

A 46-year-old moped rider crashed into a parked sedan near 38-11 Ditmars Boulevard in Queens. According to the police report, the collision happened at midnight. The moped struck the right front quarter panel of the sedan. The rider suffered severe lacerations to his knees and feet but remained conscious. No other people were injured. The police report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as a contributing factor. The sedan was parked and undamaged. No helmet or signal use is mentioned as a factor. The crash left the rider with serious injuries, underscoring the danger faced by vulnerable road users on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4658369, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15