No More Names on Asphalt: Demand Action Before the Next Death

DOT Commissioner Rodriguez shot down the Council’s e-bike registration bill. He said enforcement tools already exist. He pointed to street redesigns that save lives. Council Member Holden pressed for plates. Rodriguez stood firm: cars, not e-bikes, drive the city’s blood toll.

On December 11, 2024, the City Council held a hearing on Intro 606, a bill to require registration and license plates for e-bikes and e-scooters. The bill, sponsored by Council Member Robert Holden, claims to address a 'public safety crisis.' DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez opposed the measure, stating, 'The administration already has the tools to enforce against illegal [cycling] behaviors; a license plate is not necessary for enforcement.' Rodriguez cited data: 105 pedestrians killed by cars this year, versus six by e-bikes, mopeds, and scooters combined. He argued that street redesigns, not new bureaucracy, cut deaths and injuries. Public Advocate Jumaane Williams echoed this, noting that registration backers often resist proven safety fixes like protected bike lanes. Rodriguez warned the bill would waste $19 million and slow adoption of sustainable transport. He called for holding delivery apps accountable and redesigning streets, not targeting vulnerable road users.

• DOT: Council E-Bike Registration Bill is Not Necessary to Make Streets Safer, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-12-11

Council bill Int 1138-2024 would ban parking and standing within 20 feet of crosswalks. It forces the city to install daylighting barriers at 1,000 intersections each year. The bill sits in committee. Sponsors include Bottcher, Won, and the Public Advocate.

Int 1138-2024, introduced December 5, 2024, is under review by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The bill is 'Laid Over in Committee.' Its title: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to prohibiting standing or parking a vehicle within 20 feet of a crosswalk at an intersection.' Council Member Erik D. Bottcher is the primary sponsor, joined by Julie Won, Jumaane Williams, and others. The bill prohibits standing or parking within 20 feet of crosswalks and mandates the Department of Transportation to install daylighting barriers at a minimum of 1,000 intersections per year. The law also requires citywide outreach and reporting. This measure aims to keep sightlines clear at crossings, a known danger zone for people on foot and bike. The bill has not yet received a vote.

• File Int 1138-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-12-05

Steel shrieked on Meeker Avenue as a westbound sedan plowed into a parked Dodge. A 29-year-old man gripped his bleeding arm, seatbelt biting. The signal was ignored. The wound lingered, echoing the violence of midnight metal.

A westbound Honda sedan struck a parked Dodge on Meeker Avenue near Union Avenue just before midnight, injuring the 29-year-old male driver of the Honda. According to the police report, 'Traffic Control Disregarded' was listed as the primary contributing factor. The narrative states, 'The signal was ignored,' underscoring the failure to obey traffic controls. The impact left the driver with severe lacerations to his arm, as he remained restrained by his lap belt. The parked Dodge was unoccupied at the time of the crash. No evidence in the police report attributes any contributing factors to the parked vehicle or its occupants. The collision highlights the consequences when drivers disregard traffic signals, as detailed in the official account.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4774773, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A bus turned, steel and glass sweeping the corner. An e-bike rider, seventy-four, thrown down. His head struck, life ended. The street stilled. The door bore the mark. Brooklyn night, another life lost to traffic’s violence.

A 74-year-old man riding an e-bike was killed at the corner of Jay Street and Tillary Street in Brooklyn when a bus struck him while making a right turn, according to the police report. The narrative states the man was 'thrown from the saddle' and suffered fatal head injuries, with 'the door bore the mark' signaling the point of impact on the bus. The police report lists the bus as 'making right turn' and the e-bike as 'going straight ahead.' Both contributing factors are marked as 'Unspecified' in the report. The victim was not wearing a helmet, but the report does not cite this as a contributing factor. The collision ended with the e-bike rider ejected and killed, underscoring the lethal risk faced by vulnerable road users when large vehicles turn across their path.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4769478, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A car’s right front struck a 48-year-old cyclist on Union Avenue. The man wore a helmet. His arm was torn open. Blood pooled on the street. He was thrown, conscious, with deep cuts and broken flesh. Failure to yield shattered the morning.

According to the police report, a 48-year-old man riding a bike westbound on Union Avenue near Broadway in Brooklyn was struck by a car’s right front. The collision left the cyclist with severe lacerations to his arm, described as 'deep cuts and broken flesh,' and he was partially ejected from his bike but remained conscious. The report states the driver’s 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the contributing factor. The narrative details blood on the street and the cyclist’s helmet use, but helmet use is not listed as a contributing factor. The crash occurred at 8:36 a.m. The focus remains on the driver’s failure to yield, which directly led to the cyclist’s injuries, as documented by police.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4768382, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A Jeep turned right on McGuinness. A moped slammed into its side. The rider, thirty-three, chest crushed, partly thrown, breathing but battered. Steel and flesh collided. The street fell silent, danger written in bent metal.

A collision unfolded on McGuinness Boulevard in Brooklyn when, according to the police report, a Jeep made a right turn and a northbound moped struck its side. The moped rider, a 33-year-old man, suffered chest crush injuries and was partially ejected from his vehicle. He remained conscious at the scene. The police report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Unsafe Speed' as contributing factors in the crash. The Jeep’s right side doors bore the brunt of the impact. The moped’s front end was destroyed. The moped rider was unlicensed, but the report centers driver error—failure to yield—as a primary cause. The violence of the crash left the street quiet, the aftermath marked by twisted metal and injury.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4770347, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

Council backs a state bill to hike registration fees for big, heavy vehicles. The move targets SUVs and trucks that kill and injure New Yorkers. Sponsors say the law will cut deaths, push smaller cars, and clear the air. The fight is on.

Resolution 0601-2024 sits in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Introduced October 10, 2024, it urges Albany to pass S.6657A/A.7978. The resolution calls for 'amend[ing] the Vehicle and Traffic Law, in relation to registration fees for certain vehicles.' Council Members Justin L. Brannan (primary sponsor, District 47) and Lincoln Restler (co-sponsor, District 33) lead the charge. The bill would raise registration fees for larger, heavier vehicles, with a break for electric car batteries. The resolution cites grim numbers: 103 pedestrians killed in New York City in 2023, and research showing heavy vehicles are deadlier. The Council says this law could deter the spread of oversized cars, protect people on foot and bike, and cut emissions. The measure is still in committee.

• File Res 0601-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-10-10

Council weighs Adams’s push to scrap parking mandates. Debate sharp. Some say mandates block homes, plazas, and safer streets. Progressive members back removal. Others resist in transit deserts. The fight shapes the future for housing, space, and city life.

On October 3, 2024, the City Council began reviewing Mayor Adams’s City of Yes zoning reform, focusing on the elimination of mandatory parking requirements for new developments. The proposal, under the Town Center Zoning plan, aims to boost small-scale, mixed-use housing. Council Members Shahana Hanif and Lincoln Restler voiced strong support, with Hanif stating, 'Parking mandates block housing, they block extra space for the folks living in communities, they block plazas, and the ability to live in a climate friendly city.' Restler called the policy vital for Brooklyn. Department of City Planning Director Dan Garodnick acknowledged the importance of removing parking mandates but noted the plan could proceed without it. The Council faces pushback from low-density, transit-poor areas. Progressive groups and experts argue that ending parking mandates is overdue and would reshape housing, public space, and climate policy citywide.

• Will Indicted Mayor Adams’s Bid to Eliminate Parking Mandates Survive Council Review?, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-10-03

City reverses its own reversal. DOT will cut a traffic lane and add parking-protected bike lanes on McGuinness Boulevard’s southern half. Local officials and advocates forced the city’s hand. The northern half stays unchanged. Vulnerable road users get a win.

On October 2, 2024, the Department of Transportation announced a policy reversal on McGuinness Boulevard. The original lane reduction and protected bike lane plan, previously scrapped, will now move forward for the southern half of the street, between Calyer Street and Meeker Avenue. The matter, described as a return to 'the road diet it had previously finalized and then rejected,' follows months of community outcry and advocacy. Council Member Lincoln Restler (District 33) and other local officials celebrated the move, crediting the Make McGuinness Safe coalition for relentless pressure. Restler stated, 'this is a decision that enhances safety in our community, and that's what matters.' The northern half of the boulevard remains unchanged, with two traffic lanes and barrier-protected bike lanes. The city’s action signals a renewed commitment to street safety after repeated delays and political interference.

• Another U-turn on McGuinness Boulevard as city returns to original lane reduction plan, brooklynpaper.com, Published 2024-10-02

Council calls for state action on bike lane cameras. The resolution urges Albany to let New York City ticket drivers who block bike lanes. Cyclists die while cars invade their space. The bill targets reckless drivers. The city waits for Albany to move.

Resolution 0574-2024 sits in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Introduced September 26, 2024, it urges the State Legislature and Governor to pass S.5008A/A.803A. The measure would 'establish a bicycle lane safety program in the city of New York to enforce certain restrictions on the use of bicycle lanes and protected bicycle lanes by means of bicycle lane photo devices.' Council Members Shahana K. Hanif (primary sponsor), Lincoln Restler, and Erik D. Bottcher back the resolution. The bill aims to let the city use cameras to catch and fine drivers who block bike lanes. Cyclists remain exposed. The council’s move highlights the deadly toll: more cyclists killed, more drivers unchecked. The bill’s fate now rests in Albany.

• File Res 0574-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-09-26

Council bill Int 1069-2024 slashes legal parking time for tractor-trailers and similar trucks to 90 minutes. Commercial vehicles clogging curbs will face tighter limits. The measure targets streets where hulking rigs linger, blocking sightlines and endangering walkers and riders.

Int 1069-2024, now in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, was introduced on September 26, 2024. The bill reads: "A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to reducing the maximum time commercial vehicles may park." It limits parking for tractor-trailer combinations, tractors, truck trailers, and semi-trailers to 90 minutes, down from three hours. Council Member Kevin C. Riley leads as primary sponsor, joined by Nantasha M. Williams, Darlene Mealy, Sandy Nurse, and others. The bill was referred to committee the day it was introduced. No safety analyst has yet assessed the direct impact on vulnerable road users, but the measure aims to keep large trucks from blocking curbs and crosswalks, where they threaten pedestrians and cyclists.

• File Int 1069-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-09-26

E-bike use surges. Streets stay deadly. Calls for licensing miss the mark. Advocates demand protected lanes, clear intersections, and employer accountability. Restrictive rules push riders to riskier modes. Real safety comes from design, not blame.

This opinion, published September 26, 2024, argues against e-bike licensing and for street redesign. The article, titled 'Opinion: Worried About E-Bike Safety? Make the Roads Safer First,' highlights the dangers faced by cyclists and pedestrians due to poor infrastructure. It supports Council Member Lincoln Restler’s bill to enforce bike and bus lane obstruction rules and backs state Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal’s proposal for employer-based delivery worker licensing. The piece states: 'Such proposals are heavy-handed and will deter and discourage e-bike ridership without effectively ensuring their safe operations on the street.' The author urges protected bike lanes, daylighted intersections, and moving Citi Bike docks off sidewalks. The message is clear: systemic fixes, not punitive measures, protect vulnerable road users.

• Opinion: Worried About E-Bike Safety? Make the Roads Safer First, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-09-26

Council passed a law letting pedestrians cross streets anywhere, at any time. Jaywalking is now legal. No more tickets for crossing outside crosswalks or against signals. The law shifts blame from walkers to drivers. Streets belong to people again.

Int 0346-2024, now Local Law 98 of 2024, was enacted by the City Council on October 26, 2024, after passing 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 pedestrian crossing guidelines and right of way," lets pedestrians cross roadways at any point, even against traffic signals. It erases penalties for so-called jaywalking. Sponsors include Tiffany Cabán (primary), Lincoln Restler, Crystal Hudson, Shahana K. Hanif, Julie Won, Mercedes Narcisse, Darlene Mealy, Erik D. Bottcher, and Farah N. Louis. The Council voted overwhelmingly in favor. The law requires the Department of Transportation to educate all road users about these new rights. By ending jaywalking enforcement, the city removes a tool often used to blame victims and target the vulnerable. The law marks a shift: streets are for people, not just cars.

• File Int 0346-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-09-26

Council Member Restler moves to cap Citi Bike e-bike fares at subway prices. The bill aims to end high costs that block riders. If passed, e-bike trips under an hour would match the MTA fare. Bike-share could become true public transit.

Bill introduced by Council Member Lincoln Restler on September 16, 2024, seeks to cap Citi Bike e-bike fares at the current subway or bus rate. The measure, not yet passed, awaits committee review and would take effect in 2029 if the city renews its contract with Lyft. The bill summary reads: 'Citi Bike members would not pay more than the MTA's intra-city transit fare for any e-bike ride under an hour or any non-electric Citi Bike ride under two hours.' Restler, the bill's sponsor, argues, 'Bike share is an essential part of transit in NYC. It needs to be affordable & accessible for all.' He criticizes the current model, where e-bike rides can cost up to $7.20 for a half-hour, far above the $2.90 subway fare. The bill would require public investment to lower fares, following models in Boston and Washington, D.C. No safety analyst has yet assessed the bill's impact on vulnerable road users.

• Restler Bill to Cap E-Bike Fees Sets The Bar High for Citi Bike’s Future, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-09-16

Councilmember Restler moves to cap Citi Bike e-bike fees. He calls current costs 'out of control.' He pushes for electrified docks to cut truck traffic. The bill aims to make e-bikes affordable and streets safer for riders.

On September 13, 2024, Councilmember Lincoln Restler (District 33) announced plans to introduce legislation capping Citi Bike e-bike fees for members at the price of a subway ride. The bill, not yet numbered, will not take effect until the next contract in 2029. Restler, who called current fees 'out of control,' also urged the city to connect Citi Bike docks to the electrical grid. He said, 'What a silly system we have that's depending on hundreds of cars and trucks going around New York City to recharge our sustainable form of transit.' Restler’s push aims to make e-bikes accessible for working-class New Yorkers and reduce car and truck trips tied to battery swaps. No formal safety analyst note was provided, but the bill’s focus is clear: lower barriers for vulnerable road users and cut vehicle miles on city streets.

• Are electric Citi Bike fees too damn high for New Yorkers?, gothamist.com, Published 2024-09-13

Council bill Int 1039-2024 would stop bike share operators from charging members more than a subway fare for short rides. The cap covers e-bikes up to one hour and regular bikes up to two hours. The bill sits in committee.

Int 1039-2024, now in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, was introduced on September 12, 2024. The bill reads: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to setting maximum amounts for certain member usage fees charged by a bike share operator.' Council Member Chi A. Ossé leads as primary sponsor, joined by Restler, Marte, Hudson, Cabán, Brannan, Hanif, Brewer, and Abreu. The bill would prohibit bike share companies from charging members more than the base subway fare for e-bike rides of one hour or less, or regular bike rides of two hours or less. The law would take effect 120 days after passage and apply to new or renewed contracts. This measure aims to keep bike share affordable for New Yorkers, making cycling a more accessible option.

• File Int 1039-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-09-12

E-bike and e-scooter slammed together on Flushing Avenue, metal tangled, debris scattered. A 28-year-old man bled onto the street, flesh torn below the knee. The machines lay crumpled. Silence pressed down, broken only by pain.

According to the police report, an e-bike and an e-scooter collided near 429 Flushing Avenue in Brooklyn at 5:30 p.m. The crash occurred amid scattered debris, which the report lists as 'Obstruction/Debris' under contributing factors. Both vehicles were traveling straight—one southbound, one westbound—when they struck each other. The impact left a 28-year-old man, identified as an e-bike driver, with severe lacerations to his lower leg and knee. The narrative describes blood pooling from his wounds as he lay conscious on the street, machines crumpled around him. The police report does not cite any victim behavior as a contributing factor, but notes the absence of a helmet after driver errors and environmental hazards. The collision underscores the danger posed by roadway obstructions and debris, which directly contributed to the violent impact.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4756953, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A Jeep SUV struck a motorscooter head-on on Union Avenue in Brooklyn. The 19-year-old unlicensed, helmetless rider suffered a crushed skull. The driver’s failure to obey traffic control caused a violent, fatal collision that left blood on the street.

According to the police report, at 12:10 a.m., a Jeep SUV traveling west on Union Avenue near Lorimer Street in Brooklyn collided head-on with a northbound motorscooter. The report identifies 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as the primary contributing factor, indicating the Jeep driver failed to obey traffic signals or signs. The Jeep’s left front bumper struck the scooter’s center front end. The 19-year-old male scooter rider was unlicensed and helmetless, suffering severe head injuries described as a crushed skull. The police report places these victim details after noting the driver’s failure to follow traffic control devices. The crash left blood on the street and silence in its wake, underscoring the deadly consequences of driver disregard for traffic rules.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4752925, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A drunk van driver killed cyclist Luis Mendez on Union Avenue. The van hit parked cars, then struck Mendez. The driver fled, crashed again, and was arrested. Mendez is the 17th cyclist killed this year. Council Member Restler demands protected bike lanes.

On September 2, 2024, a van driver struck and killed cyclist Luis Mendez in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Police charged the driver, Can Homer, with vehicular manslaughter, driving while intoxicated, and driving without a license. The crash happened at 11:30 a.m. on Union Avenue, just south of Lynch Street. According to the matter summary, 'A van driver struck and killed a cyclist on Sunday morning in Williamsburg, according to police, who later charged the driver for operating the vehicle while drunk.' Council Member Lincoln Restler responded on Twitter, stating, 'These deaths are preventable w/ network of protected lanes.' Mendez is the 17th cyclist killed this year, as road fatalities and injuries continue to rise. Restler called for safer streets and a network of protected bike lanes to prevent further deaths.

• UPDATE: Cyclist Killed by DRUNK Van Driver in Williamsburg, Cops Say, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-09-02

A 46-year-old man pedaled north on Union Avenue. An unlicensed SUV driver struck him head-on. His helmet split. Blood spread across the pavement. He was thrown from his bike. He never moved again.

According to the police report, a 46-year-old man was riding his bicycle north on Union Avenue near Lynch Street in Brooklyn when an unlicensed driver operating a 2024 Volkswagen SUV struck him head-on. The report states the crash occurred at 11:26 a.m. The cyclist, who was wearing a helmet, was ejected from his bike and suffered fatal head injuries. The police report lists 'Passing or Lane Usage Improper' as a contributing factor. The SUV driver was unlicensed at the time of the crash. The narrative describes the immediate aftermath: 'His helmet split. Blood spread across the pavement. He was thrown from the bike. He never moved again.' The report does not cite any cyclist behavior as a contributing factor. The focus remains on the unlicensed driver’s actions and improper lane usage.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4752328, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15