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

Council Member Restler and Greenpoint residents slammed City Hall for gutting the McGuinness Boulevard redesign. The city scrapped protected lanes and a road diet. Crashes and near-misses persist. Locals demand real safety. The mayor wavers. DOT offers only half-measures.

On May 21, 2024, Council Member Lincoln Restler (District 33) joined Greenpoint residents to protest the city’s retreat from the original McGuinness Boulevard redesign. The plan, developed over two years, promised to 'remove a lane of car traffic in each direction, add protected bike lanes, and shorten pedestrian crossings.' Mayor Eric Adams ordered DOT to scale it back after opposition, leaving only partial improvements. Restler accused the mayor of ignoring traffic experts and thousands of residents. Public Advocate Jumaane Williams called the city’s response 'unacceptable' and 'irresponsible.' The Department of Transportation resumed limited work but has not finished its analysis for the southern half. Residents and advocates, including Make McGuinness Safe, cite ongoing crashes and dangerous crossings. The city’s compromise leaves vulnerable road users exposed, as the most effective safety measures remain unbuilt.

• ‘Irresponsible’: Locals criticize Adams, DOT as McGuinness Boulevard redesign falters, brooklynpaper.com, Published 2024-05-21

A driver killed 10-year-old Yitty Wertzberger in South Williamsburg. The intersection was already known for crashes. Community Board 1, led by Simon Weiser, has long fought safety fixes. Parking wins. Children lose. Council Member Restler backs change. Progress stalls. Danger remains.

On May 21, 2024, a 10-year-old girl was killed by a driver at a notorious South Williamsburg intersection. The matter, described as 'debate over street safety interventions (e.g., daylighting, bike lanes),' highlights Community Board 1’s resistance to proven safety measures. Vice-chair Simon Weiser has opposed bike lanes, Citi Bike, and daylighting, prioritizing parking over pedestrian safety. After the fatal crash, only a crossing guard was added. Council Member Lincoln Restler and some advocates support improvements, but efforts are slow and diluted. Board members like Paul Kelterborn admit to weakening city proposals. The area’s dense population and high car ownership compound the risk. Despite clear data and tragedy, systemic fixes face local opposition. Vulnerable road users—especially children—remain at risk.

• After 10-Year-Old Killed By Driver, South Williamsburg Residents Resigned To Dangerous Streets, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-05-21

Council wants lights on city step streets. The bill orders the DOT to brighten at least 25 stairways a year. Dark stairs mean danger. Light means fewer falls, fewer hidden threats. The push comes from a broad coalition. The goal is simple: safer steps.

Int 0875-2024 sits in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Introduced May 16, 2024, it commands the Department of Transportation to install pedestrian lighting on at least 25 step streets each year. The bill’s matter title reads: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to requiring the installation of pedestrian lighting on step streets.' Prime sponsor Joann Ariola leads, joined by Council Members Hanks, Ayala, Salaam, Brooks-Powers, Banks, Restler, Brannan, Ung, Gutiérrez, Louis, Hudson, Schulman, Ossé, Krishnan, Nurse, Moya, and Marmorato. Step streets are public staircases linking streets at different heights. The bill aims to ensure these stairs are well-lit, reducing risk for walkers. Once all step streets are lit, the mandate ends. The measure targets a clear hazard: darkness on city stairs.

• File Int 0875-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-05-16

Steel tore flesh on Flushing Avenue. A dump truck veered too close, grinding a parked ambulance. Blood streaked the door. A 39-year-old man inside lost part of his arm. The truck did not yield. The city swallowed another limb.

A dump truck traveling east on Flushing Avenue near Tompkins Avenue in Brooklyn struck a parked ambulance, according to the police report. The report states both vehicles faced east when the dump truck 'scraped a parked ambulance.' Inside the ambulance, a 39-year-old man suffered an arm amputation. The police report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Passing Too Closely' as contributing factors, highlighting clear driver error. The narrative notes, 'Steel shrieked. A 39-year-old man inside lost part of his arm. Blood smeared the door.' The man was not wearing a seatbelt, but the report attributes the crash to the dump truck driver’s actions. No evidence in the report suggests the victim’s behavior contributed to the collision. The impact left one man permanently injured, underscoring the dangers posed by inattentive driving and large vehicles on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4729255, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

City officials defend curbside EV charging. Critics warn it locks in car dominance. Council members slam DOT for slow bus and bike lane rollouts. Advocates demand space for people, not cars. The city plans 10,000 new chargers. Streets stay dangerous.

At a May 9, 2024 City Council budget hearing, DOT Deputy Commissioner Eric Beaton argued that New York’s widespread free on-street parking justifies dedicating curb space to electric vehicle (EV) charging. Beaton testified, 'Half of our vehicles are stored on the street overnight.' The Adams administration aims to install up to 10,000 curbside chargers over the next decade. Council Transportation Committee Chair Selvena Brooks-Powers and Council Member Lincoln Restler criticized DOT for failing to meet bus and bike lane expansion mandates. Sara Lind of Open Plans countered, 'DOT and the administration are fully capable of changing the status quo and rethinking curb parking.' Advocates warned that more EV chargers could block future sidewalk, bike lane, or outdoor dining expansions. The hearing exposed a city stuck in car-first policy, with vulnerable road users left waiting for safer streets.

• DOT Official: All Our Free Parking Justifies Keeping Curb Space for EVs, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-05-09

A bus rolled east on Livingston Street. A baby girl crossed without a signal. The front of the bus struck her. She fell, crushed and silent. Her small form lay still as the bus showed no damage, the street marked by violence.

According to the police report, a bus traveling east on Livingston Street struck a baby girl who was crossing without a signal. The narrative states, 'The front struck her. She fell, crushed and silent. Her whole body broken. The bus showed no damage. The street held her small, still form.' The report lists the pedestrian's action as 'Crossing, No Signal, or Crosswalk' and her location as 'Not at Intersection.' Both contributing factors for the driver and the pedestrian are marked as 'Unspecified.' The bus was going straight ahead at the time of the crash, and the point of impact was the center front end. The baby girl suffered crush injuries to her entire body and was found unconscious. The report does not cite any specific driver errors or additional contributing factors, but the collision underscores the lethal risk posed by large vehicles to vulnerable pedestrians, especially children.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4722151, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

New York City can cut speed limits to 20 mph this summer. Council members and advocates demand urgency. The mayor and DOT hesitate. Traffic deaths mount. The city faces a choice: act fast or let danger linger on its streets.

On May 3, 2024, the City Council debated a new policy allowing New York City to lower speed limits from 25 mph to 20 mph on most streets, following a recent state budget measure. The measure, discussed in committee, requires a Council vote for citywide changes and a six-month warning period for drivers. Kamillah Hanks (District 49) was mentioned in the debate. Assemblymember Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas stressed urgency, citing recent deaths. Brooklyn Councilmember Lincoln Restler pledged to push the measure forward. Advocates like Transportation Alternatives called for a citywide approach, not piecemeal action. The Department of Transportation thanked lawmakers but did not commit to a timeline. The debate highlights the tension between urgent safety needs and political delays. Vulnerable road users remain at risk until the city acts.

• NYC can reduce speed limits this summer, but is Mayor Adams ready?, gothamist.com, Published 2024-05-03

Evening light on York Street. A head-on crash between an SUV and a motorcycle. The rider’s lower leg crushed, helmet intact. SUV’s front left mangled. Both vehicles eastbound. Steel and flesh meet, the city absorbs the pain.

A head-on collision between a motorcycle and an SUV unfolded near 181 York Street in Brooklyn at 6:55 p.m., according to the police report. The report states both vehicles were traveling east when they collided. The motorcycle rider, a 40-year-old man, remained conscious but suffered a crushed lower leg. His helmet stayed on. The SUV’s front left quarter panel was severely damaged. Police cite 'Reaction to Uninvolved Vehicle' as the contributing factor, highlighting a systemic hazard where sudden, unpredictable roadway events can trigger violent impacts. No driver errors beyond this are listed in the report. The focus remains on the chain reaction that left a vulnerable rider injured, underscoring the persistent danger for those outside steel cages on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4721474, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A new state bill would let New York City street sweepers use cameras to catch cars blocking cleaning routes. Repeat offenders rack up most tickets. Lawmakers say dirty streets and blocked drains endanger everyone. The law would sunset in 2029.

Assembly Bill (unnumbered) was introduced by Brooklyn Assembly Member Brian Cunningham on April 25, 2024. The bill is pending in the state legislature. It would allow New York City to mount enforcement cameras on street sweepers to ticket cars parked illegally during street cleaning hours. The bill summary states it 'fulfills the Sanitation Department's longstanding ask for help getting vehicles out of the way of road-cleaning operations.' Cunningham, who sponsors the bill, said, 'Dirty streets are totally unacceptable.' Sanitation Commissioner Jessica Tisch supports the change, noting that state law must allow automated ticketing. Uptown Manhattan State Senator Robert Jackson introduced a similar Senate bill. The law would phase in after a year and expire by mid-2029, giving officials time to assess its impact. No formal safety analysis for vulnerable road users was provided.

• Street Sweepers Could Nab Illegal Parking Under State Bill, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-04-25

Council bill Int 0842-2024 demands DOT factor traffic enforcement agents into every city safety plan. The bill sits in committee. Sponsors say it targets deadly streets. The law would force DOT to map out where agents stand guard, not just hope for safer roads.

Bill Int 0842-2024, now in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, was introduced April 18, 2024. The bill, titled "A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to requiring the department of transportation to consider placement of traffic enforcement agents in developing an interagency roadway safety plan," requires DOT to consider where traffic enforcement agents are stationed when drafting the city’s five-year safety plan. Sponsors include Council Member Justin L. Brannan (primary), Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, Farah N. Louis, Lincoln Restler, and the Queens Borough President (by request). The bill responds to Local Law 12 of 2011, which already mandates a safety plan, but this measure sharpens the focus: DOT must show where agents will be placed to protect the most dangerous corridors. The bill awaits further action.

• File Int 0842-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-04-18

Abandoned cars choke sidewalks and crossings. Int 0857-2024 orders city crews to tow vehicles that block streets or hide their plates. Council pushes for swift removal—seventy-two hours after notice. Streets clear. Danger drops for those on foot and bike.

Bill Int 0857-2024, now laid over in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, was introduced April 18, 2024. The bill reads: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to towing vehicles that are an encumbrance on the street.' It requires the Department of Sanitation to remove vehicles blocking the street within 72 hours of notice. The NYPD must tow cars with missing, obscured, or improper plates and stickers. Council Member Selvena N. Brooks-Powers leads as primary sponsor, joined by Salamanca, Brannan, Feliz, Ayala, Louis, Brewer, Avilés, Mealy, Ung, Restler, Farías, Hudson, Riley, and Schulman. The bill targets vehicles that endanger pedestrians and cyclists by blocking sightlines and crossings. It aims to clear hazards fast, making streets safer for all vulnerable road users.

• File Int 0857-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-04-18

Council bill Int 0856-2024 would hike fines for illegal ATV and dirt bike use. First offense: $375 to $750. Repeat: $750 to $1,500. The bill sits in the Public Safety Committee. Lawmakers say it targets reckless riders who endanger city streets.

Int 0856-2024, now in the Committee on Public Safety, was introduced April 18, 2024. The bill's title: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to increasing the fines for the unlawful use of all-terrain vehicles and dirt bikes.' Prime sponsor: Carmen N. De La Rosa. Co-sponsors: Salamanca Jr., Gennaro, Brannan, Louis, Ung, Restler, Farías. The bill would raise fines for operating ATVs and dirt bikes illegally—$375 to $750 for a first offense, $750 to $1,500 for repeat offenses. Council referred the bill to committee on April 18. Lawmakers frame the measure as a crackdown on vehicles that threaten pedestrians and cyclists, aiming to curb dangerous street behavior.

• File Int 0856-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-04-18

A Buick SUV turned left through a Brooklyn crosswalk, crushing a 10-year-old girl as she crossed with the signal. The driver failed to yield. Her body broke beneath the front end. She died at the scene. Systemic danger, unyielding metal.

According to the police report, a Buick SUV traveling south on Wallabout Street near Franklin Avenue struck and killed a 10-year-old girl at approximately 14:33. The vehicle was making a left turn through the crosswalk when it hit the child. The report states the girl was 'crossing with the signal' at the intersection. The driver failed to yield the right-of-way and was also cited for 'Driver Inattention/Distraction.' The impact crushed the girl beneath the front end of the SUV, resulting in fatal injuries to her entire body. The police report highlights 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the primary contributing factor, underscoring the lethal consequences of driver error and inattention. The victim’s lawful crossing is noted only after the driver’s failures.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4717867, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A 62-year-old driver ran a red light and killed 10-year-old Yitty Wertzberger at Wallabout and Wythe. The intersection is notorious for crashes. Parents and advocates demand action. The city’s slow pace on safety leaves children exposed. Grief and anger follow.

On April 16, 2024, at 2:45 p.m., Issac Karczag, 62, struck and killed 10-year-old Yitty Wertzberger at Wallabout Street and Wythe Avenue in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Karczag faces charges for failure to yield, running a red light, and not exercising due care. The intersection, plagued by 42 injury crashes since 2019, sits near schools and playgrounds. Council Member Lincoln Restler, representing the area, offered condolences: "My heart breaks for her family and loved ones." Local activist Brent Bovenzi called for urgent action, saying, "We must have greater safety for our most vulnerable New Yorkers. The city already has the tools to make our intersections safer, we just need the political will to do it." Advocates demand reinstated crossing guards and daylighting. Mayor Adams pledged to daylight 1,000 intersections in 2024, but critics say the pace is glacial. The city’s inaction keeps children at risk.

• Update: Driver Charged After Killing 10-Year-Old Girl Near South Williamsburg Playground, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-04-16

Brooklyn Community Board 2 urged small safety tweaks on deadly Atlantic Avenue. Six pedestrians died here in ten years. The board backed more crosswalks, daylighting, and shorter green lights for cars. Big changes, like narrowing lanes, were left off the table.

On April 15, 2024, Brooklyn Community Board 2 issued a resolution after reviewing crash data and walking Atlantic Avenue, where over 4,500 crashes and 1,190 injuries have occurred in a decade. The board called for 'adding more mid-block crosswalks, banning some parking to improve visibility (daylighting), and shortening green light times for cars near the BQE on-ramp.' Council Member Lincoln Restler attended, supporting a redesign and urging the city to study broader changes, but stopped short of endorsing lane reductions. Street safety advocates, including Kathy Park Price of Transportation Alternatives, demanded a full corridor redesign to protect pedestrians, cyclists, and bus riders. The Department of Transportation acknowledged the board’s input and pointed to ongoing safety projects. The board’s recommendations focus on incremental improvements, not sweeping changes.

• Civic Panel Pushes For (Some) Atlantic Ave. Safety Upgrades, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-04-15

Council targets hidden plates. Bill slaps fines and jail time on drivers who cover or deface tags. No more hiding from cameras. Law aims to strip shields from reckless motorists. Committee weighs next steps. Streets demand accountability.

Int 0766-2024 sits in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Introduced April 11, 2024, the bill bans parking, standing, stopping, or operating a vehicle with obscured or defaced license plates. The matter title reads: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to prohibiting the parking, standing, stopping, or operation of a motor vehicle with obscured or defaced license plates.' Council Member Oswald Feliz leads as primary sponsor, joined by Holden, Bottcher, Gennaro, Marte, Restler, Ung, and Paladino. The bill hits violators with up to $1,000 fines, possible jail, and escalating penalties for repeat offenses. The measure aims to end the dodge—drivers hiding plates to evade enforcement. The committee now holds the bill for review.

• File Int 0766-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-04-11

Environmental groups gathered in Brooklyn to fight Mayor Adams and Governor Hochul’s BQE reconstruction. They condemned highway widening, citing pollution, traffic, and danger. Advocates demanded community-led planning and safer crossings. Officials defended the project, but critics called the process a sham.

On April 11, 2024, environmental justice groups, including El Puente and the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway Environmental Justice Coalition, rallied in Brooklyn to oppose Mayor Adams and Governor Hochul’s plan to reconstruct and potentially widen the BQE. The event, covered by Streetsblog NYC, highlighted the groups’ demand for a 'comprehensive reimagining of the entire BQE corridor' and community-led planning. Council Member Lincoln Restler called the expansion 'governmental malpractice.' Advocates like Kevin Garcia and Sebastian David Baez criticized the city and state for perpetuating unsafe, polluted conditions and sacrificing working-class communities. The rally opposed highway expansion and called for alternatives like BQGreen and improved pedestrian safety under the elevated highway. City and state DOTs claim to support reconnecting neighborhoods, but local officials and advocates remain critical of the current process.

• Environmental Groups Join to Fight Adams’s BQE Reconstruction, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-04-11

A motorcycle tore into a turning car on Flatbush Avenue Extension. Metal crumpled. Blood streaked the rider’s leg. Deep gashes marked his flesh. No helmet. He stayed conscious as the city’s streets showed no mercy.

A 2020 Indian motorcycle collided with a car making a right turn on Flatbush Avenue Extension, according to the police report. The report states the motorcycle 'slammed into a turning car,' with the left front of the motorcycle crushed and the rider suffering severe lacerations to his leg. The police report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Passing Too Closely' as contributing factors. The rider, a 31-year-old man, was not wearing a helmet at the time of the crash, as noted in the report. The narrative describes blood streaking his leg and deep gashes tearing the flesh, yet the rider remained conscious. The impact and injuries reflect the lethal consequences of driver inattention and distraction on New York City streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4716013, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

Cops at the 94th Precinct painted seven parking spots on a Greenpoint sidewalk. The move blocks pedestrians, endangers disabled New Yorkers, and flouts city law. Council Member Restler slammed the NYPD’s double standard. DOT and NYPD stayed silent. Residents fear for their safety.

On April 4, 2024, the NYPD’s 94th Precinct in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, painted seven parking spaces directly onto a public sidewalk. This action, described as 'stealing sidewalk with unauthorized paint job,' violates city rules against defacing sidewalks. Council Member Lincoln Restler condemned the NYPD, stating, 'Sidewalks are for walking, not parking,' and criticized the lack of equal law enforcement. The Department of Transportation and NYPD offered no comment on the incident or possible removal. Local residents and advocates voiced alarm over the danger to pedestrians, especially those with disabilities, and highlighted a broader pattern of NYPD traffic violations. The controversy follows a Department of Investigation report on precincts abusing 'self-enforcement zones.' No official safety analysis was provided, but the public record shows clear risk to vulnerable road users.

• Drawing Lines: NYPD Precinct Steals Sidewalk with Unauthorized Paint Job, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-04-04

Investigators found NYPD officers abusing parking placards, dodging enforcement, and closing complaints without action. The city lacks oversight. Council Member Lincoln Restler calls placards a public safety risk. The report urges digital permits and real accountability. Danger remains for those on foot.

On April 3, 2024, the Department of Investigation released an oversight report exposing widespread NYPD placard abuse and enforcement failures. The report, mandated by Local Law 6 of 2020, found 'widespread misuse by the NYPD of city-issued parking placards, failure by the city to monitor who has placards, and a complete abrogation of enforcement against cops.' Council Member Lincoln Restler, District 33, has long opposed placards, calling them 'not just an abuse of power [but] a public safety risk and nuisance.' The report recommends a uniform digital permit system, elimination of 'self-enforcement' zones, and stricter 311 complaint handling. The NYPD failed to complete required evaluations and often ignored complaints. The DOI calls for better officer training and for traffic enforcement agents to handle placard abuse. The system, as it stands, leaves vulnerable road users exposed to illegal parking and unchecked driver privilege.

• Long-Awaited Placard Report Reveals Widespread Abuse by NYPD, streetsblog.org, Published 2024-04-03