Four Dead, Nine Broken—The Blood Price of Inaction in District 34

A concrete mixer hit a cyclist at Morgan Avenue and Harrison Place. Steel met flesh. The rider fell. Blood pooled at his leg. His helmet cracked. He stayed conscious. The truck driver was inattentive. The cyclist suffered severe leg wounds.

A concrete mixer traveling east collided with a northbound cyclist at the corner of Morgan Avenue and Harrison Place in Brooklyn. According to the police report, 'A concrete mixer moved east. A cyclist rode north. Steel struck flesh. He hit the pavement hard. Blood pooled at his leg. His helmet cracked. He stayed awake. He did not scream.' The cyclist, a 28-year-old man, suffered severe lacerations to his lower leg and remained conscious at the scene. Police cited 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor for the truck driver. The cyclist was wearing a helmet, which cracked in the crash. No injuries were reported for the truck driver.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4642289, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

Brooklyn leaders demand the state back a park over the BQE trench in Williamsburg. They call for federal funds to cap the highway. The plan aims to cut pollution, reconnect neighborhoods, and give residents green space where cars now rule.

On June 21, 2023, Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, Rep. Nydia Velázquez, and Council Member Jennifer Gutierrez urged state officials to join the city in seeking federal funding for the BQGreen park proposal. The plan would cap a stretch of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway in south Williamsburg, creating 3.5 acres of new parkland. Reynoso called on Governor Kathy Hochul to act as a co-applicant for funds, stating, "We're calling on Gov. Kathy Hochul to be a co-applicant alongside the City of New York for federal funding to finally deck the BQE." Velázquez said, "We are fighting to reimagine the way to reconnect neighborhoods, improve traffic and reduce toxic pollution." Gutierrez stressed the urgent need for open space and clean air. The proposal, estimated at $100-200 million, is framed as an environmental justice effort to heal a community long divided and harmed by the highway.

• Brooklyn Electeds Demand State Embrace Park Over BQE Trench in Williamsburg, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-06-21

Sammy’s Law hit a wall in Albany. The bill would let New York City set its own speed limits. It passed the Senate but died in the Assembly. Advocates and families mourn another delay. Streets stay fast. Vulnerable lives remain at risk.

Sammy’s Law, a bill to let New York City set and lower its speed limits, stalled in the Assembly on June 19, 2023. The bill passed the state Senate but did not reach a vote in the Assembly, blocked by Speaker Carl Heastie and opposition from outerborough members. The City Council, including Councilwoman Jennifer Gutiérrez, supported the measure with a home rule message. The bill’s summary: 'allow New York City to set speed limits as low as 10 mph on some streets and 20 mph citywide.' Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal sponsored the bill in the Assembly. Governor Hochul and Mayor Adams both backed it. State Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal called it 'common sense.' Advocates, including Amy Cohen, mother of the bill’s namesake, vow to keep fighting. No safety analyst note was provided, but the bill’s failure leaves city streets unchanged and vulnerable road users exposed.

• Sammy’s Law bill to let NYC set speed limit falters, supporters hoping special Assembly session will finally push it through, nydailynews.com, Published 2023-06-19

A man rode west on Conselyea. He struck something head-on. Thrown from his bike, he hit the street. His skull broke. His organs tore. The street stayed quiet. He did not get up.

A 39-year-old man riding a bike west on Conselyea Street near Graham Avenue was killed in a violent crash. According to the police report, he struck something head-on and was thrown from his bike. The report states, 'Skull broken. Organs torn.' The cyclist was unlicensed and wore no helmet. The police list the contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' No other vehicles or people were reported injured. The crash left the street silent, another life lost to impact and force.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4637331, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

Council Transportation Chair Selvena Brooks-Powers signed onto the Sammy’s Law resolution. The bill would let New York City set speed limits below 25 mph. Brooks-Powers stressed pairing lower speeds with street redesigns. The resolution now has 23 co-sponsors, still short of a majority.

On May 17, 2023, Council Transportation Chair Selvena Brooks-Powers joined the resolution for Sammy’s Law, a measure urging Albany to let New York City set speed limits under 25 mph. The resolution, led by Council Member Jennifer Gutiérrez, is a required step before state passage. Brooks-Powers had withheld support until the bill included street redesigns for safety, especially in low-income communities of color. She said, 'Lowering speed limits works best when paired with traffic calming and street safety infrastructure.' The resolution now has 23 co-sponsors, three short of a majority. Council Speaker Adrienne Adams has not signed on. Assembly Member Linda Rosenthal sponsors the bill in Albany. Sammy’s Law is named for a child killed by a reckless driver. Last year, the Council failed to pass a home rule message under Speaker Adams.

• Council Transportation Chair Signs Onto ‘Sammy’s Law’ Resolution, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-05-17

A box truck barreled down Varick Avenue. A motorcycle smashed its side. The rider, helmeted, flew through air. Blood spilled on the street. The truck’s doors twisted. Sirens cut the silence. Signals ignored. Speed unchecked. One man left bleeding.

A box truck and a motorcycle collided on Varick Avenue. The motorcycle hit the truck’s right side. According to the police report, the 33-year-old motorcyclist was ejected and suffered a bleeding head injury. The report lists 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as a contributing factor. The truck’s right doors were crushed. The motorcyclist wore a helmet, as noted in the data, but the crash’s cause centered on ignored traffic signals. No pedestrians were involved. The system failed to protect the vulnerable. The street became a scene of blood and twisted metal.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4626317, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

Sammy’s Law, which lets New York City set speed limits below 25 mph, failed to make the state budget. The Council now holds the power. Lawmakers stall. Streets stay deadly. Victims’ families and advocates demand action. Lives hang in the balance.

Sammy’s Law, named for 12-year-old Sammy Cohen Eckstein, would let New York City lower speed limits below 25 mph. The bill failed to enter the 2023 state budget, shifting responsibility to the City Council. In 2021, the Council backed a home rule message 42-6, but the Assembly blocked it. Last year, the Council reversed course and failed to pass the message. This session, Council Member Jennifer Gutiérrez introduced a resolution urging passage, with 10 sponsors. Transportation Committee Chair Selvena Brooks-Powers must hold a hearing before a vote. Speaker Adrienne Adams and Brooks-Powers have not signed on, citing negotiations. The bill’s summary states: 'Life-saving legislation that would allow New York City to set speed limits below 25 miles per hour failed to make it into this year's state budget.' Data show slower speeds save lives. Advocates and victims’ families keep pushing. The Council’s inaction keeps streets dangerous.

• With ‘Sammy’s Law’ Not in the State Budget, It’s Up to the City Council to Push It, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-05-01

A sedan hit a westbound e-bike head-on in Brooklyn. The 27-year-old rider flew off, bleeding from the face. He lay conscious on the street. The car’s rear panel crumpled. Driver inattention and failure to yield marked the crash.

A sedan traveling south on Roebling Street struck a westbound e-bike head-on near South 4th Street in Brooklyn. The 27-year-old e-bike rider was ejected and suffered severe facial bleeding, but remained conscious on the pavement. According to the police report, 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' were listed as contributing factors. The sedan’s left rear quarter panel was damaged. The report notes the e-bike rider was not wearing a helmet, but this was not listed as a cause. No injuries were reported for the sedan’s occupants. The crash underscores the danger posed by driver distraction and failure to yield on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4624364, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A fire in Sunset Park forced out two families. E-bike batteries sparked it. Council Member Gutiérrez called for a city taskforce and safe charging stations. Lawmakers want stricter rules. Lithium-ion fires have killed, maimed, and displaced hundreds. The danger grows.

On April 26, 2023, the City Council Transportation Committee held a hearing on lithium-ion battery regulation and e-bike safety. Council Member Jennifer Gutiérrez, District 34, proposed a taskforce to study citywide e-bike charging stations, saying, 'E-bikes are here to stay.' She urged the city to 'keep New Yorkers safe' with exclusive charging points for delivery riders. The matter, titled 'Fire at Sunset Park e-bike store displaces 2 families as pols fight to regulate lithium-ion batteries,' highlights a deadly pattern: over 400 fires, 300 injuries, and 12 deaths from e-bike batteries in four years. The bill has no set vote date. Federal lawmakers also introduced the Setting Consumer Standards for Lithium-Ion Batteries Act to regulate battery safety. The push aims to curb fires, protect homes, and shield vulnerable New Yorkers from battery explosions.

• Fire at Sunset Park e-bike store displaces 2 families as pols fight to regulate lithium-ion batteries, brooklynpaper.com, Published 2023-04-26

Council Speaker Adrienne Adams sidestepped backing Sammy’s Law, which would let New York City set its own speed limits. As cyclist deaths mount, other council members press for action. Adams cites other priorities. Vulnerable road users remain exposed. Streets stay deadly.

On April 12, 2023, Council Speaker Adrienne Adams declined to support Sammy’s Law, a state bill allowing New York City to control its speed limits. The bill, named for Sammy Cohen Eckstein, killed by a reckless driver in 2013, has stalled in Albany despite mounting pressure. Council Member Jennifer Gutiérrez introduced a resolution urging passage, co-sponsored by Shahana Hanif and Lincoln Restler. Adams, however, said, 'We’re going to let the state do what the state does in response to Sammy’s Law,' and focused on other budget priorities. Council Member Selvena Brooks-Powers, chair of the Transportation Committee, called for pairing lower speed limits with street redesigns in neglected neighborhoods. As children and cyclists die in record numbers, the council’s inaction leaves vulnerable New Yorkers at risk. The law would not lower limits automatically, but grant the city authority to act.

• Speaker Adams Still Won’t Come Out in Support of Sammy’s Law, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-04-12

The Council called for Albany to pass Sammy’s Law, letting New York City set lower speed limits. The resolution also urged a crash victims bill of rights and stronger street safety laws. Lawmakers want fewer deaths. The bill stalled. Danger remains.

Resolution 0549-2023, filed at session’s end, came from the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. It was introduced April 11, 2023, and pushed by Council Member Shahana K. Hanif as primary sponsor, with Jennifer Gutiérrez and over twenty others co-sponsoring. The resolution urged the State Legislature and Governor to pass S.2422 ('Sammy’s Law'), which would let New York City set lower speed limits, and A.1901, a crash victims bill of rights. 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,’ ... 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.' The SAFE Streets Act package also includes safe passing for cyclists and complete street design mandates. The Council’s action highlights the city’s ongoing fight against reckless driving and the urgent need for stronger protections for people on foot, on bikes, and in cars.

• File Res 0549-2023, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2023-04-11

Council bill Int 0965-2023 aimed to force the city to build 100 miles of protected bike lanes each year. The bill died at session’s end. Cyclists remain exposed. The city’s pace stays slow. The streets stay dangerous. The need remains.

Int 0965-2023 was introduced on March 16, 2023, in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The bill required the Department of Transportation to install at least 100 miles of protected bicycle lanes annually until 2029. The matter summary 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 led as primary sponsor, joined by Sandy Nurse, Erik D. Bottcher, Jennifer Gutiérrez, Kristin Richardson Jordan, Shekar Krishnan, Julie Won, Chi A. Ossé, Tiffany Cabán, Christopher Marte, Crystal Hudson, and Rita C. Joseph. The bill was filed at the end of session, never enacted. The city’s protected bike lane network remains incomplete. Cyclists and other vulnerable road users still face daily risk from cars and trucks. The bill’s failure leaves the city’s most exposed travelers in harm’s way.

• File Int 0965-2023, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2023-03-16

A diesel truck turned right on Morgan Avenue. Its front quarter struck a 56-year-old cyclist. The man was thrown from his bike. He died under the streetlight. Police cite driver inattention and inexperience. The street stayed silent after.

A 56-year-old man riding a bike south on Morgan Avenue near Johnson Avenue was killed when a diesel truck turned right and its front quarter struck him. According to the police report, 'A 56-year-old man pedaled south. A diesel truck turned right. Its front quarter crushed his head. He wore no helmet. He was thrown from the bike. He died there, alone, under the streetlight.' The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Driver Inexperience' as contributing factors. The cyclist was ejected and suffered fatal head injuries. Helmet use is noted only after the driver errors. The crash left one man dead and a city street marked by loss.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4611702, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A flatbed truck turned left on Boerum Street. The front end struck a 70-year-old woman working in the road. Her arm was crushed. Blood soaked her sleeve. She stood in shock. The truck’s engine idled. The street stayed silent.

A 70-year-old woman was working in the roadway on Boerum Street when a flatbed truck turned left and struck her with its front end. According to the police report, 'the front end crushed her arm. She stood in shock, blood rising through her sleeve, the engine still warm behind her.' The report lists 'Unsafe Speed' and 'Following Too Closely' as contributing factors by the driver. The woman suffered crush injuries to her upper arm and shoulder. No helmet or signal use is mentioned as a factor. The crash highlights the danger posed by large vehicles moving at unsafe speeds near people working in the street.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4607999, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

Council filed a bill to study e-bike charging stations for food delivery workers. The plan called for a task force to weigh cost, location, and fire risk. The bill died at session’s end. Delivery workers remain exposed. No action. No safety.

Int 0927-2023, introduced February 16, 2023, in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, aimed to create a task force to study the feasibility of building charging stations for e-bikes used by food delivery workers. The bill’s summary states: '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.' Council Member Lincoln Restler led as primary sponsor, joined by Gutiérrez, Cabán, Farías, Hudson, Hanif, Richardson Jordan, Ayala, Nurse, Avilés, Won, and Brewer. The task force would have reviewed costs, locations, funding, and fire risks tied to lithium-ion batteries. The bill was filed at the end of session, leaving delivery workers without new protections or infrastructure.

• File Int 0927-2023, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2023-02-16

Council filed a bill to force a city study on truck and delivery traffic from last mile warehouses. The bill targets congestion, collisions, and harm to neighborhoods. It demands hard numbers on vehicle flow, street damage, and danger to people outside cars.

Int 0923-2023 was introduced on February 16, 2023, in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The bill, sponsored by Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and Council Member Alexa Avilés, with over thirty co-sponsors, sought a city study on the impact of truck and delivery traffic from last mile facilities. The official summary reads: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to conducting a study of the impact that truck and delivery traffic generated by last mile facilities have on local communities and infrastructure.' The bill required the Department of Transportation to report on delivery vehicle volumes, parking, congestion, collisions, and pedestrian injuries near these hubs. It called for identifying the most affected streets and estimating the costs and possible fixes. The bill was filed at the end of session on December 31, 2023, without passage.

• File Int 0923-2023, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2023-02-16

Council Member Alexa Avilés pushes a bill to rein in last-mile warehouses. Trucks choke streets in Sunset Park, Gowanus, and beyond. Pollution rises. Noise grows. The council demands permits, studies, and new rules. Amazon shrugs. Residents breathe exhaust.

On February 16, 2023, Council Member Alexa Avilés (District 38) led a legislative push to regulate last-mile warehouses. The bill, now before the council, seeks to amend zoning laws to require special permits for new facilities. The measure aims to stop warehouse clustering near schools, parks, and homes, and mandates studies on truck traffic and air quality. The proposal, described as a response to 'an epidemic of truck traffic,' targets companies like Amazon whose rapid delivery model floods streets with trucks. Avilés declared, 'This is environmental racism. Last-mile facilities follow the same pattern, dumping environmental burdens on low-income communities of color.' Council Member Jennifer Gutiérrez joined, demanding companies 'be responsible, take our communities into account so that we can breathe cleaner air.' The Adams administration expressed concern about economic impacts but supports electrification and cargo bike incentives. The bill awaits committee review.

• Council looks to regulate ‘last-mile’ warehouses, citing truck traffic from Amazon and others, amny.com, Published 2023-02-16

Council filed a bill to force DOT to study street design that blocks or deters trucks from residential streets. The bill called for a report on making streets less accessible to commercial vehicles. It died at session’s end. No action taken.

Int 0924-2023 was introduced on February 16, 2023, in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The bill required the Department of Transportation to study and report on using street design to limit or reduce commercial vehicle use in residential neighborhoods. The matter’s 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 sponsored the bill, joined by Avilés, the Public Advocate, and others. The report was due by December 31, 2023. The bill was filed at the end of session with no report issued. The measure aimed to examine street redesign, traffic calming, and camera enforcement to keep trucks out of residential areas, but it stalled before any impact reached the street.

• File Int 0924-2023, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2023-02-16

Council called on maritime importers to cut truck traffic and use marine vessels for last mile deliveries. Trucks choke streets, foul air, and endanger lives. The bill died at session’s end. Streets remain crowded. The danger rolls on.

Res 0501-2023 was filed by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on February 16, 2023, and closed at the end of session on December 31, 2023. The resolution urged, in its own words, '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 sponsored, joined by Avilés, the Public Advocate Williams, and others. The bill cited the city’s reliance on trucks—89% of freight—fueling congestion, pollution, and risk for everyone outside a vehicle. The Council pointed to pilot programs like Blue Highways as a way to clear streets and cut emissions. But the resolution was filed without action. Trucks still rule the road.

• File Res 0501-2023, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2023-02-16

A box truck swung wide on Meserole. Steel met steel. The parked sedan crumpled. The driver, trapped and conscious, suffered neck injuries. The truck rolled on. The street stayed silent. Flesh paid for a turn gone wrong.

A box truck making a right turn on Meserole Street in Brooklyn struck a parked sedan. According to the police report, the truck 'turned wrong.' The sedan's driver, a 42-year-old man, was conscious but suffered crush injuries to his neck. The crash left the sedan's front end mangled. The truck showed no damage and continued on. Police list 'Turning Improperly' as the contributing factor. No errors are attributed to the sedan driver. Other occupants in the vehicles were listed but did not report injuries. The crash highlights the danger when large vehicles turn without care.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4605615, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15