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

Council tried to stop repair shops and rentals from clogging streets with cars. The bill set steep fines and allowed impoundment. It died at session’s end. Streets stay crowded. Danger for walkers and riders remains. No relief for the vulnerable.

Int 0393-2022 was introduced on May 19, 2022, in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The bill aimed to prohibit commercial establishments—repair shops, rental agencies, maintenance shops—from parking, storing, or idling vehicles on city streets. The matter summary states: 'This bill would prohibit commercial establishments from parking vehicles on city streets as part of their business.' Civil penalties ranged from $250 to $400 per day, with possible impoundment. Sponsors included Kalman Yeger (primary), Carlina Rivera, Jennifer Gutiérrez, Kevin C. Riley, Marjorie Velázquez, Erik D. Bottcher, Nantasha M. Williams, and Robert F. Holden. The bill was filed at the end of the session on December 31, 2023. No safety analyst assessment was provided. The bill’s failure leaves streets crowded with commercial vehicles, keeping vulnerable road users at risk.

• File Int 0393-2022, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2022-05-19

Council bill Int 0401-2022 would force the city to install speed humps on streets bordering parks over one acre. The measure targets reckless driving near green spaces. The transportation committee filed the bill at session’s end. No action taken.

Int 0401-2022 was introduced in the City Council on May 19, 2022, and referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The bill’s title: “A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to requiring the installation of speed humps on roadways adjacent to any park equal or greater than one acre.” Council Member Shahana K. Hanif led as primary sponsor, joined by sixteen co-sponsors. The bill would have required the Department of Transportation to install speed humps on all roadways next to parks at least one acre in size, unless the DOT commissioner found installation unsafe or inconsistent with guidelines. The bill was filed without passage at the end of the session. No safety analyst assessment was provided.

• File Int 0401-2022, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2022-05-19

Council tried to pay tipsters for catching hit-and-run drivers who maim or kill. The bill died. No reward. No justice for victims. Streets stay dangerous. Drivers flee. Pedestrians and cyclists pay the price. Lawmakers failed to act.

Int 0329-2022 was introduced to the Committee on Public Safety on May 5, 2022. The bill aimed to amend the city code to 'establish a reward for individuals who provide information leading to the apprehension, prosecution or conviction of a person who seriously injures or kills another individual in a hit-and-run accident.' Council Member Rita C. Joseph sponsored the bill, joined by sixteen co-sponsors including Brooks-Powers, Narcisse, Vernikov, and others. The bill would have authorized up to $1,000 for information leading to the capture of hit-and-run drivers, but excluded law enforcement and city employees from eligibility. The measure was filed at the end of the session on December 31, 2023. With the bill's failure, the city offers no extra incentive to help catch drivers who leave victims bleeding in the street.

• File Int 0329-2022, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2022-05-05

Council bill Int 0256-2022 would force NYPD to count every time an officer uses a car to control someone. The law closes a reporting loophole. Police vehicles are now named as weapons. The bill was filed at session’s end. No action taken.

Int 0256-2022, introduced April 28, 2022, in the Committee on Public Safety, sought to amend the city code to require NYPD to report when officers use a motor vehicle as force. The bill’s matter title reads: “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.” Council Member Althea V. Stevens led as primary sponsor, joined by 26 co-sponsors including Hudson, Williams, Restler, Krishnan, and others. The bill would have added 'use of a motor vehicle to gain control of a subject' as a reporting category. It was filed at the end of session on December 31, 2023, and did not advance. This measure aimed to expose police vehicle violence by demanding full transparency in use-of-force reporting.

• File Int 0256-2022, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2022-04-28

North Brooklyn leaders and advocates demand real protection for cyclists on Grand Street. Plastic posts failed. Cars park in the lane. Crashes mount. They want Jersey barriers, hardened entrances, and an end to chaos. The city must act before more lives are lost.

On March 4, 2022, North Brooklyn officials and activists sent a letter to the Department of Transportation demanding a true protected bike lane on Grand Street. The letter, backed by Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, State Senator Julia Salazar, Assembly Member Emily Gallagher, and Council Members Lincoln Restler and Jennifer Gutierrez, called for 'protective jersey barricades and measures taken at each intersection to stop cars from entering the protected bike lane.' The group condemned the current plastic delineators, noting, 'From day one, the Grand Street bike lane has failed to keep people safe.' Since 2019, 67 cyclists have been injured and 196 crashes reported. The letter urges the city to replace weak barriers, fix dangerous entrances, and finally deliver safety for vulnerable road users. DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez and Mayor Adams are now under pressure to act.

• North Brooklyn Seeks Some of that Jersey Barrier Magic on Grand Street, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2022-03-04

Brooklyn lawmakers tell developers: no more parking mandates. They want special permits to drop parking. They say parking rules drive up costs, block affordable homes, and fuel car use. The message is clear—build for people, not for cars.

On March 1, 2022, Brooklyn politicians announced a push to eliminate mandatory parking minimums for new developments. The action is not a formal bill, but a policy stance led by Borough President Antonio Reynoso and Council Member Lincoln Restler. The group, including Council Members Jennifer Gutierrez, Crystal Hudson, Chi Osse, Sandy Nurse, Alexa Avilés, Shahana Hanif, Rita Joseph, and Farah Louis, demands that developers seeking zoning changes first apply for a special permit to waive parking requirements. Restler said, 'Developers need our consent and approval, and we are telling them, plainly, that they have to file for a special permit to end parking requirements.' Reynoso added, 'You don't need to do that anymore.' Avilés called parking mandates a barrier to affordable housing and climate action. The group argues that parking minimums raise construction costs, encourage car use, and block green space. Restler warned he is 'far more likely to vote no' on projects without a parking waiver. Advocates and policy experts back the move, and related state legislation is pending.

• Brooklyn Pols Tell Developers to Eliminate Parking or Else, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2022-03-01

A sedan struck a parked SUV on Bushwick Place. Metal met stillness. A 27-year-old man, riding outside, took the blow. His leg crushed. He stayed conscious. Driver inattention and inexperience set the scene. The street bore the mark.

A sedan traveling east on Bushwick Place crashed into a parked SUV. According to the police report, a 27-year-old man riding outside the sedan suffered crush injuries to his leg but remained conscious. Several other passengers, including young adults and a child, were involved but did not report serious injuries. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Driver Inexperience' as contributing factors. The sedan’s front end struck the SUV’s rear. No safety equipment was used by those riding outside. The crash underscores the danger when drivers lose focus and lack experience behind the wheel.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4493867, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A sedan tore down Morgan Avenue. It smashed into a dump truck’s rear. Metal screamed. The front passenger, 22, died from a head wound. Another passenger, 21, broke his arm. The car was wrecked. Speed and ignored signals led to blood and silence.

A sedan traveling north on Morgan Avenue near Division Place in Brooklyn struck the rear of a dump truck. According to the police report, the sedan was moving at unsafe speed and disregarded traffic control. The front passenger, age 22, suffered a fatal head injury and died at the scene. Another passenger, age 21, sustained a fractured arm. The sedan was demolished. The police report lists 'Unsafe Speed' and 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as contributing factors. The front passenger’s airbag deployed during the crash. No driver or passenger actions beyond these errors are cited in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4491817, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15