Who Dies Next? Streets Demand Action, Not Excuses

Council forced DOT to redraw truck routes after decades of neglect. Residents flooded the city with safety complaints. Trucks menace streets built for people, not freight. Brooklyn and the Bronx bear the brunt. DOT’s response: a feedback portal, microhubs, and pilot programs.

Council Bill 2023, passed last year, orders the Department of Transportation to overhaul New York’s 50-year-old truck route map. The bill, led by Council Member Alexa Avilés, responds to a surge in residential development and e-commerce, which has brought more trucks into neighborhoods like Red Hook and Sunset Park. The DOT’s public feedback map drew over 2,000 comments, with 36 percent citing conflicts between trucks and pedestrians or cyclists. Avilés said, 'I was delighted that DOT could easily acknowledge that this was something we needed to address and was way overdue,' but criticized the city’s 'very passive' engagement. Advocates and residents demand more than online surveys. Environmental justice communities—Hunts Point, Red Hook, Maspeth—face the worst pollution and danger. The city is testing microhubs, off-hour deliveries, and 'Blue Highways' to shift freight off the streets. The redesign aims to cut truck traffic and protect people outside cars.

• What the Truck? New Yorkers Want Big Rigs Out Of Their Neighborhoods, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-08-08

A northbound SUV turned at 80th Street and Fort Hamilton Parkway. The bumper struck a 56-year-old cyclist. He hit the pavement hard, head bleeding, conscious. The driver remained. The city’s danger pressed down, unyielding.

According to the police report, a northbound SUV made a turn at the corner of 80th Street and Fort Hamilton Parkway in Brooklyn. The vehicle struck a 56-year-old cyclist, who was ejected and landed hard on the street. The cyclist suffered a head injury with severe bleeding and remained conscious on the pavement. The police report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the contributing factor for the crash. The SUV's right front bumper was the point of impact. The narrative states, 'A northbound SUV turned. A cyclist, 56, struck the bumper, thrown hard to the street. No helmet. Head bleeding. Conscious. The pavement held him. The driver stayed.' The driver’s failure to yield directly led to the collision and injury. The report notes the cyclist was not wearing a helmet, but this is mentioned after the driver’s error.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4734293, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

An unlicensed motorcyclist struck an 82-year-old man crossing 5th Avenue at 60th Street. The impact broke the man’s skull. He died on the sunlit pavement, another life ended by reckless operation on city streets.

According to the police report, an 82-year-old pedestrian was killed at the corner of 5th Avenue and 60th Street in Brooklyn. The man was crossing the street when a northbound motorcycle, operated by an unlicensed rider, struck him head-on. The report states the impact was to the 'center front end' of the motorcycle, resulting in fatal head injuries to the pedestrian. The police report specifically notes the driver's license status as 'unlicensed,' highlighting a critical driver error. The narrative confirms the rider 'hit him square,' and the man died at the scene. While the report mentions the pedestrian was 'crossing without a signal,' it does not list this as a contributing factor, instead marking both contributing factors as 'unspecified.' The focus remains on the unlicensed operation of the motorcycle and the lethal consequences for a vulnerable road user.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4729773, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

Council and mayor strike deal to rein in last-mile warehouses. Delivery vans choke streets. Residents breathe fumes. Councilmember Alexa Avilés and others demand rules. New permits, pollution checks, and safety reviews loom. City promises action. Advocates vow to watch.

On May 30, 2024, the New York City Council and Mayor Adams' administration agreed to pursue regulation of last-mile delivery warehouses. The deal emerged during negotiations over the 'City of Yes for Economic Opportunity' zoning plan, which the Council approved. The matter summary notes, 'the administration has pledged to support future legislation to cut pollution from these warehouses and propose rules to restrict new facilities.' Councilmember Alexa Avilés (District 38) and 28 colleagues sent a letter demanding stricter oversight. Avilés and advocates want special permits and environmental reviews to protect neighborhoods from traffic, pollution, and safety hazards. Deputy Mayor Maria Torres-Springer promised a bill empowering the Department of Environmental Protection to regulate warehouse vehicle emissions. Councilmember Rafael Salamanca Jr. stressed the Council’s leverage: 'It gets to a point where you have to use your power of voting to get the attention of the city.' The City Planning Commission and Council must vote again before rules take effect. Advocates and councilmembers will monitor the administration’s follow-through.

• NYC's 'last-mile' delivery warehouses face a potential reckoning with regulation, gothamist.com, Published 2024-05-30

A man on an e-scooter collided with a Honda SUV pulling from the curb on 5th Avenue. Metal struck flesh. His arm was crushed. He stayed conscious as the street fell silent, pain and shock hanging in the air.

According to the police report, a man riding an e-scooter was traveling straight northbound on 5th Avenue near 37th Street in Brooklyn when he struck the front of a Honda SUV that was pulling out from the curb. The report states the e-scooter rider suffered crush injuries to his arm but remained awake and conscious at the scene. The SUV, registered in New York and operated by a licensed driver from New Jersey, was described as 'starting from parking' at the time of the crash. The point of impact was the left front quarter panel of the SUV and the center front end of the e-scooter. The police report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' The narrative underscores the moment of impact: 'metal met flesh and the silence held.' No driver errors are explicitly cited, but the sequence of events highlights the systemic danger when vehicles pull from the curb into active traffic.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4727490, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A pickup driver killed a cyclist on Fourth Avenue in Sunset Park. The crash happened at a dangerous intersection. Advocates and Council Member Alexa Avilés demand urgent safety upgrades. The city has failed to protect riders. Death stalks the unprotected.

On May 23, 2024, Council Member Alexa Avilés (District 38) joined advocates in demanding action after a cyclist was killed by a pickup truck driver at Fourth Avenue and 53rd Street in Sunset Park. The incident follows years of warnings about the corridor’s dangers. The matter, titled 'Locals demand action on Fourth Avenue bike lane after cyclist killed by pickup truck driver in Sunset Park,' highlights calls from Transportation Alternatives and Families for Safe Streets for protected bike lanes and intersection improvements. Avilés noted the victim may have been a delivery worker. Advocates blame city inaction for repeated deaths and urge Mayor Adams to finish long-promised safety upgrades. The Fourth Avenue bike lane remains deadly for cyclists and pedestrians.

• Locals demand action on Fourth Avenue bike lane after cyclist killed by pickup truck driver in Sunset Park, brooklynpaper.com, Published 2024-05-23

A 66-year-old woman rode her moped west on 39th Street. The street gave way. She flew, struck her head, and died alone on the asphalt. No helmet. The city’s broken ground claimed her last breath.

A 66-year-old woman was killed while riding a moped westbound on 39th Street, near Council District 38, according to the police report. The report states, 'The pavement broke beneath her.' She was ejected from the moped, struck her head, and died at the scene. Police list 'Pavement Defective' as the primary contributing factor. The victim was not wearing a helmet, as noted in the report, but this is mentioned only after the systemic failure of the roadway. No other vehicles or persons were involved. The crash underscores the lethal consequences of neglected infrastructure, as the defective pavement directly led to the fatal ejection and head injury.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4726907, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A pickup truck turned left across 4th Avenue, striking a 49-year-old man on an e-bike. Thrown and crushed, he died in the street. The twisted bike and bloodied truck marked the violence of the city’s roads.

A 49-year-old man riding an e-bike was killed at the intersection of 4th Avenue and 53rd Street in Brooklyn when a pickup truck turned left and struck him, according to the police report. The report states the e-bike rider was 'thrown' and 'crushed,' dying at the scene. Both the pickup truck and the e-bike were cited for 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as contributing factors. The pickup, a 2007 Chevrolet, was making a left turn when it collided with the e-bike, which was traveling straight. The police report describes the aftermath: 'The bike lay twisted. The truck bore blood and silence.' The e-bike rider was ejected and suffered crush injuries to the entire body. The data does not specify helmet use or other victim behaviors as contributing factors. The crash underscores the lethal consequences when drivers fail to yield to vulnerable road users.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4726906, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

City Hall vows to rein in last-mile warehouses. Trucks choke low-income streets. Council and activists press for action. New rules will target emissions and zoning. The city promises laws within a year. Vulnerable neighborhoods wait for relief.

On May 22, 2024, Mayor Adams’s administration committed to regulate last-mile delivery warehouses. The pledge came in a letter from Deputy Mayor Maria Torres-Springer to Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, just before the Council’s Land-Use Committee reviewed the City of Yes for Economic Opportunity zoning change. The city promised to pass legislation within a year to control warehouse emissions and restrict new facilities in low-income areas without review. Council Member Alexa Avilés and activists have long demanded these protections, citing environmental harm and truck traffic. Torres-Springer wrote, 'The city shares the Council's desire to take near-term steps to address the harmful effects of last-mile operations.' The new rules will empower the Department of Environmental Preservation and propose zoning changes, though they are not part of the current zoning plan due to procedural limits. Advocates hope these steps will curb pollution and truck danger in vulnerable communities.

• Activists Hail City Commitment to Fewer Trucks, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-05-22

A 51-year-old man lost consciousness while driving westbound on the Gowanus Expressway. His SUV collided with seven vehicles, tearing metal and shattering glass. He died restrained in his seat as traffic crawled past the wreckage. Multiple occupants suffered neck injuries.

According to the police report, a 51-year-old man driving a station wagon/SUV westbound on the Gowanus Expressway lost consciousness behind the wheel. The report states, "His SUV struck seven cars. Metal tore. Glass scattered. Airbags bloomed." The driver died at the scene, "strapped in his seat, still and silent, as traffic crawled past the wreckage." The sole contributing factor cited is "Lost Consciousness." The collision involved multiple vehicles traveling straight ahead, with impacts to center back ends, side doors, and quarter panels. Several occupants suffered neck injuries consistent with whiplash. The report does not list any driver errors or contributing factors for the other drivers. The crash was caused by the initial driver's loss of consciousness, triggering a deadly chain reaction.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4725083, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

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 Member Alexa Avilés calls out unchecked last-mile distribution hubs. She urges zoning reform. Trucks clog streets. Pollution rises. Pedestrians and cyclists face danger. Avilés demands permits, impact checks, and community say. She wants streets that protect people, not just packages.

On April 4, 2024, Council Member Alexa Avilés (District 38) published an op-ed urging reform of New York City’s zoning rules through the City of Yes for Economic Opportunity (COYEO) initiative. The piece, titled 'Mega-distribution facilities cluster in our neighborhoods. Let’s fix that with City of Yes,' highlights the unchecked spread of last-mile distribution centers. Avilés argues these facilities, allowed 'as-of-right' in manufacturing zones, bring traffic, pollution, and safety hazards to vulnerable communities. She writes, 'COYEO can ensure that last-mile facilities don't remain unchecked by requiring special permits...contingent on rigorous assessments of their impact on traffic, safety, and the environment.' Avilés calls for community input and accountability from developers. The op-ed urges the Council’s Zoning and Franchises Subcommittee to strengthen COYEO, demanding action to protect streets, sidewalks, and the people who use them.

• Op-Ed | Mega-distribution facilities cluster in our neighborhoods. Let’s fix that with City of Yes., amny.com, Published 2024-04-04

Broken curbs trip, trap, and endanger. Council bill Int 0724-2024 orders DOT to repair them during every street resurfacing. The measure sits in committee. Streets scarred by neglect may finally see repairs. Vulnerable New Yorkers wait for action.

Int 0724-2024, now in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, was introduced on March 19, 2024. The bill, titled 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to requiring that the department of transportation repair broken curbs as part of resurfacing projects,' demands DOT fix hazardous curbs during any resurfacing work. Council Members Schulman, Gennaro (primary sponsor), Gutiérrez, Louis, Brewer, and Avilés back the measure. The bill aims to close a deadly gap: broken curbs force pedestrians, wheelchair users, and parents with strollers into traffic. The law would take effect 120 days after passage. Streets should not punish the people who walk them.

• File Int 0724-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-03-19

A Jeep slammed into a Honda’s rear on the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. The 81-year-old Honda driver died at the wheel, neck broken. No skid marks. The crash came sudden, hard, final. Following too closely left no room for mercy.

According to the police report, a 2024 Jeep struck the rear of a 2000 Honda traveling westbound on the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway at 12:05 a.m. The Honda’s 81-year-old driver, belted in, died at the scene with a broken neck. The report notes, 'No skid marks. No second chances.' The primary contributing factor cited is 'Following Too Closely,' indicating the Jeep driver failed to maintain a safe distance. The data does not list any contributing factors related to the victim’s behavior. The impact was to the Honda’s right rear bumper, with the Jeep’s right front bumper taking the hit. The report’s language and evidence focus on the Jeep driver’s failure to keep distance, a systemic danger on high-speed expressways.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4709835, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A 67-year-old man rode north on his e-bike along 6th Avenue. No car struck him. No metal bent. He was thrown from his seat. His body broke. He died there, alone on the Brooklyn pavement.

According to the police report, a 67-year-old man riding a 2022 MINAL e-bike northbound on 6th Avenue at 53rd Street in Brooklyn was killed. The report states, 'No crash marks. No bent metal. He was thrown from the seat. His body broke. He died there, alone on the pavement.' The vehicle sustained no damage, and there were no other vehicles or persons involved. The police report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' There is no evidence of driver error by another party, nor are any victim behaviors cited as contributing factors. The report documents a solitary fatality, underscoring the vulnerability of e-bike riders on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4709147, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

DEP wants to shrink anti-idling zones near schools. Advocates push back. They say it puts children at risk. Council Member Avilés calls the move a betrayal. No one supports the change. The fight is over air, lungs, and truth.

On March 8, 2024, the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) faced public outrage at a hearing over its proposal to weaken school-zone vehicle idling regulations. The matter, described as a move to 'loosen vehicle idling regulations around schools,' would let drivers idle engines by narrowing the definition of 'adjacent'—allowing them to move just down the block or across the street to evade the one-minute rule. Council Member Alexa Avilés, who sponsored a bill to expand these protections, condemned DEP’s plan, stating it 'flies in the face' of efforts to protect children, especially those with asthma. Every public speaker opposed the change. Ernest Welde accused DEP of misleading the public, calling them the 'Department of Enabling Polluters.' DEP said it would consider feedback before finalizing the rule. The proposal remains under review, with no support from the public or council.

• ‘Department of Enabling Polluters’: Clean Air Activists Slam Weakening of Idling Rule, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-03-08

Council calls for state action on e-bike licensing. The bill targets commercial e-bikes, forcing registration and employer liability for violations. Sponsors say it will help identify dangerous riders and shift fines to companies, not workers. The measure sits in committee.

Resolution 0224-2024, now laid over in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, urges Albany to pass S.7587/A.7833—the 'Commercial E-Bike Licensing Act.' The resolution, introduced March 7, 2024, calls for 'the registration of bicycles with electric assist used for commercial purposes and creates liability for employers for certain violations.' Council Member James F. Gennaro leads as primary sponsor, joined by Gale A. Brewer, Christopher Marte, Alexa Avilés, Farah N. Louis, and Justin L. Brannan. The bill would require commercial e-bikes to be registered and display visible license information. Employers, not delivery workers, would be fined for violations like sidewalk riding. The council frames this as a way to identify dangerous vehicles and hold companies accountable, aiming to reduce injuries and deaths among pedestrians and cyclists. The measure remains under committee review.

• File Res 0224-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-03-07

Council bill Int 0504-2024 orders DOT to fix NYCHA sidewalks first, starting with senior housing. The bill demands public reports on repairs and timelines. Lawmakers push for faster, clearer action where broken concrete endangers lives.

Int 0504-2024, now laid over in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, was introduced on March 7, 2024. The bill's title: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to establishing priority for sidewalk repairs at developments operated by the New York city housing authority.' Council Members Alexa Avilés (primary sponsor), Shaun Abreu, Farah N. Louis, Rafael Salamanca, Jr., Lincoln Restler, Pierina Ana Sanchez, Jennifer Gutiérrez, Sandy Nurse, Selvena N. Brooks-Powers, and Shahana K. Hanif back the measure. The bill forces DOT to fix sidewalks at NYCHA senior housing first, then other NYCHA sites. DOT must also publish repair lists and schedules. The move targets dangerous, crumbling sidewalks where NYCHA residents—especially seniors—face daily risk.

• File Int 0504-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-03-07

Council moves to crack down on sidewalk parking in industrial zones. Bill orders higher fines for violators. DOT must study and install bollards to block cars. Streets could clear for walkers, wheelchairs, and strollers. No more steel on the sidewalk.

Int 0106-2024 sits with the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure since February 28, 2024. The bill, titled 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to enhancing penalties for sidewalk parking and installing bollards in M1 zoning districts,' targets commercial, manufacturing, and industrial establishments that park vehicles on sidewalks. Council Members Lincoln Restler (primary sponsor), Alexa Avilés, and Shahana K. Hanif back the measure. The Department of Transportation must levy stiffer penalties, study bollard installation, and install barriers where needed. DOT must also report findings to the Mayor, Council Speaker, and public. The law aims to keep sidewalks clear for people, not parked cars.

• File Int 0106-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

Council moves to outlaw driving with fake or expired plates. The bill sets fines and a short grace period for expired tags. Lawmakers say this targets scofflaws who dodge accountability. The measure now sits with the Public Safety Committee.

Int 0177-2024, now in the Committee on Public Safety, was introduced on February 28, 2024. The bill reads: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to prohibiting the operation of a motor vehicle with fraudulent or expired license plates.' Council Member Selvena N. Brooks-Powers leads as primary sponsor, joined by Feliz, Salamanca, Powers, Restler, Won, Brewer, Schulman, Ung, Marte, Hudson, Avilés, De La Rosa, and the Brooklyn Borough President. The bill makes it unlawful to drive with fake or expired plates, including temporary ones. Civil penalties apply, but drivers with expired plates get a 10-day window to fix the issue. The bill aims to close loopholes that let reckless drivers evade detection and accountability. It awaits further action in committee.

• File Int 0177-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28