Flatbush Bleeds While City Hall Delays

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

Council bill Int 0853-2024 calls for DOT teams in every borough. Staff must answer traffic requests fast—within three months if possible. The bill aims to cut delays, bring action, and address dangers that linger on city streets.

Int 0853-2024 sits in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure after its introduction on April 18, 2024. The bill, titled "A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to creating borough-based traffic request response teams," demands that the Department of Transportation assign staff to each borough, matching staff numbers to the volume of local traffic requests. Council Members Farah N. Louis (primary sponsor), Amanda Farías, and Rafael Salamanca, Jr. back the measure. Their bill requires DOT to respond to each traffic request in three months, if practicable. The goal is clear: end the backlog, speed up fixes, and address hazards that put pedestrians and cyclists at risk. The bill was referred to committee on the day of introduction. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File Int 0853-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-04-18

A sedan turned left on New York Avenue and struck a 74-year-old woman crossing with the signal. She died in the crosswalk, the impact sudden and final. The driver failed to yield. The street kept moving.

According to the police report, a 74-year-old woman was crossing New York Avenue at Avenue D, in Brooklyn, when a sedan making a left turn struck her head-on. The report states she was 'crossing with the light' and was in the crosswalk at the time of impact. The collision resulted in fatal injuries to the pedestrian, who died at the scene. The police report explicitly cites 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the contributing factor on the part of the sedan driver. The vehicle's point of impact was the center front end, matching the narrative of a direct, forceful collision. The victim's behavior—crossing with the signal—is noted in the report, but the primary cause remains the driver's failure to yield. The crash underscores the lethal consequences when drivers disregard pedestrian right-of-way at intersections.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4717810, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A moped slammed into a slowing sedan on New York Avenue. The rider, helmeted, struck hard and bled from the head, half-flung from his seat. Darkness pressed in. He stayed conscious. The street bore witness to metal, blood, and error.

According to the police report, a moped traveling south near 1084 New York Avenue in Brooklyn collided with the rear end of a sedan that was slowing or stopping. The moped rider, age 48, was partially ejected and suffered a severe head injury with significant bleeding, but remained conscious at the scene. The report lists 'Following Too Closely' as the contributing factor for the crash. The moped struck the center back end of the sedan, which had three occupants. The narrative notes the rider wore a helmet. The police report does not cite any victim behavior as a contributing factor. The crash underscores the danger when drivers fail to maintain safe distance, especially at night.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4715908, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A tow truck rolled down Clarendon Road. Its right front bumper tore into a woman’s leg. Blood spilled. Lane markings failed. The truck did not stop. The woman, 59, stood in the street, far from any crosswalk.

According to the police report, a tow truck traveling east on Clarendon Road struck a 59-year-old woman with its right front bumper, causing severe lacerations to her lower leg. The report states the woman was standing in the roadway, not at an intersection or crosswalk, when the collision occurred. The police cite 'Lane Marking Improper/Inadequate' as a contributing factor, highlighting the systemic failure of street design. The report also lists 'Aggressive Driving/Road Rage' as a driver error. The narrative notes the tow truck did not stop after the impact. The woman was conscious but bleeding heavily from deep cuts. The crash underscores the danger posed by inadequate lane markings and aggressive driving, as documented in the official report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4711991, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

Council wants signs at every school door. Paint on the street. Metal overhead. Drivers warned: children cross here. The bill sits in committee. Kids walk. Cars speed. The city waits.

Int 0714-2024 sits before the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Introduced March 19, 2024, the bill would require the Department of Transportation to paint and install overhead school safety signs on every street with a school entrance. The matter title reads: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to installing safety signs near schools.' Council Member Susan Zhuang leads as primary sponsor, joined by Rivera, Gennaro, Won, Hanif, Gutiérrez, Louis, Cabán, Restler, Farías, Banks, and Riley as co-sponsors. The bill aims to alert drivers to the presence of school-aged children and pedestrians. It remains in committee, with no vote or enactment date set. The measure targets a simple truth: children cross streets, drivers often do not see them. Signs alone will not stop cars, but they mark danger.

• File Int 0714-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-03-19

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

Metal screamed on Avenue M. A sedan, fast and reckless, struck a line of parked cars. A three-year-old boy in the front seat took the blow to his face. Sirens chased the wreckage. Alcohol and speed left a child bleeding.

According to the police report, two sedans collided at speed on Avenue M near Kings Highway in Brooklyn. The crash, which occurred at 8:11 a.m., set off a chain reaction that crumpled a line of parked cars. The report states that a three-year-old boy, restrained in the front passenger seat, suffered crush injuries to his face. The narrative describes the aftermath: 'The air smelled of metal. Sirens rose over the wreckage.' Police cite 'Alcohol Involvement' and 'Unsafe Speed' as contributing factors. The data makes clear that driver actions—specifically, driving under the influence and at unsafe speeds—were central to the crash. No contributing factors are attributed to the child passenger. The collision left a young child injured and exposed the deadly consequences of reckless driving.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4709074, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

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 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

A sedan struck a man laboring on Coney Island Avenue, crushing his legs against a parked box truck. He stayed conscious, pain sharp and unyielding. The driver, inattentive, never saw him. The street offered no mercy. Steel and flesh collided in Brooklyn dusk.

A 45-year-old man working in the roadway on Coney Island Avenue near Avenue H was struck by a southbound sedan and pinned against a parked box truck, according to the police report. The report states the victim suffered severe crush injuries to his lower legs but remained conscious at the scene. Police attribute the cause to 'Driver Inattention/Distraction,' noting that the sedan's driver failed to notice the man in the street. The sedan's center front end collided with the worker, driving him into the stationary truck. The police report does not cite any victim behavior as a contributing factor. The crash underscores the lethal consequences of driver distraction and the systemic dangers faced by people working in city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4706193, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

Council moves to form an advisory board on school crossing guard deployment. NYPD, DOT, and DOE must join. The board will send reports twice a year to city leaders. The aim: track, review, and recommend guard placement. Streets near schools stay dangerous.

Bill Int 0448-2024 sits in the Committee on Public Safety. Introduced February 28, 2024, it calls for an advisory board on school crossing guard deployment. The board would include the NYPD, Department of Transportation, and Department of Education. According to the bill summary: 'Such advisory board would be responsible for submitting biannual reports, relating to recommended deployment of school crossing guards, to the Mayor, the City Council Speaker and the Police Commissioner.' Council Member Kamillah Hanks leads as primary sponsor, joined by Stevens, Schulman, Salaam, Won, Cabán, Riley, Farías, Restler, Williams, Narcisse, Banks, Louis, Brooks-Powers, Marmorato, and the Bronx Borough President. The bill demands city agencies work together, but it does not guarantee more guards or safer crossings. The danger for children at city intersections remains.

• File Int 0448-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

Council members push for a new DOT unit to crack down on illegal parking. The bill sits in committee. Streets choke with blocked lanes. Pedestrians and cyclists pay the price. The city waits for action.

Bill Int 0264-2024, now in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, was introduced on February 28, 2024. The measure, titled 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to the establishment of a parking enforcement unit within the department of transportation,' would require DOT to create a dedicated parking enforcement unit. Council Member Lincoln Restler leads as primary sponsor, joined by Joseph, Feliz, Louis, Marte, Won, Salaam, Farías, Riley, Bottcher, and Hudson. The bill aims to enforce laws and rules on parking violations. No safety analyst has yet assessed its impact on vulnerable road users. The bill remains under committee review, with no vote or enactment date set.

• File Int 0264-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

Council moves to create a parking permit enforcement unit. The bill targets misuse of city-issued permits. Sponsors say the new unit will enforce rules long ignored. The measure sits with the Transportation Committee. Streets wait for action.

Int 0173-2024, now in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, was introduced on February 28, 2024. The bill's title: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to the establishment of a parking permit enforcement unit within the department of transportation.' Council Member Lincoln Restler leads as primary sponsor, joined by Farías, Louis, Hudson, Joseph, Won, and Bottcher. The bill would require the Department of Transportation to create a unit dedicated to enforcing laws against misuse of city-issued parking permits. The measure was referred to committee on the day of introduction. Lawmakers say the unit will focus on a problem that endangers pedestrians and cyclists by allowing illegal parking and blocked sightlines. No safety analyst has yet assessed the direct impact on vulnerable road users.

• File Int 0173-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

Council bill Int 0263-2024 demands the DOT act. It expands what counts as a serious crash. It orders investigations to start within a week, finish in a month. Reports must be detailed. The bill sits in committee. Streets remember every delay.

Int 0263-2024, now in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, was introduced on February 28, 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 investigate vehicle collisions,' would force the DOT’s crash investigation unit to broaden its definition of serious crashes. Investigations must begin within one week and wrap up in a month. Reports must dig deeper. Council Members Lincoln Restler (primary sponsor), Rita C. Joseph, Oswald Feliz, Farah N. Louis, Julie Won, Yusef Salaam, Kevin C. Riley, and Chris Banks back the bill. The measure aims to expose the facts behind every crash, not let them fade in silence.

• File Int 0263-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

Council bill pushes DOT to open streets wider and longer on busy holidays. Memorial Day, Juneteenth, July Fourth, Labor Day, Halloween—cars barred, people free. Community groups get a say. Streets shift from danger to refuge, if the city acts.

Int 0270-2024 sits with the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Introduced February 28, 2024, it amends city law to require the Department of Transportation to expand Open Streets hours on holidays with heavy foot traffic. The bill’s summary reads: 'special activation of the Open Streets program on certain holidays and time periods with significant pedestrian traffic.' Council Member Shekar Krishnan leads as primary sponsor, joined by Rivera, Brooks-Powers, Louis, Nurse, Ossé, Sanchez, Cabán, Banks, Avilés, Riley, Salaam, Hanif, Feliz, Won, Restler, and Joseph. The bill directs DOT to seek community input for more activation days. Applications for these special activations follow the same review as regular Open Streets. The measure aims to give pedestrians and cyclists more space and time, cutting car risk when crowds surge.

• File Int 0270-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

Council wants NYPD to show where crossing guards stand. The bill orders a map online. Streets are dangerous. Kids cross in chaos. The public will see the gaps. The city must face the truth in plain sight.

Int 0447-2024, now in the Committee on Public Safety, was introduced on February 28, 2024. The bill, titled "A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to reporting on crossing guard deployment," demands the NYPD post an online map showing where crossing guards are stationed. Council Member Kamillah Hanks leads as primary sponsor, joined by Stevens, Schulman, Menin, Salaam, Brewer, Marte, and others, including a request from the Bronx Borough President. The bill is for 'informational purposes only,' but the impact is clear: families and advocates will finally see where the city leaves children exposed. The measure forces transparency. It makes the city’s priorities visible block by block.

• File Int 0447-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

Council bill Int 0143-2024 would pay up to $1,000 for tips that help catch hit-and-run drivers who injure or kill. The bill targets the silence that lets drivers vanish. It aims to bring justice for victims left bleeding in the street.

Int 0143-2024, now in the Committee on Public Safety, was introduced on February 28, 2024. The bill seeks to amend city law 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 leads as primary sponsor, joined by Brooks-Powers, Narcisse, Vernikov, Louis, Bottcher, Hudson, Gennaro, and Williams. The bill authorizes the mayor, on the police commissioner's recommendation, to offer up to $1,000 for actionable tips. Law enforcement and city or state employees are excluded. The bill responds to the grim fact that many hit-and-runs go unsolved, leaving victims and families without answers. It aims to break the code of silence and help bring reckless drivers to justice.

• File Int 0143-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

Council bill orders speed humps on streets by parks over one acre. DOT must install unless safety or guidelines say no. Seventeen council members back the move. The bill sits in committee. Streets by parks may soon slow cars.

Int 0262-2024 was introduced to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on February 28, 2024. The bill states: "requiring the installation of speed humps on roadways adjacent to any park equal or greater than one acre." Lincoln Restler leads as primary sponsor, joined by seventeen co-sponsors including Joseph, Feliz, Louis, Marte, and others. The Department of Transportation must install speed humps on qualifying streets unless the commissioner finds it unsafe or inconsistent with DOT guidelines. The bill remains in committee. If passed, it would take effect 180 days after becoming law. The measure aims to slow traffic near parks, where walkers and children cross.

• File Int 0262-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

Council bill demands 100 miles of protected bike lanes each year for six years. Streets will change. Barriers will rise. Cyclists will get space. The city moves to shield riders from cars. The pace quickens. Safety, not talk, hits the pavement.

Int 0271-2024 sits in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Introduced on February 28, 2024, the bill orders the Department of Transportation to install 100 miles of protected bike lanes per year for six years. The matter title 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 leads as primary sponsor, joined by Carlina Rivera, Farah N. Louis, Shahana K. Hanif, Chi A. Ossé, Gale A. Brewer, Tiffany Cabán, Sandy Nurse, Crystal Hudson, Yusef Salaam, Erik D. Bottcher, Jennifer Gutiérrez, Oswald Feliz, Julie Won, and Rita C. Joseph. The bill’s summary states protected lanes 'increase cycling and ensure the safety of New Yorkers.' If passed, the law will force the city to build real protection for people on bikes, not just paint. The measure aims to cut risk for cyclists and push back against deadly streets.

• File Int 0271-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28