Flatbush Bleeds While City Hall Delays

Council bill targets cars blocking bike lanes, bus lanes, sidewalks, and hydrants near schools. Civilians can report violators. Each offense draws a $175 fine. The city pays whistleblowers a cut. The bill stalled. Streets stay dangerous.

Int 0501-2022 was introduced to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on June 2, 2022. The bill, titled 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to hazardous obstruction by vehicles and civilian complaints to the department of transportation for hazardous obstruction violations,' aimed to create a new civil penalty for vehicles blocking bike lanes, bus lanes, sidewalks, crosswalks, or hydrants within 1,320 feet of a school. The penalty: $175 per violation, enforced through the Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings. Civilians, except city employees, could file complaints and receive 25% of collected fines. The Department of Transportation would support this with a phased-in reporting program and annual public reports. Council Member Carlina Rivera led as primary sponsor, joined by over two dozen co-sponsors. The bill was filed at the end of session on December 31, 2023, and did not become law. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File Int 0501-2022, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2022-06-02

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 0172-2022 would force DOT to warn communities before changing open streets. Sixty days’ notice. Four weeks for comments. Two weeks for answers. Streets can’t shift without neighbors knowing. The bill died at session’s end. Streets stay uncertain.

Int 0172-2022, filed by the NYC Council and handled by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, aimed to amend city law on open streets. Introduced April 14, 2022, the bill required the Department of Transportation to give 60 days’ notice to council members, boards, and local groups before any permanent open street changes. The bill’s summary reads: “notification and community input regarding designation of, removal of and changes to open streets.” Sponsors included Tiffany Cabán (primary), Crystal Hudson, Kamillah Hanks, Oswald Feliz, Farah N. Louis, Kalman Yeger, Sandy Nurse, Shahana K. Hanif, and Althea V. Stevens. The bill mandated a four-week comment window and a two-week response period, plus annual reporting and advance notice for temporary changes. The bill was filed at the end of session, leaving open streets policy unchanged.

• File Int 0172-2022, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2022-04-14

Council tried to double the number of violations before revoking van licenses. The bill would have let commuter van operators rack up six violations before losing authorization. The measure died. Vulnerable road users remain exposed to reckless van drivers.

Int 0087-2022 was introduced in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on March 10, 2022. The bill aimed to amend the city code by increasing the number of violations required to revoke a commuter van service authorization from three to six. The matter title reads: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to increasing the number of violations required to revoke authorization to operate a commuter van service.' Sponsored by Council Member Farah N. Louis and Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, the bill also proposed a 15-day suspension after three violations in six months. The measure was filed at the end of session on December 31, 2023. No safety analysis was provided, but the bill would have weakened enforcement against repeat violators, leaving pedestrians and cyclists at risk.

• File Int 0087-2022, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2022-03-10

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

Council bill Int 0045-2022 would force new bike and scooter docks to cluster together. The aim: keep active transport hubs tight, not scattered. Filed at session’s end, the measure never became law. Streets remain fragmented. Riders dodge chaos.

Int 0045-2022 was introduced on February 24, 2022, in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The bill, sponsored by David M. Carr (primary), with Farah N. Louis and Joseph C. Borelli as co-sponsors, sought to require the Department of Transportation to group new active transportation docking stations—bike, scooter, and e-mobility docks—within one city block of each other, unless contracts prevented it. The official summary reads: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to requiring centralized siting of active transportation docking stations.' The bill was filed at the end of session on December 31, 2023, and did not advance. Without passage, the city’s docking stations remain scattered, leaving vulnerable road users to navigate a patchwork of locations and unpredictable street conditions.

• File Int 0045-2022, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2022-02-24

A westbound SUV hit a man on Foster Avenue. The left front bumper smashed his head. Blood pooled on the street. He stayed conscious. The driver was distracted. No intersection. Darkness hid the danger. The city failed to protect him.

A 46-year-old man walking on Foster Avenue was struck by a westbound SUV. According to the police report, 'A westbound SUV struck a 46-year-old man in the dark. The left front bumper hit his head. Blood pooled on the street. He stayed conscious. The driver was distracted. There was no intersection.' The pedestrian suffered a head injury and severe bleeding but remained conscious. The crash data lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the contributing factor. The driver, a 60-year-old man, was licensed and wore a lap belt and harness. The impact occurred away from any intersection, leaving the pedestrian exposed. Systemic danger and driver distraction combined to put a vulnerable road user in harm’s way.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4504722, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A bus turned on Flatbush. A 72-year-old man crossed with the signal. The bus struck him. His leg broke. He died there. The driver was distracted. The street stayed busy. The man did not rise.

A 72-year-old man was killed while crossing Flatbush Avenue near 1598 in Brooklyn. According to the police report, the man was crossing with the signal when a bus made a right turn and struck him, breaking his leg. The report states, “The driver was distracted.” The data lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as contributing factors. The bus showed no damage. The pedestrian died at the scene. No injuries were reported for the bus driver or occupants. The crash highlights the lethal risk to pedestrians when drivers fail to yield and pay attention, especially at busy intersections.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4504027, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A BMW sped down Kings Highway. The driver lost control. The car struck a seventeen-year-old boy crossing the street. He died under the lights. The driver was injured. Unsafe speed and improper lane use fueled the crash.

A BMW sedan, traveling west on Kings Highway, struck and killed a seventeen-year-old boy who was crossing the street. According to the police report, 'A BMW sped west. A boy, seventeen, stepped into the street. No crosswalk. No signal. The car struck him with its left front bumper. He died there, under the streetlights.' The driver, a nineteen-year-old man, was injured. The police report lists 'Unsafe Speed' and 'Passing or Lane Usage Improper' as contributing factors. The crash left the pedestrian dead at the scene. The driver and a front-seat passenger, aged eighteen, survived. The data points to driver error as the cause of this fatal collision.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4502351, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

Council called on the MTA to make every renovated subway station fully accessible. Only a fraction of stations have elevators. Lawmakers want no more half-measures. The resolution was filed at session’s end. Riders with disabilities remain stranded underground.

Resolution 0009-2022 was introduced on February 10, 2022, in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. It called on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to ensure any subway station undergoing enhancement or renovation becomes fully accessible to people with disabilities. The matter title reads: 'Resolution calling upon the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to make any subway stations undergoing enhancement or renovation fully accessible to people with disabilities.' Council Member Darlene Mealy sponsored the resolution, joined by Brannan, Menin, Louis, Yeger, Hanif, Hudson, Marte, Joseph, Riley, and Brooks-Powers. The resolution was filed at the end of session on December 31, 2023. Only 117 out of 493 subway stations are accessible. The Council’s action highlights the city’s failure to guarantee safe, equal passage for all riders. Elevators and upgrades are overdue. The bill’s filing leaves vulnerable New Yorkers waiting.

• File Res 0009-2022, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2022-02-10

City Council calls for Albany to extend and expand the MTA On-Demand E-Hail Paratransit Pilot. The resolution demands fare parity, no ride caps, and equal service for disabled New Yorkers. Lawmakers say current limits are unjust and restrict mobility.

Resolution 0002-2022, filed at session's end, came before the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on February 10, 2022. The measure urges passage of S.4037/A.5896, which would 'extend and expand the scope of the MTA On-Demand E-Hail Paratransit Pilot Program.' Council Member Justin L. Brannan led sponsorship, joined by Ayala, Menin, Louis, Hanif, Hudson, Bottcher, Farías, Brooks-Powers, and Brewer. The resolution slams service caps and fare surcharges, calling them 'inequitable and unjust.' It demands that paratransit users get the same fare, hours, and ride freedom as subway and bus riders. The bill would end rationing and financial barriers for disabled New Yorkers who rely on Access-A-Ride. The Council’s action highlights the systemic barriers faced by vulnerable road users and presses for equal, unrestricted access.

• File Res 0002-2022, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2022-02-10

A sedan hit a northbound e-bike on Avenue I near Flatbush. The 27-year-old rider flew from his bike, head split open, blood on the cold asphalt. Driver inattention listed. The night swallowed the sound.

A sedan traveling west on Avenue I struck a northbound e-bike near Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn. The crash left the 27-year-old e-bike rider semiconscious, suffering severe head injuries and lacerations. According to the police report, 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' was a contributing factor in the collision. The e-bike rider was ejected from his bike and was not wearing a helmet, as noted in the report. No other injuries were specified for vehicle occupants. The impact was severe, with the sedan's right front quarter panel hitting the e-bike's center front end. The data highlights driver inattention as the primary error leading to this violent crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4501613, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A sedan tore down Glenwood Road and smashed head-on into a parked trailer. The driver, trapped and unconscious, suffered head wounds and crushed limbs. Two other occupants were hurt. Sirens cut the silence. Unsafe speed left wreckage and pain.

A sedan traveling at unsafe speed struck a parked trailer head-on near East 43rd Street on Glenwood Road in Brooklyn. According to the police report, the 45-year-old male driver was found trapped, unconscious, with head injuries and crushed limbs. Two other occupants, a 39-year-old woman and an infant boy, were also injured. The report lists 'Unsafe Speed' as the contributing factor. No evidence in the data suggests any error by the trailer or its owner. The crash left the street silent until emergency crews arrived. The police report makes clear: speed was the cause.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4500780, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A Chevy SUV turned right at dawn. The front bumper hit a 64-year-old woman in the crosswalk. She died in the street. Police cite traffic control disregarded. The cold morning ended in violence and loss.

A 64-year-old woman was killed at the corner of Foster Avenue and East 17th Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, a Chevy SUV made a right turn and struck the woman as she crossed the intersection. The report states: “A Chevy SUV turned right at dawn. A 64-year-old woman crossed against the light. The bumper struck her. Her body broke beneath it. She died there, in the cold street.” Police list 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as a contributing factor for the driver. The impact was to the center front end of the SUV, causing fatal crush injuries to the pedestrian. No other injuries were reported.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4499277, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15