Staten Island Bleeds: Carr Votes, Neighbors Die

Council members want voters to decide on the MTA’s congestion pricing plan. The resolution calls for a statewide ballot. Sponsors cite risks to outer-borough communities and doubt traffic will drop. The measure is filed, not enacted. Streets stay dangerous.

Resolution 0419-2022, filed by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, urges the New York State Legislature to require a statewide ballot proposal before the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s congestion pricing plan—known as the Central Business District Tolling Program—can proceed. Introduced December 7, 2022, and filed at session’s end, the resolution states: “calls upon the New York State Legislature to amend state law to make implementation of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s congestion pricing plan... subject to a statewide ballot proposal.” Council Member Kamillah Hanks led sponsorship, joined by Borelli, Carr, Louis, Yeger, Ariola, and Paladino. The sponsors raise concerns about pollution, health, and traffic impacts on outer-borough communities. The measure questions whether congestion pricing will cut traffic or fund transit improvements. No direct safety impact for vulnerable road users is assessed. The bill remains filed, with no further action.

• File Res 0419-2022, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2022-12-07

Steel debris ripped the front of a Kia on the Staten Island Expressway. Four people inside. A woman in the passenger seat suffered a deep hip wound. Blood pooled. The road stayed dark. The crash left pain and silence behind.

A westbound Kia SUV struck debris on the Staten Island Expressway at 3 a.m. Four people were inside. According to the police report, 'A westbound Kia hit debris. Steel tore the front. A woman in the passenger seat screamed. Her hip split open beneath the belt. Blood pooled.' The front passenger, a 43-year-old woman, suffered severe lacerations to her hip and upper leg. Three others, including a child, were listed as uninjured. The police report lists 'Obstruction/Debris' as the contributing factor. No driver error or other contributing factors were cited. The crash left the road dark and the passengers shaken.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4584063, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

The Council passed Int 0291-2022, forcing city agencies to map, plan, and report on greenways. The law demands annual updates and public engagement. It aims to carve out safe, car-free corridors for walkers and cyclists. The mayor returned it unsigned.

Int 0291-2022, now Local Law 115 of 2022, was enacted by the City Council on November 27, 2022. The bill came through the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, first introduced April 28, 2022. The law's title: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to a citywide greenway plan.' Council Member Selvena N. Brooks-Powers sponsored the bill, joined by dozens of co-sponsors including Rivera, Hudson, and others. The Council voted overwhelmingly in favor on October 27, 2022. The law orders the Department of Transportation and Parks to identify, map, and report on greenways, and to consult with community boards. Proposals for new greenway segments or repairs must be presented to affected communities within 60 days. The mayor returned the bill unsigned, but it became law. The measure compels the city to plan and maintain safe routes for non-drivers, with regular public reporting and accountability.

• File Int 0291-2022, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2022-10-27

A Jeep crashed into an ambulance on Jewett Avenue. The impact was hard. A woman in the back of the ambulance died. Others suffered neck injuries. The driver ignored a traffic signal. The street was quiet. The loss was sudden.

A Jeep struck the rear of an eastbound ambulance on Jewett Avenue near Maine Avenue in Staten Island. According to the police report, 'A Jeep slammed into the back of an eastbound ambulance. Inside, a 35-year-old woman lay in the rear. She never got out. The light was ignored. Her head struck something hard. She died before sunrise.' The crash killed the 35-year-old woman and injured several others, including passengers and both drivers, who suffered neck injuries. The police report lists 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as a contributing factor, indicating the driver failed to obey a traffic signal. No other contributing factors were cited.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4572941, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A Dodge sedan tore down Jewett Avenue. A woman crossed the street. The car struck her head. She fell. She died where she landed. The street was quiet. The speed was not.

A 35-year-old woman was killed on Jewett Avenue near Keiber Court in Staten Island. According to the police report, a Dodge sedan traveling north struck her with its right front bumper as she crossed the street. The impact caused fatal head and internal injuries. The driver, a 38-year-old man, was not reported injured. Police listed 'Unsafe Speed' as a contributing factor in the crash. No other contributing factors were cited for the pedestrian. The report does not mention any helmet or signal use. The crash highlights the lethal consequences of excessive speed for people on foot.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4574548, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A Toyota SUV struck a westbound sedan on 13th Avenue. The sedan’s driver, an 80-year-old woman, died at the scene. Two others suffered back injuries. Both vehicles failed to yield. The crash left pain and silence on the corner.

An 80-year-old woman driving a sedan westbound on 13th Avenue at 84th Street in Brooklyn was killed when a southbound Toyota SUV struck her car broadside. According to the police report, 'An 80-year-old woman, unbelted behind the wheel of a westbound sedan, was struck broadside by a southbound Toyota SUV. Her head hit hard. She died there, alone, in the driver’s seat.' Two other people, an 18-year-old male driver and a 47-year-old female passenger in the SUV, suffered back injuries. The police report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as a contributing factor for both vehicles. The sedan driver was not wearing a seatbelt, as noted in the report, but the primary cause cited is failure to yield.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4569789, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A Jeep turned left on Richmond Road. A motorcycle came straight. Steel met steel. A 55-year-old man hit the ground, his leg torn open. Blood pooled. The street stayed silent. Failure to yield cut flesh and bone.

A crash on Richmond Road near Midland Avenue left a 55-year-old motorcyclist with severe leg lacerations. According to the police report, a Jeep sedan turned left while a motorcycle traveled straight. The impact tore open the rider’s leg. The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the contributing factor. The Jeep’s driver, age 60, and a 14-year-old passenger were not seriously hurt. The motorcyclist was conscious at the scene. No other contributing factors were cited. The crash underscores the danger when drivers fail to yield to oncoming traffic.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4568925, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A dump truck slowed on Duncan Street. A man worked in the road. The truck’s right front struck him. His leg was torn off. Blood pooled. He stood, then collapsed. The truck rolled away. The street was left stained and silent.

A 39-year-old man working in the roadway on Duncan Street near Sparkhill Avenue was struck by the right front of a northbound dump truck. According to the police report, 'A dump truck slowed. A man worked in the road. The right front struck. His leg came off. Blood pooled. He stood a moment, then dropped. The truck rolled on, untouched.' The pedestrian suffered an amputation and was in shock. The driver, a 51-year-old man, was licensed and remained uninjured. No contributing factors were specified in the police data. The crash left the worker grievously hurt while the truck sustained no damage.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4566412, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A Mercedes surges north on Steuben. The driver looks away. Metal screams. The front passenger, a 32-year-old man, suffers deep leg wounds. Night swallows the car. Distraction behind the wheel leaves blood on the street.

A northbound Mercedes sedan crashed near 633 Steuben Street in Staten Island. According to the police report, the driver was distracted by something outside the car. The vehicle struck head-on, crushing the front end. A 32-year-old man riding in the front passenger seat suffered severe lacerations to his leg. The driver, a 31-year-old man, was not reported injured. The police report lists 'Outside Car Distraction' as the primary contributing factor. No other vehicles or road users were involved. The crash shows how a moment’s inattention behind the wheel can leave lasting harm for those inside the car.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4550824, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

Council passed Albany’s speed camera expansion. Cameras now run all day, every day. Seven members opposed. Supporters cited lives lost when cameras slept. Opponents called it a tax. The vote followed a deadly year. Danger stalks city streets, especially near schools.

On May 26, 2022, the New York City Council voted 43-7 to approve Albany’s extension and expansion of the city’s speed camera program. The measure, handled by the Transportation Committee, allows speed cameras to operate 24/7. The matter summary: 'The City Council approved Albany's extension and expansion of New York's speed camera program, allowing cameras to operate 24/7, but not before several council members voiced opposition.' Chairwoman Selvena Brooks-Powers urged action, saying, 'We must use all the tools at our disposal.' Council Members Joan Ariola, Vickie Paladino, and David Carr opposed, calling cameras a financial burden. Eric Dinowitz defended the program: 'If you don't want a speeding ticket, don't speed.' The vote came after a year of high road deaths, with special risk near schools.

• Amid Epic Crisis of Road Deaths, Some Members of the City Council Still Oppose Speed Cameras, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2022-05-26

City Council voted to extend and expand speed cameras. The bill lets cameras run all day, every day. Forty-three said yes, seven said no. David Carr voted no. The measure now heads to Albany. Streets may see more eyes, more tickets.

On May 26, 2022, the City Council approved a home rule request to extend and expand New York City's speed camera program, allowing cameras to operate 24/7 for three more years. The vote was 43 in favor, seven against. The matter summary: 'giving the state Legislature the go-ahead to pass a three-year extension and expansion of New York City's speed camera program that allows them to operate 24/7.' Council Member David Carr (District 50) voted no. Other Republicans and two Democrats also opposed. Ydanis Rodriguez, City Transportation Commissioner, said, 'Cameras will be 24/7 the whole year.' The bill now moves to the state legislature, which must act before June 2. No formal safety analyst note was provided for this action.

• NYC Council signs off on 24/7 speed enforcement cameras, nypost.com, Published 2022-05-26

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

Council filed a bill to create a citywide commission on active transit parking hubs. The panel would have studied where to place bike and scooter parking. The measure died at session’s end. Riders and walkers still wait for safe, secure parking.

Int 0046-2022 was introduced on February 24, 2022, in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The bill aimed to establish an inter-borough advisory commission to recommend locations for active transportation parking hubs—secure spots for bikes, scooters, and similar devices. The measure’s title: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to establishing an inter-borough planning and advisory commission for the siting of active transportation parking hubs in the city.' Council Members David M. Carr (primary sponsor), Robert F. Holden, and Joseph C. Borelli backed the bill. The commission would have included 12 members, met quarterly, and submitted recommendations within 18 months. The bill was filed at the end of the session on December 31, 2023, and did not advance. No safety analyst assessment was provided.

• File Int 0046-2022, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2022-02-24

A KIA sedan turned left on Tysens Lane. The driver did not yield. A woman crossed with the signal. The bumper struck her back. She lay conscious on the pavement. The car’s inattention and failure to yield left her injured.

A KIA sedan, driven by a 26-year-old woman, turned left at Tysens Lane and Hylan Boulevard. The driver failed to yield and struck a 47-year-old woman who was crossing with the signal. According to the police report, 'A KIA turned left. A woman crossed with the signal. The bumper crushed her back. She lay conscious on the pavement. The driver did not yield. The light was with her. The car was not.' The pedestrian suffered crush injuries to her back and remained conscious. The police report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as contributing factors. The driver’s actions directly endangered the pedestrian in the crosswalk.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4500803, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15