Five Dead, Four Hundred Hurt: Abreu, Don’t Wait—Fix the Streets Now

Council grilled delivery apps on June 21. Seven bills target reckless e-bike riding, battery fires, and low pay. Lawmakers want apps to answer for worker traffic violations and vehicle safety. Pedestrians and cyclists face daily danger. Councilmember Schulman called for accountability.

On June 21, 2024, the NYC Council's Committee on Consumer and Worker Protection held a hearing on seven bills regulating delivery apps. The bills aim to address 'myriad health and safety concerns' from e-bike crashes, battery fires, and low pay. Councilmember Lynn Schulman, District 29, spoke out: 'Right now, delivery workers are essentially incentivized for speed... This often results in driving recklessly, often putting the lives of pedestrians at risk.' Three bills would make apps like Uber Eats and DoorDash responsible for vehicle safety and compliance, require them to provide safety-compliant e-bikes, and ensure mopeds are registered. Other bills target pay transparency and tip protections. Councilmembers Shaun Abreu and Rafael Salamanca also spoke in support. The measures seek to hold companies accountable for dangers faced by vulnerable road users and delivery workers alike.

• Delivery apps in NYC could be held responsible for workers following traffic laws, gothamist.com, Published 2024-06-21

An SUV struck an 18-year-old cyclist on West 123rd Street. The driver’s inattention split the night and the rider’s head. Blood pooled. Four sat in the car. The cyclist, alone, was ejected and left with severe bleeding.

According to the police report, an 18-year-old male cyclist riding alone on West 123rd Street was struck by a westbound Ford SUV near midnight. The report states the SUV had four occupants and was traveling straight ahead when it collided with the cyclist, who was also moving straight. The cyclist was ejected on impact, suffering a severe head injury and heavy bleeding. Police list 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor for the crash, placing responsibility on the SUV driver’s lack of focus. The report also notes the cyclist was listening to headphones and not wearing a helmet, but these details are cited only after the driver’s error. The collision’s violence and aftermath underscore the dangers faced by vulnerable road users when drivers fail to pay attention.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4733137, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

Lawmakers blasted city officials for letting trash haulers with deadly records win new contracts. Council grilled DSNY for picking low bids over safety. Victims’ lives lost in the math. Oversight weak. Dangerous firms keep rolling. Streets stay risky for all.

On June 4, 2024, the City Council held an oversight hearing on commercial waste zone implementation and contractor selection. The hearing spotlighted the Commercial Waste Zones law, which aims to cut crashes by limiting private trash haulers in each zone. Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, author of the 2019 reform, and Council Member Shaun Abreu led the charge, questioning why companies like Cogent Waste Solutions—with poor safety records—were awarded contracts. Reynoso declared, "Saving $20 for a business is not worth five human lives." DSNY Commissioner Jessica Tisch defended the process, promising to terminate contracts after multiple at-fault fatalities. BIC Commissioner Liz Crotty admitted, "Safety is not a factor" in license denial. Lawmakers condemned the city for putting cost before safety, leaving vulnerable road users at risk.

• Pols Slam City For Giving Rogue Carters Permits for New Zones, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-06-04

Sanitation named a monitor for Cogent Waste Solutions after fatal crashes and hundreds of violations. Council members question why a company with such a record still hauls trash in city zones. The city’s new waste program promises stricter oversight, but danger remains.

On June 3, 2024, the Department of Sanitation (DSNY) appointed an independent monitor for Cogent Waste Solutions, a private carting firm with a deadly safety record. The move comes before the city’s new Commercial Waste Zone program launches this fall. Council Members Shaun Abreu and Sandy Nurse raised alarms, asking, 'how the city awarded a contract to a company with a history of endangering workers to begin with.' Cogent’s trucks have killed one, injured four, and racked up hundreds of violations. Despite this, DSNY allowed Cogent to win contracts in four waste zones. DSNY Deputy Commissioner Joshua Goodman defended the process, stating, 'Safety was absolutely one of the weighted factors,' and promised, 'there will be consequences for lack of compliance.' The oversight hearing exposes a system that lets reckless firms operate, even as new rules loom.

• Exclusive: Sanitation Dept. Appoints Monitor for Carting Firm with Spotty Safety Record, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-06-03

Two taxis, too close on Henry Hudson Parkway. Metal slammed metal. A 29-year-old driver’s leg split open. Blood pooled on the floor. He stayed conscious, pain mounting as traffic rushed by. The crash was sudden. The injury, brutal.

According to the police report, two taxis traveling southbound on Henry Hudson Parkway collided when one followed too closely behind the other. The report lists 'Following Too Closely' as the contributing factor for both vehicles. The impact tore open the leg of a 29-year-old driver, causing severe bleeding and injuries to his knee, lower leg, and foot. The narrative details, 'Metal struck metal. A 29-year-old driver’s leg split open. Blood pooled. He stayed awake.' No other contributing factors are cited. The crash underscores the danger of tailgating in high-speed traffic. No mention is made of victim behavior as a cause. The report focuses on driver error—specifically, the failure to maintain a safe following distance.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4733872, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A runaway BMW fleeing police tore down Amsterdam Avenue. Its left bumper smashed into a 29-year-old man. His leg split open. Blood pooled on the asphalt. The car did not stop. The man stayed awake, wounded and alone.

According to the police report, a 2016 BMW sedan, described as a 'runaway vehicle' and 'fleeing police,' struck a 29-year-old pedestrian on Amsterdam Avenue near 152nd Street at 1:30 a.m. The report states the vehicle was traveling at an 'unsafe speed' and was involved in a police pursuit. The BMW's left front bumper hit the pedestrian low, causing severe lacerations to his knee and lower leg. The man remained conscious as blood pooled around him. The report notes the driver was unlicensed and did not stop after the collision. The primary contributing factors listed are 'Driverless/Runaway Vehicle' and 'Unsafe Speed.' The pedestrian was not at an intersection and was engaged in 'other actions in roadway,' but the report attributes fault to the vehicle's dangerous movement and the driver's actions.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4718935, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

Columbia will widen escalators at 125th Street but refuses to fund elevators. Disabled riders face long detours. Politicians and students demand action. The university’s $13-billion endowment stays untouched. Public money must fill the gap. Progress stalls. Riders wait. Access denied.

This debate centers on Columbia University’s refusal to pay for elevators at the 125th Street 1 train station, despite its West Harlem campus expansion. The project is not a council bill but a protracted standoff, with the MTA and local officials pressing Columbia to fund full ADA accessibility. The university will pay to widen escalators but insists public funds should cover elevators, citing project approval before the Zoning for Accessibility law (October 2021). Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine calls elevator access 'the top priority among station accessibility projects in the borough.' Assembly Member Daniel O’Donnell’s office slams Columbia’s lack of transparency and urges investment, noting the school’s $13-billion endowment and $179 million in tax breaks. Students and disabled riders face daily hardship. The MTA, Council Member Shaun Abreu, and advocates push for progress, but Columbia stalls. No elevator, no access. Vulnerable users remain shut out.

• Columbia U. Wants Public to Pay for Transit Improvements on Campus, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-03-14

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 bill Int 0255-2024 demands NYPD track every time officers use cars as weapons. No more hiding behind vague reports. The city must count each incident. Data will show the toll. Vulnerable New Yorkers deserve the truth.

Int 0255-2024 sits in the Committee on Public Safety after introduction on February 28, 2024. The bill, titled "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," forces the NYPD to add 'use of a motor vehicle to gain control of a subject' as a specific reporting category in quarterly and annual use of force reports. Council Member Lincoln Restler leads as primary sponsor, joined by Hudson, Won, Hanif, Bottcher, Brewer, Avilés, Abreu, Ossé, Krishnan, Williams, Cabán, Nurse, Sanchez, and the Brooklyn Borough President. The bill targets a gap: current NYPD reports do not name motor vehicles as a means of force. This change brings police violence by car into the light, exposing patterns that endanger pedestrians and other vulnerable road users.

• File Int 0255-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

Council bill orders signs to keep bikes, e-bikes, and scooters off sidewalks, park paths, and boardwalks. Fines loom for violators. Restler leads. Committee holds the bill. Streets stay tense. Pedestrians walk wary. The city posts warnings. Enforcement waits.

Int 0235-2024 sits in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Introduced February 28, 2024, the bill commands the Department of Transportation and Parks to post signs warning cyclists, e-bike, and e-scooter riders: stay off sidewalks, park walkways, and boardwalks, or face fines. The matter title reads, 'A Local Law...notifying operators...of the prohibition against operating such devices on sidewalks, park walkways, and boardwalks, and of related fines and penalties.' Lincoln Restler sponsors, joined by Hudson, Brewer, Hanif, Gennaro, Abreu, Ung, and Schulman. The bill aims to keep vulnerable pedestrians safe by making the rules clear at every crossing and path. No safety analyst has weighed in yet. The measure waits in committee. The city’s warning signs may soon rise.

• File Int 0235-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

Council members push for a hard look at last mile delivery hubs. Trucks swarm neighborhoods. Streets clog. Collisions rise. The bill demands data. It targets the city’s growing freight problem. Vulnerable New Yorkers walk these streets. The study could expose the toll.

Int 0113-2024 sits with the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Introduced February 28, 2024, it orders the Department of Transportation to study how last mile delivery facilities batter local streets and communities. The bill summary reads: 'estimating the amount of delivery vehicles arriving at or departing from each facility, and the impact that additional vehicle traffic has on parking, street congestion, vehicle collisions and other traffic incidents.' Public Advocate Jumaane Williams leads as primary sponsor, joined by Alexa Avilés, Shekar Krishnan, Amanda Farías, and over twenty others. The bill was referred to committee on the day it was introduced. No safety analyst has yet weighed in, but the bill’s focus is clear: count the trucks, count the crashes, and show the cost to people on foot and bike.

• File Int 0113-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

Council calls for state action on lower speed limits, crash victims’ rights, and safer street design. The resolution pushes Albany to let New York City set its own speed limits and demands stronger protections for people hurt or killed by cars.

Resolution 0090-2024 sits in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Introduced February 28, 2024, it urges the State Legislature and Governor to pass S.2422 ('Sammy’s Law'), A.1901 (Crash Victims Bill of Rights), and the full SAFE Streets Act package. The matter title reads: 'Resolution calling on the New York State Legislature to pass, and the Governor to sign, S.2422, also known as ‘Sammy’s Law,’ in relation to allowing New York city to establish a lower speed limit, and A.1901, enacting a crash victims bill of rights, as well as the other bills of the package known as the SAFE Streets Act.' Council Member Shahana K. Hanif leads as primary sponsor, joined by Gutiérrez, Restler, Ossé, Avilés, Sanchez, Krishnan, Rivera, Cabán, Brewer, Abreu, Marte, Brannan, Schulman, Won, Feliz, Bottcher, Nurse, Hudson, and the Brooklyn Borough President. The SAFE Streets Act targets reckless driving, demands safer street design, and gives crash victims more rights. The resolution’s focus is clear: fewer deaths, more justice, safer streets for all.

• File Res 0090-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

Council members want 500 corridors lit for walkers each year. The bill demands bright sidewalks—no less than 1 footcandle. Most corridors must connect, forming safer, well-lit routes. The measure sits in committee, waiting for action. Darkness remains a threat.

Int 0079-2024, introduced on February 8, 2024, sits 'Laid Over in Committee' with the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The bill, titled 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to installation of pedestrian lighting fixtures,' would require the transportation commissioner to install sidewalk lighting in at least 500 commercial corridors per year, each lit to a minimum of 1 footcandle (11 lux). At least 450 corridors must be contiguous to others with new or existing lighting. Council Member Selvena N. Brooks-Powers leads as primary sponsor, joined by Restler, Krishnan, Bottcher, and many others. The bill aims to cut through the city’s darkness, demanding light for those on foot. It remains stalled in committee, its promise unrealized.

• File Int 0079-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-08

Thousands of cars without plates clog New York streets. City agencies barely act. Drivers dodge tickets and accountability. Council Members Nurse and Abreu demand action. The city shrugs. Plateless cars stay. Vulnerable road users pay the price.

Council Member Shaun Abreu introduced a bill in September 2023 to streamline the Department of Sanitation’s (DSNY) towing of plateless vehicles. The bill remains stalled after DSNY Commissioner Jessica Tisch testified against it, citing operational and legal hurdles. The matter, discussed in the Sanitation Committee led by Council Member Sandy Nurse, highlights a citywide crisis: over 51,000 complaints about plateless cars in 2023, but only 1,821 removals. The article quotes Nurse—'Cars with ghost plates are a risk to public safety'—and Abreu, who calls the city’s inaction a repurposing of public space for dumping. Despite a DSNY/NYPD task force, enforcement remains weak. The city’s failure leaves reckless drivers unaccountable and endangers everyone outside a car.

• No License Plates? No Problem! Scofflaw Drivers Remove Tags Yet Rarely Get Caught, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-01-16

Thousands of cars without plates clog city streets. Enforcement is weak. Only a fraction get towed. Council Member Sandy Nurse calls ghost plates a public safety risk. The city’s response is slow. Vulnerable road users pay the price for inaction.

On January 16, 2024, the City Council held an oversight hearing on traffic enforcement for plateless vehicles. The Sanitation Committee, chaired by Council Member Sandy Nurse (District 37), led the debate. The hearing focused on the city’s failure to remove unregistered, plateless cars. In 2023, over 51,000 complaints were filed, but only 1,821 cars were towed. Nurse said, 'Cars with ghost plates are a risk to public safety.' Council Member Shaun Abreu pushed for a bill to streamline the Department of Sanitation’s towing process, but DSNY Commissioner Jessica Tisch opposed it, citing legal and operational hurdles. The NYPD and DSNY formed a task force, but advocates and councilmembers say it is not enough. The city’s lack of action leaves vulnerable road users exposed to reckless, untraceable drivers.

• No License Plates? No Problem! Scofflaw Drivers Remove Tags Yet Rarely Get Caught, streetsblog.org, Published 2024-01-16

A taxi hit hard on Morningside Drive. Four SUVs crumpled. Metal shrieked. A 44-year-old man burned in the back seat. His chest blistered. He stayed awake. Airbags hung limp. Smoke filled the street.

A violent crash erupted near 50 Morningside Drive in Manhattan. According to the police report, a taxi struck at unsafe speed, colliding with four SUVs. The impact left a 44-year-old male passenger in the taxi with severe chest burns. He remained conscious as airbags deployed and the street filled with smoke. The report lists 'Unsafe Speed' as a contributing factor. No helmet or signal issues are noted. The crash underscores the danger when drivers exceed safe speeds. The man’s injuries came as metal twisted and vehicles piled up. The police report details the chaos: 'A taxi hit fast. Four SUVs crumpled. Metal screamed. A man, 44, burned in the back seat. His chest blistered. He stayed conscious. Airbags hung limp. The street smoked.'

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4688793, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A 76-year-old man crossed Broadway at West 161st. A Dodge sedan, windows dark, sped south. Steel struck flesh. The man fell. His head hit the pavement. Blood pooled. He died there, under the evening sky.

A 76-year-old pedestrian was killed at Broadway and West 161st Street in Manhattan. According to the police report, the man was crossing at the intersection when a southbound Dodge sedan with tinted windows struck him. The report lists 'Tinted Windows' and 'Unsafe Speed' as contributing factors. The impact caused fatal head injuries. The police narrative states, 'He hit the pavement, skull split, blood pooling. He died there, under the evening sky.' The data highlights driver errors: unsafe speed and illegal window tint. The man died at the scene.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4672150, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

Mayor Adams backs taking 150,000 parking spots for garbage containers. He calls it a small price for cleaner streets. The plan shifts trash from sidewalks to bins, clearing paths for pedestrians. Council member Abreu supports the West Harlem pilot. Resistance remains.

On October 11, 2023, Mayor Eric Adams announced support for the Sanitation Department's plan to repurpose 150,000 parking spaces for containerized garbage collection. The policy, unveiled by DSNY, aims to move trash from sidewalks into closed bins, targeting cleaner streets and less sidewalk clutter. The mayor said, 'Everyday New Yorkers are tired of the rodents, they’re tired of the trash, and this is a small price to pay on ensuring that you can have cleaner streets.' Council member Shaun Abreu, representing West Harlem, voiced strong support, citing visible improvements from the local pilot. The plan requires smaller buildings to use wheeled bins on sidewalks, while larger buildings would get shared curbside containers. The city faces pushback from some residents, but Adams insists street cleanliness is a top concern. No formal safety analysis was provided, but the move could clear sidewalks for pedestrians and reduce hazards from trash piles.

• Adams: Eliminating ‘Parking’ for Trash is ‘Small Price to Pay’, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-10-11

A motorcycle slammed into a cyclist on West 133rd Street. The cyclist flew from his bike, smashed face-first, and bled in the road. Both vehicles shattered. The rider had no license. The crash left the cyclist injured and bleeding.

A motorcycle struck a 41-year-old cyclist head-on on West 133rd Street. The cyclist was ejected, landed face-first, and suffered severe bleeding. According to the police report, 'A motorcycle struck a 41-year-old cyclist head-on. He flew from the bike, hit face-first, and lay bleeding in the road. No helmet. The rider was unlicensed. Both machines shattered at the front.' The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as contributing factors. The motorcyclist was unlicensed. The cyclist was not wearing a helmet, as noted in the report, but the primary causes were driver distraction and failure to obey traffic controls.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4671878, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

Council bill Int 1215-2023 orders new signs. Bicycles, e-bikes, and scooters get clear warnings: stay off sidewalks, park paths, and boardwalks. Fines and penalties spelled out. Filed at session’s end. No change yet for street safety.

Int 1215-2023 was introduced in the City Council on October 5, 2023, and referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The bill, titled "A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to the posting of signs notifying operators of bicycles, bicycles with electric assist, and electric scooters of the prohibition against operating such devices on sidewalks, park walkways, and boardwalks, and of related fines and penalties," would require the Department of Transportation and the Department of Parks and Recreation to post signs warning riders of these restrictions and the consequences. Council Member Lincoln Restler led as primary sponsor, joined by Hudson, Hanif, Brewer, Ung, Abreu, Brooks-Powers, Gutiérrez, and Schulman. The bill was filed at the end of session on December 31, 2023. No direct safety analysis was provided. The measure aims for clarity, not infrastructure change.

• File Int 1215-2023, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2023-10-05