Three Dead, Hundreds Hurt—City Lets Blood Spill on Jackson Avenue

• Motorcyclist killed in multiple collisions on Long Island Expressway, NYPD says, Gothamist, Published 2025-09-26

• Woman killed after being pinned under car while crossing Queens intersection, ABC7, Published 2025-09-21

• Female construction worker killed on Queens job site, hit-and-run driver arrested, NY Daily News, Published 2025-09-20

• Man struck and killed by two vehicles while trying to cross Belt Parkway in South Ozone Park: NYPD, amny, Published 2025-09-16

• Suspect in deadly DWI crash sexually harassed teen before intentionally striking her with SUV, Queens DA says, CBS New York, Published 2025-09-15

• 16-year-old girl struck and killed in Queens, CBS New York, Published 2025-09-13

Aug 29 - A pickup swung right on Borden Avenue and struck a westbound motorcycle at 27th Street. The rider went down. He was injured. The truck kept its sheet metal; the man wore a helmet. Distraction was cited. Queens pavement took the blow.

A pickup truck turning right on Borden Avenue at 27th Street hit a westbound motorcycle. The motorcyclist was injured with a leg abrasion; the truck driver was unhurt. According to the police report, the contributing factor was “Driver Inattention/Distraction.” That points to a driver who failed to see and yielded the lane to a through rider. The report lists the truck making a right turn and the motorcycle going straight. After the driver error, the report notes the motorcyclist wore a helmet. No pedestrians were struck. The scene sits in the 108th Precinct in Queens.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4838351 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-10-02

• Zohran Mamdani vows to rescue street redesign DA says Adams adviser sidelined for bribes, Gothamist, Published 2025-08-25

Aug 13 - A westbound sedan on the Long Island Expressway suffered a tire failure and crashed. A 33-year-old rear passenger suffered an abrasion and lower-leg pain. The driver was not reported injured.

The driver of a 2019 Cadillac sedan was traveling west on the Long Island Expressway when the vehicle experienced a tire failure and crashed. One left rear passenger, a 33-year-old man, was injured with an abrasion and knee/lower-leg pain; the driver was not reported injured. According to the police report, the contributing factor was "Tire Failure/Inadequate." The report notes pre-crash travel as going straight ahead and lists point of impact and damage at the center front end. The driver held a valid NY license. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved. The passenger was reported wearing a lap belt and harness.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4835026 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-10-02

Aug 12 - A car tore through an Astoria intersection. It struck a food truck. Two men died on the sidewalk. The driver died too. Metal, flesh, coffee, blood. The street swallowed them. It happened fast. No one stood a chance.

According to the New York Post (2025-08-12), an 84-year-old driver sped through 42nd Street and 19th Avenue in Astoria, Queens, crashing into a food truck and killing two customers and himself. Surveillance showed the car "going about 60 miles an hour" before impact. The article quotes a witness: "Someone screamed really loudly, and I just had stepped back, like right up to the sidewalk." The force severed a victim's foot. The crash highlights the lethal risk when drivers lose control at high speed in pedestrian zones. No charges were filed; the driver died at the scene.

• Speeding Car Slams Food Truck, Kills Two, New York Post, Published 2025-08-12

Aug 11 - Astoria shopkeepers fight a protected bike lane on 31st Street. They claim city plans threaten their business and public safety. The lawsuit lands in Queens Supreme Court. The city faces pushback, progress stalls.

NY1 reported on August 11, 2025, that over a dozen Astoria business owners filed suit to block a protected bike lane on 31st Street. The petition, lodged in Queens Supreme Court, claims the redesign from 36th Avenue to Newton Avenue would 'hurt their day-to-day operations and jeopardize public safety.' Owners accuse the city of acting in an 'arbitrary and capricious' way, moving forward despite objections. The case highlights ongoing tension between street safety projects and local business concerns. The outcome could shape future protected bike lane installations citywide.

• Astoria Businesses Sue Over Bike Lane, NY1, Published 2025-08-11

Aug 8 - DOT will install protected bike lanes and traffic calming on 31st Street in Astoria. Business owners sued to stop it. The corridor has 190 injuries, 12 severe, 2 deaths since 2020. DOT vows to defend the redesign.

"DOT Stands By Astoria Safety Project Despite Foes’ Anti-Bike Lawsuit." No bill number; not before the City Council or any committee. DOT reaffirmed the redesign on August 8, 2025 after business owners sued following a heated June community board meeting. The plan adds protected bike lanes on both sides of 31st Street and painted pedestrian islands. DOT spokesman Will Livingston said, "We stand firmly behind this project and will defend our work in court." Council Member Tiffany Caban, Sen. Kristen Gonzalez, and Assembly Member Jessica González-Rojas signed a letter supporting the project in June. Implementing protected bike lanes and traffic calming measures is proven to reduce injuries for all road users, encourage mode shift, and improve street equity in this high-crash corridor.

• DOT Stands By Astoria Safety Project Despite Foes’ Anti-Bike Lawsuit, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-08-08

Aug 8 - DOT leans on a costly report and pro-car politicians to stall universal daylighting. Corners stay parked. Visibility stays poor. Pedestrians and cyclists lose a proven, system‑wide safety measure while parking is put first.

"Critics, including Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla and Council Member Julie Won, argue the report is flawed and that daylighting is a proven, low-cost safety measure" -- Julie Won

Bill: universal daylighting (no bill number listed). Status: stalled amid DOT opposition despite broad Council support. Committee: not listed. Key date: August 8, 2025 (Streetsblog NYC report). Matter title quoted: "We Told You So! DOT’s Anti-Daylighting 'Scare Tactic' Now Fuels Pro-Car Pols." DOT released a report claiming $3 billion in costs and 300,000 lost parking spots. Council Members Inna Vernikov, Bob Holden and Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella cited the report and opposed the measure. Council Member Julie Won and Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla called the report flawed; Won asked, "It isn’t unreasonable to invest under $10k to save the lives of children and all pedestrians with daylighting?" Safety analyst: DOT's opposition undermines a proven, system-wide safety measure for pedestrians and cyclists, prioritizing parking over vulnerable road user safety and risking mode shift and equitable street access.

• We Told You So! DOT’s Anti-Daylighting ‘Scare Tactic’ Now Fuels Pro-Car Pols, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-08-08

Aug 5 - Driver going straight hit two people outside an intersection by 2 Court Sq. Both suffered leg injuries; the woman had a fracture. Police recorded driver inattention. A parked sedan was involved.

A driver going straight hit two pedestrians outside an intersection near 2 Court Sq in Queens. The victims were a 46-year-old woman and a 19-year-old man. Both were conscious. Both suffered leg injuries; the woman had a fracture. According to the police report, “Driver Inattention/Distraction” was listed as a contributing factor. The crash involved two sedans. One sedan was parked and showed rear damage. The moving sedan had no listed damage. Police recorded driver inattention. No injuries were reported to vehicle occupants.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4833055 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-10-02

Aug 5 - Police car struck at Beach 35th and Rockaway. Three hurt. Sirens cut through Edgemere. Cause unknown. Streets stained. Investigation begins.

CBS New York reported on August 5, 2025, that an NYPD cruiser crashed at Beach 35th Street and Rockaway Freeway in Edgemere, Queens. Three people were injured. The article states, 'Police are now trying to determine the cause of the crash.' No details on driver actions or contributing factors were released. The incident highlights risks at busy intersections and the need for thorough investigation when emergency vehicles are involved.

• NYPD Cruiser Crash Injures Three In Queens, CBS New York, Published 2025-08-05

Aug 3 - Council weighs a 20-foot parking ban at crosswalks. Supporters say it saves lives. Critics warn of lost parking and risk. Streets stand at a crossroads.

""Universal daylighting and hardening at intersections will keep all New Yorkers safe whether they are driving, walking or biking,"" -- Julie Won

Intro. 1138, now before the City Council as of August 3, 2025, targets cars parked within 20 feet of crosswalks. The transportation committee leads the review. The bill's summary: 'ban vehicles from parking within 20 feet of crosswalks to improve visibility and street safety.' Council Member Barbara Russo-Lennon supports the measure. Council Member Julie Won and advocates back it. DOT officials and some lawmakers oppose, citing cost and risk. The bill could cut 300,000 parking spots. Banning parking near intersections improves visibility for all road users, reducing collisions and making streets safer for pedestrians and cyclists, even if it reduces parking.

• NYC to lose 300,000 parking spots in City Council bid to boost street safety, AMNY, Published 2025-08-03

Aug 1 - A car struck and killed a 23-year-old man in Ozone Park. The driver fled, then turned himself in. Police say the crash followed a heated confrontation. The victim died at Jamaica Hospital.

ABC7 reported on August 1, 2025, that a 23-year-old man died after being hit by a car at 101st Avenue and Liberty Boulevard in Queens. Police said the incident followed a domestic dispute. The driver, who was the woman's current boyfriend, told police the victim approached his car "while flashing what appeared to be a gun" and was struck as the driver tried to leave. The driver later went to the police. No charges had been filed as of publication, with the district attorney still reviewing the case. The crash highlights the lethal risk when vehicles are used during conflicts.

• Man Killed By Car In Queens Dispute, ABC7, Published 2025-08-01

Jul 31 - Water rose fast. Cars stranded. People climbed roofs to escape. Rescue teams pulled them out. Rain hammered Queens. The road drowned, then cleared. Danger came quick. Relief came late.

ABC7 reported on July 31, 2025, that flash flooding trapped drivers on the Clearview Expressway in Queens. Video showed people perched atop cars, waiting for rescue. A witness described, "10 feet deep, people sitting on top of cars, 6 or 7." Mayor Eric Adams declared a localized State of Emergency. The flooding left vehicles stranded and forced emergency response. The article highlights the risk of sudden, severe weather overwhelming city infrastructure, stranding vulnerable road users in harm’s way.

• Flash Flood Traps Cars On Expressway, ABC7, Published 2025-07-31

Jul 30 - Council moves to ban parking near corners. Sightlines clear. Crashes drop. Pedestrians and cyclists breathe easier. DOT doubts linger. Advocates press on. Streets could change fast.

"Won criticized the report as "deeply flawed" at a Transportation Committee hearing in April." -- Julie Won

On July 30, 2025, the NYC Council Progressive Caucus made a major push for Intro 1138, a bill to ban parking within 20 feet of intersections. The measure sits with the Transportation Committee. Council Member Julie Won introduced it after deadly crashes in her district. Eighteen caucus members back the bill, aiming to force a vote this year. The matter: 'eliminate parking within 20 feet of an intersection.' Council Member Sandy Nurse called daylighting 'a proven, effective way to make our streets safer.' DOT raised doubts about non-hardened daylighting, but safety analysts say restricting parking near intersections improves visibility, reduces collisions, and protects people on foot and bike.

• NYC Council Progressive Caucus to make push for universal daylighting in 2025, City & State NY, Published 2025-07-30

Jul 25 - A BMW sedan hit a woman and child crossing Jackson Ave. Both suffered head injuries. Police cite driver inattention and failure to yield. The street stayed open. The danger stayed real.

A BMW sedan traveling west on Jackson Ave struck a 25-year-old woman and a 4-year-old girl as they crossed at the intersection with 49 Ave. Both pedestrians suffered head injuries; the woman had minor bleeding, the child abrasions. According to the police report, driver inattention and failure to yield right-of-way contributed to the crash. The driver was licensed and wore a seatbelt. No injuries were reported among vehicle occupants. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as contributing factors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4830278 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-10-02