Forest Park Bleeds While City Hall Sleeps

• 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 14 - Int 1362 repeals the definitions of “protected bicycle lane” and “protected bus lane” and strips explicit benchmarks for protected lanes from the streets master plan. It preserves signal and pedestrian targets but weakens commitments to physical protection, threatening safety and equity.

Bill Int 1362-2025. Status: Sponsorship, introduced Aug 14, 2025. Referred to Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The measure, titled "A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to removing benchmarks for bus lanes and bicycle lanes from the streets master plan and repealing certain definitions in relation thereto," repeals the definitions of "protected bicycle lane" and "protected bus lane" and removes related benchmarks in the master plan (master plan dates referenced include Dec. 1, 2021 and Dec. 1, 2026). Primary sponsor: Robert F. Holden. Co-sponsors: Inna Vernikov, Joann Ariola, Chris Banks, Vickie Paladino. Safety analysts warn: "Removing explicit benchmarks and definitions for protected bus and bicycle lanes weakens commitments to physically protected infrastructure... likely reducing mode shift to walking and cycling and worsening equity and safety-in-numbers; the retained measures focus on signals and pedestrian amenities but do not replace the protective effect of designated protected lanes."

• File Int 1362-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-08-14

Aug 14 - Int 1362 strips definitions for protected bus and bike lanes and removes benchmarks from the streets master plan. It guts measurable targets. Safe space for pedestrians and cyclists is at risk. The city could slow needed separated infrastructure.

Bill: Int. No. 1362 (Int 1362-2025). Status: SPONSORSHIP. Committee: Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Event date: 2025-08-14. The matter reads: "A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to removing benchmarks for bus lanes and bicycle lanes from the streets master plan and repealing certain definitions in relation thereto." Council Member Robert F. Holden is the primary sponsor. Joann Ariola and Vickie Paladino are co-sponsors. The draft repeals the definitions of "protected bicycle lane" and "protected bus lane" and removes explicit benchmarks tied to transit signal priority, bus stop upgrades, accessible pedestrian signals and intersection redesigns. Removing those benchmarks weakens commitments to high‑quality separated infrastructure and measurable mode‑shift targets, likely slowing deployment of safe space for pedestrians and cyclists and undermining equitable street redesigns.

• File Int 1362-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-08-14

Aug 14 - Int. No. 1362 strips city definitions and benchmarks for protected bicycle lanes and protected bus lanes. It removes targets and accountability. The change will slow deployment of separated bike and bus infrastructure and erode safety and equity for pedestrians and cyclists.

Int. No. 1362 (filed Aug. 14, 2025; stage: SPONSORSHIP) was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The matter is titled "A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to removing benchmarks for bus lanes and bicycle lanes and repealing certain definitions in relation thereto." Council Member Robert F. Holden is the primary sponsor. Co-sponsors are Vickie Paladino, Joann Ariola, and Inna Vernikov. The bill repeals the definitions of "protected bicycle lane" and "protected bus lane" and removes benchmark requirements from the streets master plan. Safety analysts note that removing explicit benchmarks and definitions weakens accountability for building separated cycling and bus infrastructure, likely decreasing street equity and safety-in-numbers for pedestrians and cyclists.

• File Int 1362-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-08-14

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 9 - The driver of a 2025 Honda sedan struck the rear of a 2010 Toyota SUV on Jackie Robinson Parkway. A 32-year-old woman driver suffered whole-body injuries; her airbag deployed. Police recorded 'Reaction to Uninvolved Vehicle' as the contributing factor.

The driver of a 2025 Honda sedan hit the center rear of a 2010 Toyota SUV while both traveled eastbound on Jackie Robinson Parkway. The sedan driver, a 32-year-old woman, suffered injuries to her entire body and complained of crush injuries; her air bag deployed. Three people occupied the SUV; others were listed with unspecified injuries. According to the police report, the contributing factors were 'Reaction to Uninvolved Vehicle.' Police recorded the sedan's center front end striking the SUV's center back end. The report lists driver reaction to an uninvolved vehicle as the recorded error. No pedestrian or cyclist was reported.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4834654 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-10-02

Aug 7 - City scales back Creedmoor plan. Density cut 27%. The car-free model dies. Walkers and cyclists lose safety and 'safety in numbers'. Local pols beat back bold urban design. Streets stay hostile. The chance for a people-first, low-car neighborhood vanishes.

Bill number: none — this is a policy statement, not legislation. Status: announced August 7, 2025; no committee review. Matter quoted: "NYC Could Have Its First Car-Free Neighborhood (But Won’t Get It Due To Revanchist Pols)." Eastern Queens Greenway condemned the decision to downscale the Creedmoor redevelopment from 2,775 units by 27 percent. Assembly Member Ed Braunstein and Council Member Joann Ariola opposed higher density and pressed the rollback. Empire State Development framed the change as a compromise. Safety impact: the cut reduces potential mode shift, walkability, and "safety in numbers" for pedestrians and cyclists, preserving car dependence and dangerous streets.

• NYC Could Have Its First Car-Free Neighborhood (But Won’t Get It Due To Revanchist Pols), Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-08-07

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 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 28 - A driver turning left struck a southbound Honda SUV on Woodhaven Boulevard at Myrtle Avenue in Queens. A 19-year-old driver suffered abrasions and remained conscious. Police recorded failure to yield by the driver.

According to the police report, a northbound Mercedes SUV making a left turn collided with a southbound Honda SUV going straight at Woodhaven Boulevard and Myrtle Avenue in Queens. One driver, a 19-year-old male in the Honda, sustained abrasions to his entire body, was conscious, and was not ejected. The Honda showed center front end damage; the Mercedes was struck on its right-side doors. Police recorded failure to yield by the driver as a contributing factor. The injured driver was restrained with a lap belt. No pedestrians or cyclists were reported hurt.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4831820 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-10-02

Jul 8 - A 15-year-old boy fell from a 7 train at Queensboro Plaza. He landed on the tracks. Medics rushed him to Bellevue. He died. The city mourns another young life lost to the subway’s hard edge.

According to amny (July 8, 2025), Carlos Oliver, 15, died after falling from atop a 7 train at Queensboro Plaza. Police found him on the tracks around 2:45 a.m. and he was pronounced dead at Bellevue Hospital. The article quotes NYC Transit President Demetrius Crichlow: “This was as avoidable as it is tragic.” The MTA has updated its “Ride Inside, Stay Alive” campaign, broadcasting warnings every 10 to 15 minutes along the 7 line. The incident highlights ongoing risks in the subway system and the need for effective deterrence and safety measures.

• Teen Dies Falling From 7 Train, amny, Published 2025-07-08

Jul 7 - BMW hit divider, flew across highway, struck two cars. Fire followed. Two young lives ended. Others hurt. Concrete, speed, and steel left scars in Queens dawn.

NY Daily News (2025-07-07) reports a BMW crashed into a concrete divider on Queens' Belt Parkway, then vaulted over the highway, hitting two vehicles. The BMW caught fire. Driver Noah Thompson, 24, and passenger Jewel Perez, 22, died after hospital transport. Three other BMW passengers and two other drivers survived with minor or stable injuries. Police noted, "No one in the BMW was wearing a seat belt." Authorities sought a warrant to test the driver's blood for alcohol. The crash highlights high-speed risks and the dangers of divided highways.

• BMW Crash Kills Two on Belt Parkway, NY Daily News, Published 2025-07-07

Jul 5 - BMW slammed divider, sparked fire. Metal twisted. Six hurt. Two critical. Parkway shut. Concrete and speed met flesh and steel. No one walked away unchanged.

ABC7 reported on July 5, 2025, that a white BMW "failed to navigate the roadway and struck the concrete divider" on the Belt Parkway near Cross Bay Boulevard. The crash set off a chain reaction, hitting two westbound cars. Six people were injured, two critically. All vehicles stayed at the scene. The report highlights driver error—failure to control the car—as a key factor. The crash closed all westbound lanes, underscoring the risk of high-speed parkways and the need for robust safety measures.

• BMW Hits Divider, Six Hurt On Parkway, ABC7, Published 2025-07-05