Blood on the Asphalt, Silence in City Hall

Sep 25 - Two sedans crashed on Castleton Ave at Bement. Both drivers were hurt. A five-year-old passenger was hurt. Police recorded Alcohol Involvement. One driver was unlicensed.

Two eastbound sedans crashed at Castleton Ave and Bement Ave in Staten Island. The driver of a Pennsylvania-registered Nissan sedan, a 31-year-old woman, was injured. The driver of a New Jersey-registered Mercedes sedan, a 58-year-old man, was also injured. A five-year-old passenger riding in the rear seat was hurt. According to the police report, “Alcohol Involvement” was listed as a contributing factor. Police recorded that factor for this crash. Records show the Pennsylvania driver was unlicensed. Impact was to the front of both cars.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4846045 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-10-02

Sep 25 - Three occupants were recorded with unspecified injuries after a Mazda sedan driver hit two parked cars near 700 Victory Blvd at 6:15 a.m. The 22-year-old driver bled from the face and went into shock. Police listed contributing factors as Unspecified.

A northbound 2023 Mazda sedan driver going straight ahead hit two parked vehicles near 700 Victory Blvd in Staten Island at 6:15 a.m. Police recorded damage to the Mazda’s front and to the rear of a parked sedan and a parked SUV. According to the police report, the 22-year-old male driver suffered a face injury with minor bleeding and was in shock. Three additional occupants were recorded with unspecified injuries. According to the police report, contributing factors were listed as Unspecified. No driver errors were identified in the data beyond that notation.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4844928 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-10-02

Sep 21 - A sedan driver and a westbound motorcyclist collided on Forest Avenue at Broadway in Staten Island. The rider and his passenger were ejected and hurt. Police recorded unsafe speed.

Two people on a motorcycle were injured when a driver in a sedan and a westbound motorcyclist collided on Forest Avenue at Broadway in Staten Island. According to the police report, “Unsafe Speed” was a contributing factor. The crash ejected the 19-year-old rider and his 19-year-old passenger and left them injured. Police records show the sedan driver was traveling east and the motorcyclist was traveling west while passing before impact. No pedestrians were reported hurt.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4844313 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-10-02

Sep 21 - A driver in a Lexus SUV hit a Toyota sedan’s rear on Victory Blvd at Silver Lake Park Rd. Two passengers, 15 and 21, were injured. The 23-year-old sedan driver was hurt. Police recorded Passing or Lane Usage Improper.

On Victory Blvd at Silver Lake Park Rd in Staten Island, a driver in a Lexus SUV hit the rear of a northbound Toyota sedan. The 15-year-old and 21-year-old passengers were injured. The 23-year-old sedan driver was also injured. Two parked SUVs were damaged. According to the police report, the contributing factor was "Passing or Lane Usage Improper," and the Lexus SUV was listed as "Passing" while the Toyota sedan was "Going Straight Ahead." The report also recorded "Center Front End" damage to the Lexus and "Center Back End" damage to the Toyota.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4844686 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-10-02

Sep 20 - Two sedans collided at Castleton and Bement on Staten Island. A front passenger and a driver were hurt. Police listed no clear cause.

The driver of a northbound Honda sedan and the driver of an eastbound Acura sedan collided at Castleton Ave and Bement Ave in Staten Island. A 25-year-old male driver reported head pain and shock. A 20-year-old male front passenger reported neck pain and shock. "According to the police report, both drivers were going straight ahead and contributing factors were recorded as 'Unspecified'." No pedestrian or cyclist was listed among the injured.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4843854 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-10-02

Sep 8 - On Forest Ave at Metropolitan, a pickup driver hit the back of a westbound bus. Eight passengers were hurt; teens and a 71-year-old woman among them. Police recorded Following Too Closely.

According to the police report, a westbound pickup driver rear-ended a westbound bus on Forest Avenue near Metropolitan Avenue in Staten Island. The crash injured eight bus passengers and a 64-year-old driver. Injured passengers include several teenagers and a 71-year-old woman with a head injury; others reported neck and back injuries, including whiplash. Police recorded Following Too Closely by the pickup driver. The bus had damage to the center back end; the pickup had front-end damage, consistent with a rear impact. No pedestrians or cyclists were listed.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4841268 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-10-02

Sep 5 - On Broadway at Delafield in Staten Island, a sedan driver hit a taxi's side. A front passenger suffered a head injury. A 27-year-old driver hurt his chest. Police recorded "Driver Inattention/Distraction."

On Broadway at Delafield Ave in Staten Island at about 3:28 p.m., the driver of a sedan hit a taxi's left-side doors. A front-seat passenger, 27, sustained a head injury and complained of whiplash. A 27-year-old driver suffered a chest injury and was reported semiconscious. According to the police report, contributing factors included "Driver Inattention/Distraction." The sedan showed center-front damage, and the taxi had damage to the left-side doors. Vehicles were identified as a 2018 Kia sedan and a 2011 Toyota taxi. No other injuries were specified.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4841247 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-10-02

Sep 5 - City will install center-running bus lanes on Flatbush Avenue from Livingston St. to Grand Army Plaza this fall. Lanes move buses to the center, calm traffic, add median refuges, and tighten crossings — improving safety for pedestrians and transit riders.

Bill number: none. Status: DOT announcement; installation slated for fall 2025. Committee: none recorded. The matter is titled: "City to install center-running bus lane on Flatbush Avenue this fall." Brooklyn Paper reported the Sept. 5, 2025 announcement. No council sponsors are listed. Assembly member Charles Fall backed the safety-boosting plan. Adam Daly issued the release. DOT plans center-running lanes from Livingston Street to Grand Army Plaza. Safety analysts say center-running bus lanes can calm traffic, reduce turning and curb conflicts, encourage transit mode shift, and add median refuges that improve crossings. Cyclist gains are smaller without protected bike lanes, but overall safety for pedestrians and transit riders should improve.

• City to install center-running bus lane on Flatbush Avenue this fall, Brooklyn Paper, Published 2025-09-05

Sep 3 - Two drivers collided during a left turn at Cebra and Catlin on Staten Island. A 26-year-old driver suffered a shoulder injury and whiplash. Police cited "Brakes Defective" and "Driver Inexperience." Routine corner. Sudden harm.

Two drivers collided during a left turn at Cebra Avenue and Catlin Avenue on Staten Island. The 26-year-old male driver of a 2015 Chrysler, traveling east and turning left, was injured with a shoulder and upper-arm injury and whiplash. The 21-year-old female driver of a 2012 Honda, traveling south and going straight, had no reported injuries. According to the police report, contributing factors included "Brakes Defective" and "Driver Inexperience." Police recorded driver inexperience for both drivers and listed a brake defect in the crash record.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4841246 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-10-02

Aug 21 - Two Toyotas met at Broadway and East Raleigh. A left turn crossed a northbound line. Metal hit doors. Neck pain followed. Three people hurt. Staten Island felt the jolt.

Two sedans collided at Broadway and East Raleigh Avenue on Staten Island. A southbound Toyota making a left turn was struck by a northbound Toyota going straight. Three occupants were injured: a 67-year-old woman driver and her 63-year-old passenger reported neck pain, and an 80-year-old male driver reported whole-body pain. According to the police report, the turning vehicle was “Making Left Turn” and the through vehicle was “Going Straight Ahead.” The right-side damage to the turning car and front-end damage to the through car point to a turn across oncoming traffic. The data lists contributing factors as “Unspecified,” but the pattern indicates classic left-turn conflict. No pedestrian or cyclist injuries were reported.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4839070 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-10-02

Aug 19 - The MTA plans to raise subway and bus fares to $3. Riders called the move greedy and unfair. Commuters at a public hearing said service still fails — flooding, delays and turnstile evasion persist while the agency seeks more revenue.

Proposal: MTA fare increase (no bill number listed). Status: sponsorship stage; not a City Council bill. Reported Aug. 19, 2025. Key dates: proposed fare change to take effect Jan. 4, 2026; board vote expected in fall 2025. The article ran under the title "NYC straphangers fume over 'greedy' MTA's latest fare hike proposal." Mayor Eric Adams urged MTA board appointees to vote no. Commuters testified about flooding, daily delays and turnstile evasion. No committee is named. The proposal also includes toll and commuter-rail rate hikes. No safety impact analysis or note was provided.

• NYC straphangers fume over ‘greedy’ MTA’s latest fare hike proposal: ‘Your entire plan is bulls–t’, nypost.com, Published 2025-08-19

Aug 18 - A sedan turned left from Forest Ave at Bement Ave and hit a northbound motorcycle. The 33-year-old rider suffered a leg fracture and was injured. Police recorded Failure to Yield Right-of-Way and Passing or Lane Usage Improper by the drivers.

A Ford sedan turned left from Forest Ave onto Bement Ave and struck a northbound Yamaha motorcycle. The motorcyclist, a 33-year-old man, suffered a leg injury described as a fracture and was treated as injured. According to the police report, contributing factors were "Failure to Yield Right-of-Way" and "Passing or Lane Usage Improper." Police recorded failure to yield by the driver of the sedan. The report also codes failure to yield for the motorcyclist. The sedan's center-front struck the motorcycle's center front, with front-end damage to both vehicles. No ejection is listed.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4836636 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-10-02

Aug 18 - A westbound sedan slammed its front end near 519 Forest Ave. The driver was distracted, police say. A 26-year-old woman driver was hurt in the crash. Metal buckled. Sirens followed. Another occupant was listed with unspecified injury.

A westbound Toyota sedan going straight struck something with its right front bumper near 519 Forest Ave in Staten Island, injuring the 26-year-old woman driving and leaving another occupant with an unspecified injury. According to the police report, the contributing factor was “Driver Inattention/Distraction.” The report lists driver inattention and distraction for both the vehicle and the involved persons. The damage was centered on the front end, indicating a forceful impact. These findings point to driver error as the central cause. No other contributing factors were cited in the data.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4836044 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-10-02

Aug 9 - The Coney Island casino's EIS predicts thousands more cars, gridlocked roads, and crushed parking. Pedestrians and cyclists face higher exposure and danger.

Bill number: none. Status: Environmental Impact Statement filed Aug. 9, 2025. Committee: Community Advisory Committee (CAC); CAC met July 30. The EIS states: 'Proposed Coney Island casino would likely clog local roads with heavy traffic and overwhelm public parking.' Justin L. Brannan is noted for introducing a ferry-feasibility bill last fall. CAC member Marissa Solomon said mitigation measures likely won’t be enough. Assemblyman Charles Fall criticized risks to pedestrians. Developers offered transit incentives. Safety analysts warn the casino is projected to dramatically increase motor vehicle traffic and parking demand, worsening congestion and exposure risk for pedestrians and cyclists; mitigation focuses on flow, not street safety, and leaves vulnerable road users bearing the burden.

• Proposed Coney Island casino could bring heavy traffic, overwhelm parking, according to environmental impact study, Brooklyn Paper, Published 2025-08-09

Aug 8 - Concrete barriers will ring the Manhattan Bridge footpath. Two lanes will be narrowed. DOT will seek to cut the approach speed from 35 to 20 mph after a July 19 crash that killed a cyclist and a pedestrian. A Canal Street redesign is being fast-tracked.

Action: DOT announcement on 2025-08-08. No bill number or council committee. Matter quoted: "Friday’s Headlines: Fixing Canal Street Edition." DOT will install concrete barriers, narrow two travel lanes, and propose reducing the Manhattan Bridge approach speed from 35 to 20 mph (subject to a 60-day public comment period). The changes follow a July 19 crash that killed a cyclist and a pedestrian. No council member sponsored or voted; Assembly member Charles Fall publicly backed the speed reduction. The installation of concrete barriers, lane narrowing, and a proposed speed limit reduction are proven measures that reduce vehicle speeds and protect vulnerable road users, improving pedestrian and cyclist safety.

• Friday’s Headlines: Fixing Canal Street Edition, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-08-08

Aug 7 - A Streetsblog analysis urges U.S. cities to borrow Canadian enforcement: speed cameras, anti‑distraction laws, stronger seat‑belt rules. Study ties those laws to fewer deaths. Equity, policing, and lack of infrastructure constrain benefits for pedestrians and cyclists.

""The United States is really falling behind in terms of improving crash safety outcomes on roads for, drivers, vulnerable road users all road users, really,"" -- Charles Fall

No bill number. Status: policy proposal published Aug 7, 2025 in Streetsblog NYC. Committee: none. Key date: Aug 7, 2025. The piece is titled "Northern Disclosure: Canada’s Road Laws Could Help U.S. Lives." Author Kea Wilson frames a study saying thousands of U.S. lives might have been saved with more Canadian‑style enforcement. Assembly member Charles Fall is mentioned as considering those strategies; there is no vote or sponsorship recorded. Experts quoted include Rebecca Weast. Safety analysts note: Canadian‑style enforcement correlates with lower deaths, but equity concerns, risks of over‑policing, and missing infrastructure limit population‑level gains for pedestrians and cyclists; enforcement alone won’t shift modes.

• Northern Disclosure: Canada’s Road Laws Could Help Save U.S. Lives, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-08-07

Jul 22 - E-bike slammed center front on Broadway. Two riders, both hurt in the head. Blood on the street. Distraction and confusion marked the crash. Staten Island night, sharp and unforgiving.

Two people riding an e-bike were injured in a crash at 221 Broadway, Staten Island. Both suffered head injuries—one with severe lacerations, the other with abrasions. According to the police report, 'Pedestrian/Bicyclist/Other Pedestrian Error/Confusion' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' contributed to the collision. The e-bike struck with its center front end. No safety equipment was reported. The crash left both the driver and passenger conscious but wounded.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4829670 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-10-02

Jul 17 - Mayor Adams stalled Third Avenue’s redesign. He once called it urgent. Now, cyclists and walkers face the same deadly street. Cars dominate. Promises break. Blood stains linger.

On July 17, 2025, Mayor Eric Adams delayed Brooklyn’s Third Avenue safety redesign. The project, once 'at the top of our list,' now sits idle. Streetsblog NYC reported the mayor’s reversal. No council vote or committee action is recorded. Adams’s move keeps pedestrians and cyclists exposed to known hazards. A safety analyst notes: Delaying redesign postpones critical improvements, keeps dangers in place, and discourages walking and biking. The city’s inaction leaves Third Avenue deadly for all outside a car.

• Fixing Third Ave. Was Once ‘Top of List’ For Eric Adams — But as Mayor He Backed Off, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-07-17

Jul 16 - Ex-Commissioner Tom Donlon says Adams insiders fueled deadly NYPD chases. Cyclists, kids, and bystanders paid. Streets turned chaotic. Policy ignored. Trust shattered. Vulnerable road users left exposed.

""The NYPD is led by the best, brightest and most honorable professionals in the nation — and their results speak for themselves: crime continues to fall across the city, with shootings at the lowest level in recorded history. We will respond in court, where we are confident these absurd claims will be disproven."" -- Charles Fall

On July 16, 2025, former NYPD Commissioner Tom Donlon filed a civil racketeering suit, alleging 'deadly and unconstitutional high-speed vehicle chases' under Mayor Adams. The complaint, reported by Streetsblog NYC, claims the NYPD's Community Response Team operated as a rogue unit, answerable only to City Hall, with Deputy Mayor Kaz Daughtry allowing reckless pursuits. Donlon cites deaths and injuries, including cyclist Amanda Servedio. The suit alleges 398 crashes and 315 injuries in 2024—a 47% jump. Donlon's allegations highlight how high-speed chases increase risk to pedestrians and cyclists, introducing unpredictable, dangerous driving and eroding public trust in safe, equitable enforcement. No council bill or committee action is tied to this event.

• Former NYPD Boss Says Deadly High Speed Chases Were Result Of ‘Rogue’ Adams Insiders, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-07-16

Jul 14 - Council bill lets ambulettes drive and double-park in bus lanes. More vehicles in bus lanes mean more risk for people walking, biking, and waiting at curbs. Danger grows where curb chaos reigns.

Bill Int 1339-2025 sits with the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure since July 14, 2025. The bill, titled 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code...exempting ambulettes from certain bus lane restrictions and allowing them to double park to assist passengers,' would let ambulettes drive, stop, and double-park in bus lanes to help passengers. Council Member Julie Menin sponsors, joined by Linda Lee, Frank Morano, Eric Dinowitz, Lynn C. Schulman, Kamillah Hanks, Carlina Rivera, and Chris Banks. Allowing more vehicles to double-park and block bus lanes increases risk for pedestrians and cyclists at the curb. The city’s most vulnerable will face more conflict and less safe space.

• File Int 1339-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-07-14