Blood on Graham Avenue—How Many More Will Die Before City Hall Acts?

Lawmakers back speed cameras near Kingston schools. Cameras catch drivers who speed. The bill passed both chambers. It sunsets in 2029. Children and families walk safer, but the fix is temporary.

Senate Bill S 8607, titled 'Establishes a school speed zone camera demonstration program in the city of Kingston,' passed the Senate on June 6, 2024, and the Assembly on June 7, 2024. The bill, sponsored by Senator Michelle Hinchey, creates a camera program to catch speeding drivers near schools. The program ends December 31, 2029. The measure saw broad support in both chambers, but some lawmakers voted no. The bill aims to protect children and families on foot near schools, but its impact will end unless renewed. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File S 8607, Open States, Published 2024-06-06

Council calls for five mile per hour speed limit on Open Streets. Streets slow. Danger drops. Pedestrians and cyclists get space. Resolution adopted. Albany must act.

Res 0079-2024, adopted by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on June 6, 2024, urges Albany to let New York City set a five mile per hour speed limit on Open Streets. The resolution states: "authorize New York City to set a five mile per hour speed limit on streets participating in the Open Streets program." Council Member Shahana K. Hanif led as primary sponsor, joined by Amanda Farías, Crystal Hudson, Julie Won, and Carlina Rivera. The measure passed committee and full council on June 6. The bill aims to cut speed and risk where people walk, bike, and gather. The council's push now waits for state lawmakers and the governor.

• File Res 0079-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-06-06

Council calls for five mile per hour speed limit on Open Streets. Streets slow. Danger drops. Pedestrians and cyclists get space. Resolution adopted. Albany must act.

Res 0079-2024, adopted by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on June 6, 2024, urges Albany to let New York City set a five mile per hour speed limit on Open Streets. The resolution states: "authorize New York City to set a five mile per hour speed limit on streets participating in the Open Streets program." Council Member Shahana K. Hanif led as primary sponsor, joined by Amanda Farías, Crystal Hudson, Julie Won, and Carlina Rivera. The measure passed committee and full council on June 6. The bill aims to cut speed and risk where people walk, bike, and gather. The council's push now waits for state lawmakers and the governor.

• File Res 0079-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-06-06

Council calls for five mile per hour speed limit on Open Streets. Streets slow. Danger drops. Pedestrians and cyclists get space. Resolution adopted. Albany must act.

Res 0079-2024, adopted by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on June 6, 2024, urges Albany to let New York City set a five mile per hour speed limit on Open Streets. The resolution states: "authorize New York City to set a five mile per hour speed limit on streets participating in the Open Streets program." Council Member Shahana K. Hanif led as primary sponsor, joined by Amanda Farías, Crystal Hudson, Julie Won, and Carlina Rivera. The measure passed committee and full council on June 6. The bill aims to cut speed and risk where people walk, bike, and gather. The council's push now waits for state lawmakers and the governor.

• File Res 0079-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-06-06

Council calls for five mile per hour speed limit on Open Streets. Streets slow. Danger drops. Pedestrians and cyclists get space. Resolution adopted. Albany must act.

Res 0079-2024, adopted by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on June 6, 2024, urges Albany to let New York City set a five mile per hour speed limit on Open Streets. The resolution states: "authorize New York City to set a five mile per hour speed limit on streets participating in the Open Streets program." Council Member Shahana K. Hanif led as primary sponsor, joined by Amanda Farías, Crystal Hudson, Julie Won, and Carlina Rivera. The measure passed committee and full council on June 6. The bill aims to cut speed and risk where people walk, bike, and gather. The council's push now waits for state lawmakers and the governor.

• File Res 0079-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-06-06

Council calls for five mile per hour speed limit on Open Streets. Streets slow. Danger drops. Pedestrians and cyclists get space. Resolution adopted. Albany must act.

Res 0079-2024, adopted by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on June 6, 2024, urges Albany to let New York City set a five mile per hour speed limit on Open Streets. The resolution states: "authorize New York City to set a five mile per hour speed limit on streets participating in the Open Streets program." Council Member Shahana K. Hanif led as primary sponsor, joined by Amanda Farías, Crystal Hudson, Julie Won, and Carlina Rivera. The measure passed committee and full council on June 6. The bill aims to cut speed and risk where people walk, bike, and gather. The council's push now waits for state lawmakers and the governor.

• File Res 0079-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-06-06

Lawmakers back speed cameras near Kingston schools. Cameras catch drivers who speed. The bill passed both chambers. It sunsets in 2029. Children and families walk safer, but the fix is temporary.

Senate Bill S 8607, titled 'Establishes a school speed zone camera demonstration program in the city of Kingston,' passed the Senate on June 6, 2024, and the Assembly on June 7, 2024. The bill, sponsored by Senator Michelle Hinchey, creates a camera program to catch speeding drivers near schools. The program ends December 31, 2029. The measure saw broad support in both chambers, but some lawmakers voted no. The bill aims to protect children and families on foot near schools, but its impact will end unless renewed. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File S 8607, Open States, Published 2024-06-06

Lawmakers back speed cameras near Kingston schools. Cameras catch drivers who speed. The bill passed both chambers. It sunsets in 2029. Children and families walk safer, but the fix is temporary.

Senate Bill S 8607, titled 'Establishes a school speed zone camera demonstration program in the city of Kingston,' passed the Senate on June 6, 2024, and the Assembly on June 7, 2024. The bill, sponsored by Senator Michelle Hinchey, creates a camera program to catch speeding drivers near schools. The program ends December 31, 2029. The measure saw broad support in both chambers, but some lawmakers voted no. The bill aims to protect children and families on foot near schools, but its impact will end unless renewed. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File S 8607, Open States, Published 2024-06-06

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

Senate backs S 9718. Bill orders safe street design for all. Cyclists, walkers, and riders get new protections. Some senators vote no. The car’s grip loosens, but danger remains.

Senate bill S 9718, titled 'Enables safe access to public roads for all users by utilizing complete street design principles,' passed committee votes on May 28 and June 3, 2024. Primary sponsor Sean Ryan, with co-sponsors Liz Krueger, Monica Martinez, Jack M. Martins, Anthony H. Palumbo, and Julia Salazar, pushed the measure. The bill mandates street designs that protect everyone, not just drivers. Most senators voted yes, but a block of no votes showed resistance. The bill’s language centers vulnerable users. It marks a shift: streets must serve people, not just cars.

• File S 9718, Open States, Published 2024-06-03

A Vespa and Ford SUV collided head-on on Morgan Avenue. The rider, helmet split, was thrown to the pavement, blood pooling beneath him. He remained conscious, bleeding from the head, while the SUV showed no damage.

According to the police report, a Vespa and a Ford SUV collided head-on during a right turn on Morgan Avenue near Meserole Street in Brooklyn. The report states the Vespa rider, age 31, was ejected from his motorcycle, his helmet split, and he suffered severe head bleeding but remained conscious at the scene. The crash occurred at 14:44. The police report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor in the collision. Both vehicles were making right turns when the impact occurred, with the Vespa striking the right front quarter panel of the SUV. The SUV sustained no damage, while the Vespa was damaged at the center front end. The report does not cite any victim behavior as a contributing factor, focusing instead on driver inattention as the primary cause.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4729324 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A motorcycle changing lanes struck a northbound bicyclist on Lorimer Street, Brooklyn. The bicyclist was ejected, suffering abdominal and pelvic injuries and abrasions. Police cited driver inattention and following too closely as key factors in the crash.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 10:28 on Lorimer Street in Brooklyn. A motorcycle traveling south was changing lanes when it collided head-on with a northbound bicyclist. The bicyclist, a 44-year-old woman wearing a helmet, was ejected and sustained serious injuries to her abdomen and pelvis, along with abrasions. The report identifies the motorcycle driver's inattention and distraction as primary contributing factors, along with following too closely. The motorcycle showed no damage, while the bicycle sustained damage to its center front end. The report highlights driver errors—specifically failure to maintain attention and unsafe lane changes—as central to the crash, without attributing fault to the bicyclist.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4730641 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Senate backs S 9718. Bill orders safe street design for all. Cyclists, walkers, and riders get new protections. Some senators vote no. The car’s grip loosens, but danger remains.

Senate bill S 9718, titled 'Enables safe access to public roads for all users by utilizing complete street design principles,' passed committee votes on May 28 and June 3, 2024. Primary sponsor Sean Ryan, with co-sponsors Liz Krueger, Monica Martinez, Jack M. Martins, Anthony H. Palumbo, and Julia Salazar, pushed the measure. The bill mandates street designs that protect everyone, not just drivers. Most senators voted yes, but a block of no votes showed resistance. The bill’s language centers vulnerable users. It marks a shift: streets must serve people, not just cars.

• File S 9718, Open States, Published 2024-05-28

Senate backs S 9718. Bill orders safe street design for all. Cyclists, walkers, and riders get new protections. Some senators vote no. The car’s grip loosens, but danger remains.

Senate bill S 9718, titled 'Enables safe access to public roads for all users by utilizing complete street design principles,' passed committee votes on May 28 and June 3, 2024. Primary sponsor Sean Ryan, with co-sponsors Liz Krueger, Monica Martinez, Jack M. Martins, Anthony H. Palumbo, and Julia Salazar, pushed the measure. The bill mandates street designs that protect everyone, not just drivers. Most senators voted yes, but a block of no votes showed resistance. The bill’s language centers vulnerable users. It marks a shift: streets must serve people, not just cars.

• File S 9718, Open States, Published 2024-05-28

A sedan making a U-turn rear-ended a motorscooter traveling east on Grand Street in Brooklyn. The motorscooter driver, a 21-year-old man, suffered knee and lower leg abrasions. Police cited the sedan driver’s failure to maintain safe distance as the cause.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 20:20 on Grand Street in Brooklyn. A sedan, driven by a licensed male driver, was making a U-turn when it collided with the center front end of a motorscooter traveling east. The motorscooter driver, a 21-year-old male with a permit license, was injured with abrasions to his knee and lower leg but was conscious and not ejected. The report identifies "Following Too Closely" as the contributing factor, indicating the sedan driver failed to maintain a safe distance during the maneuver. The motorscooter driver was wearing a helmet, but no victim behaviors were cited as contributing factors. The sedan sustained damage to its left side doors, confirming the point of impact. This crash highlights driver error in close-quarters vehicle maneuvers.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4729325 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A rear-end collision on Metropolitan Avenue in Brooklyn injured a 69-year-old front passenger. The SUV driver followed too closely and was inattentive. The passenger suffered chest injuries and whiplash, restrained by a lap belt and harness.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 7:40 AM on Metropolitan Avenue in Brooklyn. A Station Wagon/SUV traveling west struck the rear of a sedan also traveling west. The impact was centered on the back end of the sedan and the front end of the SUV. The report cites 'Following Too Closely' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as contributing factors attributed to the SUV driver. A 69-year-old female front passenger in the SUV was injured, sustaining chest injuries and whiplash. She was not ejected and was restrained by a lap belt and harness. The collision involved multiple vehicles traveling straight ahead, with the SUV striking the sedan from behind. The report does not list any contributing factors related to the passenger’s behavior.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4728090 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Three vehicles collided in a chain-reaction crash on the Brooklyn Queens Expressway. A 64-year-old front-seat passenger suffered neck injuries and shock. The crash involved rear-end impacts and was caused by a driver following too closely.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 12:15 on the Brooklyn Queens Expressway involving three vehicles traveling westbound. The collision sequence began with a station wagon/SUV striking the center back end of a sedan, which then impacted the center back end of another SUV. The report cites 'Following Too Closely' as the contributing factor, indicating driver error in maintaining safe distance. A 64-year-old female front passenger in the sedan sustained neck injuries and was in shock, reporting pain and nausea. She was restrained with a lap belt and harness and was not ejected. The report explicitly identifies driver failure to maintain proper following distance as the cause, with no contributing victim behaviors noted.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4727445 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Council moves to light up step streets. At least 25 stairways each year will get new lamps. Dark paths become visible. Pedestrians gain ground. Shadows shrink. Danger loses its cover.

Int 0875-2024 sits in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure after introduction on May 16, 2024. The bill reads: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to requiring the installation of pedestrian lighting on step streets.' Prime sponsor Joann Ariola, joined by sixteen co-sponsors, pushes for at least 25 step streets to be lit each year until all are covered. Step streets are open-air staircases linking streets at different heights. The bill aims to strip darkness from these paths, making them safer for people on foot. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File Int 0875-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-05-16

Queens lawmakers demand more express buses before the $15 congestion toll hits. They say MTA left Queens behind. Riders in transit deserts face long, costly trips. Lawmakers call the exclusion unacceptable. They want fair service before new fees begin.

On May 16, 2024, ten Queens lawmakers, including Julia Salazar (District 18), urged the MTA to expand express bus service to Queens before the $15 Manhattan congestion toll starts. The group wrote to MTA chairman Janno Lieber, stating, "Express buses play a vital role in Queens’ public transit network and only stand to become even more pivotal in the near and distant future." They criticized the MTA for boosting express bus service in Brooklyn and Staten Island but not Queens, calling the exclusion "unacceptable." The lawmakers stressed that many southeast and northeast Queens residents lack subway access and rely on express buses to reach Midtown. They argued the 10 percent LIRR discount is no substitute for robust bus service. Salazar and her colleagues support congestion pricing but insist its success depends on expanded, equitable transit for all vulnerable riders.

• Queens lawmakers demand more MTA bus service to Manhattan before $15 congestion toll begins, nypost.com, Published 2024-05-16

A sedan and box truck crashed head-on in Brooklyn. The sedan driver suffered neck injuries. Police cite driver distraction for both. No pedestrians or cyclists involved.

According to the police report, a 2014 Kia sedan and a 2024 Mack box truck collided at 951 Grand Street in Brooklyn at 9:50 AM. The impact struck the left front bumpers of both vehicles. The sedan driver, a 43-year-old man, was injured with neck trauma and whiplash. He was conscious and wearing a harness. Police list 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor for both drivers. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved. The sedan was damaged; the truck was not. The report does not mention any other injuries.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4724746 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04