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

Council bill orders speed humps on roads beside parks over one acre. DOT can skip spots if safety or rules demand. Law aims to slow cars where families walk, run, and play.

Int 0262-2024 sits with the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure after introduction on February 28, 2024. The bill reads: “requiring the installation of speed humps on roadways adjacent to any park equal or greater than one acre.” Lincoln Restler leads as primary sponsor, joined by eighteen co-sponsors. The Department of Transportation must install speed humps unless the commissioner finds a risk to safety or a conflict with DOT guidelines. The law would take effect 180 days after passage. The measure targets streets where parks meet traffic, aiming to slow cars and shield people outside vehicles.

• File Int 0262-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

Council urges Albany to pass SAFE Streets Act. Lower speed limits. Rights for crash victims. Safe passing for cyclists. Complete streets. City demands action as deaths rise. Streets remain deadly. Lawmakers must act.

Resolution 0090-2024 sits in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Introduced February 28, 2024, it calls on the state to pass S.2422 ('Sammy’s Law') and A.1901, part of the SAFE Streets Act. The matter title: 'Resolution calling on the New York State Legislature to pass, and the Governor to sign, S.2422... allowing New York city to establish a lower speed limit, and A.1901, enacting a crash victims bill of rights.' Council Member Shahana K. Hanif leads, joined by Gutiérrez, Hudson, Nurse, and others. The resolution demands lower speed limits, crash victim rights, safe passing for cyclists, and complete street design. It cites rising traffic deaths and the failure of current measures. The Council wants Albany to give the city real power to protect people on its streets.

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

Council passed a law forcing taxis and for-hire cars to post bold warnings on doors. The signs tell passengers: look for cyclists before you open up. A small step. The city hands out the decals. No cost to drivers.

Int 0193-2024 became law on May 31, 2025, after action by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The bill, titled 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code...requiring taxis and for-hire vehicles to display a decal warning passengers to look for cyclists when opening the door,' was sponsored by Lincoln Restler and co-sponsored by over twenty council members, including Gutiérrez, Hudson, and Rivera. The law mandates clear warning decals on all rear passenger doors of taxis and for-hire vehicles. The Taxi and Limousine Commission will provide the signs at no cost. The measure aims to cut down on 'dooring'—a threat to cyclists citywide. The mayor returned the bill unsigned, but it became law.

• File Int 0193-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

Council wants DOT to study how street design can keep commercial trucks out of residential blocks. The bill sits in committee. Streets should shelter people, not heavy traffic.

Int 0114-2024, now in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, was introduced on February 28, 2024. The bill orders the Department of Transportation to report on 'the utility and feasibility of using street design as a means to limit or reduce the use by commercial vehicles of streets in residential neighborhoods.' Jennifer Gutiérrez leads as primary sponsor, joined by Avilés, the Public Advocate, and others. The bill was referred to committee on the day of introduction. It demands a clear look at how design can push trucks off streets where people walk, bike, and live.

• File Int 0114-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

Brooklyn officials push to evict judges’ cars from Columbus Park. Four designs scrap the parking lot, add green space, playgrounds, and a skatepark. Streets may get bike lanes, wider sidewalks, and bus lanes. No timeline yet. The park could finally belong to people.

On February 28, 2024, Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso and Council Member Lincoln Restler, with business leaders, unveiled proposals to remove the judicial parking lot at Columbus Park. The plan, discussed at a community meeting, would replace the lot with public amenities—open greenery, playgrounds, a skatepark, and restrooms. Architects from WXY presented four designs, all eliminating the judges’ parking. The proposal also calls for safer streets: protected bike lanes on Adams Street, expanded sidewalks, narrowed roads, bus lanes, and possible pedestrianization of Johnson Street. Council Member Restler declared, 'Parks should be for people, not for parking.' Residents voiced support, calling the lot a 'vestige of another era.' The officials will gather more public feedback before submitting a formal proposal. No timeline has been set.

• Parking or Parkland? Brooklyn Judges Could Lose their Perk, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-02-28

Council calls for five mile per hour speed limit on Open Streets. The move aims to slow cars where people walk, bike, and gather. Resolution adopted. Streets may breathe easier. Danger may shrink.

Resolution 0079-2024, adopted June 6, 2024 by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, urges Albany to let New York City set a five mile per hour speed limit on Open Streets. The matter title reads: '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 Council's action follows rising traffic deaths and growing use of Open Streets. The bill targets streets where people walk, bike, and gather, aiming to cut speed and risk for all vulnerable users.

• File Res 0079-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

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 2024-02-28

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 2024-02-28

Senate bill S 8658 orders $90 million for faster, more reliable buses and fare-free rides. Sponsors push MTA to act. Riders wait for relief. Streets choke on traffic. The city holds its breath.

Senate bill S 8658, introduced on February 27, 2024, sits in the sponsorship stage. The bill, titled 'get congestion pricing right act,' directs the MTA to spend $45 million to boost bus frequency and reliability, and another $45 million to expand fare-free bus pilots in New York City. Senators Michael Gianaris (primary sponsor), Jabari Brisport, Brad Hoylman-Sigal, and Julia Salazar back the measure. The bill demands reporting on these investments. No safety analyst has yet assessed its impact on vulnerable road users.

• File S 8658, Open States, Published 2024-02-27

A sedan changing lanes struck its own right side, injuring the front passenger. The 28-year-old woman suffered head trauma and whiplash but remained conscious. The crash exposed dangers in lane changes on the Brooklyn Queens Expressway at dawn.

According to the police report, a 2013 BMW sedan traveling west on the Brooklyn Queens Expressway was involved in a crash at 3:30 a.m. The driver, a licensed male from New York, was changing lanes when the vehicle sustained damage to the right rear bumper and right side doors. The front passenger, a 28-year-old woman, was injured with head trauma and whiplash but was conscious and wearing a lap belt and harness. The report lists no specific contributing factors beyond the lane change maneuver. The incident highlights risks associated with lane changes on high-speed roadways. No pedestrian or cyclist was involved, and no victim behaviors were cited as contributing factors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4705175 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-06

Senate passes S 2714. Bill pushes complete street design. Aim: safer roads for all. Pedestrians, cyclists, and riders get space. Car dominance challenged. Lawmakers move to cut street carnage.

Senate bill S 2714, titled 'Enables safe access to public roads for all users by utilizing complete street design principles,' advanced through committee and passed several Senate votes, most recently on March 27, 2024. Sponsored by Timothy M. Kennedy with support from Jake Ashby, Jamaal Bailey, and others, the bill mandates street designs that protect everyone—not just drivers. The measure saw strong support but faced opposition from some senators. By requiring complete street principles, S 2714 aims to reduce danger for pedestrians, cyclists, and transit users. The bill marks a shift away from car-first planning, forcing cities to build streets for people, not just traffic.

• File S 2714, Open States, Published 2024-02-13

A distracted SUV traveling west struck a 66-year-old woman outside an intersection in Brooklyn. The pedestrian suffered head injuries and was semiconscious with complaints of pain and nausea. The vehicle’s left front quarter panel bore the impact.

According to the police report, a Station Wagon/SUV traveling west on Manhattan Avenue in Brooklyn struck a 66-year-old female pedestrian who was not in the roadway nor at an intersection. The impact occurred on the vehicle's left front quarter panel, causing head injuries to the pedestrian. She was semiconscious and complained of pain and nausea at the scene. The report explicitly cites 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the contributing factor to the crash. No other contributing factors related to the pedestrian were noted. The vehicle was going straight ahead at the time of impact. This incident highlights the dangers posed by driver distraction in urban environments, particularly to vulnerable pedestrians outside crosswalks.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4701844 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-06

Council bill targets cars blocking bike lanes, bus lanes, sidewalks, and hydrants near schools. Civilian complaints trigger fines. Streets clear, danger cut. Council moves to protect the vulnerable.

Int 0080-2024 sits in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Introduced February 8, 2024, the bill creates a $175 penalty for vehicles blocking bike lanes, bus lanes, sidewalks, crosswalks, or hydrants within 2,640 feet of schools. The Department of Transportation must set up a civilian reporting program. If a civilian complaint leads to a fine, the complainant gets 25 percent of proceeds. The bill’s matter title: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code... in relation to hazardous obstruction by vehicles and civilian complaints.' Council Member Carlina Rivera leads, joined by Restler, Ayala, Joseph, Menin, and others. The bill aims to keep paths clear for those most at risk.

• File Int 0080-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-08

Council moves to force brighter sidewalks. Bill orders 500 corridors lit each year. Shadows shrink. Pedestrians gain ground. Committee holds the bill. Streets wait.

Int 0079-2024, now laid over in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, was introduced on February 8, 2024. The bill demands the city install pedestrian lighting in at least 500 commercial corridors per year, aiming for a minimum of 1 footcandle (11 lux) on every sidewalk. The matter title reads: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to installation of pedestrian lighting fixtures.' Council Member Selvena N. Brooks-Powers leads as primary sponsor, joined by Restler, Krishnan, Bottcher, and others. The committee has not yet voted. The bill’s text sets clear targets for coverage and contiguity, but action is stalled. Vulnerable road users remain in the dark until the city acts.

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

Two SUVs collided at 2:45 AM on Johnson Avenue, Brooklyn. The driver of one vehicle suffered chest injuries and shock. Police cited traffic control disregard and failure to yield right-of-way as contributing factors in the crash.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 2:45 AM on Johnson Avenue near Stewart Avenue in Brooklyn. Two station wagons/SUVs traveling west and north collided, impacting the right front bumper of one vehicle and the left front bumper of the other. The 32-year-old male driver of one SUV was injured, sustaining chest injuries and shock, and reported complaints of pain or nausea. The report explicitly cites 'Traffic Control Disregarded' and 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as contributing factors to the collision. Both drivers were licensed in New York. The report does not attribute any fault or contributing factors to the injured driver beyond these driver errors. Vehicle damage was noted on the front quarters of both SUVs, confirming the point of impact. No pedestrian or cyclist was involved.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4699998 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-06

A van changing lanes unsafely struck the left front bumper of an SUV traveling west on the Brooklyn Queens Expressway. The SUV driver, a 53-year-old man, suffered knee and lower leg injuries but remained conscious and restrained by a lap belt and harness.

According to the police report, the crash occurred on the Brooklyn Queens Expressway at 11:10. A van traveling west was changing lanes when it impacted the right front quarter panel of the van and the left front bumper of the SUV. The contributing factor cited was "Unsafe Lane Changing" by the van driver. The SUV driver, a 53-year-old male occupant, was injured with knee, lower leg, and foot trauma but was not ejected and remained conscious. He was restrained by a lap belt and harness. The report does not list any contributing factors related to the SUV driver or any pedestrian involvement. The collision highlights the dangers posed by improper lane changes on high-speed roadways.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4699483 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-06

Five years after passage, the city’s commercial waste overhaul crawls forward. Only one zone starts in 2024. Fewer trucks, fewer miles, but delays keep danger rolling. Streets still wait for safer rigs. Cyclists and pedestrians remain exposed.

Bill creating the Commercial Waste Zone program, sponsored by Antonio Reynoso, passed in 2019 after deadly crashes involving private haulers. The Department of Sanitation (DSNY) announced on January 31, 2024, that only one of twenty zones—Jackson Heights, Corona, Elmhurst—will launch this year. The law aims to cut truck miles in half, add backup cameras, GPS, and safety training. DSNY spokesperson Joshua Goodman said contracts target safety and worker protections. Reynoso urged ongoing oversight, saying, 'It is important that DSNY continuously reassess implementation and course correct as needed.' Yet, delays persist, especially on installing guard rails to prevent pedestrians and cyclists from being swept under trucks. Justin Wood of NYLPI voiced concern over the slow rollout. The program promises fewer trucks and safer streets, but for now, most neighborhoods wait.

• Long-Delayed Business Waste Program to Start Later This Year, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-01-31

Senate passes S 6808. The bill creates first responder safety zones. It sets speed limits in these zones. Lawmakers act after crashes and close calls. The vote is strong. The danger is real. The streets demand change.

Senate bill S 6808, titled 'Relates to establishing first responder safety zones and setting speed limits in such safety zones,' moved through committee and passed multiple Senate votes between May 2023 and March 2024. Primary sponsor John Mannion led the push, joined by Joseph P. Addabbo Jr., Iwen Chu, and Pamela Helming. The bill aims to carve out protected zones for first responders and lower speed limits in those areas. The measure passed with broad support, reflecting urgency after repeated crashes near emergency scenes. The bill’s text and votes show lawmakers responding to the deadly toll of reckless driving near first responders. Vulnerable road users—pedestrians, passengers, and responders—stand in harm’s way. The bill targets that risk.

• File S 6808, Open States, Published 2024-01-30

A sedan struck a parked box truck on Johnson Avenue. The sedan driver suffered a fractured upper arm. Police cite driver inattention and unsafe speed. The truck was stationary. Metal crumpled. Pain followed.

According to the police report, a westbound sedan hit the left rear bumper of a parked box truck on Johnson Avenue in Brooklyn at 2:00 a.m. The 30-year-old male sedan driver suffered a fractured, distorted, and dislocated upper arm. He was conscious and not ejected. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Unsafe Speed' as contributing factors. The box truck was stationary before impact and sustained damage to its left rear quarter panel. The sedan's front end was crushed. The crash resulted directly from the driver's distraction and excessive speed.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4698501 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-06

A taxi and FDNY ambulance collided during left turns on Bushwick Avenue in Brooklyn. The taxi driver suffered neck injuries and shock. Police cited driver inattention and other vehicular factors as causes. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 19:10 on Bushwick Avenue in Brooklyn. Both vehicles, a taxi and an FDNY ambulance, were making left turns when the collision happened. The taxi was struck on the right side doors, sustaining damage there, while the ambulance impacted with its right front bumper but showed no damage. The taxi driver, a 48-year-old male occupant, was injured with neck pain and reported shock. He was restrained by a lap belt and harness and was not ejected. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Other Vehicular' as contributing factors, indicating driver errors on one or both vehicles. No pedestrian or cyclist involvement or victim behaviors were noted. The focus remains on driver errors and systemic vehicular risks in this collision.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4698103 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-06