Bushwick’s Blood Price: How Many More Must Die Before We Act?

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

An SUV collided with a moped traveling south on Myrtle Avenue. The moped driver, an 18-year-old male wearing a helmet, suffered a shoulder abrasion. Police cited improper lane usage by the SUV as the cause of the crash.

According to the police report, the crash occurred on Myrtle Avenue involving a 2023 SUV traveling east and a moped traveling south. The SUV's left front bumper struck the moped's right front bumper. The moped driver, an 18-year-old male occupant wearing a helmet, sustained an upper arm shoulder abrasion but was conscious and not ejected. The report identifies 'Passing or Lane Usage Improper' as the contributing factor, indicating the SUV driver failed to maintain proper lane discipline. The SUV driver was licensed in New York. No contributing factors were assigned to the moped driver. The collision resulted in vehicle damage to the SUV's left front bumper, while the moped showed no damage.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4729132 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A 38-year-old man was ejected and injured in a Brooklyn collision. The sedan struck him at Myrtle Avenue near Harman Street. He suffered back injuries and was in shock, complaining of pain and nausea. The driver was licensed and entering a parked position.

According to the police report, a 38-year-old male pedestrian was injured and ejected during a collision with a 2011 Ford sedan on Myrtle Avenue near Harman Street in Brooklyn at 18:20. The pedestrian was riding or walking along the highway with traffic at an intersection when the sedan, traveling north and entering a parked position, struck him at the center back end of the vehicle. The pedestrian sustained back injuries and was in shock, complaining of pain and nausea. The driver, a licensed male from New Jersey, was alone in the vehicle. The report lists unspecified contributing factors but does not attribute fault to the pedestrian. The impact and ejection highlight the dangers posed by vehicle maneuvers in busy urban areas.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4731172 - 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

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

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

SUV hit a woman crossing Evergreen Avenue. Driver was distracted. She suffered head abrasions but stayed conscious. The SUV showed no damage. Impact was direct and harsh.

According to the police report, a 46-year-old woman was crossing Evergreen Avenue at an intersection when a northbound 2014 Nissan SUV struck her with its center front end at 3:09 AM. The driver was licensed and alone in the vehicle. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the main cause. The pedestrian suffered head abrasions and remained conscious. No damage was reported to the SUV. The data shows the pedestrian was crossing without a signal or crosswalk, but this was not cited as a contributing factor. The crash underscores the danger of driver distraction to people on foot.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4723742 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

City wants waste haulers to report every crash, injury, and reckless move. The rule targets companies with deadly records. Data will track harm, expose danger, and force accountability. Streets and lives hang in the balance. The city must act.

On May 7, 2024, the Department of Sanitation proposed amendments to the Commercial Waste Zones program. The rule, not yet law, would require all contracted waste haulers to submit detailed crash and driving data twice a year. The matter targets companies like Action Carting, linked to at least five traffic deaths. Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, who led the original reforms as a council member, said, 'Crash data from [commercial waste zone] awardees is good, but crash data from CWZ applicants would have been even better.' The bill aims to end the 'Wild West' of private waste hauling, which killed seven New Yorkers in a single year. The new rules demand real-time telematics, immediate injury reports, and full transparency on crashes. Advocates say the data could help redesign streets and hold dangerous drivers to account. The city must prevent weak enforcement from gutting the law’s promise.

• Waste Reforms Could Require Data on Crashes, Dangerous Driving, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-05-07

A distracted and inexperienced SUV driver struck a 27-year-old e-bike rider traveling south on Starr Street in Brooklyn. The rider suffered an elbow and lower arm injury with minor bleeding. The collision caused shock but no ejection or vehicle damage.

According to the police report, the crash occurred on Starr Street in Brooklyn at 14:56. The collision involved a 2010 SUV traveling south and a southbound e-bike. The e-bike rider, a 27-year-old male, was injured with elbow, lower arm, and hand trauma, experiencing minor bleeding and shock. The report identifies 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Driver Inexperience' as contributing factors for the SUV driver. The SUV struck the e-bike at the center front end, while the e-bike was impacted at the center back end. No vehicle damage was reported. The e-bike rider was not ejected and was wearing no safety equipment. The report focuses on the SUV driver's failure to maintain attention and lack of experience as the cause of the crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4721870 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A distracted SUV driver making a left turn collided with a westbound motorcyclist going straight. The motorcyclist was ejected and suffered abrasions and arm injuries. The crash caused shock and serious injury, highlighting driver inattention dangers.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 1:55 AM on Myrtle Avenue in Brooklyn. A 29-year-old male motorcyclist, wearing a helmet, was traveling westbound when he was struck by a northbound SUV making a left turn. The SUV driver was cited for Driver Inattention/Distraction. The motorcyclist was ejected from his vehicle and sustained abrasions and injuries to his elbow, lower arm, and hand. The motorcyclist was reported to be in shock and suffered injury severity level 3. The SUV's point of impact was the left front bumper, while the motorcycle was hit on its center front end. This collision underscores the systemic danger posed by distracted driving, especially during turning maneuvers.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4720627 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Council orders swift removal of abandoned and unplated cars. Streets clear in 72 hours. Police target vehicles with missing or fake plates. Fewer hazards for those on foot and bike.

Int 0857-2024, now at the Mayor's desk, passed the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on April 18, 2024. The bill states: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code... in relation to vehicles reported as abandoned to the department of sanitation.' Sponsored by Selvena N. Brooks-Powers (primary) and co-sponsored by over a dozen council members, it forces the Department of Sanitation to remove derelict vehicles within 72 hours and empowers NYPD to tow cars with missing or obscured plates or stickers. The law aims to clear street hazards fast, reducing risks for pedestrians and cyclists.

• File Int 0857-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-04-18

A moped driver was ejected and suffered whole-body injuries after colliding with a parked sedan on Stockholm Street in Brooklyn. The sedan was struck on its right side while the moped traveled east. Driver distraction was cited as a factor.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 11:02 PM on Stockholm Street near Irving Avenue in Brooklyn. A moped traveling east collided with a sedan that was parked and then struck on its right side doors. The moped driver, an 18-year-old male occupant, was ejected from his vehicle and sustained injuries to his entire body, including whiplash. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the contributing factor, indicating the sedan driver failed to maintain awareness. The moped driver was not cited with any contributing factors. The sedan had two occupants and suffered damage to its right rear quarter panel. The moped's left front bumper was damaged. The report does not attribute fault to the moped driver or mention any victim behaviors contributing to the crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4718181 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A northbound SUV struck a sedan from behind on Bushwick Avenue. The sedan carried a rear-seat passenger who suffered back injuries and shock. Police cite driver inattention and inexperience as key factors in the collision.

According to the police report, at 8:40 AM on Bushwick Avenue, a 2017 Lincoln SUV traveling north rear-ended a 2020 BMW sedan also heading north. The point of impact was the center back end of the SUV and the center front end of the sedan. The sedan carried a 25-year-old female passenger seated in the middle rear seat, restrained by a lap belt, who sustained back injuries and was in shock following the crash. The report identifies the SUV driver’s inattention and inexperience as contributing factors to the collision. Both drivers were licensed in New York. The crash highlights the dangers posed by distracted and inexperienced drivers in multi-vehicle rear-end collisions.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4713606 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A 25-year-old male motorcyclist was ejected and suffered severe leg injuries on De Kalb Avenue in Brooklyn. The crash involved a vehicle making a left turn. Police cited traffic control disregard as the primary cause of the collision.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 7:40 PM on De Kalb Avenue in Brooklyn. The motorcyclist, a 25-year-old male wearing a helmet, was traveling northbound when a vehicle registered in Mississippi attempted a left turn southbound. The report identifies 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as the contributing factor, indicating a failure to obey traffic signals or signs by the driver of the turning vehicle. The motorcyclist was ejected from his bike and sustained serious injuries to his knee, lower leg, and foot, including fractures and dislocations. The motorcycle driver was conscious but severely injured. No contributing factors related to the victim’s behavior were noted. The collision highlights the dangers posed by drivers disregarding traffic controls, resulting in violent impacts and severe injuries to vulnerable road users.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4713473 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

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 2024-03-27

The city’s commercial waste zone plan crawls forward. Only one Queens zone launches this fall. Nineteen more wait in limbo. Oversight is absent. Haulers with deadly records win contracts. Advocates demand speed, transparency, and real safety for streets choked by trucks.

Council Bill for commercial waste zone reform, passed in 2019, remains stalled. The Department of Sanitation (DSNY) will launch only one zone in central Queens after September 3, 2024. The oversight task force has not met in two years. Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, who authored the law as a Council member, called DSNY’s rollout a 'missed opportunity' for clarity and accountability. Justin Wood of New York Lawyers for the Public Interest warned, 'The system cannot achieve transformational change if it is treated as a limited pilot program.' The city’s goal to cut truck miles falls short of original promises. Action Carting, whose driver killed a cyclist in 2017, secured contracts for 14 zones. Advocates say the lack of outreach, oversight, and clear safety benchmarks leaves vulnerable road users at risk. No safety analyst assessment was provided.

• Commercial Waste Zone Rollout Too Slow and Unclear: Advocates, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-03-26

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 2024-03-20