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

A taxi and an SUV crashed on Wyckoff Avenue in Brooklyn. The SUV driver, a 24-year-old man, suffered head injuries and whiplash. The collision involved disregard of traffic control. Both vehicles sustained front-end damage.

According to the police report, a taxi traveling west and an SUV traveling south collided on Wyckoff Avenue in Brooklyn. The SUV driver, a 24-year-old male occupant, was injured with head trauma and whiplash but was conscious and restrained by a lap belt. The report lists 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as a contributing factor to the crash. The taxi's point of impact was the center front end, while the SUV was struck on the left front quarter panel. No ejections occurred. The driver errors involved failure to obey traffic controls, leading to the collision. No other contributing factors such as helmet use or signaling were noted.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4626144 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-07

A driver killed Katherine Harris on Atlantic Avenue. Politicians demand mid-block crossings, daylighted intersections, and curb extensions. They call the street a speedway. They blame city inaction. They vow to push for changes. The city promises only to study.

On May 1, 2023, after the death of Katherine Harris, Brooklyn Heights Council Member Lincoln Restler and State Senator Andrew Gounardes called for urgent safety fixes on Atlantic Avenue. At a rally, Restler said, "It is wrong how deadly this strip is." The officials demand mid-block crossings, daylighted intersections, raised crosswalks, curb extensions, and safer pedestrian space near BQE ramps. Borough President Antonio Reynoso criticized city resistance to reallocating street space, saying, "They drag their feet because they don’t want to do the inevitable." The Department of Transportation has agreed only to study new crosswalks. The bill is not yet formal legislation but marks a push for action after years of delay. No safety analyst assessment is available.

• In Wake of Death, Pols Want Mid-Block Crossings, Safer Atlantic Ave., Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-05-01

A 23-year-old male bicyclist struck a parked SUV on De Kalb Avenue. The bike hit the SUV’s left rear bumper. The rider suffered facial abrasions but remained conscious. Alcohol was involved in the crash. No helmet was worn.

According to the police report, a 23-year-old male bicyclist traveling west on De Kalb Avenue collided with a parked 2016 Dodge SUV. The bike struck the SUV’s left rear bumper, causing damage to both vehicles. The bicyclist sustained facial abrasions and was conscious at the scene. The report lists alcohol involvement as a contributing factor. The driver of the SUV was not present in the vehicle at the time. No specific driver errors such as failure to yield or speeding were noted in the data. The bicyclist was not wearing a helmet. The crash highlights the dangers posed by parked vehicles and alcohol-related impairment in Brooklyn.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4624887 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-07

A 34-year-old male e-bike rider was injured on Bushwick Avenue. The crash involved a collision on the right and left side doors of two vehicles traveling south. The rider suffered bruises and contusions to his lower arm and hand.

According to the police report, a 34-year-old male bicyclist riding an e-bike was injured in a crash on Bushwick Avenue. The collision occurred when the e-bike and another unspecified vehicle, both traveling south, made contact on their side doors. The bicyclist sustained contusions and bruises to his elbow, lower arm, and hand. The report lists "Passing Too Closely" as a contributing factor to the crash. The rider was not ejected and was conscious after the incident. No safety equipment was noted. The crash highlights the dangers of close passing in shared road spaces.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4626300 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-07

Two sedans collided on Cypress Avenue after midnight. Two young male passengers suffered back injuries and whiplash. Police cite alcohol and driver distraction. Both victims were conscious and restrained.

According to the police report, two sedans crashed on Cypress Avenue at 12:38 a.m. The impact struck the front quarter panels of both vehicles. Two 22-year-old male passengers were injured, each suffering back injuries and whiplash. Both were conscious and wore lap belts and harnesses. The police report lists alcohol involvement and driver inattention or distraction as contributing factors. One sedan was parked before the crash, while the other was moving straight ahead. No pedestrians were involved.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4618642 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-07

A 26-year-old male bicyclist was injured on Harman Street in Brooklyn. The crash involved a vehicle turning improperly. The cyclist suffered back injuries and was in shock. The impact damaged the bike's left front quarter panel.

According to the police report, a 26-year-old male bicyclist was injured in a crash on Harman Street near Myrtle Avenue in Brooklyn. The collision involved a vehicle turning improperly, which was identified as a contributing factor. The bicyclist was not ejected but suffered back injuries and was in shock. The bike was traveling east going straight ahead when it was struck on the right front bumper, causing damage to the left front quarter panel. The other vehicle was starting from parking and impacted the bike's left front bumper. The report lists 'Turning Improperly' as the driver error. No helmet or signaling factors were noted. The bicyclist was the sole occupant of the bike and was not visibly complaining of injury at the scene.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4618650 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-07

Brooklyn’s Age-Friendly Task Force released ten sharp recommendations. The focus: safer sidewalks, better bus driver training, and more housing for older adults. Council Member Crystal Hudson backed the push. The plan aims to cut danger for Brooklyn’s aging population.

On March 27, 2023, the Age-Friendly Brooklyn Task Force released ten policy recommendations to make Brooklyn safer and more inclusive for its 352,000 residents aged 65 and older. The initiative, supported by Council Member Crystal Hudson, Chair of the City Council Committee on Aging, and Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, narrows 33 ideas to ten urgent actions. The report calls to 'ensure safe, clean, well-maintained sidewalks with well-lit intersections,' and to 'provide training to MTA bus drivers on working with older riders and riders with disabilities.' Hudson stated, 'We have to do all we can to ensure that our communities are responsive to the needs of our aging population.' The recommendations target housing, transportation, and public safety, aiming to reduce risks for older pedestrians and transit users.

• BP’s Age-Friendly Task Force releases 10 recommendations for an age-inclusive Brooklyn, brooklynpaper.com, Published 2023-03-27

Senate passes S 4647. Bill hikes penalties for endangering highway workers. It funds more enforcement. It pushes work zone safety awareness. Lawmakers move to protect workers from reckless drivers.

Senate bill S 4647, titled "Increases penalties for endangerment of a highway worker, promotes work zone safety awareness, and establishes a fund for additional work zone safety enforcement," advanced through committee on April 15, 2024. Sponsored by Timothy M. Kennedy, with Joseph P. Addabbo Jr., Pamela Helming, Mario Mattera, Robert Rolison, and James Skoufis as co-sponsors, the bill passed multiple Senate votes. The measure targets drivers who endanger highway workers, boosts safety awareness, and funds enforcement. The bill aims to curb driver recklessness in work zones, where danger is high and impact is deadly.

• File S 4647, Open States, Published 2023-03-21

Senate backs S 775. The bill defines the ignition interlock monitor’s job. It forces offenders to install devices and obey court orders. Lawmakers act to keep repeat drunk drivers off the street.

Senate bill S 775, titled "Relates to the responsibilities of an ignition interlock monitor," passed committee votes on February 1, March 21, and May 16, 2023. The bill describes the monitor’s role and mandates compliance for those ordered to install ignition interlock devices. Primary sponsor Jeremy Cooney (District 56) led, joined by Nathalia Fernandez, Monica Martinez, and Shelley Mayer. The measure saw broad support, with senators voting yes across multiple sessions. The law aims to keep drivers with violations from endangering others by enforcing strict compliance with court-ordered ignition interlocks.

• File S 775, Open States, Published 2023-03-21

Senate backs S 775. The bill defines the ignition interlock monitor’s job. It forces offenders to install devices and obey court orders. Lawmakers act to keep repeat drunk drivers off the street.

Senate bill S 775, titled "Relates to the responsibilities of an ignition interlock monitor," passed committee votes on February 1, March 21, and May 16, 2023. The bill describes the monitor’s role and mandates compliance for those ordered to install ignition interlock devices. Primary sponsor Jeremy Cooney (District 56) led, joined by Nathalia Fernandez, Monica Martinez, and Shelley Mayer. The measure saw broad support, with senators voting yes across multiple sessions. The law aims to keep drivers with violations from endangering others by enforcing strict compliance with court-ordered ignition interlocks.

• File S 775, Open States, Published 2023-03-21

City Hall floats three-lane BQE. Electeds push back. Two lanes, they say, or fewer. Advocates want transit, not more highway. Officials call City Hall’s claims false. The fight is sharp. Vulnerable road users watch as cars and trucks rule the debate.

On March 3, 2023, City Hall reignited debate over the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE) lane count. Deputy Mayor Meera Joshi claimed some locals want three lanes each way, but 17 elected officials, including State Sen. Julia Salazar, Sen. Andrew Gounardes, Assemblymember Emily Gallagher, and Council Member Lincoln Restler, publicly rejected the idea. Salazar said, 'no to three lanes. Two lanes at most.' Gounardes confirmed, 'all support a two-lane highway.' Gallagher wrote, '2 lanes if any.' Restler called City Hall’s statements 'plainly inaccurate.' The Department of Transportation delayed environmental review to study both options. Advocates and officials urge investment in mass transit, not highway expansion. Vulnerable road users remain at risk as the city weighs more lanes for cars and trucks.

• City Hall: We Hear that People Want to Keep Three-Lane BQE (Really?!), Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-03-03

Senate passes S 4647. Bill hikes penalties for endangering highway workers. It funds more enforcement. It pushes work zone safety awareness. Lawmakers move to protect workers from reckless drivers.

Senate bill S 4647, titled "Increases penalties for endangerment of a highway worker, promotes work zone safety awareness, and establishes a fund for additional work zone safety enforcement," advanced through committee on April 15, 2024. Sponsored by Timothy M. Kennedy, with Joseph P. Addabbo Jr., Pamela Helming, Mario Mattera, Robert Rolison, and James Skoufis as co-sponsors, the bill passed multiple Senate votes. The measure targets drivers who endanger highway workers, boosts safety awareness, and funds enforcement. The bill aims to curb driver recklessness in work zones, where danger is high and impact is deadly.

• File S 4647, Open States, Published 2023-02-28

Council grilled DSNY for dragging its feet on commercial waste zone reform. Delays keep rogue haulers on the street. Reckless driving and deaths persist. Members pressed for urgency. DSNY offered shifting timelines. The city’s most vulnerable remain at risk.

On February 23, 2023, the City Council held an oversight hearing on the delayed rollout of commercial waste zone reform, first mandated by law in 2019. The Department of Sanitation (DSNY) admitted the overhaul would not start until late 2024, with citywide coverage years away. The matter, described as a fix for a 'free-for-all system that led to reckless driving and fatalities,' remains stalled. Council Members Lincoln Restler and Julie Menin pressed DSNY Commissioner Jessica Tisch on the slow pace and shifting deadlines. Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, who introduced the original legislation, stressed the need for clear guidance. StreetsPAC’s Eric McClure highlighted the deadly consequences of delay. DSNY opposes a bill from Council Member Sandy Nurse to create a working group to address these setbacks. The ongoing delay leaves vulnerable road users exposed to dangerous private carting trucks.

• Council to DSNY Commish: Move Faster on Rogue Carting Biz, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-02-23

City delays overhaul of commercial trash pickup. Streets stay dangerous. Trucks keep killing. Councilmember Restler slams the slow pace. Brooklyn Borough President Reynoso demands worker safety. The pilot starts late 2024. Full reform waits. Lives hang in the balance.

Bill 2019, the commercial waste zone reform, faces another setback. The Department of Sanitation announced on February 22, 2023, that the citywide overhaul will not begin until late 2024, with a pilot program in one zone. The reform, first set under Mayor de Blasio, aims to fix inefficiency, worker mistreatment, environmental harm, and traffic carnage. The matter summary notes at least 43 deaths and 107 injuries from commercial garbage trucks in nine years. Councilmember Lincoln Restler called the timeline 'extremely slow' and said delays undermine the law's worker and environmental justice goals. Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, sponsor of the 2019 bill, stressed that safety improvements for workers are essential and overdue. The pilot zone is still undetermined. Full implementation will roll out across 20 zones over two years, but for now, the danger remains.

• Overhaul of private trash pickup in NYC delayed until 2024, gothamist.com, Published 2023-02-22

The BQE slices through North Brooklyn, choking streets with noise and fumes. City leaders have tools to force state DOT to the table but hold back. Advocates demand Adams use his power. The highway’s shadow falls hardest on those walking and biking nearby.

This opinion piece, published February 21, 2023, calls on Mayor Adams to wield the city’s legal leverage over the state Department of Transportation (DOT) regarding the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE). The article, titled 'Mayor Adams Has Leverage to Force a Reluctant State DOT to Budge on the BQE,' details how city DOT can veto regional transportation plans and must approve state highway projects within city limits. Jon Orcutt, former city DOT official, urges Adams to push for a full corridor plan and not settle for piecemeal fixes. Assembly Member Emily Gallagher and Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso are named as officials demanding state DOT return to the process. The BQE has long divided North Brooklyn, bringing pollution and danger to dense neighborhoods. Advocates want the city to use its power to protect residents and vulnerable road users from the harms of urban highways.

• OPINION: Mayor Adams Has Leverage to Force a Reluctant State DOT to Budge on the BQE, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-02-21

Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso throws his weight behind Council Member Lincoln Restler’s bills to speed up street redesigns and punish drivers who block bike lanes. He calls for more protected bike lanes, a finished greenway, and streets built for people, not cars.

On February 20, 2023, Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso voiced strong support for Council Member Lincoln Restler’s Intro 417 and Intro 501. Intro 417 aims to 'change the approval process of bike lanes and major transportation projects in the community boards,' cutting delays. Intro 501 would fine drivers who block bike lanes, bus lanes, sidewalks, crosswalks, or hydrants, with civilians able to report violations and receive a portion of the fine. Reynoso said, 'Those are two pieces I’d love to see pushed absolutely.' He also champions protected bike lanes, a comprehensive bike network, and the Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway. Reynoso’s stance is clear: streets must be safer for people walking and biking. He wants action after recent traffic violence and supports more open streets. The plaza outside Borough Hall is now a park, closed to cars. Reynoso’s priorities put vulnerable road users first.

• A Presidents’ Day Interview with Brooklyn Borough Prez Antonio Reynoso, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-02-20

SUV turned left on Wyckoff. Motorcycle struck. Rider thrown. Eye cut. Both drivers unlicensed. Failure to yield led to crash. Metal and flesh met in Brooklyn morning.

According to the police report, a motorcycle heading west on Wyckoff Avenue collided with an SUV making a left turn onto De Kalb Avenue. The motorcycle driver, a 56-year-old man, was ejected and suffered an abrasion to his eye. The report lists "Failure to Yield Right-of-Way" as a contributing factor. Both drivers were unlicensed in New York. The SUV struck the motorcycle's right front bumper with its right rear quarter panel. No other contributing factors or victim errors were noted.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4605234 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-07

Assembly and Senate passed A 602. The bill sets state funding rules for federally assisted and municipal complete street projects. Lawmakers moved fast. Streets shaped by budgets, not safety.

Bill A 602, titled 'Relates to the percentage responsibility of the state for federally assisted projects,' passed committee votes in the Assembly on January 24, 2023, and in the Senate on February 13, 2023. Sponsored by Patricia Fahy, the bill addresses how much the state pays for federally assisted projects and for municipal projects with complete street designs. The measure saw broad support, with near-unanimous yes votes in both chambers. The bill's focus is on funding, not on direct safety improvements for pedestrians, cyclists, or other vulnerable road users. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File A 602, Open States, Published 2023-02-13

Assembly and Senate passed A 602. The bill sets state funding rules for federally assisted and municipal complete street projects. Lawmakers moved fast. Streets shaped by budgets, not safety.

Bill A 602, titled 'Relates to the percentage responsibility of the state for federally assisted projects,' passed committee votes in the Assembly on January 24, 2023, and in the Senate on February 13, 2023. Sponsored by Patricia Fahy, the bill addresses how much the state pays for federally assisted projects and for municipal projects with complete street designs. The measure saw broad support, with near-unanimous yes votes in both chambers. The bill's focus is on funding, not on direct safety improvements for pedestrians, cyclists, or other vulnerable road users. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File A 602, Open States, Published 2023-02-13

Assembly and Senate passed A 602. The bill sets state funding rules for federally assisted and municipal complete street projects. Lawmakers moved fast. Streets shaped by budgets, not safety.

Bill A 602, titled 'Relates to the percentage responsibility of the state for federally assisted projects,' passed committee votes in the Assembly on January 24, 2023, and in the Senate on February 13, 2023. Sponsored by Patricia Fahy, the bill addresses how much the state pays for federally assisted projects and for municipal projects with complete street designs. The measure saw broad support, with near-unanimous yes votes in both chambers. The bill's focus is on funding, not on direct safety improvements for pedestrians, cyclists, or other vulnerable road users. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File A 602, Open States, Published 2023-02-13