No Deaths, No Mercy: Cypress Hills Bleeds While Leaders Stall

Senate backs S 9752. Mt. Vernon gets green light for up to 20 school speed zones. Law aims to slow cars near kids. Most senators vote yes. A few say no. Streets may change. Danger remains for the young.

Senate Bill S 9752, sponsored by Jamaal Bailey, authorizes Mt. Vernon to launch a school speed zone demonstration program, with up to twenty zones allowed. The bill passed the Senate on June 7, 2024, during a committee vote. The matter title reads: 'Authorizes the city of Mt. Vernon to establish a school speed zone demonstration program; authorizes installation in no more than twenty school speed zones in such city.' Bailey and a majority of senators voted yes, while a handful opposed. The bill targets speeding near schools, a known threat to children and other vulnerable road users. No formal safety analyst note was provided.

• File S 9752, Open States, Published 2024-06-07

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

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 distracted driver crashed a sedan on Hemlock Street, Brooklyn. Two inside suffered back and shoulder injuries. Both in shock. The car hit hard while turning. Pain and trauma followed.

According to the police report, a sedan crashed on Hemlock Street in Brooklyn at 1:22 a.m. The driver was making a right turn when the collision occurred. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as contributing factors. Two occupants, a 35-year-old male driver and a 36-year-old female front passenger, were injured. Both wore lap belts and harnesses. The driver suffered a back injury; the passenger, a shoulder injury. Both experienced shock and complained of pain or nausea. The sedan was damaged at the center front end and right front quarter panel. The report highlights driver errors and does not blame the victims.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4733718 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Unlicensed man in a sedan hit a licensed woman driving south on Etna Street. She suffered arm abrasions. The crash shows the threat unlicensed drivers pose on Brooklyn streets.

According to the police report, a crash took place at 6:31 a.m. on Etna Street in Brooklyn. An unlicensed male driver, heading west in a 2008 Acura sedan, struck a 2015 Ford sedan driven south by a licensed female. The impact hit the right front of the unlicensed driver’s car and the left front of the licensed driver’s car. The 35-year-old woman was injured, suffering abrasions and injuries to her elbow, lower arm, and hand. She was conscious and restrained by a lap belt and harness. The police report lists the unlicensed status of the male driver as a critical factor. No contributing factors were assigned to the victim.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4729259 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

SUV and sedan collided on Fulton Street. Driver ignored traffic control. Four-year-old girl in rear seat suffered whiplash. Impact tore bumpers. Signals disregarded. Child hurt. System failed to protect.

According to the police report, a Ford SUV and a Honda sedan crashed at 15:10 on Fulton Street in Brooklyn. The SUV was heading north, the sedan east. The report cites 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as the driver error that led to the collision. The SUV's left front bumper and the sedan's right front bumper were damaged. A 4-year-old girl, seated in the middle rear seat of the SUV and restrained in a child safety seat, suffered whiplash but was not ejected and remained conscious. No victim actions contributed to the crash. The police report identifies the failure to obey traffic control as the cause, resulting in injury to a vulnerable passenger.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4728981 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A sedan traveling south on Fulton Street struck a 54-year-old male driver, causing head injuries and whiplash. The impact occurred on the right side doors, damaging the vehicle’s right rear quarter panel. The driver remained conscious but injured.

According to the police report, a 54-year-old male driver was injured in a collision on Fulton Street in Brooklyn at 2:23 AM. The sedan, a 2017 Toyota, was traveling straight ahead southbound when it impacted the right side doors of the vehicle occupied by the driver. The driver sustained head injuries and whiplash but was not ejected and remained conscious. The vehicle damage was concentrated on the right rear quarter panel. The report lists the contributing factors as unspecified, with no mention of driver errors or victim behaviors contributing to the crash. The focus remains on the collision’s impact and resulting injuries to the driver.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4728337 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Two sedans collided on Atlantic Avenue at dawn. The driver, distracted by a passenger and speeding, suffered back injuries and whiplash. The crash damaged front and rear bumpers, highlighting driver error as the primary cause of the violent impact.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 6:47 AM on Atlantic Avenue involving two sedans traveling east. One sedan was going straight ahead while the other was parked before the collision. The driver of the moving sedan, a 26-year-old male occupant, was injured with back pain and whiplash but remained conscious and was not ejected. The report cites 'Passenger Distraction' and 'Unsafe Speed' as contributing factors to the crash. Vehicle damage was noted on the right front bumper of the moving sedan and the center back end of the parked sedan. No pedestrian or cyclist was involved. The data points to driver distraction and excessive speed as the critical errors leading to this collision.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4729378 - 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 motorcycle collided head-on with an SUV on Highland Boulevard. The unlicensed motorcyclist was ejected, suffering severe leg injuries. The SUV driver was slowing. Unsafe speed by the motorcycle was cited as a contributing factor in the crash.

According to the police report, the crash occurred on Highland Boulevard at 19:15. A 19-year-old male motorcyclist, driving without a license, collided head-on with a southbound SUV that was slowing or stopping. The motorcycle's point of impact was the center front end, matching the SUV's right front bumper. The motorcyclist was ejected from the vehicle and sustained a fractured, distorted, and dislocated injury to the knee, lower leg, and foot, with injury severity rated at 3. The police report lists 'Unsafe Speed' as a contributing factor, specifically implicating the motorcycle driver. The SUV driver was licensed and had three occupants. No victim behaviors were cited as contributing factors. The crash highlights the dangers posed by unlicensed, speeding motorcyclists in NYC traffic.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4727242 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

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