Blood on the Crosswalk: No More Delays, No More Deaths

Governor Hochul slashes NYC’s congestion toll to $9. The move aims to beat a federal block but guts traffic reduction. Streets will see less relief. The plan leaves vulnerable road users exposed. The city trades speed and safety for political timing.

""It s more important than ever that we start congestion pricing immediately, before Trump can block it," said state Senator Andrew Gounardes (D-Brooklyn). "The time to commit to better public transit, less traffic and cleaner air is now."" -- Andrew Gounardes

On November 8, 2024, Governor Hochul proposed lowering New York City’s congestion pricing toll from $15 to $9. The plan, a policy proposal to adjust congestion pricing, comes as officials rush to implement it before a new presidential administration can intervene. The original $15 toll, crafted by the Traffic Mobility Review Board and approved by the MTA Board, promised strong traffic reduction and included credits and caps. The $9 version, previously reviewed in environmental assessments, may lack those protections. Economist Charles Komanoff warns, 'You lose other benefits. Most noticeably, you don’t get the immediate traffic speed gain that a $15 toll would give.' State Senator Andrew Gounardes urges swift action, saying, 'The time to commit to better public transit, less traffic and cleaner air is now.' The lower toll is projected to improve traffic speeds by only 6.4 percent, far less than the 17 percent expected from the original plan. With less traffic reduction, streets remain dangerous for pedestrians and cyclists.

• Analysis: Hochul’s $9 Congestion Toll May Stave Off Trump, But Won’t Reduce Traffic as Much, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-11-08

A 27-year-old female bicyclist was ejected and injured after colliding with a parked SUV’s left rear quarter panel in Brooklyn. The impact caused minor bleeding and elbow injuries, leaving her in shock. The SUV was stationary at the time of collision.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 17:38 near 314 Union Street in Brooklyn. A 27-year-old female bicyclist, traveling eastbound and wearing a helmet, was ejected upon impact with a parked 2013 Honda SUV. The SUV was stationary before the collision, and the point of impact was the vehicle’s left rear quarter panel. The bicyclist sustained injuries to her elbow, lower arm, and hand, with minor bleeding and shock reported. The report lists unspecified contributing factors but does not indicate any driver errors or violations by the SUV driver. The bicyclist was the sole occupant of her vehicle, which was traveling straight ahead at the time of the crash. No damage was reported to a nearby parked 2024 Toyota sedan.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4769086 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A sedan driver struck a 63-year-old woman on a bike in Brooklyn. She suffered arm and hand injuries. Police blamed driver inattention. The crash exposes the daily threat drivers pose to cyclists.

According to the police report, a 63-year-old female bicyclist was injured when a sedan struck her on Union Street in Brooklyn at 11:45 AM. The cyclist sustained abrasions and injuries to her elbow, lower arm, and hand. Police identified 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the cause of the crash. The sedan, parked and facing east, hit the cyclist as she traveled eastbound. The report notes the cyclist was not ejected and remained conscious. No contributing factors were attributed to the cyclist. The sedan suffered damage to its left side doors, while the bike was hit on the left front quarter panel. This crash highlights the danger of driver distraction for vulnerable road users.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4769087 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A moped and sedan collided during merging on the BQE eastbound entrance at Hamilton Avenue. The 17-year-old moped driver suffered knee and lower leg abrasions after partial ejection. Police cited improper lane usage and following too closely as causes.

According to the police report, a collision occurred at 12:39 involving a 2024 moped and a 2024 sedan merging northwest on the BQE eastbound entrance at Hamilton Avenue. The moped driver, a 17-year-old male, was partially ejected and sustained abrasions to his knee, lower leg, and foot. The report lists 'Passing or Lane Usage Improper' and 'Following Too Closely' as contributing factors attributed to the moped driver. The sedan driver was licensed and traveling in the same direction. The point of impact was the moped's left front quarter panel and the sedan's right front bumper. The moped driver was not wearing safety equipment. The report highlights unsafe lane changing and improper passing as key driver errors leading to this injury crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4769247 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A 2014 Infiniti, westbound on the Brooklyn Queens Expressway, slammed steel. Aggressive driving carved the driver’s face. Blood on glass. Calm lost to rage. One man, 23, left conscious but torn, the highway marked by violence.

According to the police report, a 2014 Infiniti sedan traveling westbound on the Brooklyn Queens Expressway crashed its right front into a steel barrier. The sole occupant, a 23-year-old male driver, suffered severe facial lacerations and was found conscious at the scene. The report lists 'Aggressive Driving/Road Rage' as the primary contributing factor. The narrative details that 'road rage left its mark where calm should have been,' and describes blood on glass after the impact. The driver was not wearing a seatbelt, but the report does not cite this as a contributing factor to the crash itself. No other vehicles or people were involved. The collision’s violence and injury stemmed directly from the driver’s aggressive actions behind the wheel, as documented by police.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4768844 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Two sedans traveling east on Sackett Street collided in a head-to-tail impact. The driver of the striking vehicle suffered a head injury and whiplash but was not ejected. Both vehicles sustained front and rear center damage respectively.

According to the police report, two sedans were traveling eastbound on Sackett Street when the rear vehicle struck the front vehicle's center rear end with its center front end. The driver of the rear sedan, a 24-year-old male, was injured with head trauma and whiplash but remained conscious and restrained by a lap belt and harness. The report lists the driver's contributing factors as unspecified, with no mention of pedestrian or cyclist involvement. Both vehicles were damaged at their center front and rear ends, indicating a rear-end collision. The incident highlights driver error related to vehicle control or spacing, as no other contributing factors were specified in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4769596 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A 24-year-old female SUV driver suffered head injuries and whiplash after rear-ending a pickup truck on Bay Street in Brooklyn. The crash happened at 11:44 a.m. Police cited following too closely as the primary cause. No vehicle damage was reported.

According to the police report, the crash occurred on Bay Street in Brooklyn at 11:44 a.m. The 24-year-old female driver of a 2023 Dodge SUV was injured with head trauma and whiplash. She was wearing a lap belt and remained conscious. The report identifies 'Following Too Closely' as the contributing factor to the collision. The SUV struck the center back end of a 2017 Toyota pickup truck traveling eastbound. The pickup truck showed no damage and had a male licensed driver from Pennsylvania. The SUV driver was cited for following too closely, a driver error that led directly to the impact. There is no mention of victim fault or pedestrian involvement. The report explicitly notes no vehicle damage despite the collision.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4763916 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Council bill orders DOT to build 35 e-bike battery stations yearly. A quarter will sit curbside, letting riders lock up. Sponsors: Rivera, Nurse, Hanif. Streets may shift. City must post locations.

Int 1084-2024, now in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, was introduced October 10, 2024. The bill reads: 'requiring the department of transportation to install e-bicycle battery stations.' Council Members Carlina Rivera (primary sponsor), Sandy Nurse, and Shahana K. Hanif back the measure. It mandates DOT to install at least 35 e-bike battery stations each year for five years, with at least 25% curbside for secure parking. DOT must report on station rollout and post locations online. The bill aims to reshape curb space and infrastructure for e-bike riders, but offers no direct safety analysis for vulnerable road users.

• File Int 1084-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-10-10

Council weighs Adams’s push to scrap parking mandates. Debate sharp. Some say mandates block homes, plazas, and safer streets. Progressive members back removal. Others resist in transit deserts. The fight shapes the future for housing, space, and city life.

On October 3, 2024, the City Council began reviewing Mayor Adams’s City of Yes zoning reform, focusing on the elimination of mandatory parking requirements for new developments. The proposal, under the Town Center Zoning plan, aims to boost small-scale, mixed-use housing. Council Members Shahana Hanif and Lincoln Restler voiced strong support, with Hanif stating, 'Parking mandates block housing, they block extra space for the folks living in communities, they block plazas, and the ability to live in a climate friendly city.' Restler called the policy vital for Brooklyn. Department of City Planning Director Dan Garodnick acknowledged the importance of removing parking mandates but noted the plan could proceed without it. The Council faces pushback from low-density, transit-poor areas. Progressive groups and experts argue that ending parking mandates is overdue and would reshape housing, public space, and climate policy citywide.

• Will Indicted Mayor Adams’s Bid to Eliminate Parking Mandates Survive Council Review?, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-10-03

Two sedans traveling east on Hamilton Avenue collided front to back. The driver of the leading vehicle suffered neck injuries and whiplash. Both drivers were licensed men. The crash caused significant front and rear vehicle damage.

According to the police report, two sedans, a 2004 Ford and a 2021 Kia, were traveling eastbound on Hamilton Avenue when they collided. The Ford sustained center front end damage, while the Kia was damaged at the center back end. The Ford's driver, a 43-year-old man, was injured with neck pain and whiplash but was conscious and restrained by a lap belt and harness. Both drivers were licensed in their respective states (NY and NJ). The report lists unspecified contributing factors for the Ford driver but does not specify driver errors or pedestrian involvement. The collision involved two vehicles traveling straight ahead, indicating a rear-end impact scenario. No victim behaviors or pedestrian factors were noted.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4759191 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Council bill slashes legal parking time for big rigs. Ninety minutes max for tractor-trailers. Three hours for other commercial trucks. Streets clear faster. Heavy metal moves on.

Int 1069-2024, now in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, was introduced September 26, 2024. The bill reads: "reducing the maximum time commercial vehicles may park." Sponsored by Kevin C. Riley and 23 others, it limits parking to three hours for most commercial vehicles, and 90 minutes for tractor-trailers, unless signs say otherwise. The law takes effect 120 days after passage. Council aims to keep streets less clogged by oversized trucks. No safety analyst note was provided, but the bill targets long-term truck storage on city streets.

• File Int 1069-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-09-26

Council ends jaywalking penalties. Pedestrians now cross anywhere, any time. No summons. Law strips drivers of excuses. Streets shift. Power tilts to people on foot.

Int 0346-2024, now enacted, rewrites New York’s pedestrian rules. The bill, heard by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, passed on September 26, 2024, and became law on October 26, 2024. Its title: “A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to pedestrian crossing guidelines and right of way.” Sponsored by Council Member Tiffany Cabán and co-sponsored by Narcisse, Won, Hanif, Hudson, and Restler, the law lets pedestrians cross streets anywhere, even against signals. No more tickets for crossing outside crosswalks. The Department of Transportation must educate all street users on new rights and responsibilities. The law removes a tool police used to target walkers. It shifts blame from people on foot to the system and those behind the wheel.

• File Int 0346-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-09-26

Council pushes Albany to let New York City ticket drivers who block bike lanes. Cameras would catch violators. Cyclists face deadly risk. Lawmakers demand action. Streets must protect the vulnerable.

Resolution 0574-2024 sits in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Introduced September 26, 2024, it urges passage of S.5008A/A.803A. The measure calls for a 'bicycle lane safety program' using cameras to enforce bike lane rules. Council Members Shahana K. Hanif (primary sponsor), Lincoln Restler, and Erik D. Bottcher back the resolution. The text states: 'enforce certain restrictions on the use of bicycle lanes and protected bicycle lanes by means of bicycle lane photo devices.' The council demands Albany act. Cyclists die while drivers block lanes. The bill aims to hold motorists accountable and protect those most at risk.

• File Res 0574-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-09-26

Council ends jaywalking penalties. Pedestrians now cross anywhere, any time. No summons. Law strips drivers of excuses. Streets shift. Power tilts to people on foot.

Int 0346-2024, now enacted, rewrites New York’s pedestrian rules. The bill, heard by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, passed on September 26, 2024, and became law on October 26, 2024. Its title: “A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to pedestrian crossing guidelines and right of way.” Sponsored by Council Member Tiffany Cabán and co-sponsored by Narcisse, Won, Hanif, Hudson, and Restler, the law lets pedestrians cross streets anywhere, even against signals. No more tickets for crossing outside crosswalks. The Department of Transportation must educate all street users on new rights and responsibilities. The law removes a tool police used to target walkers. It shifts blame from people on foot to the system and those behind the wheel.

• File Int 0346-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-09-26

A taxi reversed unsafely on Court Street, striking a 54-year-old woman. She suffered hip and leg injuries. The taxi showed no damage. Unsafe backing put the pedestrian in harm’s way.

According to the police report, a taxi traveling north on Court Street in Brooklyn backed unsafely and struck a 54-year-old female pedestrian. The woman was emerging from behind a parked vehicle when the crash occurred. The report lists 'Backing Unsafely' as the contributing factor. The pedestrian sustained a contusion and bruising to her hip and upper leg and remained conscious after the impact. The taxi was undamaged. This crash highlights the risk posed to pedestrians when drivers reverse without care.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4760332 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Two SUVs clash on the Brooklyn Queens Expressway. Metal tears, glass shatters. A young driver, bloodied and alone, stays conscious behind the wheel. The crash leaves the eastbound lanes scarred, the morning unbroken, the system unchanged.

According to the police report, two station wagons/SUVs collided eastbound on the Brooklyn Queens Expressway. The crash occurred after a 'sudden swerve,' with one vehicle changing lanes and the other going straight ahead. The report lists 'Reaction to Uninvolved Vehicle' and 'Following Too Closely' as contributing factors, both indicating driver error. The 21-year-old male driver of a 2007 Toyota SUV suffered severe facial bleeding but remained conscious and was wearing a lap belt and harness. The point of impact was the center front end of the Toyota and the right rear bumper of the 2019 Ford SUV. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved. The collision underscores the dangers of sudden maneuvers and close following distances on high-speed expressways, as documented in the official report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4758471 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Feds send $164 million to Brooklyn Marine Terminal. Officials cheer jobs, cleaner air, and modern piers. Some warn of more trucks. The city takes control. Freight moves, but so do risks. Streets near Red Hook brace for change.

On September 23, 2024, federal officials announced $163.8 million for the Brooklyn Marine Terminal (BMT) in Council District 26. The funding, praised by State Sen. Andrew Gounardes and Mayor Eric Adams, aims to 'revitalize the Brooklyn Marine Terminal,' reduce truck traffic, and modernize infrastructure. The NYC Economic Development Corporation took over BMT from the Port Authority in May. U.S. Rep. Jerry Nadler warned the deal could increase truck traffic and threaten jobs, but stressed the port's importance. The grant targets repairs, modernization, and traffic reduction. No formal safety analysis for vulnerable road users was provided. The project’s impact on street safety remains unclear as freight and trucks shift through Red Hook.

• NYC gets $164 million in fed funds to restore Brooklyn Marine Terminal, amny.com, Published 2024-09-23

Sedan slammed front-first on Brooklyn Queens Expressway. Two women inside suffered head injuries. Police cite alcohol and distraction. Metal, glass, blood. Brooklyn highway, early morning.

According to the police report, a 2019 Toyota sedan traveling westbound on the Brooklyn Queens Expressway near Atlantic Avenue crashed, striking with its left front bumper. Two female occupants, ages 20 and 22, suffered head injuries and internal complaints. Both were conscious after the crash. The report lists 'Alcohol Involvement' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as contributing factors. Neither woman used safety equipment. The driver was licensed in Pennsylvania and was going straight ahead before impact. The crash left the car's center front end damaged. The report underscores the danger posed by impaired and distracted driving on Brooklyn's expressways.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4758276 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

An 85-year-old man crossing with the signal was struck by a bicyclist traveling east on Bergen Street. The pedestrian suffered abrasions and an elbow injury. The crash exposed driver errors including traffic control disregard and inattention.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 8:40 AM on Bergen Street in Brooklyn. An 85-year-old male pedestrian, crossing with the signal at the intersection, was injured when a bicyclist traveling east struck him at the center front end of the bike. The pedestrian sustained abrasions and injuries to his elbow, lower arm, and hand, and remained conscious after the collision. The report cites the bicyclist's failure to obey traffic control devices and driver inattention or distraction as contributing factors. The bicyclist was licensed and traveling straight ahead at the time. This incident highlights critical driver errors, specifically disregarding traffic controls and lack of attention, which led to serious harm to a vulnerable pedestrian.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4757757 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A 37-year-old woman driving an SUV suffered back injuries and shock after her vehicle was struck from behind. The crash occurred at 259 Columbia Street, Brooklyn. The SUV sustained center back end damage. No other injuries or vehicle damage reported.

According to the police report, at 9:16 AM on September 19, 2024, a 37-year-old female driver was operating a 2020 Chevrolet SUV traveling north near 259 Columbia Street in Brooklyn. The SUV was stopped in traffic when it was struck on the center back end by an unspecified vehicle also traveling north. The driver of the SUV sustained back injuries and was in shock, complaining of pain or nausea. The SUV had damage to the center back end, while the striking vehicle reportedly had no damage. The report lists the contributing factors as unspecified, with no mention of pedestrian or cyclist involvement. The crash highlights the dangers of rear-end collisions and the vulnerability of vehicle occupants in such impacts.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4757235 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04