BQE at Atlantic: a morning, a death

Aug 14 - Int. 1353 orders the department to finish traffic calming or control devices on streets next to schools within 60 days of a study determination. The law takes effect immediately. Sponsors moved to speed protective infrastructure for children.

Bill Int. 1353-2025 is at SPONSORSHIP and referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Introduced 07/14/2025 and recorded 08/14/2025, the matter is titled "A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to the time permitted for the installation of a traffic calming device or traffic control device on any street adjacent to a school." The bill requires the department to complete installation within 60 days of a traffic study determination. Primary sponsor Farah N. Louis introduced it. Co-sponsors Jennifer Gutiérrez, Justin L. Brannan, Tiffany Cabán, Lincoln Restler and Shahana K. Hanif signed on. Requiring installation of traffic calming or control devices near schools within 60 days after a study determination is likely to improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists by accelerating protective infrastructure, encouraging safer driving, and supporting ‘safety in numbers’ and equitable protection for children; however impact depends on timely, evidence-based device selection and adequate resourcing for implementation.

• File Int 1353-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-08-14

Aug 11 - Summer Streets expands. Streets close to cars for weekends. Crowds swell and bikes and feet fill the asphalt. The city dangles more, but the reach is small. Where cars vanish, walking and cycling flourish; most streets remain unchanged.

"The tallest subway station in NYC is finally getting an elevator. The Smith-9th St station in Gowanus is nearly 90' high. Soon, you'll be able to take an elevator to get there." -- Andrew Gounardes

File number: none. Status: statement, not legislation. Committee action: none. On August 11, 2025, David Meyer published a Streetsblog NYC piece and wrote, "Summer Streets is bigger and better than ever and New Yorkers are begging for more." There is no council bill or sponsor. Meyer praises the expansion while criticizing its limited scale. A safety analyst notes: "Expanding Summer Streets increases car-free space, encourages mode shift to walking and cycling, and demonstrates the safety and enjoyment possible with reduced vehicle traffic, supporting system-wide safety and equity for vulnerable road users." The car-free weekends run Aug. 16 in Manhattan and Aug. 23 in Brooklyn and the Bronx, showing safety gains that remain localized.

• Monday’s Headlines: All Hail Summer Streets Edition, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-08-11

Aug 11 - MTA will add elevators to Smith‑9th Street, ending a brutal 90‑foot climb. The change opens the station to seniors and people with disabilities. More transit riders may mean fewer cars, cutting pedestrian and cyclist exposure to traffic danger.

"the station will get elevators as part of the MTA's approved $68.4 billion capital plan for 2025-2029" -- Andrew Gounardes

Bill number: none — this is an MTA capital plan project. Status: announced Aug. 11, 2025. Committee: N/A. Key dates: funded in the MTA’s approved $68.4 billion 2025–2029 capital plan. The announcement quotes the article title: "Tall order: Smith-9th Streets subway station, city’s highest, to get elevators." State Sen. Andrew Gounardes said, “With elevators coming to the Smith-9th Street station, that’s finally going to change.” Assembly Member Jo Anne Simon praised the MTA for prioritizing accessibility. Safety analysts note: improved subway accessibility encourages mode shift from driving to transit, reducing pedestrian and cyclist exposure to traffic danger and supporting safer, more equitable streets.

• Tall order: Smith-9th Streets subway station, city’s highest, to get elevators, Brooklyn Paper, Published 2025-08-11

Aug 11 - Elevators planned for Smith‑9th Street, NYC's tallest station. Stairs end. Riders with limited mobility win. NYCHA residents and seniors regain access to jobs and care. Project cuts forced walking or biking along hazardous routes and shifts trips onto public transit.

"the addition of elevators will make the subway accessible to all." -- Andrew Gounardes

Bill/file number: none. Status: MTA announced planned installation on August 11, 2025. Committee: none listed. BKReader ran the piece titled "Brooklyn’s Steepest Subway Stop to Get a Lift," noting "The MTA will install an elevator at the Smith-9th Street station." State Senator Andrew Gounardes praised the plan. Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon backed it. NYCHA leaders voiced support. MTA Chief Accessibility Officer Quemuel Arroyo called the stop the clearest case for access. Installing elevators improves transit accessibility for people with mobility challenges, reducing reliance on walking or cycling along potentially hazardous routes and supporting an equitable, safe mode shift to public transit.

• Brooklyn’s Steepest Subway Stop to Get a Lift, BKReader, Published 2025-08-11

Aug 11 - MTA will add elevators to Smith‑9th Street, ending a brutal 90‑foot climb. The change opens the station to seniors and people with disabilities. More transit riders may mean fewer cars, cutting pedestrian and cyclist exposure to traffic danger.

"praised the MTA for prioritizing accessibility" -- Jo Anne Simon

Bill number: none — this is an MTA capital plan project. Status: announced Aug. 11, 2025. Committee: N/A. Key dates: funded in the MTA’s approved $68.4 billion 2025–2029 capital plan. The announcement quotes the article title: "Tall order: Smith-9th Streets subway station, city’s highest, to get elevators." State Sen. Andrew Gounardes said, “With elevators coming to the Smith-9th Street station, that’s finally going to change.” Assembly Member Jo Anne Simon praised the MTA for prioritizing accessibility. Safety analysts note: improved subway accessibility encourages mode shift from driving to transit, reducing pedestrian and cyclist exposure to traffic danger and supporting safer, more equitable streets.

• Tall order: Smith-9th Streets subway station, city’s highest, to get elevators, Brooklyn Paper, Published 2025-08-11

Aug 11 - Elevators planned for Smith‑9th Street, NYC's tallest station. Stairs end. Riders with limited mobility win. NYCHA residents and seniors regain access to jobs and care. Project cuts forced walking or biking along hazardous routes and shifts trips onto public transit.

Bill/file number: none. Status: MTA announced planned installation on August 11, 2025. Committee: none listed. BKReader ran the piece titled "Brooklyn’s Steepest Subway Stop to Get a Lift," noting "The MTA will install an elevator at the Smith-9th Street station." State Senator Andrew Gounardes praised the plan. Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon backed it. NYCHA leaders voiced support. MTA Chief Accessibility Officer Quemuel Arroyo called the stop the clearest case for access. Installing elevators improves transit accessibility for people with mobility challenges, reducing reliance on walking or cycling along potentially hazardous routes and supporting an equitable, safe mode shift to public transit.

• Brooklyn’s Steepest Subway Stop to Get a Lift, BKReader, Published 2025-08-11

Aug 10 - Two westbound sedans collided on the BQE. One driver hit the back of another car. Two women in the rear seats suffered neck and head injuries. A male driver was hurt. Police listed all contributing factors as “Unspecified.”

Two sedans traveling west on the Brooklyn Queens Expressway collided in a rear-end crash. The driver of a 2017 Mazda hit the center back end of a 2023 Tesla. Two rear passengers were hurt: a 25-year-old woman with a neck injury and a 44-year-old woman with a head injury. The 37-year-old male driver of one sedan was also injured. According to the police report, the impact was to the center back of one sedan and the center front of the other, and all contributing factors were recorded as “Unspecified.” Police recorded no specific driver errors. Rear passengers took the brunt of the impact.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4834060 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-12-15

Aug 10 - State officials will add elevators to Smith-9th Street station, ending a brutal 90‑foot climb. The lifts expand access and push riders toward transit — cutting pedestrian and cyclist exposure to street car traffic and easing danger for vulnerable users.

Bill number: none. Status: included in the MTA's approved $68.4 billion Capital Plan for 2025–2029. Committee: N/A. Key date: announcement Aug 10, 2025. The matter: "New York City's tallest subway station, Smith-9th Street in Gowanus, Brooklyn, will soon have elevators, ending the difficult climb to the platform." State Sen. Andrew Gounardes led the announcement. Assembly Member Jo Anne Simon praised the move. MTA chief accessibility officer Quemuel Arroyo said the upgrades push system access past 50%. The MTA must meet a court settlement to make 95% of stations ADA-accessible by 2055. Improved subway accessibility encourages mode shift from driving to transit, reducing pedestrian and cyclist exposure to car traffic and supporting safer, more equitable streets for vulnerable users.

• Tall order: NYC’s tallest subway station to get elevators, putting accessibility on the ascent, Brooklyn Paper, Published 2025-08-10

Aug 10 - State officials will add elevators to Smith-9th Street station, ending a brutal 90‑foot climb. The lifts expand access and push riders toward transit — cutting pedestrian and cyclist exposure to street car traffic and easing danger for vulnerable users.

"the station's history of broken escalators" -- Jo Anne Simon

Bill number: none. Status: included in the MTA's approved $68.4 billion Capital Plan for 2025–2029. Committee: N/A. Key date: announcement Aug 10, 2025. The matter: "New York City's tallest subway station, Smith-9th Street in Gowanus, Brooklyn, will soon have elevators, ending the difficult climb to the platform." State Sen. Andrew Gounardes led the announcement. Assembly Member Jo Anne Simon praised the move. MTA chief accessibility officer Quemuel Arroyo said the upgrades push system access past 50%. The MTA must meet a court settlement to make 95% of stations ADA-accessible by 2055. Improved subway accessibility encourages mode shift from driving to transit, reducing pedestrian and cyclist exposure to car traffic and supporting safer, more equitable streets for vulnerable users.

• Tall order: NYC’s tallest subway station to get elevators, putting accessibility on the ascent, Brooklyn Paper, Published 2025-08-10

Aug 8 - Mayor approved a car-free busway on 34th Street after walkers beat the crosstown bus in a 1.2‑mile race. The move targets faster, more reliable service for nearly 30,000 daily riders and to clear jams caused by congestion and illegal parking.

"A busway on 34th Street will not only speed up thousands of commutes but transform the corridor into a vibrant public space for all." -- Brad S. Lander

Bill number: none listed. Status: approval announced; stage: SPONSORSHIP. Committee: not listed. Key date: 2025-08-08, the day the crosstown race and public approval were reported. The matter is the "construction of a car-free busway on 34th Street between Third and Ninth avenues." Mayor Adams abandoned opposition and approved construction. Council member Zohran Mamdani celebrated, calling the buses "the slowest buses in the United States of America." Comptroller Brad Lander, Council Members Keith Powers and Erik Bottcher, and state Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal backed the plan. Advocates say the busway will speed service for almost 30,000 daily riders. No formal safety impact analysis was provided.

• Team Pedestrian Trounces Team Bus in Annual 'Crosstown Bus Challenge', streetsblog.org, Published 2025-08-08

Jul 31 - Crews tore out three blocks of Bedford’s protected bike lane. Barriers gone. Riders now face traffic, steel, and risk. The city moves the lane, strips its shield, leaves cyclists exposed.

NY1 reported on July 31, 2025, that city crews began removing a protected bike lane on Bedford Avenue between Willoughby and Flushing. The lane, once shielded from traffic, will be replaced with an unprotected version. NY1 notes, 'The lane is being shifted from its current position next to the sidewalk to the other side of parked cars.' This change eliminates the physical barrier that separated cyclists from moving vehicles. The move raises questions about city policy and the safety of vulnerable road users on this busy Brooklyn stretch.

• City Removes Bedford Avenue Bike Protection, NY1, Published 2025-07-31

Jul 30 - Council moves to ban parking near corners. Sightlines clear. Crashes drop. Pedestrians and cyclists breathe easier. DOT doubts linger. Advocates press on. Streets could change fast.

On July 30, 2025, the NYC Council Progressive Caucus made a major push for Intro 1138, a bill to ban parking within 20 feet of intersections. The measure sits with the Transportation Committee. Council Member Julie Won introduced it after deadly crashes in her district. Eighteen caucus members back the bill, aiming to force a vote this year. The matter: 'eliminate parking within 20 feet of an intersection.' Council Member Sandy Nurse called daylighting 'a proven, effective way to make our streets safer.' DOT raised doubts about non-hardened daylighting, but safety analysts say restricting parking near intersections improves visibility, reduces collisions, and protects people on foot and bike.

• NYC Council Progressive Caucus to make push for universal daylighting in 2025, City & State NY, Published 2025-07-30

Jul 24 - Eighty dead or maimed on Third Avenue since 2018. Sunset Park stands up. Residents, officials, and advocates demand the city end delays. No fixes yet. Danger remains.

"The Third Avenue corridor has been "persistently dangerous," said Avilés. "We have the tools to majorly reduce this violence, but it's up to the mayor's office to use them."" -- Alexa Avilés

On July 24, 2025, Sunset Park residents, Council Member Alexa Avilés, Assemblymember Marcela Mitaynes, Senator Andrew Gounardes, and advocates rallied for urgent street safety fixes on Third Avenue. BKReader reports: 'Fatalities on Third Avenue...are preventable with safety upgrades.' The Department of Transportation's plan has stalled for two years. Avilés called the corridor 'persistently dangerous.' Gounardes said, 'We know how to fix it: safer street design.' No council bill or committee is listed. The event shows strong community demand, but no policy action has been taken. As of now, there is no direct impact on pedestrian or cyclist safety.

• Sunset Park Urges City to Fast-Track Third Avenue Street Fixes, BKReader, Published 2025-07-24

Jul 24 - Eighty dead or maimed on Third Avenue since 2018. Sunset Park stands up. Residents, officials, and advocates demand the city end delays. No fixes yet. Danger remains.

""Here we are, once again gathering to mourn another preventable tragedy on our streets. But it doesn't have to be this way,"" -- Andrew Gounardes

On July 24, 2025, Sunset Park residents, Council Member Alexa Avilés, Assemblymember Marcela Mitaynes, Senator Andrew Gounardes, and advocates rallied for urgent street safety fixes on Third Avenue. BKReader reports: 'Fatalities on Third Avenue...are preventable with safety upgrades.' The Department of Transportation's plan has stalled for two years. Avilés called the corridor 'persistently dangerous.' Gounardes said, 'We know how to fix it: safer street design.' No council bill or committee is listed. The event shows strong community demand, but no policy action has been taken. As of now, there is no direct impact on pedestrian or cyclist safety.

• Sunset Park Urges City to Fast-Track Third Avenue Street Fixes, BKReader, Published 2025-07-24

Jul 24 - Eighty dead or maimed on Third Avenue since 2018. Sunset Park stands up. Residents, officials, and advocates demand the city end delays. No fixes yet. Danger remains.

On July 24, 2025, Sunset Park residents, Council Member Alexa Avilés, Assemblymember Marcela Mitaynes, Senator Andrew Gounardes, and advocates rallied for urgent street safety fixes on Third Avenue. BKReader reports: 'Fatalities on Third Avenue...are preventable with safety upgrades.' The Department of Transportation's plan has stalled for two years. Avilés called the corridor 'persistently dangerous.' Gounardes said, 'We know how to fix it: safer street design.' No council bill or committee is listed. The event shows strong community demand, but no policy action has been taken. As of now, there is no direct impact on pedestrian or cyclist safety.

• Sunset Park Urges City to Fast-Track Third Avenue Street Fixes, BKReader, Published 2025-07-24

Jul 23 - Two pedestrians killed. Advocates and local leaders demand action. City stalls. Third Avenue stays deadly. Anger and grief fill Sunset Park.

"I am here to stand with our community again, to call for real investment, to call for real earnest movement forward, and to really address some of the challenges, because there are real tensions with what this corridor is used for. What it takes is real political will and real capital investment." -- Alexa Avilés

On July 23, 2025, local politicians and advocates rallied at 60th Street and Third Avenue, Sunset Park. They condemned the Adams administration's delay of a DOT safety plan, approved by Community Board 7 in 2023, after a hit-and-run killed two pedestrians. Council Member Alexa Avilés called for real investment. Elizabeth Adams of Transportation Alternatives called the delay 'unconscionable.' State Sen Andrew Gounardes and Assembly Member Marcela Mitaynes demanded urgent redesign. The rally's matter: 'demanding the Adams administration implement traffic safety measures on Third Avenue.' Safety analysts note: public rallies like this can push systemic changes, making streets safer for pedestrians and cyclists.

• After fatal hit-and-run, local pols and street safety advocates slam delay of Third Avenue safety plan, Brooklyn Paper, Published 2025-07-23

Jul 23 - Two pedestrians killed. Advocates and local leaders demand action. City stalls. Third Avenue stays deadly. Anger and grief fill Sunset Park.

"This is not meant to be a highway. This is where people walk. This is where people live. This is where kids go to school." -- Andrew Gounardes

On July 23, 2025, local politicians and advocates rallied at 60th Street and Third Avenue, Sunset Park. They condemned the Adams administration's delay of a DOT safety plan, approved by Community Board 7 in 2023, after a hit-and-run killed two pedestrians. Council Member Alexa Avilés called for real investment. Elizabeth Adams of Transportation Alternatives called the delay 'unconscionable.' State Sen Andrew Gounardes and Assembly Member Marcela Mitaynes demanded urgent redesign. The rally's matter: 'demanding the Adams administration implement traffic safety measures on Third Avenue.' Safety analysts note: public rallies like this can push systemic changes, making streets safer for pedestrians and cyclists.

• After fatal hit-and-run, local pols and street safety advocates slam delay of Third Avenue safety plan, Brooklyn Paper, Published 2025-07-23

Jul 23 - Two pedestrians killed. Advocates and local leaders demand action. City stalls. Third Avenue stays deadly. Anger and grief fill Sunset Park.

"We’ve seen how data-driven street redesign saves lives. It’s time to bring those investments to Brooklyn, not in a few years, not eventually, but now. Safer streets are not a privilege, they are a right." -- Marcela Mitaynes

On July 23, 2025, local politicians and advocates rallied at 60th Street and Third Avenue, Sunset Park. They condemned the Adams administration's delay of a DOT safety plan, approved by Community Board 7 in 2023, after a hit-and-run killed two pedestrians. Council Member Alexa Avilés called for real investment. Elizabeth Adams of Transportation Alternatives called the delay 'unconscionable.' State Sen Andrew Gounardes and Assembly Member Marcela Mitaynes demanded urgent redesign. The rally's matter: 'demanding the Adams administration implement traffic safety measures on Third Avenue.' Safety analysts note: public rallies like this can push systemic changes, making streets safer for pedestrians and cyclists.

• After fatal hit-and-run, local pols and street safety advocates slam delay of Third Avenue safety plan, Brooklyn Paper, Published 2025-07-23

Jul 22 - Improper lane use on Lorraine Street left a scooter rider hurt. Chest abrasions marked the crash. The street stayed busy. The system failed to protect the vulnerable.

A crash on Lorraine Street at Henry Street in Brooklyn injured a 48-year-old scooter rider. According to the police report, the collision involved a bike and a standing scooter. The report lists 'Passing or Lane Usage Improper' as a contributing factor. The scooter rider suffered chest abrasions but remained conscious. No other injuries were reported. Driver error—improper lane use—was the key factor cited by police.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4829865 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-12-15

Jul 21 - Motorcycle struck the left side of a sedan as the sedan turned left on Sackett Street. The 22-year-old motorcyclist suffered a leg abrasion. Police recorded failure to yield and following too closely.

A motorcycle and a sedan collided on Sackett Street at Hicks Street in Brooklyn. The sedan was making a left turn while the motorcycle traveled straight west. The motorcycle struck the sedan's left-side doors. The 22-year-old motorcycle driver suffered an abrasion to the knee/lower leg/foot; the sedan driver was not reported injured. According to the police report, both drivers were cited for 'Following Too Closely' and 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way.' Police recorded those driver errors as the contributing factors; no other contributing factors were listed.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4829254 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-12-15