Park Slope Bleeds While Leaders Stall—Demand Streets That Protect People, Not Cars

Three new mid-block crossings now cut across Atlantic Avenue. Signals, ramps, and paint force drivers to slow. Pedestrians gain a fighting chance on Brooklyn’s deadliest stretch. Local leaders push for more. The city’s hand finally moves after years of blood.

On February 5, 2024, Council Member Lincoln Restler announced new mid-block pedestrian crossings on Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn’s so-called 'Boulevard of Death.' The crossings, between Nevins and Bond, Bond and Hoyt, and Hoyt and Smith streets, add crosswalks, traffic lights, and ramps. Restler said, 'These new mid-block crossings will create a greater sense of safety and community for Boerum Hill.' The Department of Transportation acted after Restler and others demanded change following the death of Katherine Harris, killed by a speeding driver. DOT’s study found hundreds of people crossing mid-block every weekend. Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez called the project a way to 'enhance safety by better managing traffic.' Assembly Member Jo Anne Simon called the improvements 'a great step forward.' The city has finished installing signals and is completing ramps and crosswalks. Leaders want more: curb extensions, redesigned crossings, and further traffic calming. Atlantic Avenue remains a battleground for the city’s most vulnerable.

• New mid-block crossings on Atlantic Avenue aim to slow cars, increase pedestrian safety on ‘Boulevard of Death’, brooklynpaper.com, Published 2024-02-05

Steel met flesh on Union Street. An 83-year-old man, crossing with the light, was struck by a turning taxi. Blood pooled. His head split. The cab did not stop. The street did not forgive.

An 83-year-old man was seriously injured at the intersection of Union Street and 6th Avenue in Brooklyn when a taxi making a right turn struck him as he crossed with the signal. According to the police report, the pedestrian was 'crossing with the light' when the collision occurred. The report cites 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as contributing factors. The narrative describes the aftermath: 'Steel meets flesh. He falls. Blood pools on the pavement. Head split. Eyes open. The cab did not stop.' The victim suffered a severe head injury and was conscious at the scene. The police report makes clear the driver failed to yield to a pedestrian lawfully crossing, underscoring the persistent danger faced by New York City’s most vulnerable road users.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4699808 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-12

A 24-year-old male bicyclist suffered knee and lower leg injuries after being hit by two distracted drivers in parked SUVs on Pacific Street in Brooklyn. Both drivers were inattentive, causing a collision with the cyclist who was conscious and bruised.

According to the police report, the crash occurred on Pacific Street in Brooklyn at 16:13. The victim, a 24-year-old male bicyclist, was injured with contusions and trauma to his knee, lower leg, and foot. The report cites 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the primary contributing factor for both drivers involved. Both drivers were operating Station Wagon/SUV vehicles, parked prior to the crash, and their inattention led to the collision with the bicyclist. The bicyclist was not ejected and remained conscious after the impact. The report does not list any contributing factors related to the bicyclist's behavior or safety equipment. The focus remains on the drivers' failure to maintain attention, which directly resulted in the bicyclist's injuries.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4699729 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-12

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 2024-01-30

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 2024-01-30

A 37-year-old man crossing with the signal was struck by a sedan making an improper left turn in Brooklyn. The driver failed to yield right-of-way, hitting the pedestrian at the intersection. The victim suffered upper leg contusions but remained conscious.

According to the police report, a sedan traveling west on 8 Avenue made an improper left turn onto 13 Street at 17:52 in Brooklyn. The driver, licensed and male, failed to yield the right-of-way to a 37-year-old male pedestrian crossing with the signal at the intersection. The vehicle's left front bumper struck the pedestrian, causing injuries to his hip and upper leg, classified as contusions and bruises. The pedestrian was conscious after the collision. The report explicitly cites 'Turning Improperly' and 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as contributing factors to the crash. No victim behaviors were listed as contributing factors. The incident highlights driver error in executing turns and yielding, resulting in serious injury to a vulnerable road user.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4698777 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-12

A sedan collided with a bicyclist on 5 Avenue near Berkeley Place in Brooklyn. The 29-year-old male cyclist suffered head injuries and abrasions. Police cited alcohol involvement and driver inattention as key factors in the crash.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 20:27 on 5 Avenue near Berkeley Place in Brooklyn. A sedan, occupied by two people and traveling north, struck a bicyclist traveling northeast. The bicyclist, a 29-year-old male, was injured with head trauma and abrasions and was not ejected from his bike. The report lists 'Alcohol Involvement' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as contributing factors, indicating driver errors played a critical role. The sedan sustained damage to its left front quarter panel. The bicyclist was not wearing safety equipment. The collision highlights the dangers posed by impaired and distracted driving in urban settings.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4698155 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-12

Two SUVs collided on Vanderbilt Avenue. Slippery pavement sent one into the other. The woman driving the rear SUV suffered neck injuries. Both vehicles were parked before impact. Road conditions failed her.

According to the police report, at 6:43 AM on Vanderbilt Avenue in Brooklyn, two northbound SUVs collided. The rear vehicle, a 2023 Audi SUV driven by a licensed woman, struck the center back end of a 2007 Cadillac SUV. Both vehicles were parked before the crash. The report lists 'Pavement Slippery' as a contributing factor. The woman driving the Audi suffered neck injuries and whiplash but was conscious and not ejected. No other driver errors are listed in the report. No victim actions contributed to the crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4697780 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-12

Albany weighs bills A5259 and S2812 to keep and expand red-light cameras past December. Assembly Member Dinowitz and Senator Gounardes push for more cameras. DOT data shows fewer violations and crashes. Advocates demand action. The cap leaves neighborhoods exposed. Lives hang in the balance.

Bills A5259 and S2812 face debate in the New York State legislature. If lawmakers fail to act, the city’s red-light cameras—now capped at 150 intersections—will shut off December 1, 2024. The matter, described as 'reauthorize and expand the city's red-light camera program,' is championed by Assembly Member Jeffrey Dinowitz and Senate co-sponsor Andrew Gounardes. Dinowitz, the sponsor, urges expansion, stating, 'We should have red-light cameras on every intersection.' Gounardes expects a review and expansion. DOT data backs them: violations and rear-end crashes have dropped at camera sites. Residents like Amy Bettys call the cap dangerous. Advocacy groups support the bills, though they are not a top priority. Dinowitz stresses automated enforcement is vital with limited police. The bills await committee action. Vulnerable road users face risk if the program lapses.

• Better Red Than Dead: Albany Takes Up Camera Reauthorization, Expansion, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-01-25

Every day, 9,000 trucks thunder through Sunset Park and Red Hook. Warehouses choke streets. Black and Latino residents breathe the fumes and dodge danger. Lawmakers push the Clean Deliveries Act to curb the chaos. The burden falls hard. The fight is on.

The Clean Deliveries Act, now under consideration in Albany, aims to regulate last-mile warehouse traffic and emissions across New York State. The bill responds to a new report showing Sunset Park and Red Hook face the city's highest truck volumes—over 9,000 daily trips—linked to sprawling Amazon, FedEx, and UPS facilities. The report states, 'a quarter of residents across the Empire State live within half a mile of a distribution center that’s at least 50,000 square feet, disproportionately harming Black and Latino communities.' State Sen. Andrew Gounardes, representing the affected Brooklyn neighborhoods, calls for urgent action 'for the sake of our climate and the safety of our streets.' Assembly Member Marcela Mitaynes, whose district sees the most daily truck traffic, urges colleagues to pass the Act. Advocates like Kevin Garcia say the bill is 'key legislation to protect frontline communities from increased vehicular traffic and tailpipe emissions.' The Act would require emissions reviews, pollution minimization, and studies of low-emission zones in hotspots.

• Poorer Brooklynites Bear the Brunt of Online Delivery Boom: Report, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-01-23

Seven Brooklyn officials urge DOT to clear cars from corners. They want boulders, planters, and bike corrals—not just paint. Their call follows deadly crashes. They press the city to use state law and federal funds. DOT promises review. Advocates back the push.

On January 17, 2024, seven Brooklyn elected officials—including Council Member Shahana Hanif, Borough President Antonio Reynoso, Assembly Members Marcela Mitaynes, Jo Anne Simon, Robert Carroll, and State Senators Zellnor Myrie and Andrew Gounardes—issued a joint letter to the NYC Department of Transportation. They called for 'universal daylighting with hardened materials such as boulders, planters, and bike corrals' at intersections. The officials cited recent fatal crashes and urged the city to opt into a state law banning parking within 20 feet of corners. They want federal funds used for these changes. The group opposes DOT’s slow pace and reliance on paint, demanding physical barriers. Community board leaders and advocates support the move. DOT says it will review the letter and remains committed to evidence-based daylighting.

• Seven Brooklyn Electeds Join Growing Calls For Universal Daylighting, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-01-17

Seven Brooklyn officials urge DOT to clear cars from corners. They want boulders, planters, and bike corrals—not just paint. Their call follows deadly crashes. They press the city to use state law and federal funds. DOT promises review. Advocates back the push.

On January 17, 2024, seven Brooklyn elected officials—including Council Member Shahana Hanif, Borough President Antonio Reynoso, Assembly Members Marcela Mitaynes, Jo Anne Simon, Robert Carroll, and State Senators Zellnor Myrie and Andrew Gounardes—issued a joint letter to the NYC Department of Transportation. They called for 'universal daylighting with hardened materials such as boulders, planters, and bike corrals' at intersections. The officials cited recent fatal crashes and urged the city to opt into a state law banning parking within 20 feet of corners. They want federal funds used for these changes. The group opposes DOT’s slow pace and reliance on paint, demanding physical barriers. Community board leaders and advocates support the move. DOT says it will review the letter and remains committed to evidence-based daylighting.

• Seven Brooklyn Electeds Join Growing Calls For Universal Daylighting, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-01-17

Seven Brooklyn officials urge DOT to clear cars from corners. They want boulders, planters, and bike corrals—not just paint. Their call follows deadly crashes. They press the city to use state law and federal funds. DOT promises review. Advocates back the push.

On January 17, 2024, seven Brooklyn elected officials—including Council Member Shahana Hanif, Borough President Antonio Reynoso, Assembly Members Marcela Mitaynes, Jo Anne Simon, Robert Carroll, and State Senators Zellnor Myrie and Andrew Gounardes—issued a joint letter to the NYC Department of Transportation. They called for 'universal daylighting with hardened materials such as boulders, planters, and bike corrals' at intersections. The officials cited recent fatal crashes and urged the city to opt into a state law banning parking within 20 feet of corners. They want federal funds used for these changes. The group opposes DOT’s slow pace and reliance on paint, demanding physical barriers. Community board leaders and advocates support the move. DOT says it will review the letter and remains committed to evidence-based daylighting.

• Seven Brooklyn Electeds Join Growing Calls For Universal Daylighting, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-01-17

Seven Brooklyn officials urge DOT to clear cars from corners. They want boulders, planters, and bike corrals—not just paint. Their call follows deadly crashes. They press the city to use state law and federal funds. DOT promises review. Advocates back the push.

On January 17, 2024, seven Brooklyn elected officials—including Council Member Shahana Hanif, Borough President Antonio Reynoso, Assembly Members Marcela Mitaynes, Jo Anne Simon, Robert Carroll, and State Senators Zellnor Myrie and Andrew Gounardes—issued a joint letter to the NYC Department of Transportation. They called for 'universal daylighting with hardened materials such as boulders, planters, and bike corrals' at intersections. The officials cited recent fatal crashes and urged the city to opt into a state law banning parking within 20 feet of corners. They want federal funds used for these changes. The group opposes DOT’s slow pace and reliance on paint, demanding physical barriers. Community board leaders and advocates support the move. DOT says it will review the letter and remains committed to evidence-based daylighting.

• Seven Brooklyn Electeds Join Growing Calls For Universal Daylighting, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-01-17

Seven Brooklyn officials urge DOT to clear cars from corners. They want boulders, planters, and bike corrals—not just paint. Their call follows deadly crashes. They press the city to use state law and federal funds. DOT promises review. Advocates back the push.

On January 17, 2024, seven Brooklyn elected officials—including Council Member Shahana Hanif, Borough President Antonio Reynoso, Assembly Members Marcela Mitaynes, Jo Anne Simon, Robert Carroll, and State Senators Zellnor Myrie and Andrew Gounardes—issued a joint letter to the NYC Department of Transportation. They called for 'universal daylighting with hardened materials such as boulders, planters, and bike corrals' at intersections. The officials cited recent fatal crashes and urged the city to opt into a state law banning parking within 20 feet of corners. They want federal funds used for these changes. The group opposes DOT’s slow pace and reliance on paint, demanding physical barriers. Community board leaders and advocates support the move. DOT says it will review the letter and remains committed to evidence-based daylighting.

• Seven Brooklyn Electeds Join Growing Calls For Universal Daylighting, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-01-17

Council Member Brannan demands a traffic plan for Verrazzano Bridge shutdowns. Closures force cars onto local streets. Drivers mount sidewalks. Buses stall. Pedestrians and first responders face danger. Brannan and Gounardes want action. MTA and DOT pass the buck.

On January 15, 2024, Council Member Justin Brannan (District 47) called for a contingency traffic plan to address chaos during Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge closures. The matter, titled 'Bay Ridge pols call for help with traffic build-up caused by Verrazzano Bridge closures,' highlights gridlock and reckless driving on residential streets. Brannan, joined by State Senator Andrew Gounardes, pressed the MTA and DOT for early closure notifications and more traffic control. Brannan warned, 'Frustrated drivers... driving up on the sidewalk... affects not just the average driver or pedestrian but... first responders.' Gounardes added, 'Buses literally could not go anywhere.' Local leaders echoed the need for action. The MTA claimed safety as the reason for closures but shifted responsibility for street management to the DOT. No formal safety analyst assessment was provided, but the call centers the danger to pedestrians, transit riders, and emergency crews.

• Bay Ridge pols call for help with traffic build-up caused by Verrazzano Bridge closures, brooklynpaper.com, Published 2024-01-15

A sedan backing on 4 Avenue in Brooklyn struck a southbound sedan. The southbound driver, a 21-year-old man, suffered neck contusions. Both vehicles bore front and rear damage. The crash stemmed from unsafe backing maneuvers by the northbound driver.

According to the police report, a sedan traveling south on 4 Avenue was struck by another sedan backing north. The southbound driver, a 21-year-old male occupant, sustained neck injuries and contusions but was conscious and restrained by a lap belt and harness. The northbound vehicle was backing unsafely, causing the collision. The point of impact was the center front end of the southbound sedan and the left rear quarter panel of the backing sedan. Both drivers were licensed and operating their vehicles legally. The report lists "Backing Unsafely" as the contributing factor. No other contributing factors or victim errors were noted.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4691792 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-12

Council backs harsher penalties for drivers who hide plates. Obscured tags let reckless motorists dodge cameras and tickets. The bill aims to stop evasion and protect people on city streets.

Resolution 0866-2023, filed by the Committee on Public Safety, urges Albany to pass S.2447/A.5234. The measure, sponsored by Council Member Robert F. Holden, calls for increased penalties for purposefully obstructed license plates. The resolution states: 'increase the penalties for purposefully obstructed license plates.' It was introduced and voted on in December 2023. The bill would let authorities confiscate plate coverings, suspend registrations, and block VINs. Obscured plates let drivers evade speed and red-light cameras, putting pedestrians and cyclists at risk. The council wants tougher enforcement to keep streets safer for all.

• File Res 0866-2023, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2023-12-31

A taxi hit a 72-year-old woman crossing Flatbush Avenue at 5th Avenue. The front end crushed her. She died on the street, alone in the dark. By sunrise, the asphalt was still. The city moved on. She did not.

A taxi traveling north on Flatbush Avenue struck a 72-year-old woman as she crossed at 5th Avenue. According to the police report, the front end of the taxi hit her, causing fatal injuries to her entire body. She died at the scene. The report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' The woman was crossing against the signal, but the data does not cite this as a contributing factor for the driver. No driver errors such as failure to yield or distraction are listed in the report. The crash left the street quiet by sunrise, marking another loss on Brooklyn’s roads.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4690798 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-12

Council backs harsher penalties for drivers who hide plates. Obscured tags let reckless motorists dodge cameras and tickets. The bill aims to stop evasion and protect people on city streets.

Resolution 0866-2023, filed by the Committee on Public Safety, urges Albany to pass S.2447/A.5234. The measure, sponsored by Council Member Robert F. Holden, calls for increased penalties for purposefully obstructed license plates. The resolution states: 'increase the penalties for purposefully obstructed license plates.' It was introduced and voted on in December 2023. The bill would let authorities confiscate plate coverings, suspend registrations, and block VINs. Obscured plates let drivers evade speed and red-light cameras, putting pedestrians and cyclists at risk. The council wants tougher enforcement to keep streets safer for all.

• File Res 0866-2023, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2023-12-20