Third Avenue: Two Miles, Too Many Graves

A man fell onto Prospect Park subway tracks during a fight. The train struck him. He died at the scene. Police questioned the other person. The platform became a place of sudden death.

NY Daily News (2025-07-30) reports a man died after falling onto the tracks at Prospect Park station during a fight. Police said, "As the fight escalated, he landed on the train tracks and was struck by an oncoming train." The victim suffered fatal head trauma. The other person involved was taken into custody for questioning. No charges were filed at the time. The article does not specify if the man fell or was pushed. The incident highlights the dangers of open subway platforms and the risks faced by riders in moments of conflict.

• Man Dies After Fall Onto Subway Tracks, NY Daily News, Published 2025-07-30

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

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

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

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

A car struck an 11-year-old boy by a Brooklyn playground. He survived. Police search for answers. The street stays dangerous.

ABC7 reported on July 19, 2025, that an 11-year-old boy was hit by a car near a playground on Bedford Avenue in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn. The crash happened around 5:30 p.m. Friday. The boy is in stable condition. Police are investigating the circumstances. The article states, "There is no word yet on how the accident happened." No details on driver actions or charges have been released. The incident highlights the ongoing risk to children near city streets and playgrounds.

• Child Hit Near Sheepshead Bay Playground, ABC7, Published 2025-07-19

Six speeding tickets. School zones. Gersh Kuntzman calls out Andrew Cuomo. Reckless driving from leaders puts lives at risk. Streets stay dangerous. No answers from Cuomo.

"if the state legislature had passed Sen. Andrew Gounardes's "Stop Super Speeder" bill, would have required Cuomo to get a speed limiter installed into his beloved Dodge." -- Andrew Gounardes

On July 18, 2025, journalist Gersh Kuntzman of Streetsblog NYC criticized former Governor Andrew Cuomo for racking up six speed-camera tickets in city school zones between March and June. Kuntzman wrote, 'That's objectively a horrendous record of reckless driving through city school zones.' He noted that if Sen. Andrew Gounardes's 'Stop Super Speeder' bill had passed, Cuomo would face a mandatory speed limiter. No council bill or committee action is involved. The safety analyst notes this is an individual’s behavior, not a policy change, so there is no direct impact on pedestrian or cyclist safety.

• Friday’s Headlines: Cuomo’s Road Rage Edition, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-07-18

A driver spun out in a Brooklyn lot. The car struck a woman on the curb. She died at the hospital. Police charged the driver with negligent homicide. The lot was left scarred. The city mourns another loss.

According to the New York Post (2025-07-16), Zachary Cando, 24, was 'doing the dangerous spinning trick' known as donuts in a Gateway Center parking lot when he lost control and hit Madisyn Ruiz, 21, who was sitting nearby. Ruiz died after being rushed to the hospital. Police charged Cando with criminally negligent homicide, reckless endangerment, and reckless driving. The article notes the car was 'badly dented in the front.' The crash highlights the risks of reckless driving in public spaces and the need for stronger deterrents in parking lots.

• Driver Kills Girlfriend Doing Donuts, New York Post, Published 2025-07-16

A judge stopped the city from tearing out Bedford Avenue’s only protected bike lane. The fight over safety and street space continues. Cyclists and pedestrians wait as legal battles stall change.

Streetsblog NYC reported on July 15, 2025, that an appellate judge halted Mayor Adams’s plan to remove a protected bike lane on Bedford Avenue. Judge Ventura issued a restraining order after Transportation Alternatives and Baruch Herzfeld appealed the city’s move. The city had planned to start demolition after complaints from local leaders, but the court’s order blocks any changes until further review. Streetsblog quotes Ben Furnas: 'The Adams administration is going to have to spend their night preparing their legal case, not ripping out a critical safety project.' The article highlights weak enforcement of parking rules and the city’s reversal against its own DOT’s safety plan. The case underscores how political pressure and lax enforcement can threaten vulnerable road users.

• Court Blocks Bedford Avenue Bike Lane Removal, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-07-15

A sedan struck two men crossing with the signal on 3rd Ave and 52nd St. Both died. Police cite traffic control disregarded and unsafe speed. The car’s right front bumper hit. System failed the walkers.

Two male pedestrians, ages 80 and 59, were killed when a sedan struck them as they crossed 3rd Avenue at 52nd Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, both men were crossing with the signal at the intersection when the vehicle hit them with its right front bumper. The report lists 'Traffic Control Disregarded' and 'Unsafe Speed' as contributing factors. No injuries were reported for vehicle occupants. The data shows clear driver error: the driver failed to obey traffic controls and drove too fast. The pedestrians followed the signal. The system left them exposed.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4826750 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-07-31

A car sped down Third Avenue. Two men, one with a cart, one with a cane, crossed. The driver did not brake. Both men died in the street. The car fled. Police arrested the driver hours later.

ABC7 reported on July 11, 2025, that two men, aged 59 and 80, were killed by a hit-and-run driver at Third Avenue and 52nd Street in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. Surveillance showed the car "speeding southbound" and not braking before impact. The driver, Juventino Anastacio Florentino, was arrested and charged with manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, and reckless driving. The victims, Kex Un Chen and Faqiu Lin, were likely headed to a local food pantry. The incident highlights the lethal risk posed by reckless driving and the vulnerability of pedestrians, especially near essential services.

• Hit-And-Run Kills Two In Sunset Park, ABC7, Published 2025-07-11

A moped struck a 90-year-old man in Brooklyn. The driver fled. The man died at the hospital. Security video captured the impact. The street claimed another life.

CBS New York (2025-07-10) reports a 90-year-old man died after a moped hit-and-run in Brooklyn. Security footage 'shows the moment the man was struck.' The driver left the scene. The victim died at the hospital. The incident highlights the lethal risk for pedestrians and the ongoing danger of drivers who flee. No policy changes or arrests were reported.

• Elderly Man Killed In Brooklyn Hit-Run, CBS New York, Published 2025-07-10

A judge let the city move a protected bike lane off Bedford Avenue. Cyclists lose curbside safety. Adams pushed the change after local protests. Advocates warn the street grows more dangerous.

Gothamist (2025-07-09) reports a state judge allowed Mayor Adams to remove curbside bike lane protections on Brooklyn's Bedford Avenue. The city will shift the lane to the street's center, ending the barrier of parked cars. The move follows protests from local Orthodox Jewish communities and a recent e-bike crash. Advocates sued, arguing Adams bypassed environmental review. The judge ruled the change was not a major project. Transportation Alternatives warns, 'If the Bedford Avenue safety improvements are destroyed, this all but guarantees that there will be blood on Eric Adams' hands.' The decision highlights Adams' pattern of scaling back street safety redesigns.

• Judge Allows Bedford Avenue Bike Lane Change, Gothamist, Published 2025-07-09

A Smart Car struck Dov Broyde, 70, as he crossed Avenue I near his home. Medics rushed him to the hospital. He died. The driver stayed. No charges filed. Brooklyn street claimed another life.

NY Daily News (2025-07-08) reports Dov Broyde, 70, was fatally struck by a Smart Car while crossing Avenue I at E. Fifth St. near Midwood around 9:30 p.m. The article states the driver 'plowed into him' and remained at the scene. No criminal charges were filed at the time. The incident highlights persistent danger for pedestrians in New York City, where 55 have died this year. The crash underscores the ongoing toll of traffic violence and the urgent need for systemic safety improvements.

• Elderly Pedestrian Killed Crossing Avenue I, NY Daily News, Published 2025-07-08

Two new elevators rise at Bay Ridge-95th Street. Barriers fall. Riders once shut out now enter. Subway access grows. Streets outside still threaten, but inside, movement is free. Each upgrade shifts the city’s balance.

"This project has been a long time coming. When I first got into elected office, there was not a single accessible station anywhere in my district... Today we are celebrating the second station in Bay Ridge to have accessibility access." -- Andrew Gounardes

On July 8, 2025, the MTA opened two ADA-compliant elevators at Bay Ridge-95th Street station, Brooklyn. The project, backed by federal funds, finished under budget. Council Member Justin Brannan, State Sen. Andrew Gounardes, and Rep. Nicole Malliotakis all praised the upgrade. Quemuel Arroyo, MTA’s chief accessibility officer, called it 'a crucial connection.' The new elevators mark the third Brooklyn station made accessible this year. Improved subway access encourages walking and cycling to transit, boosting safety for vulnerable users by increasing their numbers and visibility. The MTA must reach 95% accessibility by 2055.

• MTA opens two elevators at newly-accessible Bay Ridge-95th Street station, Brooklyn Paper, Published 2025-07-08

SUV and sedan collided on Gowanus Expressway. Two men suffered back injuries. Both vehicles struck head-on. No cause listed. The road turned violent in the night.

Two vehicles, a station wagon/SUV and a sedan, collided on the Gowanus Expressway in Brooklyn. According to the police report, two men—a 27-year-old driver and a 23-year-old front passenger—were injured, both suffering back and internal injuries. The SUV was hit at the center back end, the sedan at the center front. Both vehicles were traveling straight ahead. The police report lists all contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' No driver errors were recorded in the data. No mention of helmet or signal use appears in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4826140 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-07-31

Council orders swift removal of abandoned, derelict cars. Streets clear in 72 hours. No plates, no stickers, no excuses. Police and sanitation must act. Safer crossings for all who walk, ride, or wait.

Bill Int 0857-2024, now at the Mayor's desk, passed the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and full Council on June 30, 2025. The bill, titled "A Local Law to amend the administrative code...in relation to vehicles reported as abandoned to the department of sanitation," requires the Department of Sanitation to remove derelict vehicles within 72 hours of report. The NYPD must tow cars lacking valid plates or stickers. Prime sponsor Selvena N. Brooks-Powers led, joined by Crystal Hudson, Amanda Farías, Lincoln Restler, and others. The law targets street hazards, clearing blocked sightlines and crosswalks. It aims to cut risks for pedestrians and cyclists by removing abandoned vehicles fast.

• File Int 0857-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-06-30

Governor Hochul signed S.8344/A.8787, extending NYC’s school zone speed camera program to 2030. Cameras stay. Streets watch. Danger lingers for kids crossing. Fewer drivers speed. Fewer crashes. Lives spared.

On June 30, 2025, Governor Kathy Hochul signed S.8344/A.8787, renewing New York City’s school zone speed camera program through July 1, 2030. The bill, described as 'an extra boost' for automated enforcement, updates home-rule provisions first enacted in 2013. State Senator Andrew Gounardes and Assembly Member Deborah Glick sponsored the measure. Both praised the program’s record in cutting speeds and saving lives. Council member Barbara Russo-Lennon supported the renewal. A safety analyst notes the extension is likely to reduce speeds and crashes, improving safety for pedestrians and cyclists, especially children, without burdening vulnerable road users.

• Staying on: New Yorkers react to Hochul’s renewed speed camera program in NYC, AMNY, Published 2025-06-30

Governor Hochul signs speed camera law. Enforcement runs to 2030. Cameras slash speeding. Injuries drop. Streets still deadly. Lawmakers split. Pedestrians and cyclists get a fighting chance.

On June 30, 2025, Governor Hochul signed the reauthorization of New York City's speed camera program. The law, with no listed bill number or committee, extends automated enforcement through 2030. Hochul declared, 'Speed cameras save lives and keep New Yorkers safe.' Senator Andrew Gounardes, the bill's sponsor, praised the renewal. City data shows a 30 percent drop in severe injuries and a 94 percent fall in speeding at camera sites. Safety analysts confirm: speed cameras cut dangerous driving and protect pedestrians and cyclists without burdening them. Lawmakers remain divided, but the program stands.

• Hochul Signs Speed Camera Reauthorization, Enforcement Continues Through 2030, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-06-30

An SUV struck and killed eight-year-old Mordica Keller as he crossed Eastern Parkway with his sister. The driver stayed. Blood stained the concrete. The boy died at Kings County Hospital. The street claimed another child.

According to the New York Post (2025-06-29), eight-year-old Mordica Keller was killed by a black Honda Pilot while crossing Eastern Parkway at Albany Street with his sister. The 69-year-old driver, heading south, remained at the scene. Police said, "They were walking, he was crossing the street with his sister." The driver had a green light, and no arrest has been made. The incident highlights persistent dangers for pedestrians at busy intersections. The investigation continues.

• SUV Kills Boy Crossing Crown Heights Street, New York Post, Published 2025-06-29