Third Avenue: Two Miles, Too Many Graves

A 34-year-old woman crossed 52 Street with the signal. A Ford SUV made a left turn, hitting her with its left front bumper. She suffered bruises and injuries to her knee and lower leg. The driver was distracted and turned improperly.

According to the police report, a 34-year-old female pedestrian was crossing 52 Street at an intersection with the signal when a 2005 Ford SUV, traveling east, made a left turn and struck her with its left front bumper. The pedestrian sustained contusions and injuries to her knee, lower leg, and foot. The report lists driver inattention and distraction as contributing factors, along with an improper turn. The driver was licensed and operating the vehicle alone. The pedestrian was conscious after the collision. No other factors such as helmet use or signaling by the pedestrian were noted.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4611574 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-13

Three Bay Ridge officers got city and state awards for shielding students during a deadly U-Haul rampage. The driver struck eight, killed one. Officers rushed to shelter kids. Politicians praised quick action. Community demanded tougher traffic violence measures and mental health support.

On March 8, 2023, State Senator Andrew Gounardes and Council Member Justin Brannan honored officers from the 68th Precinct for their response to the February U-Haul attack in Bay Ridge. The event, not tied to a specific council bill, recognized police who 'evacuated and sheltered school children' as a driver struck eight pedestrians and killed one. Gounardes said, 'These students, their families and our entire community here in southern Brooklyn will be forever grateful.' Brannan called the response 'a shining example' of local policing. The commendation took place at Bay Ridge Preparatory School. The incident sparked calls for 'enhanced measures against traffic violence' and more mental health resources at a vigil for the victims. No formal safety analysis was provided, but the focus remained on protecting vulnerable road users and preventing future harm.

• ‘Heroic’ Bay Ridge officers honored for protecting students during U-Haul attack, brooklynpaper.com, Published 2023-03-08

Two SUVs collided in Brooklyn at 2 Avenue. One driver, unlicensed, made a right turn on red and hit a northbound SUV. The licensed driver suffered abdominal and pelvic injuries. Airbags deployed. The crash was caused by disregarding traffic control.

According to the police report, the crash occurred when an unlicensed driver made a right turn on red and collided with a northbound SUV. The licensed driver of the northbound vehicle was injured, sustaining abrasions and injuries to the abdomen and pelvis. The airbags deployed, and the driver was conscious and not ejected. The contributing factor listed was 'Traffic Control Disregarded,' indicating the unlicensed driver failed to obey the traffic signal. No other driver errors or victim behaviors were noted in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4610199 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-13

Brooklyn power players met behind closed doors. They fought to keep the BQE wide and fast. Former party boss Frank Seddio led the charge. Some officials want fewer lanes for cleaner air and safer streets. City Hall claims neutrality. The debate rages on.

On March 4, 2023, a closed-door City Hall meeting gathered Brooklyn political figures to debate the future of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE). The event, organized by Deputy Mayor Meera Joshi, focused on whether to reduce the BQE from three lanes to two. Former Brooklyn Democratic Party Chair Frank Seddio opposed the lane reduction, urging allies to resist the change. The meeting excluded some officials who support shrinking the highway, such as Assembly Member Jo Anne Simon and State Senator Andrew Gounardes, who cite environmental and community health concerns. Council Member Lincoln Restler criticized the city for favoring a three-lane solution and sidelining affected communities. City Hall denied taking a side, stating, 'the decision would be based on a DOT traffic study.' No formal council bill or vote was recorded, and no safety analyst assessed the impact on vulnerable road users.

• THE POWER BROKERS: Brooklyn Machine Fights Smaller BQE at Closed-Door City Hall Meeting, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-03-04

City Hall floats three-lane BQE. Electeds push back. Two lanes, they say, or fewer. Advocates want transit, not more highway. Officials call City Hall’s claims false. The fight is sharp. Vulnerable road users watch as cars and trucks rule the debate.

On March 3, 2023, City Hall reignited debate over the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE) lane count. Deputy Mayor Meera Joshi claimed some locals want three lanes each way, but 17 elected officials, including State Sen. Julia Salazar, Sen. Andrew Gounardes, Assemblymember Emily Gallagher, and Council Member Lincoln Restler, publicly rejected the idea. Salazar said, 'no to three lanes. Two lanes at most.' Gounardes confirmed, 'all support a two-lane highway.' Gallagher wrote, '2 lanes if any.' Restler called City Hall’s statements 'plainly inaccurate.' The Department of Transportation delayed environmental review to study both options. Advocates and officials urge investment in mass transit, not highway expansion. Vulnerable road users remain at risk as the city weighs more lanes for cars and trucks.

• City Hall: We Hear that People Want to Keep Three-Lane BQE (Really?!), Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-03-03

Governor Hochul’s budget dodges state duty. City pays more, gets less. Riders face fare hikes, no better service. State hoards surplus, starves transit. Lawmakers protest. Suburbs dodge taxes. The city shoulders the load. Riders pay the price. Streets stay dangerous.

Governor Hochul’s 2023 state budget proposal, analyzed March 3, 2023, keeps New York State’s long-running refusal to match MTA funding under law 18-b. The budget, now under legislative review, forces New York City to cover a $500 million gap, while the state sits on an $8.7 billion surplus. The matter: 'Hochul's budget not only asks city residents to cover the largest chunk of the MTA's budget gap, but does so in part by continuing long-running practices that essentially under-fund the MTA by millions of dollars each year.' Assembly Member Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas and State Sen. Andrew Gounardes both object, demanding the state honor its legal obligations. Riders Alliance and Reinvent Albany condemn the austerity. With fare hikes looming and no service improvements, city transit riders—often pedestrians and cyclists—bear the brunt. The budget leaves vulnerable road users exposed, as transit stagnates and car dominance persists.

• Analysis: Hochul Turns Her Back on Transit Riders With Her MTA Budget, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-03-03

Senate passes S 4647. Bill hikes penalties for endangering highway workers. It funds more enforcement. It pushes work zone safety awareness. Lawmakers move to protect workers from reckless drivers.

Senate bill S 4647, titled "Increases penalties for endangerment of a highway worker, promotes work zone safety awareness, and establishes a fund for additional work zone safety enforcement," advanced through committee on April 15, 2024. Sponsored by Timothy M. Kennedy, with Joseph P. Addabbo Jr., Pamela Helming, Mario Mattera, Robert Rolison, and James Skoufis as co-sponsors, the bill passed multiple Senate votes. The measure targets drivers who endanger highway workers, boosts safety awareness, and funds enforcement. The bill aims to curb driver recklessness in work zones, where danger is high and impact is deadly.

• File S 4647, Open States, Published 2023-02-28

A father killed. Seven hurt. A U-Haul rampage tore through Bay Ridge. Neighbors gathered by candlelight. Officials called for safer streets and mental health care. The city mourned. The danger remains. Vision Zero is still just a promise.

On February 21, 2023, Bay Ridge held a vigil after a deadly U-Haul attack killed YiJie Ye, a delivery driver and father, and injured seven others. The event was not a council bill but a public response to traffic violence. State Senator Andrew Gounardes, mentioned in the event, spoke of the need for government action to make streets safer, saying, 'There’s work to do on every level of government to make the streets safer.' Mayor Eric Adams emphasized Vision Zero and the need for mental health resources, stating, 'Vision Zero [should be] an actualization as we make our streets safe.' Steve Mei, of the Chinese-American Planning Council, called for more city-funded mental health services, especially for seniors. The vigil underscored the community’s grief and the urgent need for systemic change to protect vulnerable road users. No formal safety analyst assessment was provided.

• ‘He came here because of his three children’: Bay Ridge community honors victim of U-Haul attack at candlelit vigil, brooklynpaper.com, Published 2023-02-21

Assembly Bill 4637 would use cameras to keep cars out of bike lanes. The bill targets drivers who block protected lanes. Sponsors say it will protect cyclists from deadly crashes.

Assembly Bill A 4637, now in the sponsorship stage, aims to create a bicycle lane safety program in New York City. The bill, introduced on February 21, 2023, enforces restrictions on protected bike lanes using photo devices. The matter title reads: 'Establishes in the city of New York a bicycle lane safety program to enforce certain restrictions on the use of protected bicycle lanes by means of bicycle lane photo devices.' Assembly Member Zohran Mamdani leads as primary sponsor, joined by Brian Cunningham, Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas, Harvey Epstein, Amy Paulin, and others. The bill targets drivers who endanger cyclists by blocking protected lanes. No safety analyst note is available.

• File A 4637, Open States, Published 2023-02-21

Two sedans crashed head-on on 4 Avenue. One driver, 33, suffered head injuries and whiplash. He was semiconscious but not ejected. Alcohol and driver distraction played a role. Both vehicles damaged on front quarters.

According to the police report, two sedans collided on 4 Avenue. The 33-year-old male driver of one sedan was injured, sustaining head trauma and whiplash. He was semiconscious at the scene and was wearing a lap belt. The report lists alcohol involvement and driver inattention or distraction as contributing factors. Both vehicles were traveling south and struck each other on their front quarters. The driver was licensed in New York. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved. The crash caused damage to the right front bumper of one sedan and the left front quarter panel of the other.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4607191 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-13

A 40-year-old man was struck while crossing 45 Street with the signal. He suffered back contusions and bruises. The pedestrian was conscious and injured at the intersection. No driver errors or contributing factors were reported in the crash data.

According to the police report, a 40-year-old male pedestrian was injured while crossing 45 Street at an intersection with the signal. He sustained back contusions and bruises and remained conscious after the collision. The report lists no contributing factors or driver errors such as failure to yield or speeding. The vehicle involved is unspecified, and no details about the driver or vehicle type were provided. The pedestrian was not at fault and was following traffic signals at the time of the crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4607189 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-13

Lawmakers push two bills. One widens legal cargo bikes. One reins in dirty warehouses. Both target truck traffic choking city streets. Sponsors say the measures will cut pollution, asthma, and danger for people outside cars. Albany momentum grows.

Bills S6106 (Sen. Jessica Ramos) and A6968 (Asm. Marcela Mitaynes) are active in the New York State legislature. S6106 would expand the legal width of cargo bikes from 36 to 48 inches, making them more useful for deliveries. A6968 would let the Department of Environmental Conservation regulate emissions from last-mile warehouses and require plans to cut transportation pollution, including by using zero-emission vehicles like cargo bikes. The matter summary notes, 'The bills complement each other.' Ramos and Mitaynes sponsor the measures. Their staff and advocates say the bills will help replace polluting vans with cleaner cargo bikes, especially in low-income areas hit hard by asthma. Both bills are gaining support in Albany.

• V-DAY SPECIAL: Bigger Cargo Bikes and Last-Mile Warehouse Regulation is a Match Made In Heaven, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-02-14

A pick-up truck hit a 36-year-old man riding a bike on 4th Avenue. The crash left the cyclist semiconscious with fractures and dislocations. Police cite failure to yield as a cause.

According to the police report, a pick-up truck collided with a 36-year-old male bicyclist on 4 Avenue in Brooklyn. The cyclist was struck from behind and suffered fractures, dislocations, and was semiconscious at the scene. The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as a contributing factor. The point of impact was the center back end of the bike and the front center of the truck. No other persons were involved. The use of safety equipment by the cyclist is unknown. The crash underscores the risk to vulnerable road users when drivers fail to yield.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4605360 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-13

Assembly and Senate passed A 602. The bill sets state funding rules for federally assisted and municipal complete street projects. Lawmakers moved fast. Streets shaped by budgets, not safety.

Bill A 602, titled 'Relates to the percentage responsibility of the state for federally assisted projects,' passed committee votes in the Assembly on January 24, 2023, and in the Senate on February 13, 2023. Sponsored by Patricia Fahy, the bill addresses how much the state pays for federally assisted projects and for municipal projects with complete street designs. The measure saw broad support, with near-unanimous yes votes in both chambers. The bill's focus is on funding, not on direct safety improvements for pedestrians, cyclists, or other vulnerable road users. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File A 602, Open States, Published 2023-02-13

Assembly and Senate passed A 602. The bill sets state funding rules for federally assisted and municipal complete street projects. Lawmakers moved fast. Streets shaped by budgets, not safety.

Bill A 602, titled 'Relates to the percentage responsibility of the state for federally assisted projects,' passed committee votes in the Assembly on January 24, 2023, and in the Senate on February 13, 2023. Sponsored by Patricia Fahy, the bill addresses how much the state pays for federally assisted projects and for municipal projects with complete street designs. The measure saw broad support, with near-unanimous yes votes in both chambers. The bill's focus is on funding, not on direct safety improvements for pedestrians, cyclists, or other vulnerable road users. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File A 602, Open States, Published 2023-02-13

Assembly and Senate passed A 602. The bill sets state funding rules for federally assisted and municipal complete street projects. Lawmakers moved fast. Streets shaped by budgets, not safety.

Bill A 602, titled 'Relates to the percentage responsibility of the state for federally assisted projects,' passed committee votes in the Assembly on January 24, 2023, and in the Senate on February 13, 2023. Sponsored by Patricia Fahy, the bill addresses how much the state pays for federally assisted projects and for municipal projects with complete street designs. The measure saw broad support, with near-unanimous yes votes in both chambers. The bill's focus is on funding, not on direct safety improvements for pedestrians, cyclists, or other vulnerable road users. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File A 602, Open States, Published 2023-02-13

Eighteen Brooklyn officials demand state DOT address BQE’s full deadly stretch. They reject piecemeal fixes. They call out decades of harm. The state’s refusal leaves neighborhoods exposed. The city’s hands are tied. The highway’s danger remains. Vulnerable lives hang in the balance.

On February 10, 2023, eighteen Brooklyn lawmakers issued a joint letter demanding New York State Department of Transportation (DOT) participate in comprehensive planning for the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE). The statement, prompted by a Streetsblog report, reads: "We ask that the NYS DOT remember the daily harms caused by the BQE in its current state—not just the crumbling cantilever section—and join us at the table in search of a solution." The group includes Reps. Nydia Velázquez, Dan Goldman, Borough President Antonio Reynoso, state Sens. Jabari Brisport, Julia Salazar, Kristen Gonzalez, Andrew Gounardes, Assembly Members Bobby Carroll, Maritza Davila, Phara Souffrant Forrest, Emily Gallagher, Jo Anne Simon, Marcela Mitaynes, and Council Members Alexa Avilés, Shahana Hanif, Crystal Hudson, Jennifer Gutiérrez, and Lincoln Restler. Senator Gounardes called the state’s refusal to join the city’s visioning process “unacceptable and irresponsible.” The lawmakers stress that the BQE’s harms—crashes, pollution, division—stretch from Bay Ridge to Greenpoint. Without state action, only city-owned segments see attention. The city’s efforts are limited. The state’s inaction leaves systemic danger unaddressed.

• Brooklyn Pols Demand the State ‘Come to the Table’ on the BQE, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-02-10

Eighteen Brooklyn officials demand state DOT address BQE’s full deadly stretch. They reject piecemeal fixes. They call out decades of harm. The state’s refusal leaves neighborhoods exposed. The city’s hands are tied. The highway’s danger remains. Vulnerable lives hang in the balance.

On February 10, 2023, eighteen Brooklyn lawmakers issued a joint letter demanding New York State Department of Transportation (DOT) participate in comprehensive planning for the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE). The statement, prompted by a Streetsblog report, reads: "We ask that the NYS DOT remember the daily harms caused by the BQE in its current state—not just the crumbling cantilever section—and join us at the table in search of a solution." The group includes Reps. Nydia Velázquez, Dan Goldman, Borough President Antonio Reynoso, state Sens. Jabari Brisport, Julia Salazar, Kristen Gonzalez, Andrew Gounardes, Assembly Members Bobby Carroll, Maritza Davila, Phara Souffrant Forrest, Emily Gallagher, Jo Anne Simon, Marcela Mitaynes, and Council Members Alexa Avilés, Shahana Hanif, Crystal Hudson, Jennifer Gutiérrez, and Lincoln Restler. Senator Gounardes called the state’s refusal to join the city’s visioning process “unacceptable and irresponsible.” The lawmakers stress that the BQE’s harms—crashes, pollution, division—stretch from Bay Ridge to Greenpoint. Without state action, only city-owned segments see attention. The city’s efforts are limited. The state’s inaction leaves systemic danger unaddressed.

• Brooklyn Pols Demand the State ‘Come to the Table’ on the BQE, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-02-10

Lawmakers raced up Smith-9th Streets station. They showed how slow, underfunded trains force riders to run or wait in the cold. They called for more state money, not fare hikes. They want frequent, reliable service to pull people from cars and save lives.

On February 6, 2023, Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon (District 52) joined a public event spotlighting the impact of MTA underfunding and slow subway service. The event, covered by brooklynpaper.com, saw Simon and other officials racing at Smith-9th Streets station to dramatize the daily struggle of straphangers. The matter focused on 'the impact of low MTA funding and long wait times.' Simon said, 'It is really critically important...for people to be able to take reliable, safe, regular, speedy-enough transit service. That’s what’s going to get people out of their cars.' State Senator Andrew Gounardes and Assemblymembers Robert Carroll and Zohran Mamdani also participated, urging Albany to boost state funding and implement congestion pricing. The lawmakers oppose fare hikes and the rider-funded model, calling for public dollars to improve frequency and reliability. No formal bill was cited, but the advocacy targets the state budget and MTA funding structure.

• Straphanger sprint: Pols race to subway platform to highlight slow service, MTA underfunding, brooklynpaper.com, Published 2023-02-06

Lawmakers and advocates climbed the city’s highest subway station. They demanded more from Governor Hochul’s MTA budget. They want six-minute off-peak trains. They reject fare hikes. They call for taxing the wealthy to fund better, faster service. Riders wait. Danger lingers.

On February 5, 2023, legislators and advocates rallied for increased MTA funding and more frequent subway service. The event, led by Assembly Members Zohran Mamdani and Robert Carroll, State Senator Andrew Gounardes, and Riders Alliance’s Betsy Plum, responded to Governor Hochul’s budget proposal. The matter: 'Advocates and legislators raced up the stairs...to press their case for Gov. Hochul to do more to fill the MTA's fiscal gap.' Hochul’s plan stabilizes finances but does not boost service or halt fare hikes. Mamdani and Gounardes called for six-minute off-peak trains and new taxes on the wealthy. Gounardes said, 'We all know that we need better service and we need more service.' The proposal remains under negotiation. No safety analyst has assessed the direct impact on vulnerable road users, but frequent, reliable transit is vital for their safety.

• ON THEIR MARKS: Legislators Demand More from Hochul’s MTA Budget Proposal, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-02-05