Bay Ridge Bleeds—City Shrugs. Demand Action Before Another Family Mourns.

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 2024-03-20

A Jeep slammed into a Honda’s rear on the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. The 81-year-old Honda driver died at the wheel, neck broken. No skid marks. The crash came sudden, hard, final. Following too closely left no room for mercy.

According to the police report, a 2024 Jeep struck the rear of a 2000 Honda traveling westbound on the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway at 12:05 a.m. The Honda’s 81-year-old driver, belted in, died at the scene with a broken neck. The report notes, 'No skid marks. No second chances.' The primary contributing factor cited is 'Following Too Closely,' indicating the Jeep driver failed to maintain a safe distance. The data does not list any contributing factors related to the victim’s behavior. The impact was to the Honda’s right rear bumper, with the Jeep’s right front bumper taking the hit. The report’s language and evidence focus on the Jeep driver’s failure to keep distance, a systemic danger on high-speed expressways.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4709835 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-05

Councilwoman Kamillah Hanks joined Staten Island leaders to denounce Manhattan’s congestion toll. They warned it would raise costs for working families and worsen air for minority neighborhoods. The MTA’s own study found pollution could rise in outer boroughs. The fight continues.

On March 14, 2024, Councilwoman Kamillah Hanks (District 49) stood with Staten Island officials at a press conference to oppose New York’s congestion pricing plan. The event, covered by nypost.com, highlighted concerns that the $15 toll for driving south of 60th Street in Manhattan would, as Hanks said, 'have a negative impact in neighborhoods of color in the outer boroughs.' Hanks and others argued the plan would burden working residents and increase pollution in Staten Island’s minority communities. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s environmental assessment confirmed air quality could worsen in Staten Island, the Bronx, and New Jersey, even as it improves in Manhattan. The MTA pledged $130 million for clean-up, but local leaders remain unconvinced. Hanks’s opposition underscores the ongoing debate over who pays—and who suffers—when the city tries to curb car traffic.

• NY’s congestion toll will discriminate against forgotten borough of Staten Island: local pols, nypost.com, Published 2024-03-14

Council aims to ban moving billboards. These rolling ads distract drivers. The bill locks in an existing rule. Streets need fewer distractions. Safety for walkers and riders comes first.

Bill Int 0541-2024 sits in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Introduced March 7, 2024, by Council Members Bottcher (primary), Brannan, Brewer, and Restler, it seeks to ban moving billboards. The matter title reads: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to banning moving billboards.' These billboards are already illegal under city rules. The bill would codify 34 RCNY 4-12(j), making the ban law. Bottcher and co-sponsors want to cut visual clutter and driver distraction. The bill was referred to committee on March 7, 2024.

• File Int 0541-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-03-07

Council bill forces DOT to act fast. Traffic study calls get answers in 60 days. No more endless waits. Streets stay dangerous while requests stall. Delay kills. Action saves.

Int 0542-2024 sits with the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, laid over since March 7, 2024. The bill reads: 'requiring that traffic study determinations be issued no later than 60 days from the date a traffic control device is requested by a city council member or community board.' Lincoln Restler leads as primary sponsor, joined by Brannan, Schulman, Brooks-Powers, Vernikov, and Morano. The bill cracks the whip on DOT, ending open-ended delays. Fast answers mean less time waiting for life-saving signals and signs. The city’s slow grind leaves people at risk. This bill demands speed.

• File Int 0542-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-03-07

Council aims to keep sightseeing buses out of bus lanes during rush. The bill targets morning and evening peaks. Streets clear for city buses, not tourists. Pedestrians and cyclists get a break from double-deckers.

Bill Int 0543-2024 sits with the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure after introduction on March 7, 2024. The measure, titled 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to restricting the use of bus lanes by sight-seeing buses,' blocks sightseeing buses from bus lanes on weekdays, 7–10 a.m. and 4–7 p.m. Sponsors Lincoln Restler (District 33, primary) and Justin L. Brannan (District 47, co-sponsor) push to keep bus lanes clear for transit. No sightseeing bus stops allowed in bus lanes during these hours. The bill responds to congestion and crowding, giving vulnerable road users more space and fewer blind spots.

• File Int 0543-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-03-07

Council wants every e-bike and scooter tagged and tracked. Plates on wheels. Riders face new rules. Lawmakers say it’s about order. The bill sits in committee. Streets wait.

Int 0606-2024 was introduced on March 7, 2024, in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The bill, titled "A Local Law to amend the administrative code...requiring that every bicycle with electric assist, electric scooter and other legal motorized vehicle be licensed and registered," would force all e-bikes, e-scooters, and similar vehicles not covered by DMV rules to register with DOT and display visible plates. Council Member Inna Vernikov is the primary sponsor, joined by 26 co-sponsors including Holden, Farías, Riley, and others. The bill was laid over in committee and has not advanced. No safety analysis for vulnerable road users was provided.

• File Int 0606-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-03-07

A motorcycle struck the right front bumper of a pickup truck making a left turn on 3 Avenue. The motorcyclist, a 51-year-old man, suffered knee and lower leg abrasions. Police cite driver reaction to an uninvolved vehicle as a key factor.

At 8:02 AM on 3 Avenue near Senator Street, a motorcycle traveling northeast collided with the right front bumper of a southbound pickup truck making a left turn, according to the police report. The motorcyclist, a 51-year-old male driver, sustained abrasions to his knee, lower leg, and foot but was not ejected and remained conscious. The report identifies "Reaction to Uninvolved Vehicle" as the primary contributing factor, indicating the drivers' responses to other traffic influenced the crash. The pickup truck driver, a licensed female, was operating a 2019 vehicle and the motorcycle driver was licensed as well. The collision caused damage to the truck's center front end and the motorcycle's left front quarter panel. No victim behaviors were cited as contributing factors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4706239 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-05

Council moves to outlaw fake plates. Fraud hides reckless drivers. Bill targets sellers, sets fines. Streets need truth. Law aims to strip shields from danger.

Bill Int 0178-2024 sits with the Committee on Public Safety after introduction on February 28, 2024. The bill, titled "A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to prohibiting the sale or distribution of fraudulent license plates," makes it illegal to sell or distribute fake or temporary plates, with civil penalties for violators. Council Member Lincoln Restler leads as primary sponsor, joined by Feliz, Schulman, Ung, Marte, Hudson, Brewer, Brannan, and Avilés. The bill was referred to committee the same day. Fraudulent plates let reckless drivers vanish. This measure aims to close that escape, exposing those who endanger lives.

• File Int 0178-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

Council urges Albany to pass SAFE Streets Act. Lower speed limits. Rights for crash victims. Safe passing for cyclists. Complete streets. City demands action as deaths rise. Streets remain deadly. Lawmakers must act.

Resolution 0090-2024 sits in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Introduced February 28, 2024, it calls on the state to pass S.2422 ('Sammy’s Law') and A.1901, part of the SAFE Streets Act. The matter title: 'Resolution calling on the New York State Legislature to pass, and the Governor to sign, S.2422... allowing New York city to establish a lower speed limit, and A.1901, enacting a crash victims bill of rights.' Council Member Shahana K. Hanif leads, joined by Gutiérrez, Hudson, Nurse, and others. The resolution demands lower speed limits, crash victim rights, safe passing for cyclists, and complete street design. It cites rising traffic deaths and the failure of current measures. The Council wants Albany to give the city real power to protect people on its streets.

• File Res 0090-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

Council passed a law forcing taxis and for-hire cars to post bold warnings on doors. The signs tell passengers: look for cyclists before you open up. A small step. The city hands out the decals. No cost to drivers.

Int 0193-2024 became law on May 31, 2025, after action by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The bill, titled 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code...requiring taxis and for-hire vehicles to display a decal warning passengers to look for cyclists when opening the door,' was sponsored by Lincoln Restler and co-sponsored by over twenty council members, including Gutiérrez, Hudson, and Rivera. The law mandates clear warning decals on all rear passenger doors of taxis and for-hire vehicles. The Taxi and Limousine Commission will provide the signs at no cost. The measure aims to cut down on 'dooring'—a threat to cyclists citywide. The mayor returned the bill unsigned, but it became law.

• File Int 0193-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

Fourth Avenue in Bay Ridge remains a hazard. Activists want a road diet and protected bike lanes. The city has stalled. Council Member Brannan stays quiet. State Senator Gounardes backs the push. Advocates press on. Vulnerable lives hang in the balance.

On February 26, 2024, activists renewed calls for the Department of Transportation to extend the Fourth Avenue redesign into Bay Ridge. The campaign, led by Bike South Brooklyn, the Bay Ridge Environmental Group, and Transportation Alternatives, demands a 'better, safer Fourth Avenue' with a road diet and protected bike lanes. Council Member Justin Brannan, who represents Bay Ridge, has a mixed record—once supportive, now silent as his term ends. State Senator Andrew Gounardes supports the redesign, citing risks to pedestrians and cyclists: 'the design of the street puts your safety at risk.' The DOT has not proposed changes south of Sunset Park, leaving Bay Ridge exposed. Advocates vow to keep fighting for safety, regardless of political will.

• Activists Renew Push For Redesign of Fourth Ave. in Bay Ridge, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-02-26

Lawsuits stall congestion pricing. Disabled riders lose. Elevators and upgrades freeze. Streets choke. Politicians demand action. Money for accessibility dries up. The city’s most vulnerable wait. Wheelchair users, seniors, parents, all stuck. The system fails those who need it most.

On February 23, 2024, at a press conference, Brooklyn State Senator Andrew Gounardes and Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon condemned lawsuits blocking the MTA’s congestion pricing plan. The matter, titled 'Congestion Pricing Opponents Are Blocking Disabled Access to Mass Transit, Politicians Charge,' highlights how legal challenges from New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, the United Federation of Teachers, and others have forced the MTA to halt critical accessibility upgrades. Gounardes declared, 'That’s not gonna happen if the money’s not there.' The MTA earmarked $6 billion for accessibility, aiming to make 70 stations ADA accessible and modernize 78 elevators. Disability advocates like Elizabeth Valdez and Joe Rappaport stressed that most disabled New Yorkers rely on subways and buses, not private cars. Christopher Schuyler noted congestion pricing would speed up paratransit and wheelchair-accessible vehicles. Without funding, the city’s most vulnerable remain stranded.

• Congestion Pricing Opponents Are Blocking Disabled Access to Mass Transit, Politicians Charge, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-02-23

A truck hit a woman crossing Sutton Street in Greenpoint. She lies in critical condition. The driver, with a long record of violations, faces charges. Council Member Restler and others demand safer streets, calling out reckless driving and deadly intersections.

On February 23, 2024, Council Member Lincoln Restler (District 33) joined other officials in a public statement after a truck struck a pedestrian at Sutton Street and Nassau Avenue in Greenpoint. The incident left a 49-year-old woman in critical condition. The driver, Stanley Manel, was arrested and charged with failure to yield and failure to exercise due care. The officials' statement read: 'We’re deeply saddened and outraged at the news of yet another pedestrian being struck by an unsafe driver in Greenpoint.' Restler and colleagues highlighted the intersection's dangers and the driver's history—35 tickets since 2019, including 26 speed camera violations. They urged support for bills requiring speed control devices for repeat offenders and for Sammy’s Law, which would let NYC set its own speed limits. The group called on the Department of Transportation to install raised crosswalks and daylighting to protect pedestrians.

• Driver arrested after crash that left Greenpoint pedestrian in critical condition, brooklynpaper.com, Published 2024-02-23

A bill from Sen. Gounardes orders New York to cut driving by 20 percent by 2050. Fewer cars, fewer deaths. The plan would save nearly 600 lives a year from crashes. Active travel rises. Streets grow safer. Pollution drops. Wallets breathe easier.

Senate Bill S1981A, proposed by State Sen. Andrew Gounardes, demands a 20-percent reduction in vehicle miles traveled statewide by 2050. The bill, backed by New Yorkers for Transportation Equity, was introduced last year and is under consideration. The measure’s summary promises to 'improve air quality and reduce fatal crashes.' Gounardes, representing Brooklyn’s western edge, champions the shift: 'A new approach will not only protect our climate, but also make New York a safer, more affordable place to live.' Analysis from the Rocky Mountain Institute projects 593 fewer traffic deaths each year, with thousands more lives saved through active transportation. The bill’s focus is clear: less driving, more safety, cleaner air, and real savings for families.

• Bill to Cut Vehicle Miles in New York Would Also Reduce Traffic Deaths, Costs and Pollution, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-02-22

An 18-year-old pedestrian suffered a head contusion after an SUV made a left turn and struck him at an intersection. The driver faced glare conditions, impairing visibility. The pedestrian was crossing with the signal when the impact occurred.

According to the police report, a 2021 Chevrolet SUV was making a left turn on 92 Street near Gelston Avenue in Brooklyn at 10:45 AM when it struck an 18-year-old male pedestrian. The pedestrian was crossing with the signal at the intersection and sustained a head injury classified as a contusion with injury severity level 3. The report identifies glare as a contributing factor affecting the driver’s visibility during the maneuver. The point of impact was the left front bumper of the SUV. The vehicle sustained no damage. The driver was licensed and traveling southeast with two occupants in the vehicle. The police report does not list any pedestrian errors contributing to the crash, focusing on the driver’s impaired visibility due to glare as the primary factor.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4703782 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-05

Senate passes S 2714. Bill pushes complete street design. Aim: safer roads for all. Pedestrians, cyclists, and riders get space. Car dominance challenged. Lawmakers move to cut street carnage.

Senate bill S 2714, titled 'Enables safe access to public roads for all users by utilizing complete street design principles,' advanced through committee and passed several Senate votes, most recently on March 27, 2024. Sponsored by Timothy M. Kennedy with support from Jake Ashby, Jamaal Bailey, and others, the bill mandates street designs that protect everyone—not just drivers. The measure saw strong support but faced opposition from some senators. By requiring complete street principles, S 2714 aims to reduce danger for pedestrians, cyclists, and transit users. The bill marks a shift away from car-first planning, forcing cities to build streets for people, not just traffic.

• File S 2714, Open States, Published 2024-02-13

Council bill targets cars blocking bike lanes, bus lanes, sidewalks, and hydrants near schools. Civilian complaints trigger fines. Streets clear, danger cut. Council moves to protect the vulnerable.

Int 0080-2024 sits in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Introduced February 8, 2024, the bill creates a $175 penalty for vehicles blocking bike lanes, bus lanes, sidewalks, crosswalks, or hydrants within 2,640 feet of schools. The Department of Transportation must set up a civilian reporting program. If a civilian complaint leads to a fine, the complainant gets 25 percent of proceeds. The bill’s matter title: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code... in relation to hazardous obstruction by vehicles and civilian complaints.' Council Member Carlina Rivera leads, joined by Restler, Ayala, Joseph, Menin, and others. The bill aims to keep paths clear for those most at risk.

• File Int 0080-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-08

Council moves to hike fines for riding bikes, e-bikes, and scooters on city sidewalks. The bill targets sidewalk riding with stiffer penalties. No mention of street safety or driver accountability.

Bill Int 0037-2024 sits with the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure since February 8, 2024. The measure, titled 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code...increasing civil penalties for operating a bicycle, bicycle with electric assist, or electric scooter on the sidewalk,' seeks to raise fines for sidewalk riding. Council Members Stevens (primary), Gennaro, Ung, Brewer, Brannan, and Morano sponsor the bill. The action: referral to committee. The summary states, 'This bill would increase each of the existing civil penalties for operating a bicycle, a bicycle with electric assist (commonly referred to as an “e-bike”), or an electric scooter on the sidewalk.' No safety analyst assessment is available. The bill focuses on penalties, not on street design or driver behavior.

• File Int 0037-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-08

Senator Gounardes pushes a bill to slash car trips statewide. Advocates demand less driving, more transit. Highway funds feed car dominance. The law would force state projects to cut vehicle miles. Vulnerable road users stand to gain. Albany stalls. Streets stay deadly.

Bill to reduce vehicle miles traveled by 20 percent by 2050, introduced by State Senator Andrew Gounardes (District 26), is backed by advocates and the New Yorkers for Transportation Equity coalition. Announced February 6, 2024, the bill would require transportation officials to align projects with the goal of fewer car trips. Gounardes said, "We fundamentally want to be shifting how we think about transportation infrastructure." The measure responds to data showing over 90 percent of infrastructure funds go to roads, not transit. Danny Pearlstein of Riders Alliance called for an "about-face," noting highway projects have torn apart poor communities and endangered pedestrians and cyclists. The bill sits before the state legislature. No direct safety analyst assessment, but advocates stress the law would shift funding from car-centric projects to transit and greenways, reducing systemic danger for vulnerable road users.

• State Must Cut Car Trips by 20%: Advocates, streetsblog.org, Published 2024-02-06