The Blood Doesn’t Lie: Dyker Heights Demands Safer Streets Now

Feb 28 - Council moves to expand Open Streets on busy holidays. More hours. More car-free blocks. Pedestrians and cyclists get space when crowds surge. Streets shift from traffic to people. Danger drops. The city listens to neighborhoods.

Bill Int 0270-2024 sits in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Introduced February 28, 2024, it amends city code to require the Department of Transportation to expand Open Streets hours on holidays with heavy foot traffic—Memorial Day, Juneteenth, July 4th, Labor Day, Halloween, and others. The bill reads: 'special activation of the Open Streets program on certain holidays and time periods with significant pedestrian traffic.' Council Member Shekar Krishnan leads as primary sponsor, joined by Rivera, Brooks-Powers, Louis, Nurse, Ossé, Sanchez, Cabán, Banks, Avilés, Riley, Salaam, Hanif, Feliz, Won, Restler, and Joseph. Community groups can suggest more dates. The city must review all requests under the same standards as regular Open Streets. This bill aims to give people the street when they need it most.

• File Int 0270-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

Feb 28 - Council bill demands NYPD track every time cops use cars as weapons. No more hiding behind vague stats. Each crash, each injury, must be counted. The city moves closer to truth.

Int 0255-2024 sits in the Committee on Public Safety. Introduced February 28, 2024, by Council Member Lincoln Restler and co-sponsored by Hudson, Won, Hanif, Bottcher, Brewer, Avilés, Abreu, Ossé, Krishnan, Williams, Cabán, Nurse, Sanchez, and at the Brooklyn Borough President's request. The bill reads: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code... in relation to use of force incidents involving police department use of a motor vehicle.' It forces the NYPD to report every use of a car to control a subject. No more lumping these acts with other force. The bill aims for hard numbers and real accountability. Vulnerable road users—pedestrians, cyclists, passengers—will no longer be invisible in police data.

• File Int 0255-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

Feb 28 - Council wants DOT to study how street design can keep commercial trucks out of residential blocks. The bill sits in committee. Streets should shelter people, not heavy traffic.

Int 0114-2024, now in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, was introduced on February 28, 2024. The bill orders the Department of Transportation to report on 'the utility and feasibility of using street design as a means to limit or reduce the use by commercial vehicles of streets in residential neighborhoods.' Jennifer Gutiérrez leads as primary sponsor, joined by Avilés, the Public Advocate, and others. The bill was referred to committee on the day of introduction. It demands a clear look at how design can push trucks off streets where people walk, bike, and live.

• File Int 0114-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

Feb 28 - Council targets fake and expired plates. Bill sets fines. Ten-day grace for expired tags. Crackdown aims at cars that dodge law and endanger streets. Committee on Public Safety holds the measure.

Int 0177-2024 sits in the Committee on Public Safety after introduction on February 28, 2024. The bill, titled 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code...prohibiting the operation of a motor vehicle with fraudulent or expired license plates,' makes it illegal to drive with fake or expired plates, including temporary ones. Civil penalties apply, but drivers with expired plates get a 10-day cure period. Council Member Selvena N. Brooks-Powers leads as primary sponsor, joined by Feliz, Salamanca, Powers, Restler, Won, Brewer, Schulman, Ung, Marte, Hudson, Avilés, De La Rosa, and the Brooklyn Borough President. The bill targets drivers who hide behind illegal plates, a tactic often linked to hit-and-runs and reckless driving.

• File Int 0177-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

Feb 28 - Council bill orders speed humps on roads beside parks over one acre. DOT can skip spots if safety or rules demand. Law aims to slow cars where families walk, run, and play.

Int 0262-2024 sits with the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure after introduction on February 28, 2024. The bill reads: “requiring the installation of speed humps on roadways adjacent to any park equal or greater than one acre.” Lincoln Restler leads as primary sponsor, joined by eighteen co-sponsors. The Department of Transportation must install speed humps unless the commissioner finds a risk to safety or a conflict with DOT guidelines. The law would take effect 180 days after passage. The measure targets streets where parks meet traffic, aiming to slow cars and shield people outside vehicles.

• File Int 0262-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

Feb 28 - Council bill targets private car permits. Only elected officials, disabled drivers, and union contracts keep parking perks. Streets may clear. Danger shifts. Committee weighs next step.

Int 0411-2024 sits with the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure after its February 28, 2024 introduction. The bill, sponsored by Julie Won, Lincoln Restler, Gale Brewer, Christopher Marte, Erik Bottcher, Alexa Avilés, and the Brooklyn Borough President, aims to 'prohibit any city agency from issuing parking permits to private vehicles that do not have an elected official license plate, and would provide for the revocation of such parking permits.' Exemptions remain for people with disabilities and collective bargaining agreements. The bill seeks to cut back on private car privileges, a move that could reshape curb space and city streets.

• File Int 0411-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

Feb 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

Feb 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

Feb 26 - 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

Feb 23 - 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

Feb 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

Feb 22 - A 73-year-old man suffered knee and lower leg injuries when an SUV making a right turn struck him at a Brooklyn intersection. The driver failed to yield right-of-way, hitting the pedestrian who was crossing with the signal.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 10:49 AM on Bay Ridge Parkway near 13 Avenue in Brooklyn. A 73-year-old male pedestrian was crossing the intersection with the signal when a 2018 Ford SUV, driven by a licensed female driver, made a right turn and struck him with the vehicle's left front bumper. The pedestrian sustained contusions and bruises to his knee, lower leg, and foot, classified as injury severity level 3. The report cites 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the contributing factor on the driver's part. The vehicle sustained no damage. The pedestrian was conscious at the scene. No victim behaviors were listed as contributing factors. The collision highlights the dangers posed by drivers failing to yield to pedestrians legally crossing intersections.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4704903 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Feb 22 - 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

Feb 16 - A 56-year-old man died behind the wheel on 82nd Street. His sedan crashed into a parked Toyota. The front end crumpled. He wore no seatbelt. Metal folded, and the street fell silent. He never stepped out. The impact ended everything.

According to the police report, a 56-year-old man driving a sedan on 82nd Street crashed into the rear of a parked Toyota. The report states the sedan 'slammed into the back of a parked Toyota.' The front end of the sedan folded in, trapping the driver inside. The driver was not wearing a seatbelt, as noted in the narrative. The crash resulted in the apparent death of the driver, who 'never got out.' The police report lists the contributing factor as 'Unspecified,' and no driver errors are explicitly cited in the available data. The parked Toyota was unoccupied at the time of the collision. The report does not mention any actions by other road users or any additional contributing factors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4703200 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Feb 8 - 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

Feb 6 - 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

Feb 6 - State Sen. Gounardes pushes a bill to slash car trips by a fifth by 2050. Advocates say New York spends billions on roads while traffic deaths climb. The law would force highway projects to prove they cut driving, not fuel it.

State Sen. Andrew Gounardes introduced a bill requiring New York to reduce vehicle miles traveled by 20 percent by 2050. The bill, modeled after Minnesota law, is not yet passed or assigned to a committee. It would amend the state’s climate law, forcing transportation officials to align highway projects with the goal of fewer car trips. Gounardes warns, 'If we’re just going to use that money to double down on the transportation of the past, on just purely automobile usage, we’re making a great mistake.' Danny Pearlstein of Riders Alliance says the bill is about shifting priorities to climate and equity. Advocates note that over 90 percent of recent infrastructure funds went to roads, not transit. The measure would require revisions or offsets for projects that don’t cut driving. Gov. Hochul’s office declined comment. The bill aims to halt the cycle of road expansion, rising traffic, and mounting deaths.

• State Must Cut Car Trips by 20%: Advocates, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-02-06

Feb 3 - A sedan making a right turn struck an eastbound e-bike on Bay Ridge Parkway. The e-bike driver, a 64-year-old man, was ejected and suffered head injuries. Police cite driver inattention as the cause, highlighting the dangers of distracted driving.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 16:20 on Bay Ridge Parkway in Brooklyn. A 2021 Buick sedan was making a right turn when it collided with an eastbound e-bike. The e-bike driver, a 64-year-old man, was ejected from his vehicle and sustained head injuries, leaving him semiconscious with complaints of pain and nausea. The report identifies 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the contributing factor. The sedan's right front quarter panel struck the e-bike's center front end, indicating the sedan driver failed to yield or properly observe the e-bike. The e-bike driver was wearing a helmet, but no contributing factors were attributed to his actions. The sedan driver was licensed in Ohio, while the e-bike operator was unlicensed. This collision underscores the lethal consequences of driver distraction in mixed-vehicle environments.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4699803 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Jan 28 - A distracted driver struck a parked sedan on slippery pavement in Brooklyn. The driver suffered back injuries and whiplash but was not ejected. The collision damaged both vehicles’ bumpers, highlighting risks from inattention and road conditions.

According to the police report, the crash occurred on 11 Avenue in Brooklyn at 2:10 a.m. A 39-year-old male driver of a sedan was injured with back pain and whiplash but remained conscious and was not ejected. The report cites 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a primary contributing factor, alongside slippery pavement. The sedan was parked and struck in the rear center, while the SUV, traveling north, hit the sedan’s left rear bumper with its right front bumper. Both vehicles sustained damage. The driver of the sedan was not using any safety equipment. This collision underscores the dangers posed by driver distraction and hazardous road conditions, without any noted fault or contributing behavior from other road users.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4698126 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Jan 25 - 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