Kensington Bleeds: Four Dead, Hundreds Hurt, Leaders Stall

Aug 8 - Mayor approved a car-free busway on 34th Street after walkers beat the crosstown bus in a 1.2‑mile race. The move targets faster, more reliable service for nearly 30,000 daily riders and to clear jams caused by congestion and illegal parking.

"A busway on 34th Street will not only speed up thousands of commutes but transform the corridor into a vibrant public space for all." -- Brad S. Lander

Bill number: none listed. Status: approval announced; stage: SPONSORSHIP. Committee: not listed. Key date: 2025-08-08, the day the crosstown race and public approval were reported. The matter is the "construction of a car-free busway on 34th Street between Third and Ninth avenues." Mayor Adams abandoned opposition and approved construction. Council member Zohran Mamdani celebrated, calling the buses "the slowest buses in the United States of America." Comptroller Brad Lander, Council Members Keith Powers and Erik Bottcher, and state Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal backed the plan. Advocates say the busway will speed service for almost 30,000 daily riders. No formal safety impact analysis was provided.

• Team Pedestrian Trounces Team Bus in Annual 'Crosstown Bus Challenge', streetsblog.org, Published 2025-08-08

Aug 4 - A tractor truck and an SUV collided on McDonald Avenue at Church Avenue in Brooklyn. A 62-year-old truck driver suffered neck and internal injuries. Both vehicles sustained front-end damage. Police listed contributing factors as "Unspecified".

According to the police report, a 2019 tractor truck and a 2024 SUV collided on McDonald Avenue near Church Avenue in Brooklyn. The truck was driven south going straight ahead. The SUV was driven south while merging. A 62-year-old male truck driver was injured; police listed neck and internal injuries and recorded him conscious. The SUV driver was not reported injured. Both vehicles sustained front-end damage, with impact to the truck's right front quarter panel and the SUV's left front bumper. The report lists contributing factors as "Unspecified" and does not identify a specific driver error.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4832797 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-09

Aug 4 - On Fort Hamilton Parkway at Chester Ave, a teen driving a sedan turned right into a motorcycle going straight. The rider, 47, suffered a fractured leg and dislocation. Police recorded driver inexperience.

A crash on Fort Hamilton Parkway at Chester Ave in Brooklyn involved a sedan and a motorcycle. According to the police report, both vehicles were traveling east when the driver of the sedan made a right turn and hit the motorcycle that was going straight. The rider, a 47-year-old man, suffered a fractured lower leg and a dislocation. Police recorded Driver Inexperience as a contributing factor. The sedan was driven by a 17-year-old with a New York learner permit. Impact was to the sedan’s right front bumper and the motorcycle’s center front. No pedestrians or cyclists were listed as involved.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4832801 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-09

Jul 30 - Council moves to ban parking near corners. Sightlines clear. Crashes drop. Pedestrians and cyclists breathe easier. DOT doubts linger. Advocates press on. Streets could change fast.

On July 30, 2025, the NYC Council Progressive Caucus made a major push for Intro 1138, a bill to ban parking within 20 feet of intersections. The measure sits with the Transportation Committee. Council Member Julie Won introduced it after deadly crashes in her district. Eighteen caucus members back the bill, aiming to force a vote this year. The matter: 'eliminate parking within 20 feet of an intersection.' Council Member Sandy Nurse called daylighting 'a proven, effective way to make our streets safer.' DOT raised doubts about non-hardened daylighting, but safety analysts say restricting parking near intersections improves visibility, reduces collisions, and protects people on foot and bike.

• NYC Council Progressive Caucus to make push for universal daylighting in 2025, City & State NY, Published 2025-07-30

Jul 21 - A Jeep SUV and a Honda sedan collided at Cortelyou Road and Ocean Parkway in Brooklyn. The 29-year-old woman driving the sedan suffered facial bleeding and shock. Police listed contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' Both drivers were licensed.

A driver in a Jeep SUV and a driver in a Honda sedan collided at Cortelyou Road and Ocean Parkway in Brooklyn. A 29-year-old woman driving the sedan was injured, suffering minor bleeding to her face and shock. "According to the police report, contributing factors were listed as 'Unspecified.'" The SUV was traveling east; the sedan was traveling south. Point of impact was the SUV's left front bumper and the sedan's right front bumper. Police recorded both drivers as licensed. Both vehicles sustained front-end damage. The report lists no other contributing factors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4829158 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-09

Jul 17 - Two men died crossing Third Avenue. A driver sped through a red. The city knew the danger. The mayor stalled safety plans. The street stays deadly. The toll mounts. The fix waits.

Streetsblog NYC (2025-07-17) reports Mayor Adams delayed a redesign of Brooklyn's Third Avenue, long known as hazardous. Last week, a speeding driver ran a red light, killing two pedestrians. The article quotes Adams, who once called Third Avenue 'extremely intimidating' and said it 'must be at the top of our list.' Despite this, his administration 'put the brakes on a potentially life-saving road redesign,' favoring business interests. Attorney Peter Beadle notes, 'they had a plan ready to go and then it was pulled back.' The city could face legal action for failing to act despite knowing the risks, echoing a 2017 state court ruling on municipal liability.

• Mayor Delays Third Avenue Safety Redesign, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-07-17

Jul 16 - 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

Jul 15 - A car spun out in a Brooklyn lot. The driver lost control. Madisyn Ruiz, 21, died. Two boys hurt. Tire marks linger. The driver faces charges. The family mourns. The system failed to protect.

According to NY Daily News (2025-07-15), Madisyn Ruiz, 21, was killed when her boyfriend, Zachary Cando, lost control of a 2023 Genesis G80 while 'doing donuts' in the Gateway Center parking lot. Ruiz was sitting by the curb when struck. Two nephews, ages 12 and 17, were also injured. Cando told police he 'lost control' during the stunt. He was arrested and charged with criminally negligent homicide, reckless endangerment, and reckless driving. The article notes, 'Days later, circular tire tracks were still visible in the parking lot.' This crash highlights the dangers of reckless driving in public spaces and raises questions about parking lot safety and enforcement.

• Driver Doing Donuts Kills Girlfriend, NY Daily News, Published 2025-07-15

Jul 14 - Manhattan Community Board 5 blasts Mayor Adams for gutting bike and bus lanes from Fifth Avenue’s redesign. The board calls the plan a danger to people on foot, bike, and bus.

On July 14, 2025, Manhattan Community Board 5 passed a resolution against Mayor Adams’s scaled-down Fifth Avenue redesign. The board urged immediate adoption of the 2021 plan, which included a protected bike lane and busway. The resolution states, "A real solution to the bike / pedestrian safety issue on 5th Avenue must be proposed in the final design." Vice Chair Samir Lavingia and Transportation Chair David Sigman led the charge. Yoshi Omi-Jarrett reported the action. Safety analysts warn that Adams’s plan preserves unsafe conditions for pedestrians and cyclists, missing a chance for real, system-wide safety improvements.

• Civic Panel Dings Adams For Cutting Bike and Bus Lanes Out of Fifth Av. Redesign, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-07-14

Jul 12 - A BMW sped through a Brooklyn red light at dawn. Two men crossing 3rd Avenue fell. Both died on the street. The driver fled. Police caught him. Charges followed. The toll of cars grows.

Gothamist (2025-07-12) reports a Staten Island man "blew through a red light and killed two pedestrians" at 3rd Avenue and 52nd Street, Brooklyn. Police say the driver, 23, struck Kex Un Chen, 80, and Faqiu Lin, 59, then fled. Both victims died at the scene. The suspect faces manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide charges. NYPD data shows 98 citywide traffic deaths this year, nearly half pedestrians. The crash highlights the lethal risk at intersections and the deadly impact of ignoring signals.

• Red Light Run Kills Two Pedestrians, Gothamist, Published 2025-07-12

Jul 10 - City rips out Bedford Avenue bike lane. Cyclists lose safe passage. Judge sides with mayor. Injuries had dropped. Advocates warn: danger returns. Streets grow harsher for those outside cars.

Streetsblog NYC (2025-07-10) reports that Mayor Adams will remove a protected bike lane on Bedford Avenue after a judge upheld the city’s decision. Advocates say this 'all but guarantees that there will be blood on Eric Adams's hands.' NYPD data showed injuries dropped after the lane’s installation. The city acted after complaints from local leaders. The lane sits on a 'Vision Zero Priority Corridor,' one of Brooklyn’s most dangerous streets. Cyclists and residents called the move political and warned it strips away proven safety. No driver errors cited, but the policy shift exposes vulnerable road users to renewed risk.

• Brooklyn Bike Lane Removal Sparks Outrage, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-07-10

Jul 8 - Austin Celestin blasts city’s e-bike crackdown. Says car-first streets endanger walkers and riders. Calls for real redesign. Enforcement alone leaves vulnerable users exposed.

On July 8, 2025, Austin Celestin spoke out against harsh e-bike enforcement in New York City. The debate, covered by Streetsblog NYC, highlighted Amsterdam’s balanced approach: licensing e-bikes and expanding bike infrastructure. Celestin called the city’s crackdown 'hypocrisy' without safer streets, quoting, 'enforcement can't fix the problems of car-first design.' He opposes enforcement without redesign and supports infrastructure expansion. The safety analyst warns: 'Harsh enforcement against e-bikes without improving street design places undue burden on vulnerable users, discourages mode shift, and fails to address systemic safety issues, potentially reducing overall safety for pedestrians and cyclists.'

• Amsterdam Leads the Way on E-Bike Regulation — Should New York Follow Suit?, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-07-08

Jul 3 - A former DOT leader blasts the mayor’s 15 mph e-bike cap. He warns it will slow riders, expose them to cars, and erase safety gains. Cyclists face new risks. Streets grow more hostile.

On July 3, 2025, Michael Replogle, ex-DOT policy director, publicly opposed the proposed 15 mph e-bike speed limit. The policy, up for hearing July 14, faces broad criticism. Replogle wrote, 'It is an ill-considered idea to improve safety which will be counterproductive.' He argues the cap forces cyclists to ride slower than car traffic, putting them in harm’s way. Kevin Duggan reported the statement for Streetsblog NYC. The safety analyst notes: undoing cycling gains reduces support, shrinks mode share, and weakens safety in numbers. The result: streets less safe for vulnerable users. No council bill number or committee action is attached.

• Ex-DOT Official Warns NYC’s ‘Counterproductive’ E-bike Speed Limit Will Curb Biking, Safety, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-07-03

Jun 30 - Albany lawmakers killed a bill to make apps insure delivery workers. DoorDash lobbied hard. Cyclists and walkers left exposed. No coverage. Profits protected. Safety denied.

Bill to require app companies to provide $50,000 insurance for delivery workers, pedestrians, and cyclists was introduced by Assembly Member Robert Carroll. It passed the Senate but died in the Assembly on June 30, 2025, after DoorDash called it 'costly.' Amy Sohn reported the defeat. The bill aimed to cover injuries from crashes and bar retaliation against workers filing claims. DoorDash lobbied against it, backing a weaker bill. The safety analyst notes this defeat reduces accountability and weakens protections for pedestrians and cyclists. Corporate pressure won. Vulnerable road users lost.

• DoorDash Lobbying Sunk Bill to Require Apps to Insure Delivery Workers, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-06-30

Jun 30 - 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

Jun 29 - An SUV struck and killed an eight-year-old boy crossing Eastern Parkway with his sister. Blood washed from the street. His yarmulke left behind. The driver stayed. Police probe speed. The community mourns.

ABC7 (2025-06-29) reports an eight-year-old boy, Mordica Keller, died after a southbound SUV hit him at Eastern Parkway and Albany Avenue in Crown Heights. He was crossing with his sister. The 69-year-old driver remained at the scene. Police towed a black Honda Pilot. The article notes, "Police are looking at whether speed was a factor." No arrests have been made. Residents called the street dangerous. The crash highlights ongoing risks for pedestrians at busy Brooklyn intersections.

• SUV Kills Boy At Brooklyn Crossing, ABC7, Published 2025-06-29

Jun 28 - SUV turned left across Church Avenue. Motorcycle hit the side. Rider hurt. Police cite improper turn and traffic control ignored. Metal and bodies collided. Brooklyn street, midnight silence broken.

A station wagon SUV and a motorcycle collided at Church Avenue and Ocean Parkway in Brooklyn. The motorcycle rider suffered abrasions to the entire body. According to the police report, the SUV was making a left turn while the motorcycle was going straight. Police cite 'Turning Improperly' and 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as contributing factors. The motorcycle rider was wearing a helmet. No injuries were reported for the SUV driver. The crash highlights the danger when drivers disregard traffic controls and make improper turns.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4823727 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-09

Jun 27 - An SUV hit an eight-year-old boy crossing from behind a parked car on Ocean Parkway. The child suffered a bruised leg. Police list no driver errors. The street remains dangerous for the young.

An eight-year-old boy was struck by a northbound SUV while emerging from behind a parked vehicle on Ocean Parkway in Brooklyn. According to the police report, the child suffered a contusion to his leg but remained conscious. No driver errors or contributing factors were listed in the report. The driver was licensed and the SUV showed no damage. The crash happened away from an intersection, highlighting the persistent risks for children on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4823621 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-09

Jun 25 - Voters chose candidates who back bike lanes, open streets, and transit. Opponents lost. The message is clear: New Yorkers want safer roads. No new laws yet, but the council’s direction is set. Vulnerable road users watch and wait.

On June 25, 2025, New York City held local elections with major implications for street safety. The event, covered by Streetsblog NYC, saw candidates who championed 'the importance of bike lanes, public transit, and open streets' win across the city. Council members Lincoln Restler, Shahana Hanif, Shekar Krishnan, Chi Oss, Crystal Hudson, and Public Advocate Jumaane Williams all prevailed on platforms supporting safer streets. Mark Levine, who called for bold highway changes, won the Comptroller race. The safety analyst notes: 'The event text is a vague statement of support for livable streets but does not describe a specific policy action or legislative change, so its direct safety impact on pedestrians and cyclists cannot be determined.' The victories signal a mandate for people-first streets, but concrete safety gains depend on future action.

• Down-Ballot Recap: A Great Night for the Livable Streets Movement, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-06-25

Jun 18 - A pick-up truck and sedan crashed at Prospect Expressway Exit 6. A 29-year-old passenger suffered neck whiplash. Both vehicles damaged. Police list factors as unspecified.

A pick-up truck and a sedan collided at Prospect Expressway Eastbound Exit 6 onto Ocean Parkway in Brooklyn. According to the police report, a 29-year-old female passenger in the sedan was injured, suffering neck whiplash. Both vehicles sustained damage, with the pick-up truck changing lanes and the sedan going straight. The police report lists all contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' No other injuries were reported among the drivers or witnesses. No driver errors were identified in the data.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4821465 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-09