Belt Parkway Bleeds. Ocean Avenue Mourns.

Feb 18 - A BMW X5 veered off Belt Parkway near Exit 14. The SUV struck a tree. Marcus Joseph, 41, died at the scene. No passengers. No bystanders hurt. The crash left only silence and wreckage on the Brooklyn road.

NY Daily News (2025-02-18) reports Marcus Joseph, 41, died after his BMW X5 spun out of control on the Belt Parkway near Exit 14 in Starrett City, Brooklyn. Police said the SUV 'skidded off the road and slammed into a tree.' Joseph was pronounced dead at the scene. No other injuries were reported. The article does not mention weather or road conditions. The incident highlights the dangers of high-speed corridors like the Belt Parkway, where loss of control can prove fatal. No charges were filed. The report underscores the persistent risks for all road users on New York City highways.

• BMW Skids, Slams Tree On Belt Parkway, NY Daily News, Published 2025-02-18

Feb 18 - Brooklyn’s Community Board 15 killed a Sheepshead Bay rezoning, citing rampant illegal parking—even by police. The board demanded more parking, ignoring transit and non-drivers. Council Member Vernikov opposed the project. More parking means more cars, more danger for people on foot and bike.

On February 18, 2025, Brooklyn Community Board 15 rejected a rezoning proposal at 2510 Coney Island Ave. The board’s vote came after the developer slashed housing units and promised a one-to-one parking ratio. The official matter focused on 'excessive illegal parking—including by the local police precinct.' CB15 Chair Theresa Scavo said, 'If we allow this rezoning every property owner on that block will continue to do the same thing, causing more backups and more traffic.' Council Member Inna Vernikov, through her legislative director, voiced strong opposition, prioritizing parking over new housing. Borough President Antonio Reynoso criticized the parking mandate, warning it 'traps neighborhoods in car dependent development patterns.' Advocates argued the board ignored transit options and the needs of non-drivers. The City Council is expected to reject the project, blocking new homes and locking in car dominance.

• Too Much Illegal Parking Prompts Community Board to Reject New Housing, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-02-18

Feb 16 - SUV swung a U-turn on Avenue Y. It struck a sedan head-on. The sedan driver, a 28-year-old woman, suffered abdominal and pelvic injuries. She was conscious, belted, and hurt by the impact.

According to the police report, a crash occurred at 14:05 on Avenue Y in Brooklyn. A 2020 Dodge SUV made an improper U-turn and collided with a 2022 Hyundai sedan traveling straight. The report lists "Turning Improperly" as the contributing factor, pointing to driver error by the SUV operator. The sedan's 28-year-old female driver was injured in the abdomen and pelvis and complained of whiplash. She was conscious and restrained by a lap belt at the scene. No other contributing factors or victim actions were cited in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4793643 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-04

Feb 13 - Council orders DOT to repaint pavement lines within five days after resurfacing. Delays must be explained to the public. Clear markings mean fewer deadly gaps for walkers and riders.

Int 1160-2025, now enacted, passed the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and full Council in February 2025. The law demands the Department of Transportation install pavement markings or temporary lines within five business days after any street resurfacing. If DOT misses the deadline, it must notify the public and explain the delay. The bill’s matter title: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to installing pavement markings.' Council Member Farah N. Louis led as primary sponsor, joined by Brannan, Schulman, Banks, Farías, Carr, and Ariola. The law took effect March 15, 2025. Timely markings close the deadly window when streets lack crosswalks and lanes, protecting people on foot and bike.

• File Int 1160-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-02-13

Feb 13 - Council orders DOT to repaint pavement lines within five days after resurfacing. Delays must be explained to the public. Clear markings mean fewer deadly gaps for walkers and riders.

Int 1160-2025, now enacted, passed the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and full Council in February 2025. The law demands the Department of Transportation install pavement markings or temporary lines within five business days after any street resurfacing. If DOT misses the deadline, it must notify the public and explain the delay. The bill’s matter title: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to installing pavement markings.' Council Member Farah N. Louis led as primary sponsor, joined by Brannan, Schulman, Banks, Farías, Carr, and Ariola. The law took effect March 15, 2025. Timely markings close the deadly window when streets lack crosswalks and lanes, protecting people on foot and bike.

• File Int 1160-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-02-13

Feb 13 - Council orders DOT to repaint pavement lines within five days after resurfacing. Delays must be explained to the public. Clear markings mean fewer deadly gaps for walkers and riders.

Int 1160-2025, now enacted, passed the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and full Council in February 2025. The law demands the Department of Transportation install pavement markings or temporary lines within five business days after any street resurfacing. If DOT misses the deadline, it must notify the public and explain the delay. The bill’s matter title: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to installing pavement markings.' Council Member Farah N. Louis led as primary sponsor, joined by Brannan, Schulman, Banks, Farías, Carr, and Ariola. The law took effect March 15, 2025. Timely markings close the deadly window when streets lack crosswalks and lanes, protecting people on foot and bike.

• File Int 1160-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-02-13

Jan 31 - Assembly bill A 4214 lets drivers escape speed camera tickets if paperwork is sloppy. Missing, wrong, or unreadable info means no fine. Vulnerable road users lose a layer of protection.

Assembly bill A 4214, sponsored by Mike Reilly (District 62) with Michael Novakhov and Joe DeStefano, sits at the sponsorship stage. Introduced January 31, 2025, it reads: 'Permits a violation captured by a speed camera to be dismissed...if any information...is omitted...misdescribed or illegible.' The bill weakens speed camera enforcement by letting drivers dodge tickets on technicalities. No safety analyst has weighed in, but the measure chips away at a tool that slows cars and shields people on foot and bike.

• File A 4214, Open States, Published 2025-01-31

Jan 31 - Assembly bill A 4147 orders bold yellow signs near speed cameras. Signs must stand within fifty feet. Drivers get clear warning. Sponsors push for visibility. No mention of direct safety gains for walkers or riders.

Assembly bill A 4147 was introduced on January 31, 2025, now in the sponsorship stage. The bill, titled 'Relates to requirements for signs providing notice of the use of a photo speed violation monitoring system,' demands that warning signs be primarily yellow and placed within fifty feet of speed cameras. Assembly Members Mike Reilly (primary sponsor), Michael Novakhov, and Joe DeStefano back the measure. The bill aims for clearer notice to drivers. There is no analyst note on its impact for vulnerable road users.

• File A 4147, Open States, Published 2025-01-31

Jan 30 - A sedan making a left turn in Brooklyn struck its own passenger, a 4-year-old girl, causing facial injuries and whiplash. The driver’s distraction by passengers contributed to the crash, highlighting dangers inside the vehicle during maneuvers.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 17:30 near Shore Parkway in Brooklyn. A 2023 Nissan sedan, traveling west, was making a left turn when the collision happened. The vehicle’s center front end was the point of impact. The injured party was a 4-year-old female occupant seated in the middle rear seat or lying across a seat. She sustained facial injuries and whiplash, with an injury severity rated as 3. The report identifies 'Passenger Distraction' as a contributing factor to the crash, indicating the driver’s attention was compromised by occupants inside the vehicle. The driver was licensed and operating the vehicle legally. No other vehicles or pedestrians were involved. The incident underscores the risks posed by driver distraction from passengers during critical driving maneuvers.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4789362 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-04

Jan 26 - A cargo van turned left on Cropsey Avenue. It struck Mayya Gil, 95, and her aide. Gil died. The aide survived. No charges for the driver. Another senior lost to city traffic. The street remains dangerous for the old and frail.

Gothamist (2025-01-26) reports that Mayya Gil, 95, was killed while crossing Cropsey Avenue in Brooklyn with her home health aide. According to the NYPD, 'a man driving a cargo van struck both of them while making a left turn.' Gil died from her injuries; her aide was hospitalized. Police did not arrest or charge the driver. The article notes that Gil was the second elderly pedestrian killed in Brooklyn this year, and cites Transportation Alternatives: '46 senior pedestrians were killed in car crashes across the city last year.' The crash highlights the ongoing risk seniors face on city streets, especially at intersections where turning vehicles endanger those crossing on foot.

• Elderly Woman Killed Crossing Cropsey Avenue, Gothamist, Published 2025-01-26

Jan 23 - Council wants every cyclist in New York to wear a helmet. No helmet, pay a $50 fine. The bill targets riders not already covered by other laws. Debate now sits with the transportation committee.

Bill Int 1173-2025, now in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, was introduced January 23, 2025. The bill states: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of New York, in relation to requiring bicyclists to wear protective headgear.' Public Advocate Jumaane Williams leads as primary sponsor, joined by Council Members Holden, Vernikov, Narcisse, Moya, Schulman, Louis, Hanks, Brannan, and Zhuang. The measure would fine cyclists up to $50 for riding without a helmet, unless already required by other laws. The bill awaits further action in committee.

• File Int 1173-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-01-23

Jan 23 - Council wants every cyclist in New York to wear a helmet. No helmet, pay a $50 fine. The bill targets riders not already covered by other laws. Debate now sits with the transportation committee.

Bill Int 1173-2025, now in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, was introduced January 23, 2025. The bill states: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of New York, in relation to requiring bicyclists to wear protective headgear.' Public Advocate Jumaane Williams leads as primary sponsor, joined by Council Members Holden, Vernikov, Narcisse, Moya, Schulman, Louis, Hanks, Brannan, and Zhuang. The measure would fine cyclists up to $50 for riding without a helmet, unless already required by other laws. The bill awaits further action in committee.

• File Int 1173-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-01-23

Jan 21 - A 22-year-old man driving a sedan on Voorhies Ave in Brooklyn suffered a neck contusion after a collision. The vehicle's left front quarter panel was damaged. Police cited driver inexperience as a contributing factor to the crash.

According to the police report, a 22-year-old male driver was operating a 2023 Tesla sedan westbound on Voorhies Ave in Brooklyn at 13:48 when the vehicle sustained damage to the left front quarter panel. The driver was injured, suffering a neck contusion and classified with injury severity level 3. The report explicitly identifies 'Driver Inexperience' as a contributing factor to the crash. The driver was conscious and not ejected from the vehicle. The collision involved another vehicle, a Honda, also traveling westbound, which sustained damage to its right front quarter panel. No other contributing factors such as victim behavior were noted in the report. The incident underscores the dangers posed by driver inexperience behind the wheel.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4787539 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-04

Jan 21 - Senator Scarcella-Spanton pushes S 2622. The bill kills congestion pricing, adds an MTA board seat, and orders a forensic audit. Streets risk more cars. Riders and walkers face louder, dirtier roads.

Senate bill S 2622 was introduced on January 21, 2025, and is in the sponsorship stage. The bill, titled 'Relates to repealing congestion pricing (Part A); commissioning an independent audit of the metropolitan transportation authority (Part B); and conducting an environmental impact study (Part C),' was sponsored by Senator Jessica Scarcella-Spanton (District 23). The bill repeals congestion pricing, expands the MTA board, and mandates a forensic audit. No safety analyst has assessed the impact, but repealing congestion pricing means more traffic and danger for New York’s most vulnerable on the street.

• File S 2622, Open States, Published 2025-01-21

Jan 18 - A sport utility vehicle struck the right rear quarter panel of a sedan traveling eastbound on Belt Parkway. The sedan’s front passenger suffered a shoulder and upper arm injury, conscious and bruised. Unsafe speed by the SUV driver caused the crash.

According to the police report, the crash occurred on Belt Parkway at 8:13 a.m. Two vehicles, a sedan and a sport utility vehicle (SUV), were traveling eastbound. The SUV collided with the right rear quarter panel of the sedan. The report cites unsafe speed as the contributing factor for the crash. The sedan’s front passenger, a 36-year-old female occupant, sustained an upper arm and shoulder injury, described as a contusion and bruise, and was conscious at the scene. Both drivers were licensed, traveling straight ahead, and the SUV’s right rear bumper impacted the sedan’s left front bumper. No ejections occurred. The report does not list any contributing factors from the passenger or other victims, focusing on the SUV driver’s unsafe speed as the cause.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4786514 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-04

Jan 17 - Two sedans collided late at night on Nostrand Avenue in Brooklyn. The female driver of one vehicle suffered back injuries and whiplash. Alcohol involvement was cited as a contributing factor in the crash, highlighting driver impairment as a key cause.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 11:47 PM on Nostrand Avenue near Voorhies Avenue in Brooklyn. Two sedans traveling westbound collided, with impact points on the left front bumper of one vehicle and the center back end of the other. The female driver of the second sedan, age 54, was injured with back pain and whiplash but was conscious and not ejected. The report cites 'Alcohol Involvement' as a contributing factor, indicating driver impairment played a role in the collision. Both drivers were licensed and traveling straight ahead before the crash. No pedestrian or cyclist was involved, and no victim behaviors were noted as contributing factors. The crash underscores the dangers of alcohol-impaired driving in urban traffic.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4787005 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-04

Jan 16 - Reinvent Albany blasted a bill to exempt NYPD officers from Manhattan congestion tolls. The group called it unfair, a $22 million giveaway to a powerful few. They warned it would drain funds, raise tolls, and reward special interests over public safety.

On January 16, 2025, Reinvent Albany, a good government watchdog, issued a statement opposing a bill from Assembly Member Stacey Pheffer Amato and Senator Jessica Scarcella-Spanton. The bill seeks to exempt NYPD officers, even off-duty, from paying congestion pricing tolls in Manhattan’s central business district. Reinvent Albany called the measure 'contrary to notions of basic fairness' and a '$22 million handout' to a special interest. The Traffic Mobility Review Board had already rejected such exemptions. The group warned that multiple exemption bills could cost the public $100 million yearly and force higher tolls for everyone else. Neither Pheffer Amato nor Scarcella-Spanton commented. The watchdog urged lawmakers to serve the many, not the powerful few.

• Watchdog Group: No Congestion Pricing Toll Exemptions for Cops!, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-01-16

Jan 8 - Assembly bill A 1077 pushes for streets built for people, not just cars. Dozens of lawmakers back safer roads. The bill stands at sponsorship. No vote yet. Vulnerable users wait for action.

Assembly bill A 1077, now in sponsorship, aims to 'enable safe access to public roads for all users by utilizing complete street design principles.' Introduced January 8, 2025, the bill sits in committee. Jonathan Rivera leads as primary sponsor, joined by over 60 co-sponsors including Patrick Burke, Robert C. Carroll, and Catalina Cruz. No votes have been cast. The bill's language centers all road users, not just drivers. No safety analyst has yet assessed its impact on vulnerable road users. The measure signals intent but action remains pending.

• File A 1077, Open States, Published 2025-01-08

Jan 8 - Assembly bill A 324 demands complete street design for state- and federally-funded projects. Sponsors push for public guidance. Streets built for people, not just cars. Safety for all hangs in the balance.

Assembly Bill A 324 was introduced on January 8, 2025, now in the sponsorship stage. The bill, titled 'Requires the consideration of complete street design for certain transportation projects which receive federal or state funding,' aims to force planners to consider all users—pedestrians, cyclists, drivers—when building or upgrading roads. Didi Barrett leads as primary sponsor, joined by Rebecca Seawright, Amy Paulin, and many others. The bill also directs the department to publish street design guidance. No safety analyst note yet, but the measure’s intent is clear: streets should protect the most vulnerable, not just move traffic.

• File A 324, Open States, Published 2025-01-08

Jan 7 - Councilwoman Inna Vernikov blasts new MTA tax plans. She calls the agency reckless and accuses leaders of squeezing New Yorkers dry. The debate rages as the state hides details. Riders and workers wait in the crossfire.

"Governor Hochul has gifted the MTA free reign to grift NYC taxpayers into subsidizing their every irresponsible whim because, to them, New Yorkers are nothing but piggy banks to cushion a malfunctioning agency every time it inevitably falls in a financial hole." -- Inna Vernikov

On January 7, 2025, Councilwoman Inna Vernikov (District 48) joined the debate over new funding for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). The matter, titled 'Mobility tax, other fees to prop up flailing MTA even after congestion toll — but Hochul’s plans remain secret,' centers on Governor Hochul’s undisclosed plans to hike the payroll mobility tax and add new fees, even after a $9 congestion toll. Vernikov, mentioned as a strong opponent, said, 'Governor Hochul has gifted the MTA free reign to grift NYC taxpayers into subsidizing their every irresponsible whim.' The bill’s status remains uncertain, with the state legislature previously rejecting a similar tax hike. No safety analyst has assessed the impact on vulnerable road users. The debate continues in committee, with business leaders and councilmembers warning of harm to affordability and the city’s business climate.

• Mobility tax, other fees to prop up flailing MTA even after congestion toll — but Hochul’s plans remain secret, nypost.com, Published 2025-01-07