Marine Park’s corners bleed. The fixes wait.

Jun 26 - City officials fight to keep jaywalking illegal. They claim it protects pedestrians. Enforcement is rare but hits people of color hardest. Council Member Narcisse wants change. NYPD and DOT resist. Advocates say criminalization fails safety and justice.

On June 26, 2024, the City Council held a hearing on a bill to decriminalize jaywalking. The bill, proposed by Council Member Mercedes Narcisse, seeks to end criminal penalties for crossing streets outside crosswalks. The matter summary states officials argue, 'keeping it illegal protects pedestrian safety.' DOT First Deputy Commissioner Margaret Forgione testified against full legalization, supporting only a reduction to a civil offense. NYPD Deputy Chief Thomas Alps defended targeted enforcement in high-crash areas. Council Transportation Chair Selvena Brooks-Powers questioned the law's fairness, noting most tickets go to Black and Brown New Yorkers. Advocates criticized the city's stance, saying criminalization does not improve safety and harms communities of color. The bill remains under debate, with no clear path forward.

• City Wants To Keep ‘Jaywalking’ Illegal For Pedestrians’ Own Good, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-06-26

Jun 25 - Council Member Narcisse moves to end NYPD jaywalking tickets. Data shows Black and Latino New Yorkers bear the brunt. The bill seeks fairness, not punishment. Streets should not be hunting grounds. The council will hear the measure Tuesday.

On June 25, 2024, Council Member Mercedes Narcisse introduced a bill to decriminalize jaywalking in New York City. The measure heads to its first hearing before the transportation committee. Narcisse’s bill responds to city data: in 2023, 92 percent of jaywalking summonses went to Black or Latino New Yorkers; in early 2024, that number rose to 96.5 percent. Narcisse calls this 'a troubling picture of racial disparities.' She states, 'Jaywalking should not be a criminal matter that disproportionately impacts certain groups based on race or ethnicity.' Narcisse urges the city to redirect police resources and end selective enforcement. The bill aims to protect the rights of all residents and promote equity in city policy.

• Brooklyn Pol: NYPD’s Enforcement of ‘Jaywalking’ is a ‘Racial Injustice’, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-06-25

Jun 9 - Two women hurt in a violent SUV-sedan crash on Mill Avenue. Both suffered whiplash and full-body injuries. Police cite improper lane usage. Both drivers remained conscious and restrained.

According to the police report, at 3:55 PM near 2125 Mill Avenue in Brooklyn, a 2017 Toyota SUV and a 2018 Lincoln sedan, both heading south, collided. The SUV was going straight. The sedan was starting from parking. Both vehicles took heavy damage to their front quarter panels. Police list "Passing or Lane Usage Improper" as the main contributing factor. Both drivers, women aged 44 and 59, wore lap belts and stayed conscious. Each suffered whiplash and injuries to the entire body. Neither was ejected. The crash underscores the risk of improper lane use on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4731560 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Jun 7 - Senate backs S 9752. Mt. Vernon gets green light for up to 20 school speed zones. Law aims to slow cars near kids. Most senators vote yes. A few say no. Streets may change. Danger remains for the young.

Senate Bill S 9752, sponsored by Jamaal Bailey, authorizes Mt. Vernon to launch a school speed zone demonstration program, with up to twenty zones allowed. The bill passed the Senate on June 7, 2024, during a committee vote. The matter title reads: 'Authorizes the city of Mt. Vernon to establish a school speed zone demonstration program; authorizes installation in no more than twenty school speed zones in such city.' Bailey and a majority of senators voted yes, while a handful opposed. The bill targets speeding near schools, a known threat to children and other vulnerable road users. No formal safety analyst note was provided.

• File S 9752, Open States, Published 2024-06-07

Jun 7 - Senate backs S 9752. Mt. Vernon gets green light for up to 20 school speed zones. Law aims to slow cars near kids. Most senators vote yes. A few say no. Streets may change. Danger remains for the young.

Senate Bill S 9752, sponsored by Jamaal Bailey, authorizes Mt. Vernon to launch a school speed zone demonstration program, with up to twenty zones allowed. The bill passed the Senate on June 7, 2024, during a committee vote. The matter title reads: 'Authorizes the city of Mt. Vernon to establish a school speed zone demonstration program; authorizes installation in no more than twenty school speed zones in such city.' Bailey and a majority of senators voted yes, while a handful opposed. The bill targets speeding near schools, a known threat to children and other vulnerable road users. No formal safety analyst note was provided.

• File S 9752, Open States, Published 2024-06-07

Jun 7 - Lawmakers back speed cameras near Kingston schools. Cameras catch drivers who speed. The bill passed both chambers. It sunsets in 2029. Children and families walk safer, but the fix is temporary.

Senate Bill S 8607, titled 'Establishes a school speed zone camera demonstration program in the city of Kingston,' passed the Senate on June 6, 2024, and the Assembly on June 7, 2024. The bill, sponsored by Senator Michelle Hinchey, creates a camera program to catch speeding drivers near schools. The program ends December 31, 2029. The measure saw broad support in both chambers, but some lawmakers voted no. The bill aims to protect children and families on foot near schools, but its impact will end unless renewed. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File S 8607, Open States, Published 2024-06-07

Jun 7 - Assembly passes A 7652. Schenectady gets school speed cameras. Law aims to slow drivers near kids. Cameras expire in 2028. Vote split. Streets may get safer for children on foot.

Bill A 7652, titled 'Establishes a school speed zone camera demonstration program in the city of Schenectady,' passed the Assembly on June 7, 2024. The measure, sponsored by Assemblymembers Phil Steck and Angelo Santabarbara, creates a camera program to catch speeding drivers near schools. The program ends December 31, 2028. The Assembly vote saw strong support but also opposition. Steck and Santabarbara led the push. The bill's text is blunt: 'Establishes a school speed zone camera demonstration program in the city of Schenectady.' No formal safety analyst note was provided, but speed cameras have a record of reducing driver speed and protecting children walking to school.

• File A 7652, Open States, Published 2024-06-07

Jun 6 - Council calls for five mile per hour speed limit on Open Streets. Streets slow. Danger drops. Pedestrians and cyclists get space. Resolution adopted. Albany must act.

Res 0079-2024, adopted by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on June 6, 2024, urges Albany to let New York City set a five mile per hour speed limit on Open Streets. The resolution states: "authorize New York City to set a five mile per hour speed limit on streets participating in the Open Streets program." Council Member Shahana K. Hanif led as primary sponsor, joined by Amanda Farías, Crystal Hudson, Julie Won, and Carlina Rivera. The measure passed committee and full council on June 6. The bill aims to cut speed and risk where people walk, bike, and gather. The council's push now waits for state lawmakers and the governor.

• File Res 0079-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-06-06

Jun 6 - Lawmakers back speed cameras near Kingston schools. Cameras catch drivers who speed. The bill passed both chambers. It sunsets in 2029. Children and families walk safer, but the fix is temporary.

Senate Bill S 8607, titled 'Establishes a school speed zone camera demonstration program in the city of Kingston,' passed the Senate on June 6, 2024, and the Assembly on June 7, 2024. The bill, sponsored by Senator Michelle Hinchey, creates a camera program to catch speeding drivers near schools. The program ends December 31, 2029. The measure saw broad support in both chambers, but some lawmakers voted no. The bill aims to protect children and families on foot near schools, but its impact will end unless renewed. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File S 8607, Open States, Published 2024-06-06

Jun 4 - SUV slammed into sedan on Kimball Street. Both drivers moved straight. Unsafe speed by both. Woman, 43, behind sedan wheel, suffered hip and leg abrasions. Metal and flesh met at dawn in Brooklyn.

According to the police report, two vehicles collided at 6:10 AM on Kimball Street near Avenue U in Brooklyn. A northbound SUV struck the right side of an eastbound sedan. Both drivers were traveling straight. The report lists 'Unsafe Speed' as a contributing factor for both drivers. The crash injured the 43-year-old woman driving the sedan. She sustained abrasions to her hip and upper leg, remained conscious, and was restrained by a lap belt with airbag deployment. The report does not cite any victim actions as contributing factors, focusing on unsafe speed by both drivers.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4730097 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Jun 3 - Senate backs S 9718. Bill orders safe street design for all. Cyclists, walkers, and riders get new protections. Some senators vote no. The car’s grip loosens, but danger remains.

Senate bill S 9718, titled 'Enables safe access to public roads for all users by utilizing complete street design principles,' passed committee votes on May 28 and June 3, 2024. Primary sponsor Sean Ryan, with co-sponsors Liz Krueger, Monica Martinez, Jack M. Martins, Anthony H. Palumbo, and Julia Salazar, pushed the measure. The bill mandates street designs that protect everyone, not just drivers. Most senators voted yes, but a block of no votes showed resistance. The bill’s language centers vulnerable users. It marks a shift: streets must serve people, not just cars.

• File S 9718, Open States, Published 2024-06-03

May 28 - Senate backs S 9718. Bill orders safe street design for all. Cyclists, walkers, and riders get new protections. Some senators vote no. The car’s grip loosens, but danger remains.

Senate bill S 9718, titled 'Enables safe access to public roads for all users by utilizing complete street design principles,' passed committee votes on May 28 and June 3, 2024. Primary sponsor Sean Ryan, with co-sponsors Liz Krueger, Monica Martinez, Jack M. Martins, Anthony H. Palumbo, and Julia Salazar, pushed the measure. The bill mandates street designs that protect everyone, not just drivers. Most senators voted yes, but a block of no votes showed resistance. The bill’s language centers vulnerable users. It marks a shift: streets must serve people, not just cars.

• File S 9718, Open States, Published 2024-05-28

May 22 - Council Member Narcisse moves to end NYPD’s biased jaywalking crackdowns. Black and Latino New Yorkers bear the brunt. The bill would legalize crossing mid-block and against the light. Only eight council members back it. NYPD stays silent.

On May 22, 2024, Council Member Mercedes Narcisse of Brooklyn introduced a bill to decriminalize jaywalking in New York City. The bill, currently with only eight co-sponsors out of 51, aims to 'permit pedestrians to legally cross a roadway at any point, including outside of a marked or unmarked crosswalk, and allow for crossing against traffic signals.' Narcisse states the goal is to 'legalize the activity commonly referred to as 'jaywalking' and specify that no penalties can be imposed.' The move follows years of data showing NYPD’s racially biased enforcement: in 2023, 92 percent of jaywalking tickets went to Black or Latino residents, who make up just 55 percent of the city’s population. Lawmakers have long sought to end this pattern. The NYPD did not comment.

• ON THE BIAS: NYPD’s ‘Walking While Black’ Ticketing Continues, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-05-22

May 12 - Taxi ran the signal on Avenue R. SUV struck its side. Four people inside suffered injuries and shock. Metal twisted. Airbags burst. Streets silent after impact.

According to the police report, a taxi and an SUV collided at Avenue R and East 32 Street in Brooklyn at 11:29 AM. The taxi disregarded traffic control and was inattentive, leading to the crash. Four occupants were injured: a 14-year-old boy, a 28-year-old woman, a 45-year-old woman, and a 58-year-old man. All were restrained; one airbag deployed. Injuries included shock and bodily harm. The police report lists 'Traffic Control Disregarded' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as contributing factors. No errors were attributed to the passengers. The crash underscores the danger when drivers ignore signals and lose focus.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4724645 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Apr 18 - Council orders swift removal of abandoned and unplated cars. Streets clear in 72 hours. Police target vehicles with missing or fake plates. Fewer hazards for those on foot and bike.

Int 0857-2024, now at the Mayor's desk, passed the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on April 18, 2024. The bill states: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code... in relation to vehicles reported as abandoned to the department of sanitation.' Sponsored by Selvena N. Brooks-Powers (primary) and co-sponsored by over a dozen council members, it forces the Department of Sanitation to remove derelict vehicles within 72 hours and empowers NYPD to tow cars with missing or obscured plates or stickers. The law aims to clear street hazards fast, reducing risks for pedestrians and cyclists.

• File Int 0857-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-04-18

Apr 14 - A crash on Mill Avenue in Brooklyn injured four occupants in two vehicles. Drivers’ tinted windows and inattention contributed to the collision. Injuries ranged from facial trauma to whiplash, with all victims conscious and restrained at impact.

According to the police report, a collision occurred at 16:08 on Mill Avenue involving a station wagon/SUV and two sedans. The crash involved driver errors including inattention and distraction, as well as tinted windows impairing visibility. One sedan was parked, while another sedan was starting from parking when struck. The SUV was traveling straight south. Four occupants were injured: a 4-year-old girl suffered facial injuries, a 13-year-old girl sustained knee and lower leg injuries, and two adult drivers reported whiplash and neck injuries. All occupants were conscious, not ejected, and wearing lap belts and harnesses. The report cites “Driver Inattention/Distraction,” “Other Vehicular,” and “Tinted Windows” as contributing factors, highlighting driver errors and systemic risks without attributing fault to the injured passengers.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4717502 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Apr 10 - Garbage truck hit sedan in Brooklyn. Both drivers and a passenger suffered chest injuries and shock. Metal twisted. No pedestrians or cyclists involved. No driver errors listed. Streets remain dangerous.

According to the police report, a garbage truck and a sedan, both heading north on East 64 Street in Brooklyn, collided at 10:28 AM. The truck struck the sedan’s right front quarter panel, damaging both vehicles. The sedan’s driver, a 63-year-old woman, and her 44-year-old front passenger were both injured, suffering chest trauma and shock. Both wore lap belts and harnesses. The truck driver was licensed and male. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved. The report lists contributing factors as unspecified for all parties. No driver errors are named, but the force of the crash left two people hurt and vehicles wrecked.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4716388 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Apr 4 - A bus turning right struck two pedestrians crossing Avenue T at an intersection. Both women suffered abrasions and full-body injuries. The driver’s inattention and inexperience caused the collision despite no visible vehicle damage.

According to the police report, a 2015 Ford bus traveling west on Avenue T was making a right turn when it struck two female pedestrians, ages 36 and 45, crossing with the signal at an intersection. Both pedestrians sustained abrasions and injuries to their entire bodies but remained conscious. The report cites 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Driver Inexperience' as contributing factors to the crash. The point of impact was the bus’s right front bumper, yet the vehicle sustained no damage. The driver was licensed in New York and was the sole occupant. The victims were not at fault; the collision resulted from the driver’s failure to maintain attention and control during the turn.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4714967 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Mar 27 - 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 2024-03-27

Mar 20 - 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