Prospect Park Bleeds: No Safety Until City Acts

Jan 9 - A cyclist crashed on Henry Street. No protected bike lanes. The driver sped off. The street stayed the same. Neighbors rallied. The council member listened. The injury was harsh. The system failed. Brooklyn’s gap in bike safety remains wide.

On January 9, 2025, Streetsblog NYC published an essay detailing a crash on Henry Street in Brooklyn. The piece, titled 'A Brush With Danger Made Me Exhibit A in My Fight for Better Bike Lanes in Brooklyn,' describes the lack of protected bike lanes in Cobble Hill and Carroll Gardens. The author recounts merging into traffic, being closely followed by a driver, and crashing on a wet, greasy iron grid. The car sped away. Passersby helped. The cyclist suffered a broken collarbone. The essay notes, 'Our area of Brooklyn is a major hole in the borough's protected bike lane network.' Council Member Shahana Hanif attended a community meeting on the issue. The call is clear: Brooklyn’s streets favor cars, not people. The absence of protected lanes leaves cyclists exposed and injured. The system’s neglect is the danger.

• ESSAY: A Brush With Danger Made Me Exhibit A in My Fight for Better Bike Lanes in Brooklyn, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-01-09

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 803 aims to keep cars out of bike lanes. Cameras would catch violators. Streets could clear. Cyclists might breathe easier. Lawmakers back the crackdown. The fight for safe passage continues.

Assembly bill A 803, now in sponsorship, proposes a bicycle lane safety program for New York City. It would enforce restrictions on bike lane use with photo devices. The bill summary reads: 'Establishes in the city of New York a bicycle lane safety program to enforce certain restrictions on the use of bicycle lanes and/or protected bicycle lanes by means of bicycle lane photo devices.' Primary sponsor Zohran Mamdani leads, joined by Brian Cunningham, Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas, Harvey Epstein, Amy Paulin, and others. The bill was introduced January 8, 2025. No safety analyst note was provided. The measure targets drivers who block or endanger cyclists.

• File A 803, 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 8 - Council orders DOT to repaint pavement lines within five days after resurfacing. Delays must be explained to the public. Clear markings mean fewer deadly crossings for walkers and riders.

Int 1160-2025, now enacted by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, forces the Department of Transportation to install pavement markings or temporary lines within five business days after any street resurfacing. The bill, sponsored by Farah N. Louis (primary) and co-sponsored by Brannan, Schulman, Banks, Farías, Carr, Ariola, and others, passed on March 15, 2025. The law demands annual reporting on compliance and reasons for any delay. The matter title reads: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to installing pavement markings.' Quick, visible lines cut confusion and protect people crossing or riding. The law took effect immediately.

• File Int 1160-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-01-08

Jan 5 - Two sedans collided head-to-tail on Grand Army Plaza in Brooklyn. Both drivers were distracted, causing the crash. One driver suffered neck injuries and shock, restrained by a lap belt. The impact damaged the center front and back ends of the vehicles.

According to the police report, two sedans traveling eastbound on Grand Army Plaza collided at 13:49. Both drivers were cited for 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and one also for 'Outside Car Distraction.' The first vehicle, a 2023 Tesla sedan, was struck in the center back end, while the second, a 2021 Nissan sedan, impacted at the center front end. The 26-year-old male driver of the Tesla, wearing a lap belt and harness, sustained neck injuries and was in shock, complaining of pain and nausea. Both drivers held valid New Jersey licenses. The collision was caused by driver distraction, with no contributing factors attributed to victim behavior.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4783962 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Jan 1 - A white Audi struck Michael Foster on Caton Avenue. The car dragged him for blocks. The driver never stopped. Foster died in the street. The Audi vanished into the night. No arrests. The city’s danger stays.

NY Daily News reported on January 1, 2025, that Michael Foster, 64, was killed after a white Audi hit him on Caton Ave. near Flatbush Ave. in Brooklyn. The driver, described as speeding, dragged Foster for half a mile before leaving him near Linden Blvd. and Nostrand Ave. The article quotes a witness: "I saw him at the stop light. He would go out to the cars and beg for change." The driver fled the scene and has not been caught. No arrests have been made. The incident highlights the lethal risk for pedestrians in city streets and the ongoing issue of hit-and-run drivers evading responsibility.

• Audi Driver Drags Man Half Mile, NY Daily News, Published 2025-01-01

Dec 19 - Council moves to test bold pavement markings at crash sites. Five spots per borough. Focus: places where drivers have killed or maimed. Report to follow. Streets marked for danger.

Int 1154-2024 sits in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Introduced December 19, 2024. The bill orders a pilot for high visibility pavement markings—at least five locations per borough. The city must target streets with high injury or fatality counts from bad driving. The matter title reads: 'establishing a high visibility pavement marking pilot program.' Council Member Yusef Salaam leads, joined by Menin, De La Rosa, Brooks-Powers, Cabán, Brannan, and Hanif. The law demands a report on results and challenges. The aim: mark danger, force drivers to see, and push the city to act where blood has already been spilled.

• File Int 1154-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-12-19

Dec 18 - Metal groaned on Nostrand Avenue. Two cars trapped, one stacked atop the other. A bus driver, a woman, a girl—hurt but alive. Emergency crews worked fast. The street bore the scars. The cause stayed hidden in the wreckage.

NY Daily News reported on December 18, 2024, that a multi-vehicle crash at Nostrand Ave. and Park Ave. in Brooklyn left three people injured. The article states, 'Three people were injured, including an MTA bus driver and a young girl, in a collision that pinned two cars between a box truck and a city bus.' Footage showed two vehicles sandwiched between the bus and truck, with one car stacked atop another. The injured included a 59-year-old MTA driver, a 33-year-old woman, and a 9-year-old girl. All were hospitalized in stable condition. The cause of the crash was not determined at the time of reporting. The incident highlights the risks at busy intersections and the dangers posed by large vehicles in dense urban traffic.

• Cars Crushed Between Bus And Truck, NY Daily News, Published 2024-12-18

Dec 8 - Two SUVs collided on Grand Army Plaza. The striking driver was semiconscious, hurt across his body. Police cited distraction and improper lane use. Both vehicles moved north. Impact was hard and sudden.

According to the police report, at 1:36 AM on Grand Army Plaza in Brooklyn, a northbound SUV from New Jersey struck the left rear bumper of another northbound SUV registered in New York. The driver of the striking vehicle suffered injuries to his entire body and was semiconscious at the scene. Police identified 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Passing or Lane Usage Improper' as contributing factors. Both drivers were licensed. The crash shows clear driver error: distraction and improper lane use led to the impact. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4777066 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Dec 5 - Council bill bars cars from blocking crosswalks. No standing or parking within 20 feet. City must install daylighting barriers at 1,000 intersections yearly. Streets clear. Sightlines open. Danger cut.

Int 1138-2024, now laid over in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, was introduced December 5, 2024. The bill states: “prohibiting standing or parking a vehicle within 20 feet of a crosswalk at an intersection.” Council Member Erik D. Bottcher leads, joined by Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and over two dozen co-sponsors. The law orders the Department of Transportation to install daylighting barriers at a minimum of 1,000 intersections each year, up from 100. The city must also run outreach and education. The bill aims to keep crosswalks clear, improve visibility, and protect people on foot and bike. No more hiding behind parked cars. The committee laid the bill over on April 21, 2025.

• File Int 1138-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-12-05

Dec 4 - DOT built just 5.3 miles of new bus lanes in 2024. The law demands 30. Commissioner Rodriguez called it a great job. Critics slammed the city for falling short. Riders wait. Streets stay clogged. Vulnerable New Yorkers pay the price.

On December 4, 2024, DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez defended the agency’s bus lane record before critics. The Streets Master Plan requires 30 new miles of bus lanes each year. In 2024, DOT delivered only 5.3 miles—just 17 percent of the legal mandate. Rodriguez claimed, “We are doing a great job,” citing national comparisons and blaming delays on community board processes and local opposition, especially around the 96th Street project. State Sen. Jessica Ramos, Assembly Member Zohran Mamdani, and State Sen. Zellnor Myrie condemned the city’s self-praise and legal failure. The matter title reads: ‘We Are Doing A Great Job’ … Falling Short of Bus Lane Requirement. Several projects are planned for 2025, but completion is uncertain. The city’s slow pace leaves bus riders and other vulnerable road users exposed to dangerous, congested streets.

• DOT Commish: ‘We Are Doing A Great Job’ … Falling Short of Bus Lane Requirement, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-12-04

Dec 3 - Six mayoral hopefuls faced off on transit. They promised bus lanes, free buses, and fair fares. Each slammed the mayor’s record. They called for less fare enforcement, more service. Riders, not drivers, took center stage. Words flew. Streets stayed dangerous.

On December 3, 2024, six candidates for New York City mayor—Brad Lander, Zohran Mamdani, Zellnor Myrie, Jessica Ramos, Scott Stringer, and Jim Walden—spoke at a Riders Alliance forum. The event focused on transit policy. Candidates pledged support for bus lanes, free buses, expanded Fair Fares, and shifting gas tax funds to mass transit. Lander vowed to end subway and street homelessness for the severely mentally ill by connecting them to stable housing. Mamdani promised a world-class bus network. Myrie pushed for citywide bus lanes. Ramos called for automatic Fair Fares registration. Stringer backed more bus routes. Walden opposed fare evasion crackdowns, urging resources go to service instead. All criticized Mayor Adams’ record on bus lanes and congestion pricing. The forum highlighted a united front for safer, more accessible transit, but offered no immediate relief for vulnerable road users.

• Promises, Promises: What the Candidates Said At The Transit Forum, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-12-03

Nov 27 - A driver struck three cars in Bed-Stuy. She dragged a person, hit a vehicle with a pregnant woman, then crashed into an empty car. No life-threatening injuries. Police arrested her at the scene. Charges include assault and reckless endangerment.

Gothamist reported on November 27, 2024, that a New York City Housing Authority employee was arrested after a chaotic crash in Brooklyn. According to police, the driver, Tanisha Simpson, "swiped an oncoming car," then "drove away, dragging the person several feet and hitting another car with a pregnant woman inside." She struck a third, empty car before New York City Sheriffs arrested her nearby. The pregnant woman was taken to the hospital for evaluation, but no serious injuries were reported. Simpson faces charges of reckless endangerment, assault, and leaving the scene. The incident highlights the dangers of hit-and-run behavior and the risks faced by vulnerable road users at busy intersections.

• Three-Car Brooklyn Crash Sparks Arrest, Gothamist, Published 2024-11-27

Nov 21 - Council weighs Adams’s City of Yes plan. Mayoral challengers back the original, urge no watering down. They want housing, not parking. Council may weaken it. The fight is over homes versus cars. Vulnerable road users watch as parking mandates hang in the balance.

On November 21, 2024, the City Council debated Mayor Adams’s City of Yes zoning proposal, which aims to boost housing and scrap mandatory parking citywide. The Council may weaken the plan by creating a three-tiered system, risking fewer new homes. Mayoral challengers Zellnor Myrie, Brad Lander, Scott Stringer, Jessica Ramos, and Zohran Mamdani—all Democrats—strongly support the original plan. Myrie urges, 'resist efforts to revise the proposal in any way that would yield fewer homes.' Lander calls for ending exclusionary zoning and prioritizing housing over parking. Stringer calls the plan a 'small step.' Mamdani opposes changes that reduce housing or water down parking elimination. Ramos would vote yes but wants to protect neighborhood character. The Council’s decision will shape the city’s streets, homes, and the future for those outside cars.

• What Do the Mayoral Candidates Think Of ‘City of Yes’?, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-11-21

Nov 13 - Council demands DOT show its work. The law forces public updates on every street safety project. No more hiding delays. No more silent cost overruns. Progress for bus riders, cyclists, and walkers must be tracked and posted.

Int 1105-2024 became law on May 10, 2025, after action by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The bill, sponsored by Julie Won and co-sponsored by Brooks-Powers, Hanif, Ayala, and others, amends the city code to require the Department of Transportation to post annual and monthly updates on all projects tied to the streets master plan. The law’s title: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to tracking progress made towards the requirements of the streets master plan.' It forces transparency on protected bike lanes, bus lanes, pedestrian signals, and upgrades. The public will see delays, costs, and status. No more secrets. The mayor returned it unsigned, but the law stands.

• File Int 1105-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-11-13

Nov 4 - A sedan struck a 34-year-old cyclist changing lanes on Flatbush Avenue. The impact left the cyclist with arm injuries and in shock. Metal met flesh. The street stayed cold.

According to the police report, a 34-year-old male bicyclist was injured when a BMW sedan hit him near 450 Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn at 21:58. The cyclist, traveling north and changing lanes, was struck by the sedan's left front bumper. The report lists 'Pedestrian/Bicyclist/Other Pedestrian Error/Confusion' as a contributing factor. The cyclist suffered injuries to his elbow, lower arm, and hand, and was in shock. He wore a helmet. The sedan driver was licensed and driving straight. The crash shows the danger cyclists face when sharing lanes with cars.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4769369 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Nov 1 - A woman, 39, crossing with the signal at Parkside Ave was hit. She suffered a severe head injury, fractures, and lost consciousness. The crash shows the danger pedestrians face even when following the law.

According to the police report, a 39-year-old woman was crossing at the intersection near 50 Parkside Ave in Brooklyn with the pedestrian signal when a vehicle struck her at 16:02. She suffered a severe head injury, unconsciousness, and multiple fractures with dislocations. The report lists no contributing factors from the pedestrian. No details are given about the vehicle or driver actions. The severity of her injuries was classified as level 3, indicating serious trauma. This crash highlights the systemic risk pedestrians face, even when crossing legally with the signal.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4769698 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Oct 10 - Council bill orders DOT to build 35 e-bike battery stations yearly. A quarter will sit curbside, letting riders lock up. Sponsors: Rivera, Nurse, Hanif. Streets may shift. City must post locations.

Int 1084-2024, now in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, was introduced October 10, 2024. The bill reads: 'requiring the department of transportation to install e-bicycle battery stations.' Council Members Carlina Rivera (primary sponsor), Sandy Nurse, and Shahana K. Hanif back the measure. It mandates DOT to install at least 35 e-bike battery stations each year for five years, with at least 25% curbside for secure parking. DOT must report on station rollout and post locations online. The bill aims to reshape curb space and infrastructure for e-bike riders, but offers no direct safety analysis for vulnerable road users.

• File Int 1084-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-10-10

Oct 3 - Council weighs Adams’s push to scrap parking mandates. Debate sharp. Some say mandates block homes, plazas, and safer streets. Progressive members back removal. Others resist in transit deserts. The fight shapes the future for housing, space, and city life.

On October 3, 2024, the City Council began reviewing Mayor Adams’s City of Yes zoning reform, focusing on the elimination of mandatory parking requirements for new developments. The proposal, under the Town Center Zoning plan, aims to boost small-scale, mixed-use housing. Council Members Shahana Hanif and Lincoln Restler voiced strong support, with Hanif stating, 'Parking mandates block housing, they block extra space for the folks living in communities, they block plazas, and the ability to live in a climate friendly city.' Restler called the policy vital for Brooklyn. Department of City Planning Director Dan Garodnick acknowledged the importance of removing parking mandates but noted the plan could proceed without it. The Council faces pushback from low-density, transit-poor areas. Progressive groups and experts argue that ending parking mandates is overdue and would reshape housing, public space, and climate policy citywide.

• Will Indicted Mayor Adams’s Bid to Eliminate Parking Mandates Survive Council Review?, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-10-03