Pelham Gardens Bleeds While Leaders Stall

Sep 3 - Parking mandates choke streets, raise rents, and trap New Yorkers in car dependence. Council Member Marmorato and Borough President Richards defend these rules, blocking safer, more vibrant neighborhoods. Ending mandates means more housing, cleaner air, and safer streets for people, not cars.

This opinion, published September 3, 2024, in Streetsblog NYC, calls out Council Member Kristy Marmorato and Queens Borough President Donovan Richards for defending parking mandates. Richards opposes lifting mandates in Queens, citing poor transit. Marmorato lobbied to restore mandates in a Bronx rezoning near new Metro North stations, arguing, 'We live in a transit desert where cars are a necessity for daily activities.' The editorial rebukes this logic, stating, 'We should not cling to parking mandates when we know they encourage car ownership, make streets less vibrant, increase rents, and pollute our air.' The piece urges officials to break the cycle of car-first policy, invest in transit, and end mandates that block affordable housing and safer streets. No safety analyst assessment was provided, but the editorial centers the harm parking mandates inflict on vulnerable road users and the city’s livability.

• Opinion: It’s Time to Say ‘No’ to Car Drivers and ‘Yes’ to Ending Parking Mandates, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-09-03

Aug 22 - A collision between a 2016 SUV and a 2023 sedan on East Gun Hill Road left both drivers injured. The sedan driver, with a physical disability and unsafe speed, was turning left when impact occurred. Both drivers suffered serious injuries.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 12:04 on East Gun Hill Road in the Bronx. A 2016 Chevrolet SUV was stopped in traffic traveling west when it was struck by a 2023 Kia sedan making a left turn southeast. The sedan driver, a 51-year-old female, had contributing factors listed as Physical Disability and Unsafe Speed. The impact was to the left front bumpers of both vehicles, causing center front end damage. Both drivers were injured: the SUV driver, a 92-year-old male, suffered chest injuries including fractures and dislocations, while the sedan driver sustained back injuries and whiplash. Both drivers were conscious and restrained by lap belts and harnesses. The report highlights driver errors of unsafe speed and physical disability affecting the sedan driver, with no contributing factors attributed to the SUV driver.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4750484 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Aug 16 - A female motorcyclist suffered knee and lower leg injuries in a Bronx crash. According to the police report, aggressive driving and road rage were contributing factors. The rider was conscious and not ejected, but sustained bruises and contusions.

At 11:01 PM in the Bronx near 3236 Boston Road, a single motorcycle crash injured a 41-year-old female driver. According to the police report, the crash involved aggressive driving and road rage as contributing factors. The motorcyclist, who was licensed and riding a 2021 YNGF motorcycle, was going straight ahead when the impact occurred at an unspecified point. She was not ejected from the vehicle but sustained contusions and bruises to her knee, lower leg, and foot. The report lists no other vehicles or pedestrians involved. The driver wore no safety equipment. The police report explicitly cites aggressive driving and road rage as causes, highlighting driver behavior as central to the crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4751526 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Aug 15 - City law now forces DOT to reveal where bikes and scooters go. Streets and bridges, protected or not. Data goes public. Riders’ movement, danger, and safety projects laid bare. No more hiding the facts.

Int 0745-2024, now enacted, came through the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. It was introduced April 11, 2024, and passed on August 15, 2024. The law orders the Department of Transportation to post current bicycle and micromobility ridership data online, updated monthly or at least yearly. The matter summary reads: 'requiring the department of transportation to provide information about bicycle and other micromobility device activity.' Council Member Selvena N. Brooks-Powers led as primary sponsor, joined by Farías, Restler, Hudson, Schulman, and others. The law demands transparency on where riders travel and what DOT does to keep them safe. This opens the books on bike movement and exposes gaps in protection.

• File Int 0745-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-08-15

Aug 8 - Three sedans collided on East Gun Hill Road in the Bronx. The crash involved aggressive driving, injuring a 59-year-old male driver with shoulder and whiplash injuries. Impact centered on rear and front bumpers, highlighting dangerous driver behavior.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 20:20 on East Gun Hill Road in the Bronx. The collision involved three sedans traveling eastbound. One vehicle was parked before the crash, while the other two were moving straight ahead. The point of impact was the center back end and right front bumper of the vehicles. The report cites 'Aggressive Driving/Road Rage' as a contributing factor, indicating driver error as the primary cause. A 59-year-old male driver was injured, sustaining upper arm and shoulder injuries along with whiplash. He was not ejected and was restrained by a lap belt. No other contributing factors or victim behaviors were noted in the report. This crash underscores the systemic danger posed by aggressive driving on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4749463 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Aug 7 - Bronx council member Kristy Marmorato led a committee to keep parking mandates near new Metro-North stations. The move blocks plans to cut car use and build more affordable housing. Cars stay king. Transit and vulnerable road users lose ground.

On August 7, 2024, the City Council's Land Use Committee, led by Kristy Marmorato, amended a rezoning plan (no bill number provided) for areas near two new Metro-North stations. The committee rejected the Adams administration's push to eliminate parking requirements, instead voting to retain mandates and lower building heights. Marmorato argued, "We live in a transit desert where cars are a necessity for daily activities," and prioritized drivers over reducing car dependency. The proposal, part of the Mayor's 'City of Yes for Housing Opportunity' plan, aimed to boost affordable housing and transit-oriented development. Marmorato's stance, echoed in multiple statements, keeps parking at the center and limits safer, walkable streets. No safety analyst assessment was provided, but the move preserves car dominance and its dangers for pedestrians and cyclists.

• Council Trades Housing Affordability for Car Parking Near New Metro-North Stops, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-08-07

Jul 29 - An SUV making a U-turn in the Bronx struck its own rear passenger, fracturing her lower leg. Driver inattention and inexperience caused the crash. The injured woman, secured by a lap belt, suffered a dislocated knee and remained conscious.

According to the police report, a 2020 Honda SUV was making a U-turn traveling north on East Gun Hill Road in the Bronx when the left front bumper impacted the vehicle's own left rear passenger seat area. The injured occupant, a 41-year-old female passenger, suffered a fracture and dislocation to her knee and lower leg. She was wearing a lap belt and harness and was not ejected from the vehicle. The report cites driver errors including 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Driver Inexperience' as contributing factors. The driver was licensed in New York. The crash caused center front end damage to the SUV. The victim’s injuries and the crash dynamics highlight the dangers of driver distraction and inexperience during complex maneuvers like U-turns.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4745082 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Jul 25 - Taxi swung wide, turned wrong. Metal hit flesh. Moped rider took the blow. Whiplash. Body battered. Bronx street, broad daylight. System failed the vulnerable again.

According to the police report, a taxi making an improper U-turn on East Gun Hill Road in the Bronx struck a moped traveling straight east at 14:45. The 28-year-old male moped rider suffered whiplash and injuries to his entire body. The taxi’s center front end hit the moped’s left rear quarter panel. Police list 'Turning Improperly' as the contributing factor for the taxi driver. The moped rider was not ejected and remained conscious. No victim actions contributed to the crash. The collision underscores the danger posed by improper turning maneuvers by drivers to vulnerable road users.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4744275 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Jul 10 - Council members and developers vow to build up to 200 parking spaces per project near new Bronx Metro-North stations. Despite no city parking mandates, car storage dominates debate. Transit access takes a back seat. Vulnerable road users face more cars, more risk.

On July 10, 2024, the City Council held a hearing on proposed rezonings around new Metro-North stations in the Bronx. The matter, titled 'Transit-Oriented Bronx Developments Will Have Ample Parking, Developers Tell Council,' focused on whether to require parking in new residential and commercial projects. Council Members Amanda Faris, Kevin C. Riley, Rafael Salamanca, and Kristy Marmorato all pressed for developers to include parking, despite the city's move to waive mandates. Riley called parking 'a huge issue.' Developers, including Baker Development, promised up to 200 spaces per project. Bronx City Planning Director Paul Philips said, 'We certainly expect developers to provide parking.' The debate ignored the danger more parking brings: more cars, more conflict, more risk for people walking and biking. No safety analyst weighed in, but the outcome is clear—transit-oriented in name, car-centric in practice.

• Transit-Oriented Bronx Developments Will Have Ample Parking, Developers Tell Council, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-07-10

Jul 4 - A 66-year-old woman suffered head injuries after an SUV failed to yield at a marked Bronx crosswalk. The impact left her semiconscious with complaints of pain and nausea. The driver’s failure to yield right-of-way caused the collision.

According to the police report, a 66-year-old female pedestrian was injured at the intersection of Allerton Avenue and Paulding Avenue in the Bronx at 11:30 a.m. The pedestrian was crossing in a marked crosswalk without a signal when she was struck by a 2020 Buick SUV traveling southwest. The point of impact was the center front end of the vehicle, which sustained damage there as well. The report cites the driver’s failure to yield right-of-way as a contributing factor to the crash. The pedestrian suffered head injuries and was semiconscious, complaining of pain and nausea. The driver was licensed and driving straight ahead at the time of the collision. No victim behaviors were listed as contributing factors. This crash highlights the systemic danger posed by drivers failing to yield to pedestrians at intersections.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4738958 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Jul 4 - A motorcycle struck a sedan making a left turn on Boston Road in the Bronx. The motorcyclist, a 38-year-old woman, was partially ejected and suffered severe leg injuries. Police cite driver inattention and traffic control disregard as causes.

According to the police report, at 10:10 AM on Boston Road near East Gun Hill Road in the Bronx, a motorcycle traveling east collided head-on with a sedan making a left turn westbound. The motorcyclist, a 38-year-old female driver wearing a helmet, was partially ejected and sustained fractures and dislocations to her knee, lower leg, and foot, resulting in serious injury. The sedan driver, a licensed male, caused the crash by disregarding traffic control and exhibiting inattention or distraction. The point of impact was the center front end of both vehicles, with the sedan sustaining damage to its left front bumper. The report highlights driver errors—specifically failure to yield and distraction—as the primary contributing factors, with no victim fault noted.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4737861 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

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 - 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 - 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 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

Jun 2 - Two cars slammed head-on on Allerton Avenue. Three people hurt—drivers and a passenger. Chest, head, neck injuries. Both vehicles crushed front to front. Police list no driver errors.

According to the police report, a 2016 Dodge taxi and a 2018 Nissan SUV collided head-on on Allerton Avenue near East Gun Hill Road. Both vehicles struck center front ends. Three occupants were injured: a 53-year-old male taxi driver with a head abrasion, a 35-year-old male SUV driver with internal chest injuries, and a 28-year-old female passenger with neck whiplash. All were conscious and restrained. The report lists contributing factors as unspecified for all parties. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved. Driver errors are not identified in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4729520 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

May 28 - Two sedans collided on Mace Avenue in the Bronx. The 20-year-old male driver suffered knee and lower leg injuries and whiplash. Police cited driver inexperience as a contributing factor. Both vehicles sustained front-end damage in the midday crash.

According to the police report, the crash occurred on Mace Avenue in the Bronx at 12:25 PM involving two sedans traveling north and west. The 20-year-old male driver of a 2022 Honda sedan was injured, sustaining knee, lower leg, and foot injuries along with whiplash. The report identifies 'Driver Inexperience' as a contributing factor to the collision. The Honda's right front bumper and the other vehicle's center front end were damaged on impact. Both drivers were licensed and the Honda driver was conscious and not ejected. The report does not list any victim behaviors as contributing factors, focusing on the inexperience of the driver as the primary cause.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4728056 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18