Van Cortlandt Park: Blood on the Asphalt, Silence in City Hall

Council passed Albany’s speed camera expansion. Cameras now run all day, every day. Seven members opposed. Supporters cited lives lost when cameras slept. Opponents called it a tax. The vote followed a deadly year. Danger stalks city streets, especially near schools.

On May 26, 2022, the New York City Council voted 43-7 to approve Albany’s extension and expansion of the city’s speed camera program. The measure, handled by the Transportation Committee, allows speed cameras to operate 24/7. The matter summary: 'The City Council approved Albany's extension and expansion of New York's speed camera program, allowing cameras to operate 24/7, but not before several council members voiced opposition.' Chairwoman Selvena Brooks-Powers urged action, saying, 'We must use all the tools at our disposal.' Council Members Joan Ariola, Vickie Paladino, and David Carr opposed, calling cameras a financial burden. Eric Dinowitz defended the program: 'If you don't want a speeding ticket, don't speed.' The vote came after a year of high road deaths, with special risk near schools.

• Amid Epic Crisis of Road Deaths, Some Members of the City Council Still Oppose Speed Cameras, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2022-05-26

Senate passed S 5602 to keep school zone speed cameras running longer. More eyes on reckless drivers. Lawmakers push back against speeding near kids. The vote was clear. The danger remains.

Bill S 5602, titled 'Relates to the hours of operation of a school zone speed camera demonstration program,' passed the Senate on May 25, 2022, and the Assembly on June 2, 2022. The bill extends the hours that speed cameras operate in New York City school zones. Primary sponsor: Senator Gounardes, with co-sponsors Biaggi, Cleare, Gianaris, Hoylman, Jackson, Kavanagh, Krueger, Myrie, Persaud, Ramos, Rivera, and Sepulveda. The measure saw strong support in both chambers, despite some opposition. The bill aims to keep cameras watching when children are at risk. More enforcement, more accountability. The fight for safer streets continues.

• File S 5602, Open States, Published 2022-05-25

Senate passed S 5602 to keep school zone speed cameras running longer. More eyes on reckless drivers. Lawmakers push back against speeding near kids. The vote was clear. The danger remains.

Bill S 5602, titled 'Relates to the hours of operation of a school zone speed camera demonstration program,' passed the Senate on May 25, 2022, and the Assembly on June 2, 2022. The bill extends the hours that speed cameras operate in New York City school zones. Primary sponsor: Senator Gounardes, with co-sponsors Biaggi, Cleare, Gianaris, Hoylman, Jackson, Kavanagh, Krueger, Myrie, Persaud, Ramos, Rivera, and Sepulveda. The measure saw strong support in both chambers, despite some opposition. The bill aims to keep cameras watching when children are at risk. More enforcement, more accountability. The fight for safer streets continues.

• File S 5602, Open States, Published 2022-05-25

Albany passed A 8936. Cities get more state cash if they build complete streets. Lawmakers want safer roads. The bill sailed through both chambers. Money now follows safety.

Bill A 8936, titled 'Relates to complete street design features and funding of construction and improvements at a municipalities' expense,' passed the Assembly on May 23, 2022, and the Senate on June 1, 2022. The bill boosts state funding for transportation projects when municipalities add complete street features. Assemblymember Fahy led as primary sponsor, joined by Hunter, Seawright, Woerner, and others. The Assembly and Senate both voted yes, with broad support. The law aims to push cities to design streets for everyone—pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers—by tying state dollars to safety upgrades.

• File A 8936, Open States, Published 2022-05-23

Albany passed A 8936. Cities get more state cash if they build complete streets. Lawmakers want safer roads. The bill sailed through both chambers. Money now follows safety.

Bill A 8936, titled 'Relates to complete street design features and funding of construction and improvements at a municipalities' expense,' passed the Assembly on May 23, 2022, and the Senate on June 1, 2022. The bill boosts state funding for transportation projects when municipalities add complete street features. Assemblymember Fahy led as primary sponsor, joined by Hunter, Seawright, Woerner, and others. The Assembly and Senate both voted yes, with broad support. The law aims to push cities to design streets for everyone—pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers—by tying state dollars to safety upgrades.

• File A 8936, Open States, Published 2022-05-23

Albany passed A 8936. Cities get more state cash if they build complete streets. Lawmakers want safer roads. The bill sailed through both chambers. Money now follows safety.

Bill A 8936, titled 'Relates to complete street design features and funding of construction and improvements at a municipalities' expense,' passed the Assembly on May 23, 2022, and the Senate on June 1, 2022. The bill boosts state funding for transportation projects when municipalities add complete street features. Assemblymember Fahy led as primary sponsor, joined by Hunter, Seawright, Woerner, and others. The Assembly and Senate both voted yes, with broad support. The law aims to push cities to design streets for everyone—pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers—by tying state dollars to safety upgrades.

• File A 8936, Open States, Published 2022-05-23

Senate and Assembly passed S 1078. New drivers must now learn how to avoid hitting people on foot or bike. Law aims to cut crashes at the root—before drivers get the keys.

Bill S 1078, introduced in the Senate on April 27, 2021, requires pedestrian and bicyclist safety instruction in the drivers pre-licensing course. The bill moved through committee and passed the Senate and Assembly, with key votes on May 20, 2021, February 1, 2022, May 16, 2022, and May 23, 2022. The matter summary reads: 'Requires instruction in pedestrian and bicyclist safety as part of the drivers pre-licensing course.' Primary sponsor: Senator Gounardes, joined by Bailey, Biaggi, Brisport, Cleare, Comrie, and others. The measure targets driver ignorance, a root cause of deadly crashes, by putting vulnerable road users at the center of driver education.

• File S 1078, Open States, Published 2022-05-23

Albany passed A 8936. Cities get more state cash if they build complete streets. Lawmakers want safer roads. The bill sailed through both chambers. Money now follows safety.

Bill A 8936, titled 'Relates to complete street design features and funding of construction and improvements at a municipalities' expense,' passed the Assembly on May 23, 2022, and the Senate on June 1, 2022. The bill boosts state funding for transportation projects when municipalities add complete street features. Assemblymember Fahy led as primary sponsor, joined by Hunter, Seawright, Woerner, and others. The Assembly and Senate both voted yes, with broad support. The law aims to push cities to design streets for everyone—pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers—by tying state dollars to safety upgrades.

• File A 8936, Open States, Published 2022-05-23

Senate and Assembly passed S 1078. New drivers must now learn how to avoid hitting people on foot or bike. Law aims to cut crashes at the root—before drivers get the keys.

Bill S 1078, introduced in the Senate on April 27, 2021, requires pedestrian and bicyclist safety instruction in the drivers pre-licensing course. The bill moved through committee and passed the Senate and Assembly, with key votes on May 20, 2021, February 1, 2022, May 16, 2022, and May 23, 2022. The matter summary reads: 'Requires instruction in pedestrian and bicyclist safety as part of the drivers pre-licensing course.' Primary sponsor: Senator Gounardes, joined by Bailey, Biaggi, Brisport, Cleare, Comrie, and others. The measure targets driver ignorance, a root cause of deadly crashes, by putting vulnerable road users at the center of driver education.

• File S 1078, Open States, Published 2022-05-16

Senate passed S 5130. The bill pushes complete street design. It aims for safe access for all. Pedestrians and cyclists get a shot at safer roads. The vote was split, but the bill moved forward.

Senate bill S 5130, titled 'Enables safe access to public roads for all users by utilizing complete street design principles,' passed committee votes on March 2 and May 16, 2022. Senator Kennedy sponsored the bill. Support came from members like Jeremy Cooney, Anna Kaplan, and John Liu. Dissent came from Patrick Gallivan and Susan Serino. The bill pushes cities to design roads for everyone—pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers. It marks a shift from car-first planning. The measure aims to cut risk for people outside cars. Full vote details and text are at the New York Senate website.

• File S 5130, Open States, Published 2022-05-16

A sedan traveling south on the Major Deegan Expressway struck an object on its right rear quarter panel. Two passengers in the middle rear seats suffered head and back injuries. Both were not ejected and experienced shock and pain.

According to the police report, a 2018 Toyota sedan was going straight south on the Major Deegan Expressway when it impacted the right rear quarter panel. Two occupants, a 25-year-old male and a 24-year-old female, both seated in the middle rear seats, were injured. The male suffered head injuries, and the female sustained back injuries. Both reported complaints of pain or nausea and were in shock. Neither occupant was ejected from the vehicle. The report lists the contributing factors as unspecified, with no clear driver errors identified. The driver was licensed and operating the vehicle straight ahead at the time of the crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4525385 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-05

Steel crushed in on West 242nd. Three sedans, nose to tail. A young woman, alone, head bleeding, pinned behind the wheel. Sirens cut the Bronx air. Metal and glass. No way out. The street held her fast.

Three sedans collided on West 242nd Street near Broadway in the Bronx. According to the police report, a 24-year-old woman, driving alone, was trapped and suffered head injuries and crush wounds. She was conscious but bleeding. The crash involved two other drivers, both men, ages 20 and 27. No contributing factors or driver errors were specified in the report. The police noted the woman was not using any safety equipment. All vehicles were traveling straight ahead when the collision occurred. The report lists no other injuries. The impact left the woman pinned, with steel pressing in, and nowhere to go.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4522429 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-05

A Nissan sedan hit hard on Henry Hudson Parkway. The right front smashed into the front passenger. An 18-year-old woman took the blow to her hip and leg. She stayed conscious. She screamed. The crash left pain and fear in the dark.

An 18-year-old woman riding in the front seat of a Nissan sedan suffered hip and leg injuries when the car struck with its right front on Henry Hudson Parkway at 3:43 a.m. According to the police report, the impact left her conscious and screaming in pain. The report lists 'View Obstructed/Limited' as a contributing factor. The driver and another rear passenger, both 18, were also in the car but did not report serious injuries. The vehicle was traveling straight ahead when the crash occurred. All occupants wore lap belts and harnesses. The police report highlights the obstructed view as a key factor in the crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4523346 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-05

Two sedans slammed together on Major Deegan. Both drivers were distracted. A front-seat passenger took bruises across his body. Metal twisted. The night echoed with the sound of impact.

According to the police report, two sedans collided on the Major Deegan Expressway. Both drivers were cited for Driver Inattention/Distraction. The crash struck the rear of one car and the front of the other. A 41-year-old male front-seat passenger suffered contusions and bruises to his entire body. He was conscious and not ejected. The report lists no other contributing factors. The collision damaged the left rear bumper of one sedan and the left front bumper of the other. Both drivers were licensed and traveling straight ahead at the time of the crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4522222 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-05

Sedan and tractor truck crashed northbound on Major Deegan. Woman behind the wheel hurt her knee and foot. Pain and shock followed. Metal twisted. No clear cause named.

According to the police report, a 32-year-old woman driving a sedan was injured when her car collided with a tractor truck on the Major Deegan Expressway. Both vehicles were heading north. The sedan's left front quarter and the truck's right front quarter took the hit. The woman suffered injuries to her knee, lower leg, and foot, and was in shock and pain. She wore a lap belt and harness and was not ejected. The report lists contributing factors as unspecified, with no driver errors identified. The truck was operated by a licensed male driver. The crash left both vehicles damaged.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4522913 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-05

Bronx Community Board 8 shot down a DOT plan to slim Riverdale Avenue. The 3-2 vote blocks traffic calming, bike lanes, and safer crossings. Elected officials pushed left-turn signals instead. The street remains wide, fast, and dangerous for walkers and cyclists.

On April 1, 2022, Bronx Community Board 8's Traffic and Transportation Committee voted 3-2 against the Department of Transportation's proposed road diet for Riverdale Avenue. The plan, described as a '.75-mile-long road diet,' aimed to reduce lanes, add traffic calming, and install bike lanes. Council Member Eric Dinowitz and Assembly Member Jeffrey Dinowitz opposed the DOT's turning bays, pushing instead for left-turn signals at two intersections. The committee echoed their stance, citing concerns about traffic and parking. The matter title: 'Riverdale Rumble: Bronx Panel Rejects DOT Road Diet Plan for Super-Wide Avenue.' DOT officials stressed the area's high rate of crashes, especially harming seniors and children, but the board's advisory vote leaves the avenue wide and perilous for vulnerable road users.

• Riverdale Rumble: Bronx Panel Rejects DOT Road Diet Plan for Super-Wide Avenue, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2022-04-01

Bronx Community Board 8 shot down a DOT plan to slim Riverdale Avenue. The 3-2 vote blocks traffic calming, bike lanes, and safer crossings. Elected officials pushed left-turn signals instead. The street remains wide, fast, and dangerous for walkers and cyclists.

On April 1, 2022, Bronx Community Board 8's Traffic and Transportation Committee voted 3-2 against the Department of Transportation's proposed road diet for Riverdale Avenue. The plan, described as a '.75-mile-long road diet,' aimed to reduce lanes, add traffic calming, and install bike lanes. Council Member Eric Dinowitz and Assembly Member Jeffrey Dinowitz opposed the DOT's turning bays, pushing instead for left-turn signals at two intersections. The committee echoed their stance, citing concerns about traffic and parking. The matter title: 'Riverdale Rumble: Bronx Panel Rejects DOT Road Diet Plan for Super-Wide Avenue.' DOT officials stressed the area's high rate of crashes, especially harming seniors and children, but the board's advisory vote leaves the avenue wide and perilous for vulnerable road users.

• Riverdale Rumble: Bronx Panel Rejects DOT Road Diet Plan for Super-Wide Avenue, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2022-04-01

Council Member Eric Dinowitz blasted DOT’s Riverdale Avenue road diet plan. He called the agency’s process secretive and unacceptable. Dinowitz demanded real engagement. The proposal aims to curb crashes. Another local, Christian Amato, backed the plan, citing past safety gains.

On March 25, 2022, Council Member Eric Dinowitz publicly criticized the Department of Transportation’s proposal for a 'road diet' on Riverdale Avenue. The plan, discussed before Community Board 8 or Dinowitz himself, drew fire for what Dinowitz called 'unacceptable' and lacking transparency. The matter, titled 'Riverdale Avenue Rumble: Bronx Pol Dinowitz Objects to DOT’s Move on ‘Road Diet’,' centers on a traffic-calming redesign to address frequent crashes. Dinowitz stated, 'I'm not against the plan, because I don't know what it is,' but demanded better outreach. Christian Amato, another local politician, voiced strong support, referencing positive results from Morris Park Avenue. The DOT confirmed the proposal includes a bike lane and seeks community feedback. No formal council vote has occurred. The bill’s safety impact was not assessed.

• Riverdale Avenue Rumble: Bronx Pol Dinowitz Objects to DOT’s Move on ‘Road Diet’, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2022-03-25

Council Member Eric Dinowitz blasted DOT’s Riverdale Avenue road diet plan. He called the agency’s process secretive and unacceptable. Dinowitz demanded real engagement. The proposal aims to curb crashes. Another local, Christian Amato, backed the plan, citing past safety gains.

On March 25, 2022, Council Member Eric Dinowitz publicly criticized the Department of Transportation’s proposal for a 'road diet' on Riverdale Avenue. The plan, discussed before Community Board 8 or Dinowitz himself, drew fire for what Dinowitz called 'unacceptable' and lacking transparency. The matter, titled 'Riverdale Avenue Rumble: Bronx Pol Dinowitz Objects to DOT’s Move on ‘Road Diet’,' centers on a traffic-calming redesign to address frequent crashes. Dinowitz stated, 'I'm not against the plan, because I don't know what it is,' but demanded better outreach. Christian Amato, another local politician, voiced strong support, referencing positive results from Morris Park Avenue. The DOT confirmed the proposal includes a bike lane and seeks community feedback. No formal council vote has occurred. The bill’s safety impact was not assessed.

• Riverdale Avenue Rumble: Bronx Pol Dinowitz Objects to DOT’s Move on ‘Road Diet’, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2022-03-25

Councilmember Eric Dinowitz slammed DOT’s Riverdale Avenue road diet plan. He called out the agency for secrecy, not substance. The Bronx stretch is deadly. Dinowitz wants more transparency, not fewer lanes. The fight leaves vulnerable road users in limbo.

On March 25, 2022, Councilmember Eric Dinowitz of District 11 made a public statement opposing the Department of Transportation’s proposed ‘road diet’ for Riverdale Avenue. The plan, aimed at a crash-prone Bronx corridor, was criticized by Dinowitz for a lack of transparency: 'A city agency should not be run this way.' He insisted he is not against the plan itself, but objects to DOT’s process, which bypassed him and Community Board 8. Dinowitz’s stance echoes his past opposition to bus lanes that reduce parking, though he supports bike lanes that do not remove vehicle lanes. The proposal, which includes a bike lane, remains under review. No formal safety analyst assessment was provided for this action.

• Riverdale Avenue Rumble: Bronx Pol Dinowitz Objects to DOT’s Move on ‘Road Diet’, streetsblog.org, Published 2022-03-25