The Blood Stays—Until City Hall Moves

Apr 24 - A 45-year-old woman riding east on Vesey Street was ejected from her bike. She suffered facial bruises and shock. Police cite distraction and ignored traffic control as causes. Systemic danger persists.

According to the police report, a 45-year-old female bicyclist was ejected and injured while riding east on Vesey Street at 10:54 AM. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as contributing factors. The cyclist, who was the only person involved, suffered facial contusions and shock. The vehicle involved was a bike, which sustained no damage. Police explicitly identify driver errors, including inattention and failure to obey traffic controls, as direct causes of the crash and injuries. No other vehicles or pedestrians were involved, and no victim actions contributed to the incident.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4721205 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Apr 17 - Landmarks officials cleared a new e-bike hub for delivery workers outside City Hall. The vote was 8-1. The hub replaces an empty newsstand. It offers charging, rest, and repairs. Community Board 1 objected. The project moves forward after delays and pushback.

On April 17, 2024, the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) approved a delivery worker e-bike hub outside City Hall by a vote of 8-1. The matter, described as a 'federally funded delivery worker charging station and rest stop,' required LPC review due to its location in a historic district. The project is backed by federal funds secured by Sen. Chuck Schumer. Commissioner Jeanne Lutfy said, 'People need to make a living, they need to make a safe living, and they need to be able to recharge batteries, they need to be able to rest.' Vice Chair Frederick Bland voiced support for the hub's function and design. Commissioner Mark Ginsberg suggested minor design changes. Manhattan Community Board 1 opposed the plan, citing sidewalk encroachment and lack of restrooms. The Parks Department will contract the Workers Justice Project to staff the hub. The project faced delays but is now set to open in late fall. No formal safety analyst assessment was provided.

• Landmarks Officials OK Delivery Worker Hub Outside City Hall, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-04-17

Apr 15 - Manhattan’s bike network is broken. Eleven miles of missing lanes leave cyclists exposed. Most deaths happen outside protected lanes. The city promised more, but progress stalls. Riders want safety, not scattered paint. The call: connect the gaps, save lives.

This opinion piece, published April 15, 2024, urges the city to address gaps in Manhattan’s protected bike lane network. The article highlights that only 3 percent of streets have protected lanes, and 94 percent of cyclist deaths occur outside them. The Department of Transportation (DOT) is required to build 50 miles of protected lanes per year but has missed targets. The author writes, 'quality matters over quantity,' arguing that well-integrated lanes save more lives than disconnected stretches. The piece maps 11.7 miles of missing protected lanes below 60th Street, calling for a one-time investment to connect the Central Business District. The author urges DOT to prioritize quality infrastructure, not just numbers. No council members are named; this is a public call to action.

• Opinion: Connect the Dots of Manhattan’s Missing Bike Lanes, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-04-15

Apr 11 - Council targets hidden plates. Bill makes it a crime to park, stop, or drive with covered tags. Fines reach $1,000. Jail time possible. Committee weighs action. Streets demand accountability.

Int 0766-2024 sits in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure after introduction on April 11, 2024. The bill reads: “prohibiting the parking, standing, stopping, or operation of a motor vehicle with obscured or defaced license plates.” Council Member Oswald Feliz leads, joined by Holden, Bottcher, Gennaro, Marte, Restler, Ung, and Paladino. The bill sets fines up to $1,000 and possible jail for violators. Each offense is a misdemeanor. The council aims to strip cover for reckless drivers, making it harder to dodge tickets and accountability. No safety analyst note yet, but the intent is clear: end the shield for lawless driving.

• File Int 0766-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-04-11

Apr 9 - The FARES Act would slash commuter rail fares for low-income New Yorkers. Riders trapped by high prices could reach Manhattan or Brooklyn in half the time. The bill targets the city’s transit deserts, unlocking faster, fairer travel for working-class families.

The FARES Act, now in the State Senate’s one-house budget, aims to expand Fair Fares to the Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North within New York City. The bill would create a weekly CityTicket and extend discounts for seniors and people with disabilities. The matter summary reads: 'Expand Half-Priced Fares to Unlock Commuter Rail for Working Class New Yorkers.' Samuel Santaella, an eastern Queens resident, voices strong support: 'Expanding Fair Fares to include the LIRR would revolutionize my options.' The proposal is backed by Riders Alliance and other advocates. No formal council vote has occurred. The act would cut trip times for outerborough residents and make fast, safe rail travel affordable for thousands.

• OPINION: Expand Half-Priced Fares to Unlock Commuter Rail for Working Class New Yorkers, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-04-09

Apr 3 - Two sedans traveling south on West Street collided, striking each other with front and rear impacts. Both drivers and a front passenger suffered neck and back injuries, experiencing shock and pain. The crash caused moderate injuries but no ejections.

According to the police report, two sedans were traveling southbound on West Street near Liberty Street when they collided. One vehicle impacted the other’s left front bumper while the second vehicle sustained damage to its center back end. The driver of the rear sedan and the front passenger in that vehicle were both injured, suffering neck and back injuries respectively. Both occupants were wearing lap belts and experienced shock and complaints of pain or nausea. The driver was licensed in New York and was also injured. The report lists no specific contributing factors or driver errors such as failure to yield or speeding. Both vehicles were going straight ahead prior to the collision. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved. The crash highlights risks of rear-end collisions in Manhattan traffic, with injuries concentrated among vehicle occupants.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4716622 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Apr 2 - NHTSA’s new data shows a grim record: 1,105 cyclists and 7,522 pedestrians killed in 2022. Deaths outside cars now make up 36 percent of all road fatalities. Regulators tout small gains, but the bloodshed for vulnerable users deepens. Hit-and-runs surge. Systemic failure persists.

On April 2, 2024, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released final 2022 and preliminary 2023 traffic fatality numbers. The agency’s summary highlights a modest dip in overall deaths, but the details are stark: 'drivers had killed more cyclists (1,105) than they had in any single year in the entire history of the reporting system—and pedestrian deaths (7,522) were the highest since 1981.' Vulnerable road users now account for 36 percent of all fatalities, up from 20 percent in 1996. Hit-and-run deaths and serious injuries for pedestrians and cyclists both rose 11 percent. Tami Friedrich of the Truck Safety Coalition demanded urgent federal action, stating, 'No one else needs to die because of bureaucratic inaction.' Advocates and Vision Zero supporters call for systemic reforms—speed limiters, automatic braking, safer trucks, and better infrastructure. Until agencies act, the carnage continues, masked by official optimism.

• Latest Pedestrian and Cyclist Fatality Stats Are Deadly Déja-Vu, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-04-02

Mar 28 - A bridge collapse draws national action. Car crashes kill thousands, but get shrugs. The system blames individuals, not failures in design. The toll is steady, silent, and ignored. Urgency is missing. Vulnerable lives pay the price.

This March 28, 2024, Streetsblog commentary highlights the stark difference in national response between the Baltimore Key Bridge collapse and routine car crashes. The article asks, 'What if we treated our national epidemic of car crashes with that same degree of urgency—not to mention that same holistic approach to saving lives?' No council bill number or committee applies; this is a media analysis, not legislation. The piece criticizes how officials and media leap into action for rare infrastructure disasters, but ignore the daily, deadly toll of car violence. It notes that highway expansion is prioritized over repair, and that systemic failures—not individual mistakes—drive the crisis. The commentary urges a shift to a Safe System Approach, demanding the same scrutiny and coordinated action for traffic violence as for headline-grabbing catastrophes. Vulnerable road users remain at risk while the system looks away.

• Why We Care About Some Transportation Tragedies More Than Others, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-03-28

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 26 - Four Brooklyn neighborhoods see no new protected bike lanes. City promised 75 miles by 2022. Cyclist injuries and deaths stay high. Council Members Joseph and Ossé demand action. City Hall and DOT blamed for delay. Equity and safety ignored. Riders remain exposed.

""This failure is yet another glaring example of the administration falling far behind on its commitments to develop bicycle infrastructure in our city,"" -- Charles Fall

On March 26, 2024, the City Council scrutinized DOT’s failure to deliver protected bike lanes in Borough Park, Midwood, Flatbush, and Bedford-Stuyvesant—Vision Zero ‘Bike Priority Areas’ since 2017. The city pledged 75 miles of new or improved bike routes by 2022. As of now, none have been built. Council Member Rita Joseph, representing Flatbush and Midwood, introduced legislation to speed up construction, stating, “My community has been asking for it. The Commissioner has made a commitment. He needs to step up and do it now.” Council Member Chi Ossé condemned the administration’s inaction, calling it “yet another glaring example” of broken promises. Advocates and residents cite safety and equity concerns, noting these districts suffer more cyclist injuries and deaths but get fewer protected lanes. The Council is now considering oversight to enforce legal benchmarks and ensure fair distribution of bike infrastructure.

• SAFETY LAST: DOT Added No New Protected Bike Lanes in Four ‘Priority Districts’, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-03-26

Mar 26 - The city’s commercial waste zone plan crawls forward. Only one Queens zone launches this fall. Nineteen more wait in limbo. Oversight is absent. Haulers with deadly records win contracts. Advocates demand speed, transparency, and real safety for streets choked by trucks.

Council Bill for commercial waste zone reform, passed in 2019, remains stalled. The Department of Sanitation (DSNY) will launch only one zone in central Queens after September 3, 2024. The oversight task force has not met in two years. Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, who authored the law as a Council member, called DSNY’s rollout a 'missed opportunity' for clarity and accountability. Justin Wood of New York Lawyers for the Public Interest warned, 'The system cannot achieve transformational change if it is treated as a limited pilot program.' The city’s goal to cut truck miles falls short of original promises. Action Carting, whose driver killed a cyclist in 2017, secured contracts for 14 zones. Advocates say the lack of outreach, oversight, and clear safety benchmarks leaves vulnerable road users at risk. No safety analyst assessment was provided.

• Commercial Waste Zone Rollout Too Slow and Unclear: Advocates, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-03-26

Mar 23 - Two vehicles crashed on Broadway at 10:45 p.m. The SUV suffered left-side damage, the sedan front-end damage. The SUV driver, a 38-year-old man, was injured with neck whiplash. Police cited driver inexperience and unsafe speed as factors.

According to the police report, at 10:45 p.m., a 2019 Jeep SUV traveling south on Broadway collided with a 2015 Lexus sedan traveling west. The SUV sustained damage to its left side doors, while the sedan's center front end was damaged. The SUV driver, a 38-year-old male occupant wearing a lap belt and harness, suffered neck injuries described as whiplash and was classified with injury severity level 3. The report explicitly cites driver inexperience and unsafe speed as contributing factors to the crash. No pedestrian or cyclist was involved. The collision impact and resulting injuries highlight the dangers posed by driver errors on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4712194 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Mar 22 - A cyclist hit a 38-year-old woman in a marked crosswalk near 119 Fulton Street. She suffered bruises to her arm and hand. The police report lists unspecified contributing factors. The crash happened at night in Manhattan.

According to the police report, a 38-year-old woman was crossing a marked crosswalk near 119 Fulton Street in Manhattan when a bike traveling east struck her at 8:18 p.m. She sustained bruises to her elbow, lower arm, and hand, but remained conscious after the crash. The report lists 'unspecified' contributing factors and does not cite any specific driver errors. No helmet or safety equipment was reported for either party. The incident highlights the impact between a cyclist and a pedestrian in a marked crosswalk.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4716017 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

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

Mar 18 - A motorcycle driver was ejected and injured after a taxi rear-ended him on FDR Drive. The impact demolished the motorcycle’s rear and injured the rider’s arm. Police cited driver inattention as the primary cause of the crash.

According to the police report, the crash occurred on FDR Drive around 6:00 AM involving a taxi and a motorcycle, both traveling north. The taxi struck the motorcycle at its center back end, causing the motorcycle to be demolished and the rider to be ejected. The motorcycle driver, a 33-year-old male wearing a helmet, sustained injuries to his elbow, lower arm, and hand and was reported to be in shock. The taxi driver, a licensed female driver, was going straight ahead at the time of impact. The report explicitly cites "Driver Inattention/Distraction" as the contributing factor for the taxi driver, indicating a failure to maintain focus led to the rear-end collision. No other contributing factors related to the victim were noted in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4711295 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Mar 13 - Speaker Adrienne Adams called out city failures. She demanded action on bike lanes, bus lanes, and housing. She pressed for tracking DOT progress. She blasted budget cuts. She wants deeper affordability. She put vulnerable New Yorkers at the center.

"The council will also pursue legislation requiring the city Department of Transportation to track progress on projects that fall under its Streets Master Plan, passed by the council in 2019, which requires the agency complete construction on a certain number of bike and bus lanes each year." -- Charles Fall

On March 13, 2024, Speaker Adrienne Adams (District 28) delivered her State of the City address at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. She called for new legislation to require the Department of Transportation to track progress on the Streets Master Plan, which mandates yearly construction of bike and bus lanes. Adams criticized the mayor for failing to meet these benchmarks and for cutting funding to vital services. She said, 'Our duty is to turn these ideas into effective laws and to conduct oversight... But laws and policies are only as good as their implementation.' Adams also proposed using city land for affordable housing and expressed conditional support for zoning reforms, insisting on deeper affordability. Her speech centered the needs of low-income and working-class New Yorkers, especially in Black and brown communities.

• State of the City: Speaker Adams lays out vision for boosting government effectiveness, building more affordable housing, amny.com, Published 2024-03-13

Mar 11 - A 21-year-old man suffered knee and lower leg injuries after a taxi struck him at a Manhattan intersection. The crash, caused by driver inattention, left the pedestrian in shock with no visible complaints. The taxi showed no damage despite impact.

According to the police report, a 21-year-old male pedestrian was injured at the intersection near 40 Fulton Street in Manhattan around 9:30 AM. The pedestrian sustained injuries to his knee, lower leg, and foot and was reported to be in shock. The crash involved a 2019 Nissan taxi traveling straight ahead, which impacted the pedestrian on its left rear quarter panel. The report explicitly cites 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the contributing factor to the collision. The taxi sustained no damage. There is no indication of pedestrian fault or contributing factors from the victim. The incident underscores the dangers posed by distracted driving in busy urban intersections.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4708986 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Mar 4 - Taxi turned left, struck a man crossing with the signal. Head injury, shock. Driver failed to yield. Impact at left front bumper. System failed to protect the walker.

According to the police report, a taxi traveling south on Park Row made a left turn onto Beekman Street and struck a 58-year-old man who was crossing with the signal at the intersection. The pedestrian suffered a head injury and was in shock. The report cites the taxi driver's failure to yield right-of-way and driver inattention or distraction as contributing factors. The point of impact was the taxi's left front bumper. The pedestrian was not cited for any contributing factors. The driver was licensed and operating a 2020 Toyota taxi registered in New York. This crash underscores the danger of driver errors like failure to yield and distraction at intersections.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4707211 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Mar 4 - Car-first policies kill. Denialists stall bike lanes, street redesigns, and e-bike freedom. Fake experts, endless meetings, and bad laws keep streets deadly. Advocates must expose these tactics. The fight is for life, not convenience.

This opinion piece, published March 4, 2024 by Streetsblog NYC, dissects how denialist tactics undermine safety reforms in New York City. The article, titled 'Understanding Car Culture ‘Denialism’ Can Help Safety Advocates Respond,' details how fake experts, logical fallacies, and shifting demands block alternatives to car-centric streets. Council Member Robert Holden is named for pushing e-bike licensing, a move described as 'extremely harmful' for vulnerable road users. The article criticizes engineers and community boards who resist bike lanes and street redesigns. It urges advocates to call out denialist rhetoric and challenge the roots of car-first policies. The piece stands firmly for bike lanes, e-bikes, and safer streets, and against delays that keep New Yorkers in danger.

• Understanding Car Culture ‘Denialism’ Can Help Safety Advocates Respond, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-03-04

Mar 4 - Council Member Holden pushes e-bike licensing. Advocates warn: this move will slash e-bike use, boost car traffic, and choke the city with more danger. Denialism shields car dominance. The fight for safer streets grows sharper, louder, urgent.

On March 4, 2024, Council Member Robert F. Holden (District 30) was spotlighted for proposing legislation to require licensing and registration for all e-bikes. The measure, discussed in an advocacy article, has not advanced to committee or vote. The article states: 'Council Member Robert Holden has proposed legislation to require licensing and registration for all e-bikes. This legislation will be extremely harmful if it becomes law—likely cutting e-bike use, increasing motorcycle and car emissions and traffic, and forfeiting economic benefits associated with micro-mobility.' Holden’s push aligns with car-centric policy, drawing sharp criticism from safety advocates. They argue the bill would endanger vulnerable road users by forcing more people into cars and away from safer, sustainable options. The piece calls for direct confrontation of denialist rhetoric and a shift from car dependency to protect lives on city streets.

• Understanding Car Culture 'Denialism' Can Help Safety Advocates Respond, streetsblog.org, Published 2024-03-04