The Blood Stays—Until City Hall Moves

Dec 6 - A southbound SUV struck the rear of a station wagon on West Street, injuring a 12-year-old passenger. The child suffered head injuries and whiplash but was conscious and restrained by a lap belt. Driver distraction was cited as the cause.

According to the police report, the crash occurred on West Street in Manhattan at 17:40. A 2022 Jeep SUV, traveling southbound, collided with the rear end of a 2018 Toyota SUV also moving southbound. The point of impact was the center front end of the Jeep and the center back end of the Toyota. The report cites 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the contributing factor for the collision. A 12-year-old female occupant seated in the right rear of the Toyota was injured, sustaining head injuries and whiplash. She was conscious and restrained by a lap belt at the time of the crash. The report does not list any contributing factors related to the victim's behavior. The collision involved multiple SUVs traveling straight ahead, with the SUV driver failing to maintain attention, leading to the rear-end impact.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4776955 - 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

Nov 28 - Three cars slammed together on the Brooklyn Bridge. Driver distraction triggered the pileup. A 38-year-old man took a blow to the head and suffered whiplash. Metal twisted. Traffic stopped. The bridge held the wreck.

According to the police report, three vehicles—a Chevrolet SUV, a Honda SUV, and a Jeep sedan—collided on the Brooklyn Bridge at 13:08. All were headed south when the crash struck. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the sole contributing factor, repeated for each vehicle. A 38-year-old male driver was injured, suffering head trauma and whiplash. He remained conscious and was not ejected. The report notes he wore a lap belt and harness. No victim actions contributed to the crash. The collision shows the risk of driver distraction on crowded city bridges.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4775273 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Nov 20 - Council moves to gut parking reforms in City of Yes. Car-centric districts win. Fewer homes, more cars, less safety. The plan shrinks. Streets stay dangerous. The promise of safer, denser neighborhoods slips away in committee rooms.

Bill: City of Yes for Housing Opportunity. Status: Awaiting City Council committee vote as of November 20, 2024. The proposal, described as 'a zoning initiative aiming to eliminate costly parking mandates citywide,' faces heavy opposition from council members in low-density, car-dependent districts. Progressive members like Lincoln Restler, Carlina Rivera, Tiffany Cabán, and Shahana Hanif support full removal of parking mandates. But the Council is set to weaken the bill, keeping parking minimums in many areas. This move will slash the number of new housing units and keep dangerous car volumes on city streets. Experts warn that keeping parking mandates will limit housing growth and keep neighborhoods unsafe for those outside cars. The compromise falls short of the original vision for safer, more walkable streets.

• Council Likely To Weaken Mayor’s ‘City Of Yes’ Pro-Housing Zoning Plan, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-11-20

Nov 18 - City data shows open streets thrive. Storefronts fill up. Pedestrians and cyclists bring life and cash. Cars do not. Vacancy rates drop where traffic is banned. Volunteers keep these corridors alive, but city support lags behind their success.

On November 18, 2024, the Department of City Planning released a report titled 'Storefront Activity in NYC Neighborhoods.' The analysis, covered by Streetsblog NYC, finds that open streets—car-free corridors—have about half the vacant storefronts of car-filled streets. The report states: 'vibrant public spaces are key to the success of local businesses.' City officials like Ya-Ting Liu, chief public realm officer, and volunteers such as Alex Morano and Brent Bovenzi, praised the program's impact. Bovenzi noted, 'the program is shrinking because too much of the burden falls upon volunteer labor.' The Open Streets program, now permanent, covers over 130 locations but relies heavily on volunteers. Advocates urge the city to invest more, as the data shows people-centric design drives economic recovery and safer, more vibrant neighborhoods.

• Car-Free Streets are Good For Business, Yet Another Report Shows, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-11-18

Nov 18 - City Council passed a bill to clean up battered newsracks. Erik Bottcher led the charge. The law forces owners to post contact info and lets DOT set strict standards. The goal: clear sidewalks, fewer obstacles, safer passage for all.

On November 18, 2024, the City Council approved a bill regulating sidewalk newsracks. The measure, sponsored by Council Member Erik Bottcher (District 3), passed through committee and aims to address neglected, broken, and obstructive newspaper boxes. The bill summary states it will 'establish clear guidelines and help ensure that our local publications get to maintain their newsracks while also helping to alleviate sidewalk congestion.' Bottcher’s action brings new requirements: owners must display contact information, and the Department of Transportation gains authority to set size, shape, and material standards. Sandra Ung, another council member, noted that without oversight, newsracks become a blight. The law seeks to reduce sidewalk clutter, making streets less hazardous for pedestrians and other vulnerable road users.

• ‘Ugly’ NYC sidewalk newspaper boxes will get much-needed makeover under new City Council bill, nypost.com, Published 2024-11-18

Nov 8 - Two male bicyclists collided head-on on West Street in Manhattan. One, age 59, suffered a head injury and was semiconscious with complaints of pain and nausea. Both bikes showed no damage, and the crash occurred while both riders traveled straight ahead.

According to the police report, the crash involved two male bicyclists traveling in opposite directions on West Street, Manhattan. Both were going straight ahead when they collided front-to-front. The 59-year-old bicyclist was injured, sustaining a head injury and was semiconscious, complaining of pain and nausea. The report notes no vehicle damage and no ejection from the bikes. No specific driver errors or contributing factors were cited in the report, with both contributing factors listed as unspecified. The crash time was 21:23. The data focuses on the impact and injuries sustained, with no indication of victim fault or helmet use. The collision highlights the dangers bicyclists face even when traveling straight on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4772045 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Nov 8 - Governor Hochul slashes NYC’s congestion toll to $9. The move aims to beat a federal block but guts traffic reduction. Streets will see less relief. The plan leaves vulnerable road users exposed. The city trades speed and safety for political timing.

On November 8, 2024, Governor Hochul proposed lowering New York City’s congestion pricing toll from $15 to $9. The plan, a policy proposal to adjust congestion pricing, comes as officials rush to implement it before a new presidential administration can intervene. The original $15 toll, crafted by the Traffic Mobility Review Board and approved by the MTA Board, promised strong traffic reduction and included credits and caps. The $9 version, previously reviewed in environmental assessments, may lack those protections. Economist Charles Komanoff warns, 'You lose other benefits. Most noticeably, you don’t get the immediate traffic speed gain that a $15 toll would give.' State Senator Andrew Gounardes urges swift action, saying, 'The time to commit to better public transit, less traffic and cleaner air is now.' The lower toll is projected to improve traffic speeds by only 6.4 percent, far less than the 17 percent expected from the original plan. With less traffic reduction, streets remain dangerous for pedestrians and cyclists.

• Analysis: Hochul’s $9 Congestion Toll May Stave Off Trump, But Won’t Reduce Traffic as Much, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-11-08

Nov 6 - Diesel trucks choke New York streets. Pollution hits hardest in poor, Black, and Hispanic neighborhoods. The Advanced Clean Trucks rule promises cleaner air and fewer deaths. Industry fights back. Governor Hochul faces a choice: protect lives or bow to polluters.

This opinion, published November 6, 2024, urges Governor Hochul to uphold New York’s Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT) standard and the Low NOx Heavy-Duty Omnibus standard. The piece warns, 'Delaying the implementation of any clean truck rule will likely result in the state losing hundreds of millions in health benefits and lead to additional air pollution-caused deaths.' The ACT, adopted in 2021, sets electric truck sales targets to cut deadly diesel pollution. The statement highlights the disproportionate harm to low-income communities of color, especially in the South Bronx, where truck exhaust drives high asthma rates. The author calls on Hochul to resist fossil fuel industry pressure and keep life-saving rules on track, stressing that clean truck standards are both feasible and vital for public health.

• Opinion: Clean Trucks Will Save Lives — If Gov. Hochul Stays the Course, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-11-06

Nov 4 - A 13-year-old girl died after an SUV struck her at W. 110th and Manhattan. She was walking to catch a bus for her birthday. The driver stayed. No arrest. The intersection is wide, with poor sight lines. Advocates blame city inaction.

""This intersection was designed to be dangerous, and it's time for the city to prioritize New Yorkers instead of falling even further behind on the daylighting promises it made when another child was killed only a year ago."" -- Charles Fall

On November 4, 2024, a fatal crash claimed the life of 13-year-old Niyell McCrorey at W. 110th Street and Manhattan Avenue. The incident, reported by Streetsblog NYC, highlights a dangerous intersection: wide, two-way, with cars parked to the corner and no daylighting. Transportation Alternatives, represented by Philip Miatkowski, condemned the city for failing to deliver promised safety upgrades, stating, "This intersection was designed to be dangerous." Niyell is the 15th child killed by drivers this year, the second-highest toll since Vision Zero began. Advocates demand urgent action to protect vulnerable pedestrians and end the city's deadly neglect.

• Slaughter of the Innocents: SUV Driver Kills Upper West Side Teen, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-11-04

Nov 4 - Roadside dining sheds fall. Cars reclaim the curb. Restaurants balk at new rules, costs, and storage. Streets once alive with people now serve as free parking. The city’s new code ends a brief era of public space for people.

On November 4, 2024, New York City enforced new outdoor dining regulations, requiring restaurants to remove pandemic-era dining sheds unless they met updated design standards. The measure, shaped by a Council law passed last year, forced all businesses to clear curbside setups by November 29. The Department of Transportation banned enclosed structures, allowing only temporary, open designs. As the city’s Dining Out NYC program shifts to seasonal operation, many owners, like John Kastanis of Casita and Jerry Hsu of Alimama Tea, chose to dismantle their sheds early, citing high fees and storage hurdles. Fred Kent, co-founder of the Placemaking Fund, lamented, “We’ve lost a whole era that could have been evolved into something far more significant for neighborhood main streets to thrive.” The curb returns to cars, erasing space once claimed by pedestrians and diners.

• Parking? Lots! Outdoor Dining Structures Are Coming Down Across the City, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-11-04

Nov 2 - A 60-year-old woman crossing Fulton Street was struck by a sedan traveling east. The impact fractured her knee and lower leg. The driver failed to yield and improperly used the lane, causing serious injury at a busy Manhattan intersection.

According to the police report, a 60-year-old female pedestrian was injured while crossing Fulton Street at an intersection near Broadway in Manhattan. The sedan, driven by a licensed female driver from New Jersey, was traveling east and struck the pedestrian with its right front bumper. The pedestrian suffered a fracture and dislocation to her knee, lower leg, and foot, classified as a severe injury. The report cites the driver's errors as 'Passing or Lane Usage Improper' and 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way,' directly contributing to the crash. The vehicle sustained no damage. The pedestrian was conscious after the collision. No pedestrian behaviors were listed as contributing factors. This incident highlights driver failure to yield and improper lane use as critical causes of serious pedestrian injury.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4768588 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Oct 30 - MTA scraps its plan to run the Interborough Express on city streets. Instead, it will study tunneling under All Faiths Cemetery. Advocates cheer. The move keeps trains off dangerous roads. The future of the project hangs on funding.

On October 30, 2024, the MTA announced it will abandon the street-running segment of the Interborough Express (IBX) light rail project. The agency now plans to study a tunnel under All Faiths Cemetery at Metropolitan Avenue. MTA President of Construction and Development Jamie Torres-Springer said, "We're looking at a tunnel at Metropolitan Avenue, which will allow us to avoid street running to make the [Interborough Express] faster and more reliable." Transit advocates, including Blair Lorenzo of the Effective Transit Alliance, praised the decision, calling it a win for speed and reliability. The MTA will assess expanding the existing freight tunnel or building a new one. The engineering and environmental review will take about two years. Funding for the IBX remains uncertain, as MTA CEO Janno Lieber warned that expansion projects could be at risk if the 2025-2029 capital plan falls short. The move removes a threat to vulnerable road users by keeping trains off city streets.

• Tunnel Vision! MTA Abandons Flawed Plan To Run IBX Partly on Street, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-10-30

Oct 29 - DOT’s Smart Curbs pilot drags its feet. Free parking remains king. Promised microhubs for deliveries delayed. Only a sliver of free spaces become paid. Advocates call the effort timid. The city leaves most curb space untouched. Vulnerable users wait.

The Department of Transportation’s Smart Curbs pilot, updated October 29, 2024, aims to convert free parking to paid meters and add delivery microhubs on the Upper West Side. The plan, first proposed in June, promised about 200 new metered spots and 27 loading zones, but only 175 free spaces—one-tenth of the area’s 1,700—will be removed. Microhubs, meant to reduce double-parking and delivery chaos, are delayed until next year. DOT spokespersons Vin Barone and Mona Bruno confirmed most changes are just reassignments, not true removals of free parking. Carl Mahaney of StreetopiaUWS called the slow pace disappointing: “We’ve been super eager to see these changes, see what their impact is and start measuring and observing, so it’s a little disappointing.” Parking expert Donald Shoup urged the city to reinvest meter revenue locally, but DOT declined. The pilot leaves most curb space for cars, not people. Vulnerable road users see little relief.

• DOT’s Upper West Side ‘Smart Curbs’ Struggles to Claw Back Free Parking, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-10-29

Oct 29 - The MTA will tunnel the IBX light rail under All Faiths Cemetery, dropping a street-running plan. Council Member Holden, once opposed, now backs the project. The move keeps trams off busy roads, sparing pedestrians and cyclists from new risks.

On October 29, 2024, the MTA announced it will route the Interborough Express (IBX) through a tunnel beneath All Faiths Cemetery in Queens, abandoning a previous plan to run trams on local streets. The project, covered in committee and public statements, is described as 'transformative for so many New Yorkers.' Council Member Robert F. Holden (District 30), who represents the area, had threatened to oppose the IBX if it included street-running. After the MTA’s shift to tunneling, Holden stated, 'Addressing the biggest issue by forgoing light rail on 69th Street is crucial to earning our support.' The plan eliminates a dangerous section where trams would have mixed with cars, reducing exposure for pedestrians and cyclists. The MTA has issued a request for proposals to design the line and guide it through federal review. The $5.5 billion project’s funding remains uncertain, but the tunnel plan removes a major safety concern for vulnerable road users.

• MTA looking to dig tunnel underneath Queens cemetery for IBX light rail project, amny.com, Published 2024-10-29

Oct 25 - Alex Morano calls out City Hall for failing to daylight intersections. He cites a child’s death and demands state action. The mayor’s promises fall short. Exemptions leave pedestrians exposed. Morano urges lawmakers to enforce daylighting everywhere. Lives hang in the balance.

On October 25, 2024, Alex Morano published an opinion piece demanding an end to New York City’s exemption from state daylighting law. The article, titled 'It’s Past Time to Daylight Every Corner in New York City,' criticizes Mayor Adams’s pledge to daylight 1,000 intersections per year as inadequate and misleading. Morano references the death of Kamari Hughes as a tragic example of the city’s failure. He writes, 'New York City should no longer be an exception when it comes to intersection safety.' Morano urges state lawmakers to enforce daylighting standards citywide, arguing that the current exemption leaves pedestrians at risk. He calls for universal daylighting, citing benefits like stormwater mitigation and safer community spaces. The piece is a direct challenge to City Hall’s slow pace and lack of legal accountability.

• Opinion: It’s Past Time to Daylight Every Corner in New York City, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-10-25

Oct 23 - State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli says the MTA cannot borrow its way out. More debt means higher fares or slashed service. Riders face the threat. Congestion pricing was key. Now, the gap grows. The system’s future hangs on real funding, not empty promises.

On October 23, 2024, State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli released a report warning the MTA against borrowing to fill massive holes in its 2020-2024 and 2025-2029 capital plans. The report, not tied to a council bill but crucial for transit policy, states: 'The MTA can't take on any more debt to fill the hole...without dramatically jacking up fares or cutting service.' DiNapoli’s analysis shows that borrowing $15 billion now, plus $13 billion more for the next plan, would force a 16 percent fare hike by 2037. He notes the MTA’s finances are already strained by weak real estate taxes and slow ridership recovery. DiNapoli opposes fare hikes and service cuts, backing congestion pricing and state support instead. He stresses that without new, reliable revenue, vulnerable riders will pay the price. The warning is clear: more debt means danger for those who depend on transit.

• MTA Can’t Borrow Its Way Out Of Hochul’s Capital Plan Gaps: Comptroller, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-10-23

Oct 15 - Electric cars are not the clean break promised. A new NBER study finds EVs only 10 percent less harmful than gas vehicles. Heavier batteries mean deadlier crashes. Smokestack pollution from charging outweighs tailpipe gains. The toll on life and air remains high.

On October 15, 2024, researchers from Duke, Stanford, UC Berkeley, and the University of Chicago published a working paper through the National Bureau of Economic Research. The report, titled 'The Effects of 'Buy American': Electric Vehicles and the Inflation Reduction Act,' analyzes the full societal costs of electric vehicles (EVs) versus gasoline vehicles (GVs). The study finds, 'U.S. electric vehicles are only slightly less harmful to the environment and society than conventional gasoline cars.' The analysis aggregates climate damage, crash deaths, and pollution. It reveals that EVs’ heavier weight leads to more fatal crashes, and their battery production is energy-intensive. Charging EVs on carbon-heavy grids causes six times more harmful pollution than gas tailpipes. The authors conclude that, factoring in all harms, EVs are only 10 percent less damaging than GVs. The report urges policymakers to reconsider subsidies and warns that the real-world toll of cars—electric or not—remains immense.

• EVs — What Are They Good For?, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-10-15

Oct 11 - A 23-year-old male motorbike driver suffered knee and lower leg abrasions after a crash on FDR Drive. According to the police report, driver inattention caused the collision. The rider remained conscious and was not ejected from the vehicle.

At 10:42 AM on FDR Drive, a 23-year-old male motorbike driver was injured when his vehicle collided with an object or surface, impacting the right front quarter panel. According to the police report, the crash resulted from "Driver Inattention/Distraction." The rider, who was the sole occupant of the 2024 KAWK-MCL motorbike traveling north and going straight ahead, sustained abrasions to his knee, lower leg, and foot. He was conscious and not ejected from the vehicle. The report lists "Driver Inattention/Distraction" as the primary contributing factor, with no other contributing factors or victim behaviors noted. The motorbike sustained damage to the left front quarter panel. This incident highlights the dangers posed by driver distraction on high-speed roadways.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4762928 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19