Inwood Burns While Leaders Stall: Deadly Streets, Broken Promises

Council Member Alexa Avilés pushes new rules for last-mile trucking. Trucks choke Red Hook and Sunset Park. Narrow streets shake. Residents breathe fumes. The bill demands safer, smarter routes. Data and daylighting aim to protect people, not just freight.

On September 30, 2022, Council Member Alexa Avilés (District 38) introduced a package of bills targeting last-mile trucking regulation. The measures, revived in committee, seek to redesign truck routes and gather data on facilities run by Amazon, FedEx, and UPS. The matter aims to 'reduce congestion and emissions, improve safety and increase visibility,' especially in overburdened neighborhoods like Red Hook and Sunset Park. Avilés, the lead sponsor, calls for systematic changes: 'We really need to look systematically at more improved routes to ensure people are safe.' The bills would require the Department of Transportation to daylight intersections and the Department of Environmental Protection to install air monitors on heavy-use roads. Councilwoman Jennifer Gutiérrez sponsors a related bill for public truck-route data. The legislation draws support from industry and advocates, all seeking safer streets and cleaner air for vulnerable New Yorkers.

• Trio of council bills seeks to regulate last-mile trucking routes, crainsnewyork.com, Published 2022-09-30

City officials want entrepreneurs to build bike repair shops, rentals, and safe parking on city land. The plan aims to make cycling safer and easier. Leaders say it will cut congestion and boost access. Some insiders doubt the process will deliver.

On September 23, 2022, the Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) released a request for expressions of interest (RFEI) to expand bike infrastructure and services across New York City. The RFEI, still in a preliminary stage, seeks proposals for bike repair and rental facilities, cargo-bike rentals, secure bike parking, and traffic safety gardens on city-owned lots. DCAS Commissioner Dawn Pinnock called a 'safe, accessible, and thriving biking ecosystem... essential for our city’s future.' DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez backed the move, calling it 'the next natural step' to support the cycling boom. The initiative aims to make biking safer, easier, and more convenient, while easing street congestion. Some transportation insiders, however, question whether the process will lead to real change.

• EXCLU: City to Entrepreneurs: Help Us Build a Truly Bike-Friendly City, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2022-09-23

DOT bleeds talent. One in five top jobs sit empty. Projects stall. Safety work slows. Leadership wobbles. Staff burn out. Promises break. Streets stay dangerous. The city’s most vulnerable pay the price. The lights stay on, but hope flickers.

This report, published September 22, 2022, exposes a staffing crisis inside the New York City Department of Transportation. Nearly 20% of top agency positions are vacant. The article, titled 'Just Keeping the Lights On,' details how these gaps cripple street safety and improvement projects. Key leadership roles—chief of staff, general counsel, communications director—remain unfilled. Employees blame city hiring policies, pandemic resignations, and weak leadership from Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. One former staffer says, 'We couldn't produce anything new. We were just keeping the lights on.' Another warns, 'The agency's ability to respond to severe injuries and fatalities is also limited and slow.' Political interference and lack of expertise at the top deepen the crisis. The result: fewer bus lanes, stalled bike infrastructure, and a city where vulnerable road users face mounting danger.

• ‘Just Keeping the Lights On’: Low Morale, High Staff Vacancy Rate Hobble Department of Transportation, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2022-09-22

Council Member Stevens and others urge DOT to fix the Washington Bridge. They want a two-way bike lane, wider walkways, better lights, and cameras. The bridge is old, narrow, and dark. Crossing is risky. They demand action to protect people.

On September 22, 2022, Council Member Althea Stevens joined Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine, Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson, and Council Member Carmen de la Rosa in a joint letter to the Department of Transportation. The letter calls for urgent upgrades to the 133-year-old Washington Bridge. The officials demand a two-way protected bike lane, wider pedestrian paths, improved lighting, and safety cameras. The letter states: 'The city has done a terrific job of making wise investments in improving mobility on both sides of the Harlem River, but left the bridge with just two very narrow, poorly lit lanes for foot and bike traffic.' Stevens and her colleagues stress that the bridge is unsafe for people on foot and bike. They urge DOT to act, citing the need to reduce traffic deaths and make the bridge safe for all.

• Exclusive: BPs Levine and Gibson pen letter to DOT calling for upgrades to Washington Bridge, amny.com, Published 2022-09-22

Mayor Adams promised to fix 1,000 intersections. Only 395 saw changes. Most were minor tweaks to signal timing. Few got real redesigns. Advocates are angry. Fatalities stay high. The city moves slow. Streets remain deadly for walkers and riders.

This is a progress report on Mayor Adams’s 1,000-intersection safety pledge, published September 21, 2022. The Department of Transportation claims only 395 intersections improved since the January 19 announcement. Most changes were limited to signal timing (LPIs), not physical redesigns. The matter centers on the mayor’s vow to 'make expedient and substantive changes to dangerous intersections.' DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez’s earlier claims of progress are not supported by public data. Advocates like Liz Denys (Transportation Alternatives) and Sara Lind (Open Plans) criticize the slow pace and lack of real fixes. Lind urges, 'The city must allocate the resources needed for DOT to employ their full toolkit of redesign tools.' Council members and community boards are called to help identify and fix dangerous spots. The city’s inaction leaves vulnerable road users exposed.

• Update: ‘Get Stuff Done’ Mayor Far Behind on his Vow to Fix 1,000 Intersections, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2022-09-21

Council Member Julie Won blasted DOT for stalling a promised pedestrian lane on the Queensboro Bridge. She called the agency’s excuses garbage. Cyclists and walkers remain squeezed into a narrow, dangerous path. DOT’s delays keep vulnerable road users at risk.

On September 15, 2022, Council Member Julie Won publicly criticized the Department of Transportation for delaying the conversion of the Queensboro Bridge’s south outer roadway into a pedestrian-only lane. The project, promised by the previous mayor for completion by the end of 2022, was pushed back at least a year. Won, whose district covers the bridge’s eastern approaches, led a walkthrough with DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez and staff from Council Members Julie Menin and Selvena Brooks-Powers. Won said, “They kept saying they can’t give the south outer roadway to pedestrians because there would be traffic. Well, I don’t care about the congestion!” She forced the commissioner to stand in the cramped lane, showing how unsafe it is for both cyclists and pedestrians. DOT offered only minor adjustments, like repainting lines, which Won dismissed as “missing the point.” The agency promised lawmakers data to justify keeping five car lanes, but Won insisted the delay puts lives at risk and called for immediate action.

• Queens Pol: DOT’s Excuses for Queensboro Bridge Safety Delays Are ‘Garbage’, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2022-09-15

Brooklyn and Queens leaders want car-free Summer Streets beyond Manhattan. They urge the city to open roads for people, not cars. Advocates back them. The city says it will review. Families, children, and communities stand to gain space and safety.

On September 12, 2022, Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso and Queens Borough President Donovan Richards called for expanding the 'Summer Streets' program to their boroughs. They wrote to Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez, stating, 'Every year, we see how much New Yorkers enjoy the car-free street and associated activities, and we are writing to ask you to bring this beloved event to our respective boroughs in 2023.' The Department of Transportation said it would review the request. Advocates like Juan Restrepo and Jackson Chabot joined the call, demanding more hours and borough-wide access. Community groups stressed the benefits for families and children. The program is described as cost-effective, crime-free, and vital for community building. No formal council bill or vote yet, but the push is clear: open streets for all, not just Manhattan.

• Brooklyn, Queens Beeps Want ‘Summer Streets’ Too!, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2022-09-12

A 28-year-old female van driver suffered back injuries and shock after an SUV made a left turn and struck her vehicle’s left front bumper. The crash happened on West 207 Street. The driver was restrained and not ejected. Police cited failure to yield.

According to the police report, a 28-year-old female driver in a 2021 van was traveling eastbound on West 207 Street when a 2011 SUV, traveling westbound and making a left turn, collided with the van’s left front bumper. The van driver was injured, complaining of back pain and nausea, and was in shock at the scene. She was properly restrained with a lap belt and harness and was not ejected. The police identified failure to yield right-of-way by the SUV driver as a contributing factor. No other contributing factors or victim errors were noted in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4564047 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-16

Eight months in, Mayor Adams has redesigned just 28 school streets. Over 1.75 million children remain exposed to reckless drivers. Advocates call the effort weak. Streets near schools still see high crash rates. City promises more, but kids keep facing danger.

This report, published September 8, 2022, reviews Mayor Adams’s progress on school street safety. In eight months, the administration completed only 28 street redesigns near schools, out of 2,600 citywide. The Department of Transportation has 24 more projects underway. The matter summary states: 'the city's relatively minor investment in street safety upgrades will do little to mitigate the threats cars pose to children walking to and from city schools.' Council members and advocates, including Emily Stutts and Danny Harris, criticize the slow pace. Stutts says, 'It doesn’t feel like enough,' while Harris urges, 'Mayor Adams and DOT need to expand this program now to save lives.' The city expanded school-zone speed cameras to 24/7 and increased open streets for schools to 47, but this covers only a fraction of schools. Advocates demand aggressive Vision Zero action, citing rising child fatalities and persistent danger for vulnerable road users.

• New Year, Same Dangers: Mayor Adams Has Made Only a Tiny Fraction of School Streets Safer, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2022-09-08

City Hall stalls on a council-approved plan for school bus stop-arm cameras. Streets near schools stay dangerous. Children walk past risk. Council Member Keith Powers urges action. Advocates press for automated enforcement. The mayor keeps the tool unused.

On September 7, 2022, the Adams administration declined to implement a City Council-approved program allowing cameras on school bus stop arms to catch drivers who illegally pass stopped buses. The bill, sponsored by then-Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez and co-sponsored by Keith Powers (District 4), aimed to protect children near schools. The matter summary states the law was 'an innovative way to further our goal of promoting street safety.' Powers urged the mayor and DOT to act. Despite evidence from other cities and strong support from advocates like StreetsPAC and Transportation Alternatives, City Hall cited a lack of recent deaths and continued to evaluate the program. The Council bill permitted, but did not require, the enforcement program. Advocates argue the city is missing a proven tool to hold reckless drivers accountable and keep children safe.

• As School Returns, Mayor Adams Keeps a Street Safety Tool in the Drawer, streetsblog.org, Published 2022-09-07

Mayor Adams shelved a council-approved plan for school bus stop-arm cameras. The law lets the city catch drivers who pass stopped buses. Streets near schools stay dangerous. Advocates push for action. City Hall stalls. Children remain exposed.

Bill number not specified. The City Council passed a law allowing a school bus stop-arm camera program. The measure, sponsored by then-Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez and co-sponsored by Keith Powers, empowers the city to install cameras to catch drivers who illegally pass stopped school buses. On September 7, 2022, Mayor Adams’s administration chose not to implement the program, citing ongoing evaluation and a lack of recent deaths from such incidents. Council Member Powers urged the mayor and DOT to use this tool, calling it 'an innovative way to further our goal of promoting street safety.' Activists from StreetsPAC and Transportation Alternatives criticized the delay, noting that streets near schools are especially dangerous for children, particularly in Black and brown neighborhoods. Evidence from other cities shows stop-arm cameras catch hundreds of violations quickly. The law leaves the program to mayoral discretion. City Hall supports speed cameras but has not acted on stop-arm enforcement.

• As School Returns, Mayor Adams Keeps a Street Safety Tool in the Drawer, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2022-09-07

The city tore down an award-winning outdoor dining space in Koreatown. Officials promised plazas or bike racks, not more parking. But the site became car storage. Council Member Powers wants something better. The city’s promise to reimagine public space rings hollow.

On August 25, 2022, New York City removed an unused outdoor dining structure in Koreatown. The Department of Transportation, led by Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez, claimed, "the future of New York City is reimagining the use of public space." Mayor Eric Adams said he was open to plazas, bike racks, or curb extensions—anything but more car storage. Despite these statements, the site became street parking. Council Member Keith Powers, representing the district, said, "I would love something more interesting here than parking," and called for renewed discussion on a permanent outdoor dining program. The city’s action contradicts its stated vision. No safety analyst assessed the impact on vulnerable road users.

• NYC Transforms Site of Award-Winning Outdoor Dining Space Into Street Parking, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2022-08-25

Councilmember Mercedes Narcisse backs a dedicated bus lane on Flatbush Avenue. She joins Mayor Adams and others, pushing for faster, safer rides. Riders wait too long. Streets choke with traffic. The city moves to act, despite driver backlash and parking fears.

On August 9, 2022, Councilmember Mercedes Narcisse (District 46) endorsed the Flatbush Avenue dedicated bus lane proposal. The plan, a priority for the Adams administration and MTA, aims to speed up the B41 bus from Downtown Brooklyn to Marine Park. Narcisse and Councilmember Rita Joseph joined Mayor Eric Adams at a press conference, riding the B41 and speaking with riders. Narcisse said, “People are suffering waiting 30 minutes, 40 minutes, it’s unfair to the riders.” She stressed that better bus service could cut down on illegal dollar vans. The Department of Transportation, led by Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez, has started community engagement. Some community boards worry about lost parking, but Rodriguez called their role advisory, saying, “we want to hear what the riders want.” Narcisse acknowledged driver backlash but insisted on the need for faster, reliable transit.

• Flatbush Avenue bus lane proposal gains support of key electeds, brooklynpaper.com, Published 2022-08-09

Manhattan’s M102 crawls at 4.6 mph. Advocacy groups demand bus lanes, congestion pricing, and faster boarding. Council Member Marte calls for citywide busways. The mayor promises 150 new miles. Enforcement lags. Riders wait. Streets choke. Danger grows.

""We at DOT look forward to working with our MTA partners to build a safer and more efficient system, with more new and enhanced bus lanes, expanded automated enforcement, as well as new ways that our agencies will work together to improve access for the growing number of cyclists."" -- Ydanis A. Rodriguez

On August 8, 2022, Council Member Christopher Marte responded to the Straphangers Campaign’s report naming Manhattan’s M102 as the city’s slowest major bus line. The report, titled 'Slow in the City: Straphangers Campaign reveals the most dawdling, unreliable NYC bus lines,' highlighted severe congestion and unreliable service. Marte urged the city to replicate the 14th Street busway model across Manhattan, stating, 'We don’t have to wait until congestion pricing to take action. We know what works.' The mayor pledged 150 miles of new bus lanes over four years. The MTA and DOT officials acknowledged the need for better enforcement and safer, more efficient bus infrastructure. The push for bus priority lanes and congestion pricing aims to clear streets, speed up transit, and protect vulnerable road users from the daily hazards of traffic and delay.

• Slow in the City: Straphangers Campaign reveals the most dawdling, unreliable NYC bus lines, amny.com, Published 2022-08-08

A BMW tore down Sherman Avenue. It left the street, slammed into two men standing on the sidewalk. Metal crushed flesh. Both men died. Four cars wrecked. The city fell silent. Speed killed. The sidewalk did not protect.

Two men, ages 31 and 40, were killed on the sidewalk near Sherman Avenue and West 207th Street in Manhattan. According to the police report, a BMW traveling at unsafe speed struck the men while they were not in the roadway. The crash left both pedestrians dead from crush injuries. Four vehicles were damaged, including parked cars. Several vehicle occupants, including drivers and passengers, suffered injuries. The police report lists 'Unsafe Speed' as the contributing factor. The pedestrians were not crossing or in the road. The force of the impact left the sidewalk stained and the street quiet.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4552542 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-16

A sedan struck a 28-year-old man crossing 10 Avenue near West 201 Street. The impact left him unconscious with a head injury. Police cited driver inattention and unsafe speed.

According to the police report, a 28-year-old male pedestrian was hit by a sedan traveling south on 10 Avenue near West 201 Street in Manhattan. The pedestrian was crossing outside an intersection when the crash occurred. The report lists driver inattention and unsafe speed as contributing factors. The sedan struck the pedestrian at its center front end. The victim suffered a head injury and was found unconscious. No mention is made of pedestrian fault or safety equipment. Driver error is cited as the cause.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4552329 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-16

Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine called on state DOT to take a lane from cars on the West Side Highway. He wants a two-way protected bike lane. The Greenway is packed. Delivery workers need space. Local boards and lawmakers back the move.

On August 1, 2022, Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine demanded the state Department of Transportation repurpose a lane on the West Side Highway for a two-way protected bike lane. Levine wrote, 'The Hudson River Greenway is one of the most heavily used bike paths in the country... congestion has worsened significantly.' He sent his letter to state DOT Commissioner Therese Dominguez and city DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. Local elected officials and Community Board 1, which voted 41-3 in May 2020 to support the change, also back the plan. State senators, assembly members, and council members signed a letter urging the same. Levine and supporters argue the new lane would ease crowding and give e-bike delivery workers—many of them immigrants—a safe, legal route. The state DOT has resisted, citing car congestion. Advocates say more space for cyclists is overdue.

• SEE IT! Manhattan BP to State: Take a Lane from Drivers on the West Side Highway, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2022-08-01

A 99-year-old woman died after a driver struck her in a Riverdale crosswalk. The driver, uncharged, turned left through a stop sign. The intersection has a crash history. Officials and advocates demand action. Seniors remain at deadly risk on Bronx streets.

On July 29, 2022, Bernice Schwartz, age 99, was killed crossing Oxford Avenue in Riverdale. The driver, 53, made a left turn from West 235th Street, striking Schwartz in the crosswalk. The intersection is controlled only by stop signs. Police did not charge the driver. According to Streetsblog NYC, there have been 36 reported crashes near this intersection since 2019, injuring three pedestrians. DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez said, 'Fifty percent of those who are dying in intersections are seniors.' Irma Rosenblatt of Families for Safe Streets called for urgent action from Mayor Adams, DOT, and local officials: 'We need action today... How many more seniors have to die?' The Bronx faces a surge in road deaths. Vulnerable road users, especially seniors, remain exposed to unchecked traffic violence.

• ‘Whippersnapper’ Senior Citizen Run Down and Killed in Riverdale, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2022-07-29

A new crosswalk and four-way stop sign now stand at Surf Avenue and West 37th Street. Years of community pressure forced action. The intersection, deadly for seniors and pedestrians, finally gets protection. Council and DOT responded. Locals, especially elders, celebrate the change.

On July 26, 2022, Councilmember Selvena N. Brooks-Powers, Transportation Chair, joined Councilmember Ari Kagan and DOT officials at Surf Avenue and West 37th Street. The matter: 'Surf Avenue gets new crosswalk and four-way stop sign, creating a safer intersection for seniors.' Kagan’s office led the push, with Brooks-Powers elevating the issue. Kagan said, 'It was one of the most dangerous intersections in Coney Island, not just for pedestrians but for drivers as well.' The crossing serves the Scheuer House senior facility. Community Board 13 and local groups demanded action. Brooks-Powers praised the advocacy: 'Now, your residents will be able to cross the street safely!' The intersection, once life-threatening, now offers basic protection for the city’s most vulnerable.

• Surf Avenue gets new crosswalk and four-way stop sign, creating a safer intersection for seniors, brooklynpaper.com, Published 2022-07-26

A 32-year-old female driver crashed her Kia sedan on West 207 Street. The impact hit the left front quarter panel. Police cited driver inattention and unsafe speed. The driver suffered shock but no ejection or severe injury was reported.

According to the police report, a 32-year-old female driver in a 2021 Kia sedan crashed on West 207 Street in Manhattan. The collision involved impact to the left front quarter panel of the vehicle. The driver was alone, not ejected, and experienced shock. The report lists driver inattention and unsafe speed as contributing factors. The driver was licensed in New York and was traveling west. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved. The crash caused damage to the vehicle's left front quarter panel and right front bumper of an unspecified second vehicle. No helmet or signaling issues were noted.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4550409 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-16