No More Blood on Broadway: Lower the Limit, Save a Life

Mayor Adams broke the law. His team built too few bus lanes and bike paths. Commutes drag. Riders and cyclists pay the price. Council Speaker Adrienne Adams called out DOT’s failure. The city’s poorest wait longer. Streets stay dangerous. Promises broken.

On December 27, 2024, City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams (District 28) condemned the Adams administration for failing to meet the 2019 Streets Plan’s legal requirements. The Department of Transportation installed only about five miles of protected bus lanes and 22 miles of protected bike lanes—far below the mandated 30 and 50 miles. The matter, titled 'Worst Mayor Ever for Bus Riders? Adams's Streets Plan Failure Means Longer Commutes for the Poorest New Yorkers,' highlights how DOT’s underperformance has slowed bus speeds and left vulnerable road users exposed. Speaker Adams, through spokesperson Mara Davis, called the Streets Plan benchmarks 'critical for street safety' and criticized DOT for 'consistently fall[ing] short of complying with the law.' Pending legislation seeks more transparency. The city’s neglect leaves riders and cyclists in danger, with no relief in sight.

• Worst Mayor Ever for Bus Riders? Adams's 'Streets Plan' Failure Means Longer Commutes for the Poorest New Yorkers, streetsblog.org, Published 2024-12-27

A taxi veered off Sixth Avenue, mounted the curb, and struck a crowd near Herald Square. Three pedestrians, including a child, landed in the hospital. The driver stayed at the scene. Metal, flesh, and concrete met in Midtown’s holiday rush.

Gothamist (2024-12-26) reports a Midtown crash where a taxi driver, experiencing a medical episode, drove onto the sidewalk at Sixth Avenue and West 34th Street, injuring a 9-year-old boy and two women. Police said, 'they did not suspect any criminality in the crash.' The driver, 58, remained at the scene and was taken for evaluation. Four others declined medical attention. The article notes, 'the driver was driving northbound on Sixth Avenue around 3 p.m. on Wednesday when he jumped the curb and plowed into a crowd.' The incident highlights the persistent risk posed by vehicles in crowded pedestrian zones, regardless of intent or driver health. No policy changes were announced.

• Taxi Jumps Curb, Hits Midtown Pedestrians, Gothamist, Published 2024-12-26

On Christmas, Streetsblog and Streetfilms released a film showing the year’s wins for livable streets. The montage honors advocates and city leaders. It marks progress for safer roads. The message is clear: change is possible. The fight for safer streets continues.

This advocacy piece, published December 25, 2024, by Streetsblog NYC, is not a council bill but a year-end reflection on the livable streets movement. The article, titled 'On Christmas, Let’s Consider the Successes of the Livable Streets Movement,' features a short film by Clarence Eckerson Jr. and highlights the work of groups like OpenPlans, Streetfilms, and StreetsblogNYC. Mayor Adams, Zohran Mamdani, Vickie Paladino, Ydanis Rodriguez, and Governor Kathy Hochul are named as figures in the year’s news. The film and article celebrate progress in street safety and sustainable transportation, showing that advocacy can bring real change for vulnerable road users. No direct safety analyst note is included, but the message is one of hope and continued struggle for safer streets.

• On Christmas, Let’s Consider the Successes of the Livable Streets Movement, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-12-25

A sedan collided with a merging tractor truck on the Cross Bronx Expressway. The sedan driver failed to yield right-of-way, causing impact to the truck’s left rear bumper and the sedan’s right side. Two occupants in the sedan suffered whiplash injuries.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 11:16 on the Cross Bronx Expressway near the Alexander Hamilton Bridge in Manhattan. A tractor truck traveling southwest was merging when it was struck on its left rear bumper by a sedan traveling southeast. The sedan driver, a 38-year-old female, was cited for Failure to Yield Right-of-Way. The collision caused damage to the right side doors of the sedan and the left rear bumper of the truck. Both occupants of the sedan, the driver and a 46-year-old male front passenger, were injured with whiplash and bodily injuries to the back and shoulder-upper arm. Both were conscious and restrained with lap belts. The report identifies the driver’s failure to yield as the primary contributing factor. No pedestrian or cyclist was involved.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4781037 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A police car crossed the line. Metal struck flesh. Samuel Williams, riding his dirt bike, was thrown and killed. Body cam footage shows the officer’s move. Another NYPD car tried the same. The city sent Williams’ family a bill.

NY Daily News (2024-12-23) reports that NYPD body camera footage shows an officer veering into the path of Samuel Williams, a 36-year-old dirt bike rider, during a pursuit on the University Heights Bridge. Williams was struck, thrown, and died from his injuries. The article states, “An officer pursuing dirt bikers suddenly crossed the double yellow line into Williams' path, causing a collision.” Another NYPD vehicle attempted a similar maneuver. The family’s attorney called it a “deadly maneuver” for a minor violation. The city later billed Williams’ family for police vehicle damages. The NYPD has not commented, citing litigation. The case raises questions about police pursuit tactics and accountability.

• NYPD Officer Veers Into Dirt Biker’s Path, NY Daily News, Published 2024-12-23

Council moves to test bold pavement markings at crash sites. Five spots per borough. Focus: places where drivers have killed or maimed. Report to follow. Streets marked for danger.

Int 1154-2024 sits in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Introduced December 19, 2024. The bill orders a pilot for high visibility pavement markings—at least five locations per borough. The city must target streets with high injury or fatality counts from bad driving. The matter title reads: 'establishing a high visibility pavement marking pilot program.' Council Member Yusef Salaam leads, joined by Menin, De La Rosa, Brooks-Powers, Cabán, Brannan, and Hanif. The law demands a report on results and challenges. The aim: mark danger, force drivers to see, and push the city to act where blood has already been spilled.

• File Int 1154-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-12-19

A corruption probe toppled Ingrid Lewis-Martin, City Hall’s top aide and a key road safety foe. Her resistance stalled the McGuinness Blvd. redesign, leaving pedestrians and cyclists at risk. Only after investigators seized phones did the city revive its safety plan.

This story centers on the McGuinness Boulevard safety redesign, a project to protect pedestrians and cyclists on a deadly Brooklyn street. No council bill number applies, but the saga unfolded across 2023 and 2024, with City Hall’s powerful aide Ingrid Lewis-Martin at the center. The matter: 'What role did a single bike lane play in Ingrid Lewis-Martin's undoing?' Lewis-Martin, Mayor Adams’s closest advisor, fought the road diet and bike lane, siding with Broadway Stages and its CEO Gina Argento, who opposed the plan. Under their pressure, Adams abandoned the Department of Transportation’s safety design. After both women’s phones were seized in a corruption probe, City Hall reversed course and advanced the safety project. The episode exposes how political interference delayed life-saving street changes, leaving vulnerable road users exposed to ongoing danger.

• The Lewis-Martin Probe and McGuinness Blvd.: What We Know, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-12-17

Power and money stalled safety on McGuinness Boulevard. A teacher died. Eleven pedestrians and three cyclists killed since 1995. City Hall caved to donors. Bike lanes and road diets delayed. Vulnerable road users paid the price. The fight continues.

This controversy centers on the McGuinness Boulevard safety redesign, with Assembly Member Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn (District 42) mentioned at a pivotal June 15, 2023, town hall. The saga unfolded as City Hall, under pressure from Broadway Stages and its donors, repeatedly stalled or watered down the Department of Transportation’s plan to calm the deadly Brooklyn roadway. The matter’s summary: 'Under pressure from Broadway Stages, Mayor Adams abandoned his own Department of Transportation's plan to calm the notoriously dangerous Brooklyn roadway.' Despite neighborhood support and a history of fatal crashes, City Hall intervened, delaying life-saving changes. Bichotte Hermelyn appeared alongside DOT Commissioner Rodriguez at a meeting dominated by project opponents. The watered-down redesign, installed north of Calyer Street, did 'nothing' for pedestrian safety, according to local officials. The pattern: political influence trumped safety, leaving vulnerable road users at risk.

• The Lewis-Martin Probe and McGuinness Blvd.: What We Know, streetsblog.org, Published 2024-12-17

Gale Brewer backs tougher rules for delivery apps, not blanket e-bike crackdowns. She calls for speed limits, tracking, and safer batteries. Brewer rejects citywide licensing, focusing on big companies. Pedestrians stay at risk while apps dodge responsibility.

On December 15, 2024, Council Member Gale A. Brewer (District 6) took a public stance in an editorial titled, "NYC must curb the e-bikes: Regulations should be on the delivery apps." Brewer opposes citywide licensing and registration of all e-bikes, a measure supported by Councilman Bob Holden, calling it impractical. Instead, she urges the City Council to target commercial e-bike use by requiring delivery giants like Uber Eats, DoorDash, Grubhub, and Amazon to track their contractors’ speed, direction, and sidewalk riding, and report violations to city regulators. Brewer also proposes a 15 mph speed limit for e-bikes and mandates running lights for visibility. She highlights the danger of unsafe lithium-ion batteries and calls for stricter oversight. Brewer’s approach shifts responsibility from individual riders to the corporations profiting from delivery, aiming to protect the city’s 8 million pedestrians from reckless riding and battery fires.

• NYC must curb the e-bikes: Regulations should be on the delivery apps, nydailynews.com, Published 2024-12-15

Two council members withdrew support for Intro 606 after a fierce hearing. Critics warned the bill would harm immigrants and delivery workers. DOT found no proof it would make streets safer. The bill still has 29 co-sponsors. Debate rages on.

Intro 606, a New York City Council bill requiring e-bike registration, lost support from Council Members Chi Ossé and Yusef Salaam after a divisive December 12, 2024 hearing in committee. The bill, titled 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to requiring registration of certain bicycles with electric assist,' drew sharp criticism. Ossé cited fears of increased police enforcement and harm to immigrant communities: 'The hearing demonstrated concerns about the bill to be right: Beyond its sweeping consequences for green transit and healthy urbanism, Intro 606 could spell disaster for immigrant communities.' DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez opposed the bill, stating it would burden delivery workers and lacks evidence for improving safety. Civil rights groups warned of racial bias and criminalization. Despite withdrawals, 29 council members still co-sponsor the bill. Another measure, Intro 1131, proposing a task force to study e-bikes, received broad support.

• Two Council Members Abandon E-Bike Registration Bill After Divisive Hearing, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-12-12

Two SUVs collided on Amsterdam Avenue in Manhattan. The impact struck the right side of one vehicle and the left side of the other. A front-seat passenger suffered a neck injury and shock. Driver errors contributed to the crash.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 17:33 on Amsterdam Avenue near West 177th Street in Manhattan. Two SUVs, both traveling northbound, collided when one vehicle was merging and the other was going straight ahead. The point of impact was the right side doors of the Ford SUV and the left side doors of the Honda SUV. The report cites "Passing or Lane Usage Improper" as a contributing factor, indicating driver error in lane management. A 49-year-old female front passenger in one SUV was injured, sustaining a neck injury and shock. She was not ejected and was restrained by a lap belt and harness. Both drivers were licensed in New York. The collision caused damage to the side doors of both vehicles. No pedestrian or cyclist involvement was reported.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4783124 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

DOT Commissioner Rodriguez shot down the Council’s e-bike registration bill. He said enforcement tools already exist. He pointed to street redesigns that save lives. Council Member Holden pressed for plates. Rodriguez stood firm: cars, not e-bikes, drive the city’s blood toll.

On December 11, 2024, the City Council held a hearing on Intro 606, a bill to require registration and license plates for e-bikes and e-scooters. The bill, sponsored by Council Member Robert Holden, claims to address a 'public safety crisis.' DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez opposed the measure, stating, 'The administration already has the tools to enforce against illegal [cycling] behaviors; a license plate is not necessary for enforcement.' Rodriguez cited data: 105 pedestrians killed by cars this year, versus six by e-bikes, mopeds, and scooters combined. He argued that street redesigns, not new bureaucracy, cut deaths and injuries. Public Advocate Jumaane Williams echoed this, noting that registration backers often resist proven safety fixes like protected bike lanes. Rodriguez warned the bill would waste $19 million and slow adoption of sustainable transport. He called for holding delivery apps accountable and redesigning streets, not targeting vulnerable road users.

• DOT: Council E-Bike Registration Bill is Not Necessary to Make Streets Safer, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-12-11

Council grilled the Adams administration over a bill to license e-bikes and scooters. Supporters called it common sense. Critics warned it targets delivery workers. Tension ran high. Most deaths still come from cars, not bikes. The fight is far from over.

On December 11, 2024, the City Council held a hearing on a bill to require city-level licensing and registration for e-bikes and e-scooters not covered by state law. The bill, sponsored by Councilmember Bob Holden, claims to address 'the proliferation of these vehicles' and their impact on pedestrian and cyclist safety. Councilmember Vickie Paladino, District 19, insisted, 'This is a safety issue.' Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez countered, 'We agree with the intent, but we believe that mandating registration and licensing is not a solution.' Public Advocate Jumaane Williams warned the bill would 'have a disparate impact on low-income individuals, people of color, and undocumented migrants.' A separate resolution from Councilmember Gale Brewer supports licensing only for commercial e-bikes. The hearing exposed deep rifts over enforcement, equity, and the real sources of street danger.

• NYC Council, Adams admin spar over license plates for e-bikes and e-scooters, gothamist.com, Published 2024-12-11

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

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

DOT’s e-bike charging pilot slashed risky home charging for delivery workers. Battery swaps doubled. Fewer spare batteries on the street. City eyes 173 new hubs near public housing. Federal money fuels the push. Officials hail safety gains. Expansion looms.

On November 25, 2024, the Department of Transportation announced results from its e-bike charging pilot. The program, launched in March, ran for six months and involved 118 delivery workers. According to DOT, 'the pilot illustrated the strong demand for safe and accessible outdoor e-bike charging.' Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez stated, 'Safer charging practices are integral to a cleaner and more sustainable future.' The pilot cut home charging by 35% and halved spare battery use. DOT will expand the program with 173 new charging hubs near 53 NYCHA complexes, funded by a $25 million federal grant. The next phase will open facilities to NYCHA residents and the public, aiming for up to 1,000 battery-swap stations in two years. Activists and company leaders praised the safety improvements for delivery workers.

• DOT E-Bike Charging Pilot is a Success as City Plans More, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-11-25

Central Park Conservancy urges protected bike lanes on all crosstown transverses. The study calls for fewer car lanes, more space for cyclists, and safer crossings. Advocates cite deadly crashes. City DOT backs the plan. Safety for walkers and riders comes first.

""These recommendations will update the park's drives to prioritize pedestrian safety while also better accommodating cyclists and legal e-mobility options both traveling within the park or through it across Manhattan,"" -- Ydanis A. Rodriguez

On November 20, 2024, the Central Park Conservancy released a study proposing protected bike lanes on the park’s four crosstown transverses—66th, 79th, 86th, and 96th Streets—starting with both directions on 86th. The study, endorsed by the Conservancy and supported by the Department of Transportation, recommends reducing vehicle lanes to expand space for cyclists. The matter title reads: "Central Park Study Calls for Bike Lanes on the Transverses." The report also suggests a two-way protected lane on Fifth Avenue, converting Central Park West’s lane to two-way, and adding protected crosstown lanes on 59th and 110th. Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez said, "These recommendations will update the park's drives to prioritize pedestrian safety while also better accommodating cyclists and legal e-mobility options." Advocates and city officials point to past deaths, like Daniel Cammerman’s in 2019, as evidence of urgent need. The plan aims to shield the most vulnerable from harm.

• Central Park Study Calls for Bike Lanes on the Transverses, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-11-20

A westbound SUV struck the left rear bumper of a bus on W 181 St in Manhattan. A 2-year-old passenger in the SUV suffered a head abrasion. The crash stemmed from the SUV driver's reaction to an uninvolved vehicle, causing impact and injury.

According to the police report, at 7:51 a.m. on W 181 St near Amsterdam Ave in Manhattan, a 2015 SUV traveling westbound collided with the left rear bumper of a 2017 bus also traveling westbound. The report cites the SUV driver's contributing factor as "Reaction to Uninvolved Vehicle," indicating driver error in responding to conditions unrelated to the bus. The collision caused injury to a 2-year-old female occupant in the SUV, who sustained a head abrasion and was restrained in a child safety seat. The toddler was conscious and not ejected from the vehicle. The bus driver was licensed and operating the vehicle straight ahead. The impact damaged the SUV's front center and the bus's left rear bumper. No other contributing factors or victim behaviors were noted in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4771857 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Queens Boulevard, once the Boulevard of Death, now boasts protected bike lanes and safer crossings. Pedestrian injuries dropped 35 percent. Traffic deaths fell 68 percent. Cyclists fill the lanes. Concrete upgrades loom, but mountable curbs may let cars intrude.

On November 13, 2024, the Department of Transportation celebrated a decade of safety improvements on Queens Boulevard. The event marked the completion of protected bike lanes along nearly the entire corridor, except for one block. DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez said, "Several elements of this redesign aim at enhancing safety for all road users: Curbside bike lanes to enhance cyclist safety, pedestrian islands to shorten crossing distances while encouraging slower, safe turns, and additional adjustments to traffic signal timing to allow more time for pedestrians to cross before the lights turn green." The project, begun in 2015 under Mayor Bill de Blasio, faced local opposition and political delays but persisted. The city reports a 68 percent drop in traffic fatalities and a 35 percent reduction in pedestrian injuries since the redesign began. Cyclist numbers surged by 450 percent. DOT plans to upgrade bike lanes with concrete, but mountable curbs could leave lanes exposed to cars. Families for Safe Streets activist Lizi Rahman called the redesign a model for dangerous roads everywhere.

• DOT Celebrates A Decade of Safety Improvements on Queens Blvd., Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-11-13

DOT finished the Queens Boulevard redesign. Protected bike lanes, pedestrian islands, and new signals now line seven miles. Fatalities dropped 68 percent. Injuries fell 35 percent. Julie Won helped fund the next phase. Concrete upgrades will harden safety. Streets remember every life.

On November 12, 2024, the Department of Transportation announced the completion of the final phase of the Queens Boulevard Redesign. The project, part of Vision Zero, was celebrated in Council District 26 with Council Member Julie Won present and helping secure $1.5 million for future upgrades. The redesign stretches from Queens Plaza to Hillside Avenue, creating the city’s longest protected bike lane. The DOT reports a 68% drop in fatalities and a 35% reduction in injuries since 2015. The redesign adds parking-protected bike lanes, pedestrian islands, and improved signals. The next phase, funded in part by Won, will replace painted lanes with concrete, add raised medians, and increase accessibility. DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez called it a milestone, saying, 'Queens Boulevard is not the Boulevard of Death anymore, but the Boulevard of Life.'

• A ‘Boulevard of Life’ transformation: DOT announces completion of Queens Boulevard Redesign, amny.com, Published 2024-11-12