No One Died, But Everyone Bleeds: Astoria’s Streets Are Still Unsafe

Dec 25 - 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

Dec 21 - An unlicensed e-scooter driver was injured and ejected after colliding with a vehicle on 14th Street in Queens. The crash involved failure to yield and disregarded traffic control. The driver suffered back abrasions and was conscious at the scene.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 18:30 on 14th Street near 30 Avenue in Queens. The e-scooter driver, a 39-year-old male, was injured and ejected from his vehicle, sustaining abrasions to his back. The report cites 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as contributing factors, both attributed to the e-scooter driver. The e-scooter was traveling south and collided with a vehicle traveling east, impacting the scooter's right front quarter panel and the vehicle's center front end. The e-scooter driver was unlicensed, according to the report. No victim behaviors were listed as contributing factors. The crash highlights driver errors and systemic dangers involving unlicensed operation and failure to obey traffic controls.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4781832 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Dec 19 - 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

Dec 18 - A sedan driver fell asleep and crashed into a parked car in Queens. Both driver and passenger suffered head injuries and whiplash. Fatigue and speed fueled the impact. Metal twisted. No pedestrians or cyclists hurt.

According to the police report, a 24-year-old man driving a Hyundai sedan southbound in Queens fell asleep at the wheel and struck a parked Maserati sedan at 31-08 21st Street. The crash happened at 5:05 AM. Both the driver and his 23-year-old front-seat passenger suffered head injuries and whiplash. The report lists 'Fell Asleep' and 'Unsafe Speed' as contributing factors. Both occupants wore lap belts and harnesses. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved. The collision underscores the danger of driver fatigue and speed. No fault is attributed to the injured passenger.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4781657 - 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

Dec 3 - Six mayoral hopefuls faced off on transit. They promised bus lanes, free buses, and fair fares. Each slammed the mayor’s record. They called for less fare enforcement, more service. Riders, not drivers, took center stage. Words flew. Streets stayed dangerous.

On December 3, 2024, six candidates for New York City mayor—Brad Lander, Zohran Mamdani, Zellnor Myrie, Jessica Ramos, Scott Stringer, and Jim Walden—spoke at a Riders Alliance forum. The event focused on transit policy. Candidates pledged support for bus lanes, free buses, expanded Fair Fares, and shifting gas tax funds to mass transit. Lander vowed to end subway and street homelessness for the severely mentally ill by connecting them to stable housing. Mamdani promised a world-class bus network. Myrie pushed for citywide bus lanes. Ramos called for automatic Fair Fares registration. Stringer backed more bus routes. Walden opposed fare evasion crackdowns, urging resources go to service instead. All criticized Mayor Adams’ record on bus lanes and congestion pricing. The forum highlighted a united front for safer, more accessible transit, but offered no immediate relief for vulnerable road users.

• Promises, Promises: What the Candidates Said At The Transit Forum, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-12-03

Nov 21 - Council weighs Adams’s City of Yes plan. Mayoral challengers back the original, urge no watering down. They want housing, not parking. Council may weaken it. The fight is over homes versus cars. Vulnerable road users watch as parking mandates hang in the balance.

On November 21, 2024, the City Council debated Mayor Adams’s City of Yes zoning proposal, which aims to boost housing and scrap mandatory parking citywide. The Council may weaken the plan by creating a three-tiered system, risking fewer new homes. Mayoral challengers Zellnor Myrie, Brad Lander, Scott Stringer, Jessica Ramos, and Zohran Mamdani—all Democrats—strongly support the original plan. Myrie urges, 'resist efforts to revise the proposal in any way that would yield fewer homes.' Lander calls for ending exclusionary zoning and prioritizing housing over parking. Stringer calls the plan a 'small step.' Mamdani opposes changes that reduce housing or water down parking elimination. Ramos would vote yes but wants to protect neighborhood character. The Council’s decision will shape the city’s streets, homes, and the future for those outside cars.

• What Do the Mayoral Candidates Think Of ‘City of Yes’?, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-11-21

Oct 25 - An eastbound sedan struck an eastbound e-scooter on 14th Street in Queens. The e-scooter driver was ejected, suffering severe lower leg injuries. Police cited driver inattention as the cause. No vehicle damage was reported despite the serious injury.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 20:32 on 14th Street near 31st Avenue in Queens. An eastbound sedan collided with the center back end of an eastbound e-scooter. The e-scooter driver, a 28-year-old male, was ejected from his vehicle and sustained fractures and dislocations to his knee, lower leg, and foot. The injury severity was classified as serious (level 3). The report explicitly cites 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the contributing factor, indicating a failure on the part of the vehicle driver to maintain proper attention. No damage was recorded on either vehicle, underscoring the force impact on the rider rather than the vehicles. The e-scooter driver was not wearing any safety equipment. No victim behaviors were listed as contributing factors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4766522 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Oct 1 - Governor Hochul stalls congestion pricing, leaving MTA riders in limbo. The pause threatens subway and bus service. Advocates demand any replacement funds boost operations, not highways. Riders need frequent, affordable transit—not more gridlock and pollution.

This editorial, published October 1, 2024, addresses Governor Hochul’s decision to pause congestion pricing and seek alternative funding for the MTA’s $15-billion capital plan. The article states: “If the governor wants to do the MTA and riders a favor, she should use the money she finds to instead boost MTA operations.” Author Samuel Santaella criticizes Hochul’s move, arguing it jeopardizes service for working-class New Yorkers. Assembly Member Zohran Mamdani and State Senator Michael Gianaris are cited as proponents of fare-free buses, while Riders Alliance pushes for six-minute service. The piece urges Hochul to reject highway expansions and instead invest in frequent, affordable transit. The editorial frames this as a fight for clean air, equity, and safety for all New Yorkers who rely on public transportation.

• OPINION: Any Money Hochul Finds to ‘Replace’ Congestion Pricing Should Fund Fares and Frequency, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-10-01

Sep 26 - Council ends jaywalking penalties. Pedestrians now cross anywhere, any time. No summons. Law strips drivers of excuses. Streets shift. Power tilts to people on foot.

Int 0346-2024, now enacted, rewrites New York’s pedestrian rules. The bill, heard by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, passed on September 26, 2024, and became law on October 26, 2024. Its title: “A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to pedestrian crossing guidelines and right of way.” Sponsored by Council Member Tiffany Cabán and co-sponsored by Narcisse, Won, Hanif, Hudson, and Restler, the law lets pedestrians cross streets anywhere, even against signals. No more tickets for crossing outside crosswalks. The Department of Transportation must educate all street users on new rights and responsibilities. The law removes a tool police used to target walkers. It shifts blame from people on foot to the system and those behind the wheel.

• File Int 0346-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-09-26

Sep 26 - Council pushes Albany to let New York City ticket drivers who block bike lanes. Cameras would catch violators. Cyclists face death and injury. Lawmakers want action. Streets remain dangerous. The fight for safety continues.

Resolution 0574-2024 sits in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Introduced September 26, 2024, it urges passage of S.5008A/A.803A. The resolution calls for a 'bicycle lane safety program...to enforce certain restrictions on the use of bicycle lanes and protected bicycle lanes by means of bicycle lane photo devices.' Council Members Shahana K. Hanif (primary sponsor), Lincoln Restler, and Erik D. Bottcher back the measure. The bill would let New York City use cameras to fine drivers who invade bike lanes. Cyclists are killed and injured when cars block their space. The council demands Albany act to protect vulnerable road users.

• File Res 0574-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-09-26

Sep 26 - Council pushes Albany to let New York City ticket drivers who block bike lanes. Cameras would catch violators. Cyclists face death and injury. Lawmakers want action. Streets remain dangerous. The fight for safety continues.

Resolution 0574-2024 sits in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Introduced September 26, 2024, it urges passage of S.5008A/A.803A. The resolution calls for a 'bicycle lane safety program...to enforce certain restrictions on the use of bicycle lanes and protected bicycle lanes by means of bicycle lane photo devices.' Council Members Shahana K. Hanif (primary sponsor), Lincoln Restler, and Erik D. Bottcher back the measure. The bill would let New York City use cameras to fine drivers who invade bike lanes. Cyclists are killed and injured when cars block their space. The council demands Albany act to protect vulnerable road users.

• File Res 0574-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-09-26

Sep 26 - Council pushes Albany to let New York City ticket drivers who block bike lanes. Cameras would catch violators. Cyclists face deadly risk. Lawmakers demand action. Streets must protect the vulnerable.

Resolution 0574-2024 sits in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Introduced September 26, 2024, it urges passage of S.5008A/A.803A. The measure calls for a 'bicycle lane safety program' using cameras to enforce bike lane rules. Council Members Shahana K. Hanif (primary sponsor), Lincoln Restler, and Erik D. Bottcher back the resolution. The text states: 'enforce certain restrictions on the use of bicycle lanes and protected bicycle lanes by means of bicycle lane photo devices.' The council demands Albany act. Cyclists die while drivers block lanes. The bill aims to hold motorists accountable and protect those most at risk.

• File Res 0574-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-09-26

Sep 24 - A pedestrian suffered abdominal and pelvic injuries when a Ford truck backing unsafely hit him near Astoria Boulevard in Queens. The impact left the man conscious but with abrasions. The SUV and other parked vehicles showed damage from the collision.

According to the police report, at 10:53 AM in Queens near 4-05 Astoria Boulevard, a Ford truck was backing unsafely when it struck a male pedestrian. The pedestrian was injured in the abdomen and pelvis, sustaining abrasions but remained conscious. The report cites "Backing Unsafely" as the contributing factor, highlighting driver error. The pedestrian was located outside an intersection and no contributing factors related to the pedestrian were noted. The point of impact was the left side doors of a parked SUV, which along with other parked vehicles, sustained damage. The Ford truck's right rear quarter panel was damaged, confirming the collision during the vehicle's backing maneuver.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4758654 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Sep 23 - Council pulled the jaywalking decriminalization bill before a vote. Advocates warned it could shield drivers who hit pedestrians. NYPD tickets mostly Black and Hispanic New Yorkers. Councilmember Cabán says the law enables biased policing. Streets remain dangerous for those on foot.

Bill to decriminalize jaywalking, sponsored by Councilmember Tiffany Cabán (District 22), was pulled for revision before a full City Council vote on September 23, 2024. The measure, under review in committee, aimed to end NYPD enforcement that disproportionately targets people of color. The bill’s summary states, 'NYPD issues hundreds of jaywalking tickets a year. Vast majority go to people of color.' Cabán, a key sponsor, argued police use jaywalking as a pretext for stop-and-frisk, calling the law archaic and motorist-centered. Advocates raised concerns that the bill’s language might let drivers escape liability for hitting pedestrians, prompting its withdrawal. The law’s enforcement remains unequal, leaving vulnerable road users exposed.

• NYPD issues hundreds of jaywalking tickets a year. Vast majority go to people of color., gothamist.com, Published 2024-09-23

Sep 14 - Two sedans slammed together at 14 Street and 27 Avenue. Driver inattention and failure to yield left two passengers hurt, bodies battered, shocked, strapped in by belts, pain and nausea sharp in the night.

According to the police report, two sedans collided at 14 Street and 27 Avenue in Queens at 22:54. The crash involved a right front quarter panel impact on one car and a center front end hit on the other. Police cite failure to yield right-of-way and driver inattention or distraction as causes. A 32-year-old woman in the front seat and a 13-year-old boy in the rear seat suffered full-body injuries and shock. Both passengers were restrained by lap belts and harnesses and reported pain and nausea. The drivers were licensed and driving straight ahead. The crash shows the danger of driver inattention and failure to yield at city intersections.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4755765 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Sep 3 - G train rolls again. After months of silence, trains run from Queens to Brooklyn. Riders endured shuttle buses, slow streets, no dedicated lanes. Council Member Restler praises upgrades, slams city for missing bus lanes. Modern signals promise speed, but funding future hangs in balance.

On September 3, 2024, the G train returned to full service after a summer shutdown for signal modernization. The $368 million project, led by the MTA, replaced century-old signals with Communication-Based Train Control (CBTC), aiming for faster, more reliable service. Council Member Lincoln Restler (District 33) praised the MTA’s handling and shuttle bus communication but criticized the city for not creating dedicated bus lanes during the closure, saying, 'They expressed dismay, however, that the city had not constructed a dedicated lane so shuttle buses could move faster.' Restler called for renewed investment in the MTA, including the resumption of congestion pricing, to fund future upgrades. The project continues through 2027, but no more full shutdowns are planned. The lack of bus lanes during the outage left vulnerable riders exposed to slow, crowded streets.

• Back on track: G train returns to full service following summer shutdown, amny.com, Published 2024-09-03

Aug 24 - A 26-year-old moped driver suffered a head contusion in a Queens collision. The crash occurred at 3:40 a.m. on 27 Avenue. According to the police report, driver inattention and distraction caused the impact, resulting in serious injury but no ejection.

At 3:40 a.m. on 27 Avenue in Queens, a 26-year-old male moped driver was injured in a crash. According to the police report, the driver was going straight ahead when the collision occurred, impacting at the center front end of the vehicle. The report cites "Driver Inattention/Distraction" as the primary contributing factor. The driver sustained a head contusion, classified as injury severity level 3, and remained conscious throughout. The driver was not ejected from the vehicle. The vehicle was registered with a permit license status in New York. No other vehicles or pedestrians were involved, and no victim behaviors were listed as contributing factors. The crash highlights the dangers posed by driver distraction on mopeds in Queens.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4753062 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Aug 18 - Sedan hit obstacle near Astoria Park South. Driver, 66, suffered chest injuries. Police cite limited visibility. No other factors listed.

A 2021 Mazda sedan traveling west near 18-18 Astoria Park South in Queens struck an object with its center front end. The sole occupant, a 66-year-old female driver, was injured, sustaining chest trauma and internal complaints. According to the police report, 'View Obstructed/Limited' was the contributing factor, indicating that limited visibility played a key role in the crash. The driver was conscious, not ejected, and wore a lap belt and harness. No other contributing factors or victim actions were listed in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4748856 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19