Four Dead in Woodside—Speed Kills, Leaders Stall

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 2024-09-10

A sedan rear-ended a stopped motorcycle on Northern Boulevard. The rider, 67, suffered back injuries and whiplash. Police cited following too closely. The crash left both vehicles damaged. No other factors listed.

According to the police report, a sedan struck a motorcycle stopped in traffic on Northern Boulevard in Queens at 1:45 AM. The 67-year-old motorcycle driver, wearing a helmet, suffered back injuries and whiplash but was not ejected and remained conscious. The report identifies the sedan driver's error as "Following Too Closely," which led to the rear-end collision. No other contributing factors were listed. The motorcycle was damaged at the center back end, and the sedan at the center front end. This crash underscores the risk posed by drivers who fail to maintain safe distance from vulnerable road users.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4751624 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A 26-year-old moped driver suffered a fractured knee and lower leg after a collision with an SUV on Roosevelt Avenue. The SUV struck the moped’s front end, causing serious injury. Police cite driver inattention as the key factor in the crash.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 20:04 on Roosevelt Avenue in Queens. A 26-year-old male moped driver was injured, sustaining a fracture and dislocation to his knee and lower leg. The moped was traveling south, and the SUV was traveling west when the SUV’s right front bumper struck the center front end of the moped. The driver of the SUV was licensed and driving straight ahead. The report explicitly identifies "Driver Inattention/Distraction" as the contributing factor to the collision. The moped driver was conscious and not ejected but suffered serious lower limb injuries. No other contributing factors or victim behaviors were noted in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4749860 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Two passengers suffered back injuries and whiplash in a rear-end collision on Queens' 63rd Street. The crash involved a sedan striking an SUV from behind. Police cite following too closely as the primary driver error causing the impact.

According to the police report, a rear-end collision occurred on Queens' 63rd Street at 17:49 involving a 2020 Honda sedan and a 2015 Toyota SUV, both traveling westbound. The sedan struck the center back end of the SUV. The report identifies 'Following Too Closely' as the contributing factor for the crash. Two female passengers, ages 50 and 13, seated in the SUV, were injured with back trauma and whiplash. Both were conscious and restrained with lap belts and harnesses. The report notes no ejections occurred. The sedan driver’s failure to maintain a safe distance led directly to the impact, causing injuries to the SUV occupants. No victim behaviors were listed as contributing factors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4749856 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

City law now forces DOT to reveal where bikes and scooters go. Streets and bridges, protected or not. Data goes public. Riders’ movement, danger, and safety projects laid bare. No more hiding the facts.

Int 0745-2024, now enacted, came through the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. It was introduced April 11, 2024, and passed on August 15, 2024. The law orders the Department of Transportation to post current bicycle and micromobility ridership data online, updated monthly or at least yearly. The matter summary reads: 'requiring the department of transportation to provide information about bicycle and other micromobility device activity.' Council Member Selvena N. Brooks-Powers led as primary sponsor, joined by Farías, Restler, Hudson, Schulman, and others. The law demands transparency on where riders travel and what DOT does to keep them safe. This opens the books on bike movement and exposes gaps in protection.

• File Int 0745-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-08-15

City law now forces DOT to reveal where bikes and scooters go. Streets and bridges, protected or not. Data goes public. Riders’ movement, danger, and safety projects laid bare. No more hiding the facts.

Int 0745-2024, now enacted, came through the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. It was introduced April 11, 2024, and passed on August 15, 2024. The law orders the Department of Transportation to post current bicycle and micromobility ridership data online, updated monthly or at least yearly. The matter summary reads: 'requiring the department of transportation to provide information about bicycle and other micromobility device activity.' Council Member Selvena N. Brooks-Powers led as primary sponsor, joined by Farías, Restler, Hudson, Schulman, and others. The law demands transparency on where riders travel and what DOT does to keep them safe. This opens the books on bike movement and exposes gaps in protection.

• File Int 0745-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-08-15

A sedan traveling west struck the rear of a flatbed truck also heading west on the Brooklyn Queens Expressway. The left rear passenger in the sedan suffered whiplash and whole-body injuries. Driver distraction was cited as the cause.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 16:50 on the Brooklyn Queens Expressway. A 2013 Nissan sedan traveling west rear-ended a 2020 Mack flatbed truck moving in the same direction. The point of impact was the center back end of the sedan and the center front end of the flatbed. The sedan had two occupants; the left rear passenger, a 38-year-old female, was injured with whiplash and whole-body trauma but was conscious and restrained by a lap belt and harness. The report identifies 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the contributing factor. Both drivers were licensed in New York. No other contributing factors or victim behaviors were noted. The collision highlights the dangers of driver distraction on high-speed roadways.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4745592 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A sedan hit another car’s right side on Broadway in Queens. The driver, age 47, suffered head injuries and whiplash. Police cite unsafe speed and distraction. The crash left the driver conscious but hurt.

According to the police report, a sedan traveling northeast on Broadway near the Brooklyn Queens Expressway struck the right side doors of another vehicle at 5:13 a.m. in Queens. The 47-year-old male driver of the sedan sustained head injuries and whiplash. Police list 'Unsafe Speed' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as contributing factors. The sedan’s front end hit the other car’s right rear quarter panel. The driver was not ejected and remained conscious. The report does not cite any victim behavior as a cause, focusing on the driver’s speed and distraction.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4748645 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A moped, driven too fast and without a license, slammed into a 61-year-old man crossing Woodside Avenue. Both men fell. Blood pooled on the asphalt. The machine lay shattered. The street bore the mark of reckless speed.

According to the police report, a moped traveling east on Woodside Avenue near 67th Street struck a 61-year-old pedestrian mid-block. Both the pedestrian and the moped rider, age 34, suffered severe bleeding and injuries to their entire bodies. The report states the moped was operated at 'Unsafe Speed' and that the driver was 'Unlicensed.' The Zongzhen moped sustained heavy front-end damage. The narrative describes the moped as tearing down the street 'too fast,' before colliding with the pedestrian. Police list 'Unsafe Speed' as the primary contributing factor. The pedestrian was crossing the street outside a crosswalk or signal, but no pedestrian actions are cited as contributing factors. The focus remains on the unlicensed, speeding driver whose actions left two people bleeding on the pavement.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4743841 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Albany scrambles after Governor Hochul kills congestion pricing. Lawmakers float a $1 billion IOU for the MTA. No clear funding. Transit riders left in limbo. Streets stay clogged. Subways wait for repairs. Vulnerable road users pay the price.

On June 7, 2024, state lawmakers, led by Senate Deputy Majority Leader Michael Gianaris, responded to Governor Hochul’s sudden suspension of Manhattan’s congestion pricing plan. The Legislature rejected Hochul’s push for a payroll tax hike, then considered a vague $1 billion IOU for the MTA, with no funding source. Gianaris told reporters the proposal would simply promise a billion dollars for the next year’s budget, but offered no details. The bill has not been introduced or assigned to committee. Betsy Plum of the Riders Alliance warned, 'The proposal on the table will not fix the subway. A billion dollar IOU is not nearly enough money nor is it nearly secure enough to build trust and rebuild our critical infrastructure.' With no new revenue, the MTA’s ability to fund repairs and upgrades remains in doubt. Vulnerable road users—pedestrians, cyclists, transit riders—face continued danger as safe, reliable alternatives to driving are left unfunded.

• NY lawmakers considering $1B IOU after Gov. Hochul’s congestion pricing flip-flop, gothamist.com, Published 2024-06-07

Albany lawmakers shut down a last-ditch MTA funding plan after Governor Hochul paused congestion pricing. No replacement for the lost $1 billion. Transit riders and street users face uncertainty. Lawmakers call the move reckless. The city waits. Danger lingers.

On June 7, 2024, the New York State legislative session ended without passing a replacement funding plan for the MTA after Governor Kathy Hochul paused congestion pricing. The matter, described as 'Albany pumps the brakes on MTA funding plan in rebuke of Hochul’s move to ditch congestion pricing,' left the MTA without the $1 billion annual revenue congestion pricing would have provided. Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins announced the session’s close without a deal. Lawmakers including State Sen. Andrew Gounardes, Senate Deputy Leader Michael Gianaris, State Sen. John Liu, Assemblyman Harvey Epstein, and Assemblyman Tony Simone criticized the governor’s decision and the proposed IOU bailout. Gounardes said, 'I cannot in good conscience ratify a decision that will eliminate a significant, dedicated revenue source for the MTA’s capital plan.' The pause leaves the city’s transit future—and the safety of those who rely on it—uncertain.

• Albany pumps the brakes on MTA funding plan in rebuke of Hochul’s move to ditch congestion pricing, nypost.com, Published 2024-06-07

Albany scrambles after Hochul kills congestion pricing. Lawmakers float a $1 billion-a-year promise for the MTA. No details. No guarantees. Michael Gianaris calls it a stopgap. Riders and streets hang in the balance. The future stays uncertain.

On June 7, 2024, Albany lawmakers responded to Governor Hochul’s cancellation of NYC congestion pricing. The proposed measure, still without a bill number or final language, would guarantee $1 billion annually for the MTA over 15 years. State Senate Deputy Majority Leader Michael Gianaris explained, “It’s very simply something that just says there will be a billion dollars for the MTA in the following year’s budget, but without any specifics as to what that means.” Gianaris and others are working with Hochul and the MTA to keep capital projects alive. The bill’s fate is unclear, with some lawmakers already planning to vote no. No safety analyst has assessed the impact on vulnerable road users. The measure’s details and its effect on street safety remain unknown.

• Albany lawmakers considering last-minute bailout for lost congestion toll revenue, nypost.com, Published 2024-06-07

Senate backs S 9752. Mt. Vernon gets green light for up to 20 school speed zones. Law aims to slow cars near kids. Most senators vote yes. A few say no. Streets may change. Danger remains for the young.

Senate Bill S 9752, sponsored by Jamaal Bailey, authorizes Mt. Vernon to launch a school speed zone demonstration program, with up to twenty zones allowed. The bill passed the Senate on June 7, 2024, during a committee vote. The matter title reads: 'Authorizes the city of Mt. Vernon to establish a school speed zone demonstration program; authorizes installation in no more than twenty school speed zones in such city.' Bailey and a majority of senators voted yes, while a handful opposed. The bill targets speeding near schools, a known threat to children and other vulnerable road users. No formal safety analyst note was provided.

• File S 9752, Open States, Published 2024-06-07

Senate backs S 9752. Mt. Vernon gets green light for up to 20 school speed zones. Law aims to slow cars near kids. Most senators vote yes. A few say no. Streets may change. Danger remains for the young.

Senate Bill S 9752, sponsored by Jamaal Bailey, authorizes Mt. Vernon to launch a school speed zone demonstration program, with up to twenty zones allowed. The bill passed the Senate on June 7, 2024, during a committee vote. The matter title reads: 'Authorizes the city of Mt. Vernon to establish a school speed zone demonstration program; authorizes installation in no more than twenty school speed zones in such city.' Bailey and a majority of senators voted yes, while a handful opposed. The bill targets speeding near schools, a known threat to children and other vulnerable road users. No formal safety analyst note was provided.

• File S 9752, Open States, Published 2024-06-07

Senate backs S 9752. Mt. Vernon gets green light for up to 20 school speed zones. Law aims to slow cars near kids. Most senators vote yes. A few say no. Streets may change. Danger remains for the young.

Senate Bill S 9752, sponsored by Jamaal Bailey, authorizes Mt. Vernon to launch a school speed zone demonstration program, with up to twenty zones allowed. The bill passed the Senate on June 7, 2024, during a committee vote. The matter title reads: 'Authorizes the city of Mt. Vernon to establish a school speed zone demonstration program; authorizes installation in no more than twenty school speed zones in such city.' Bailey and a majority of senators voted yes, while a handful opposed. The bill targets speeding near schools, a known threat to children and other vulnerable road users. No formal safety analyst note was provided.

• File S 9752, Open States, Published 2024-06-07

Lawmakers back speed cameras near Kingston schools. Cameras catch drivers who speed. The bill passed both chambers. It sunsets in 2029. Children and families walk safer, but the fix is temporary.

Senate Bill S 8607, titled 'Establishes a school speed zone camera demonstration program in the city of Kingston,' passed the Senate on June 6, 2024, and the Assembly on June 7, 2024. The bill, sponsored by Senator Michelle Hinchey, creates a camera program to catch speeding drivers near schools. The program ends December 31, 2029. The measure saw broad support in both chambers, but some lawmakers voted no. The bill aims to protect children and families on foot near schools, but its impact will end unless renewed. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File S 8607, Open States, Published 2024-06-07

Assembly passes A 7652. Schenectady gets school speed cameras. Law aims to slow drivers near kids. Cameras expire in 2028. Vote split. Streets may get safer for children on foot.

Bill A 7652, titled 'Establishes a school speed zone camera demonstration program in the city of Schenectady,' passed the Assembly on June 7, 2024. The measure, sponsored by Assemblymembers Phil Steck and Angelo Santabarbara, creates a camera program to catch speeding drivers near schools. The program ends December 31, 2028. The Assembly vote saw strong support but also opposition. Steck and Santabarbara led the push. The bill's text is blunt: 'Establishes a school speed zone camera demonstration program in the city of Schenectady.' No formal safety analyst note was provided, but speed cameras have a record of reducing driver speed and protecting children walking to school.

• File A 7652, Open States, Published 2024-06-07

Assembly passes A 7652. Schenectady gets school speed cameras. Law aims to slow drivers near kids. Cameras expire in 2028. Vote split. Streets may get safer for children on foot.

Bill A 7652, titled 'Establishes a school speed zone camera demonstration program in the city of Schenectady,' passed the Assembly on June 7, 2024. The measure, sponsored by Assemblymembers Phil Steck and Angelo Santabarbara, creates a camera program to catch speeding drivers near schools. The program ends December 31, 2028. The Assembly vote saw strong support but also opposition. Steck and Santabarbara led the push. The bill's text is blunt: 'Establishes a school speed zone camera demonstration program in the city of Schenectady.' No formal safety analyst note was provided, but speed cameras have a record of reducing driver speed and protecting children walking to school.

• File A 7652, Open States, Published 2024-06-07

Lawmakers back speed cameras near Kingston schools. Cameras catch drivers who speed. The bill passed both chambers. It sunsets in 2029. Children and families walk safer, but the fix is temporary.

Senate Bill S 8607, titled 'Establishes a school speed zone camera demonstration program in the city of Kingston,' passed the Senate on June 6, 2024, and the Assembly on June 7, 2024. The bill, sponsored by Senator Michelle Hinchey, creates a camera program to catch speeding drivers near schools. The program ends December 31, 2029. The measure saw broad support in both chambers, but some lawmakers voted no. The bill aims to protect children and families on foot near schools, but its impact will end unless renewed. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File S 8607, Open States, Published 2024-06-06

Lawmakers back speed cameras near Kingston schools. Cameras catch drivers who speed. The bill passed both chambers. It sunsets in 2029. Children and families walk safer, but the fix is temporary.

Senate Bill S 8607, titled 'Establishes a school speed zone camera demonstration program in the city of Kingston,' passed the Senate on June 6, 2024, and the Assembly on June 7, 2024. The bill, sponsored by Senator Michelle Hinchey, creates a camera program to catch speeding drivers near schools. The program ends December 31, 2029. The measure saw broad support in both chambers, but some lawmakers voted no. The bill aims to protect children and families on foot near schools, but its impact will end unless renewed. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File S 8607, Open States, Published 2024-06-06