Kew Gardens Bleeds—Lower the Speed Before Someone Dies

Senate bill S 131 demands complete street design for state-funded projects. Sponsors push for safer roads. Guidance will go public. Streets could change. Pedestrians and cyclists stand to gain.

Senate bill S 131 was introduced on January 8, 2025, now in the sponsorship stage. The bill, titled 'Requires the consideration of complete street design for certain transportation projects which receive federal or state funding,' aims to force safer street planning. Primary sponsor Sean Ryan leads, joined by co-sponsors Jamaal Bailey, Jabari Brisport, Samra Brouk, Cordell Cleare, Leroy Comrie, Jeremy Cooney, Nathalia Fernandez, Michael Gianaris, Kristen Gonzalez, Robert Jackson, Rachel May, Kevin S. Parker, Christopher Ryan, and Luis R. Sepúlveda. The bill also orders the department to publish guidance on street design. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File S 131, Open States, Published 2025-01-08

Assembly bill A 1077 pushes for streets built for people, not just cars. Dozens of lawmakers back safer roads. The bill stands at sponsorship. No vote yet. Vulnerable users wait for action.

Assembly bill A 1077, now in sponsorship, aims to 'enable safe access to public roads for all users by utilizing complete street design principles.' Introduced January 8, 2025, the bill sits in committee. Jonathan Rivera leads as primary sponsor, joined by over 60 co-sponsors including Patrick Burke, Robert C. Carroll, and Catalina Cruz. No votes have been cast. The bill's language centers all road users, not just drivers. No safety analyst has yet assessed its impact on vulnerable road users. The measure signals intent but action remains pending.

• File A 1077, Open States, Published 2025-01-08

Assembly bill A 324 demands complete street design for state- and federally-funded projects. Sponsors push for public guidance. Streets built for people, not just cars. Safety for all hangs in the balance.

Assembly Bill A 324 was introduced on January 8, 2025, now in the sponsorship stage. The bill, titled 'Requires the consideration of complete street design for certain transportation projects which receive federal or state funding,' aims to force planners to consider all users—pedestrians, cyclists, drivers—when building or upgrading roads. Didi Barrett leads as primary sponsor, joined by Rebecca Seawright, Amy Paulin, and many others. The bill also directs the department to publish street design guidance. No safety analyst note yet, but the measure’s intent is clear: streets should protect the most vulnerable, not just move traffic.

• File A 324, Open States, Published 2025-01-08

Council orders DOT to repaint pavement lines within five days after resurfacing. Delays must be explained to the public. Clear markings mean fewer deadly crossings for walkers and riders.

Int 1160-2025, now enacted by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, forces the Department of Transportation to install pavement markings or temporary lines within five business days after any street resurfacing. The bill, sponsored by Farah N. Louis (primary) and co-sponsored by Brannan, Schulman, Banks, Farías, Carr, Ariola, and others, passed on March 15, 2025. The law demands annual reporting on compliance and reasons for any delay. The matter title reads: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to installing pavement markings.' Quick, visible lines cut confusion and protect people crossing or riding. The law took effect immediately.

• File Int 1160-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-01-08

A sedan making a left turn collided with an eastbound bicyclist on Metropolitan Avenue in Queens. The cyclist suffered knee and lower leg bruises. Police cited driver failure to yield and inattention as key factors in the crash.

At 18:23 on Metropolitan Avenue in Queens, a sedan traveling westbound made a left turn and struck an eastbound bicyclist, according to the police report. The bicyclist, a 30-year-old male, sustained contusions and bruises to his knee and lower leg but was conscious and not ejected from his bike. The report identifies 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as contributing factors attributed to the sedan driver. The impact occurred at the center front end of both vehicles, with damage to the sedan’s right front bumper and the bike’s center front end. No contributing factors related to the bicyclist were noted in the report. The collision highlights driver errors in yielding and attentiveness during left turns as central causes of injury to vulnerable road users.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4784395 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

SUV driver, distracted and inattentive, struck a refrigerated van while both moved south on Van Wyck Expressway. Impact left SUV driver with neck whiplash. Systemic danger, not chance, shaped the crash.

According to the police report, a Station Wagon/SUV traveling south on Van Wyck Expressway collided with a refrigerated van that was merging in the same direction. The SUV's right side hit the van's front, injuring the 46-year-old SUV driver with neck whiplash. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor. No victim actions contributed. The crash damaged both vehicles and left the SUV driver conscious but hurt. Systemic driver error and limited visibility led to the impact.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4782479 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A 49-year-old man crossing with the signal was struck at an intersection in Queens. The vehicle, traveling straight ahead, hit the pedestrian with its center front end. Unsafe speed and driver distraction contributed to the crash, causing back injuries.

According to the police report, a 49-year-old male pedestrian was injured while crossing with the signal at an intersection on 80 Road near Kew Gardens Road in Queens at 10:42 AM. The pedestrian suffered internal complaints and back injuries classified as severity level 3. The vehicle involved was traveling straight ahead and struck the pedestrian with its center front end, sustaining damage in the same area. The report cites 'Unsafe Speed' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as contributing factors to the collision. The pedestrian's crossing with the signal is noted but not listed as a contributing factor. The crash highlights driver errors, specifically unsafe speed and distraction, as central causes of the injury.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4780112 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Council demands DOT show its work. The law forces public updates on every street safety project. No more hiding delays. No more silent cost overruns. Progress for bus riders, cyclists, and walkers must be tracked and posted.

Int 1105-2024 became law on May 10, 2025, after action by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The bill, sponsored by Julie Won and co-sponsored by Brooks-Powers, Hanif, Ayala, and others, amends the city code to require the Department of Transportation to post annual and monthly updates on all projects tied to the streets master plan. The law’s title: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to tracking progress made towards the requirements of the streets master plan.' It forces transparency on protected bike lanes, bus lanes, pedestrian signals, and upgrades. The public will see delays, costs, and status. No more secrets. The mayor returned it unsigned, but the law stands.

• File Int 1105-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-11-13

A sport utility vehicle clipped the left rear bumper of a southbound truck on Van Wyck Expressway. The SUV’s front passenger suffered chest injuries, conscious and restrained by a lap belt and harness. The crash involved passing too closely.

According to the police report, the crash occurred on Van Wyck Expressway at 6:00 PM. A southbound SUV, registered in South Carolina, struck the left rear bumper of a southbound truck registered in New York. The point of impact was the SUV’s right front quarter panel against the truck’s left rear bumper. The SUV’s front passenger, a 51-year-old female, sustained chest injuries and was conscious after the crash. She was restrained by a lap belt and harness and was not ejected. The report cites the driver error of "Passing Too Closely" as a contributing factor. No other contributing factors or victim behaviors were noted. The collision caused damage to the SUV’s right side doors and the truck’s left rear bumper.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4762545 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Council bill slashes legal parking time for big rigs. Ninety minutes max for tractor-trailers. Three hours for other commercial trucks. Streets clear faster. Heavy metal moves on.

Int 1069-2024, now in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, was introduced September 26, 2024. The bill reads: "reducing the maximum time commercial vehicles may park." Sponsored by Kevin C. Riley and 23 others, it limits parking to three hours for most commercial vehicles, and 90 minutes for tractor-trailers, unless signs say otherwise. The law takes effect 120 days after passage. Council aims to keep streets less clogged by oversized trucks. No safety analyst note was provided, but the bill targets long-term truck storage on city streets.

• File Int 1069-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-09-26

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

Two sedans slammed together on Jackie Robinson Parkway. Alcohol and reckless lane change drove the crash. A 52-year-old driver took a blow to the back. Metal twisted. No one walked away untouched.

According to the police report, two sedans collided on Jackie Robinson Parkway at 6:50 a.m. The crash was caused by alcohol involvement and unsafe lane changing, as listed in the report's contributing factors. The impact struck the left rear quarter panel of one sedan and the right side doors of the other. A 52-year-old male driver suffered back injuries but remained conscious and was restrained by a lap belt and harness. The report identifies alcohol and unsafe lane changing as the primary driver errors. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved. No victim actions contributed to the crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4757982 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Lawmakers say Hochul broke the law. They filed a brief. They argue the governor has no right to halt congestion pricing. The MTA Board, not Albany, holds the power. The pause sows confusion. Streets stay clogged. Vulnerable New Yorkers pay the price.

On August 23, 2024, a group of New York State legislators—Assembly Members Phil Steck and Andrew Hevesi, State Senator Julia Salazar, and former Assembly Member Dick Gottfried—filed a legal brief against Governor Hochul’s decision to pause congestion pricing. The matter, as described: “the legislature never gave her or any governor the power to do away with the traffic toll.” The brief cites the 2019 Traffic Mobility Act, arguing only the Traffic Mobility Review Board and the MTA can make such decisions. The lawmakers warn that letting the governor override the MTA would “make impossibly opaque the actual responsibility for MTA decisions.” Their action supports the MTA Board’s independence and opposes executive interference. No safety analyst has assessed the direct impact on vulnerable road users, but the legislators’ stance highlights the risk of political meddling in life-and-death street policy.

• State Legislators Say They Never Gave Hochul the Power to Pause Congestion Pricing, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-08-23

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

An e-scooter driver traveling north on Metropolitan Avenue suffered knee and lower leg injuries after a collision caused by a vehicle failing to yield right-of-way. The driver remained conscious and was not ejected from the scooter.

According to the police report, a 54-year-old male e-scooter driver was injured in a crash on Metropolitan Avenue in Queens at 4:00 p.m. The scooter was traveling straight ahead when it collided with a vehicle making a right turn. The report cites 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the contributing factor to the crash. The e-scooter driver sustained injuries to the knee, lower leg, and foot but was conscious and not ejected. The driver was licensed in New York and was the sole occupant of the scooter. No other contributing factors or victim behaviors were noted in the report. Vehicle damage was centered on the front end of the scooter, indicating impact at the center front.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4745435 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A motorcycle rider was ejected and injured in a rear-end collision with an SUV on Van Wyck Expressway. The SUV driver’s inattention caused the crash. The motorcyclist wore a helmet but suffered back contusions and bruises.

According to the police report, a collision occurred on the Van Wyck Expressway involving a motorcycle and a sport utility vehicle (SUV), both traveling southbound. The SUV struck the motorcycle from behind, impacting the motorcycle’s center front end and the SUV’s center back end. The motorcycle rider, a 20-year-old male wearing a helmet, was ejected from the vehicle and sustained back injuries described as contusions and bruises. The police report cites 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor, indicating the SUV driver failed to maintain proper attention, leading to the rear-end collision. The motorcyclist was conscious after the crash but suffered injury severity level 3. No other contributing factors or victim behaviors were noted in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4746074 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Three vehicles collided in a chain reaction on Queens’ Hillside Avenue. A pick-up truck struck two sedans from behind. The pick-up driver suffered head injuries and whiplash. Police cited repeated following too closely as the cause.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 20:50 on Hillside Avenue in Queens. A pick-up truck, traveling east, struck two sedans from behind in a chain-reaction collision. The pick-up truck driver, a 37-year-old male, was injured with head trauma and whiplash but was conscious and restrained by a lap belt and harness. The report explicitly lists 'Following Too Closely' three times as the contributing factor, indicating driver error in maintaining unsafe distances. The pick-up truck driver was unlicensed, adding to the systemic danger. The sedans were both traveling east; one was making a right turn before impact. No pedestrian or cyclist was involved. The report does not list any victim behaviors as contributing factors. The collision caused front-end damage to the pick-up and rear-end damage to both sedans.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4738537 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A sedan slammed into another on Jackie Robinson Parkway. A 27-year-old woman behind the wheel took the hit. Neck injury. Police blame following too closely. No pedestrians. No cyclists. Metal and flesh paid the price.

According to the police report, a crash on Jackie Robinson Parkway involved two sedans and a bus traveling east. The 27-year-old female driver of a sedan suffered neck injuries and whiplash. She was conscious, not ejected, and wore a lap belt and harness. The report lists 'Following Too Closely' as the driver error that led to the collision. Impact points were the right front bumper of the injured driver's sedan and the left rear bumper of another sedan. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved. The police report highlights driver error as the cause, with no contributing actions by the injured driver.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4738543 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

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