Howard Beach-Lindenwood: cars kill here. the fixes wait.

Jun 6 - Council calls for five mile per hour speed limit on Open Streets. Streets slow. Danger drops. Pedestrians and cyclists get space. Resolution adopted. Albany must act.

Res 0079-2024, adopted by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on June 6, 2024, urges Albany to let New York City set a five mile per hour speed limit on Open Streets. The resolution states: "authorize New York City to set a five mile per hour speed limit on streets participating in the Open Streets program." Council Member Shahana K. Hanif led as primary sponsor, joined by Amanda Farías, Crystal Hudson, Julie Won, and Carlina Rivera. The measure passed committee and full council on June 6. The bill aims to cut speed and risk where people walk, bike, and gather. The council's push now waits for state lawmakers and the governor.

• File Res 0079-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-06-06

Jun 6 - 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

Jun 6 - Governor Hochul halted congestion pricing. Lawmakers balked at raising payroll taxes. The MTA’s $15 billion plan now hangs by a thread. Projects stall. Federal funds at risk. Riders, walkers, and cyclists face uncertainty. Albany remains split. Streets stay dangerous.

On June 6, 2024, Governor Hochul announced a pause on congestion pricing, sparking confusion in Albany. The state-level response included a rejected proposal to raise the payroll mobility tax (PMT) on NYC businesses to fill the $15 billion gap in the MTA’s capital plan. State Sen. Liz Krueger said, 'Payroll mobility taxes are actually taxes on workers... I do not think we have an appetite for that in the Senate.' Assembly Member Stacey Pheffer Amato, who once voted for congestion pricing, now supports the pause, calling the original vote 'political blackmail.' The MTA’s future projects, including the Second Avenue Subway, are threatened, as federal matching funds require local dollars. Lawmakers remain divided. No clear alternative has emerged. Vulnerable road users are left exposed as transit funding falters.

• Reporter’s Notebook: Where Were You The Day Congestion Pricing Died (Maybe)?, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-06-06

Jun 6 - 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

Jun 3 - Senate backs S 9718. Bill orders safe street design for all. Cyclists, walkers, and riders get new protections. Some senators vote no. The car’s grip loosens, but danger remains.

Senate bill S 9718, titled 'Enables safe access to public roads for all users by utilizing complete street design principles,' passed committee votes on May 28 and June 3, 2024. Primary sponsor Sean Ryan, with co-sponsors Liz Krueger, Monica Martinez, Jack M. Martins, Anthony H. Palumbo, and Julia Salazar, pushed the measure. The bill mandates street designs that protect everyone, not just drivers. Most senators voted yes, but a block of no votes showed resistance. The bill’s language centers vulnerable users. It marks a shift: streets must serve people, not just cars.

• File S 9718, Open States, Published 2024-06-03

Jun 3 - Senate backs S 9718. Bill orders safe street design for all. Cyclists, walkers, and riders get new protections. Some senators vote no. The car’s grip loosens, but danger remains.

Senate bill S 9718, titled 'Enables safe access to public roads for all users by utilizing complete street design principles,' passed committee votes on May 28 and June 3, 2024. Primary sponsor Sean Ryan, with co-sponsors Liz Krueger, Monica Martinez, Jack M. Martins, Anthony H. Palumbo, and Julia Salazar, pushed the measure. The bill mandates street designs that protect everyone, not just drivers. Most senators voted yes, but a block of no votes showed resistance. The bill’s language centers vulnerable users. It marks a shift: streets must serve people, not just cars.

• File S 9718, Open States, Published 2024-06-03

May 28 - A 66-year-old man driving a sedan in Queens suffered upper arm injuries after a crash caused by improper lane usage. The vehicle was damaged on its right rear quarter panel. The driver was restrained and experienced shock at the scene.

According to the police report, a 66-year-old male driver operating a 2011 Kia sedan was injured in a crash on Sutter Avenue near North Conduit Avenue in Queens at 10:30 AM. The report cites 'Passing or Lane Usage Improper' as the contributing factor, indicating a driver error involving lane violation. The vehicle was making a right turn when the point of impact occurred on the right rear quarter panel, causing damage to that area. The driver, who was wearing a lap belt and not ejected, sustained a contusion and upper arm shoulder injury, classified as injury severity level 3. The driver was in shock following the collision. No other vehicles or pedestrians were involved, and no victim behaviors were noted as contributing factors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4728191 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

May 27 - A sedan traveling north on 157 Avenue struck the rear of another vehicle, causing neck injury to the female driver. The impact damaged the left rear bumper of the sedan and the front end of the other vehicle. The driver suffered whiplash.

According to the police report, at 8:50 AM on 157 Avenue in Queens, a 2005 Chevrolet sedan traveling north rear-ended another vehicle going straight ahead. The point of impact was the center back end of the sedan and the center front end of the other vehicle. The female driver of the sedan, age 58, was injured with neck trauma described as whiplash. The report lists unspecified contributing factors but does not identify any pedestrian or cyclist involvement. The damage was concentrated on the left rear bumper of the sedan and the front end of the other vehicle. The driver was not ejected and was using some form of safety equipment. No explicit driver errors such as failure to yield or speeding are cited in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4727928 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

May 26 - SUV struck sedan on North Conduit Avenue. Unsafe speed and lane change by SUV driver. Rear passenger, 53, suffered serious head injury. Metal twisted. No victim fault listed.

According to the police report, a Volvo SUV and a Honda sedan collided while heading west on North Conduit Avenue in Queens. The SUV's right front quarter panel hit the sedan's left rear. The report cites 'Unsafe Speed' and 'Unsafe Lane Changing' by the SUV driver as causes. A 53-year-old man, riding in the sedan's right rear seat, suffered a serious head injury but remained conscious. The injury was classified as serious, with internal complaints. No victim actions contributed to the crash. The report focuses on driver errors that led to the impact.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4727646 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

May 21 - 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 2024-05-21

May 16 - Council bill targets repeat pedal-assist bike violators. Three strikes trigger a mandatory safety course. Ignore the course, lose your bike. DOT will track results. Three-year pilot. Enforcement, not education, leads.

Int 0874-2024 sits in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Introduced May 16, 2024, by Council Members Ariola (primary), Hanks, Hudson, Louis, Mealy, and Banks, the bill orders DOT to launch a pilot abatement program for unsafe pedal-assist bicycle operators. The bill summary states: 'Pedal-assist bicycle operators who accrue 3 or more moving violations under city law would be required to take a safe pedal-assist bicycle operation course offered by DOT.' Noncompliance means bike impoundment. DOT must report on course completions, impounds, and program effectiveness. The pilot sunsets after three years. The bill aims to curb reckless riding through strict enforcement.

• File Int 0874-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-05-16

May 16 - Council bill redefines major transit projects. Bike lanes, busways, and bus lanes now trigger community board notice. DOT must present plans, boards get sixty days to respond. Progress reports go public. Holden and Ariola sponsor.

Int 0880-2024 sits in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Introduced May 16, 2024, by Council Members Joann Ariola and Robert F. Holden, it amends city code to require community notification for any bus lane, busway, or bike lane project, no matter the size. The bill states: 'construction or removal of a bus lane, busway, or bike lane' counts as a major project. DOT must present plans to affected boards, who get sixty days to comment. DOT must post quarterly updates online. Ariola is the primary sponsor; Holden co-sponsors. The bill aims to increase transparency and community input on street changes that shape safety for all.

• File Int 0880-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-05-16

May 16 - Council moves to light up step streets. At least 25 stairways each year will get new lamps. Dark paths become visible. Pedestrians gain ground. Shadows shrink. Danger loses its cover.

Int 0875-2024 sits in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure after introduction on May 16, 2024. The bill reads: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to requiring the installation of pedestrian lighting on step streets.' Prime sponsor Joann Ariola, joined by sixteen co-sponsors, pushes for at least 25 step streets to be lit each year until all are covered. Step streets are open-air staircases linking streets at different heights. The bill aims to strip darkness from these paths, making them safer for people on foot. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File Int 0875-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-05-16

May 16 - Queens lawmakers demand more express buses before the $15 congestion toll hits. They say MTA left Queens behind. Riders in transit deserts face long, costly trips. Lawmakers call the exclusion unacceptable. They want fair service before new fees begin.

On May 16, 2024, ten Queens lawmakers, including Julia Salazar (District 18), urged the MTA to expand express bus service to Queens before the $15 Manhattan congestion toll starts. The group wrote to MTA chairman Janno Lieber, stating, "Express buses play a vital role in Queens’ public transit network and only stand to become even more pivotal in the near and distant future." They criticized the MTA for boosting express bus service in Brooklyn and Staten Island but not Queens, calling the exclusion "unacceptable." The lawmakers stressed that many southeast and northeast Queens residents lack subway access and rely on express buses to reach Midtown. They argued the 10 percent LIRR discount is no substitute for robust bus service. Salazar and her colleagues support congestion pricing but insist its success depends on expanded, equitable transit for all vulnerable riders.

• Queens lawmakers demand more MTA bus service to Manhattan before $15 congestion toll begins, nypost.com, Published 2024-05-16

May 12 - A female SUV driver suffered upper arm injuries in a Queens crash. The vehicle struck an object or another vehicle on its left front quarter panel while traveling westbound. The driver was conscious and restrained by a lap belt and harness.

According to the police report, a 38-year-old female driver operating a 2014 Chevrolet SUV was injured in a collision on North Conduit Avenue in Queens at 5:35 p.m. The vehicle was traveling westbound, going straight ahead, when the left front quarter panel sustained damage. The driver, who was the sole occupant, was not ejected and remained conscious. She reported internal complaints and sustained injuries to her shoulder and upper arm. The report lists unspecified contributing factors but does not identify any driver errors or victim behaviors as causes. The driver was properly restrained with a lap belt and harness. No other vehicles or pedestrians were reported injured or involved with clear contributing factors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4724083 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Apr 16 - A bus making a U-turn struck a northbound sedan on Cross Bay Boulevard. The sedan driver suffered facial bruises. Police cite the bus driver’s failure to yield as the cause. Both vehicles took heavy front-end damage.

According to the police report, a bus making a U-turn on Cross Bay Boulevard in Queens collided with a sedan traveling straight north at 6:57 AM. The bus’s right front bumper hit the sedan’s center front end. The sedan driver, a 47-year-old man, was injured with facial contusions but remained conscious and restrained. The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the bus driver’s error. No other contributing factors or victim actions were noted. Both vehicles suffered significant front-end damage from the impact.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4717873 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Apr 15 - Senate passes S 4647. Bill hikes penalties for endangering highway workers. It funds more enforcement. It pushes work zone safety awareness. Lawmakers move to protect workers from reckless drivers.

Senate bill S 4647, titled "Increases penalties for endangerment of a highway worker, promotes work zone safety awareness, and establishes a fund for additional work zone safety enforcement," advanced through committee on April 15, 2024. Sponsored by Timothy M. Kennedy, with Joseph P. Addabbo Jr., Pamela Helming, Mario Mattera, Robert Rolison, and James Skoufis as co-sponsors, the bill passed multiple Senate votes. The measure targets drivers who endanger highway workers, boosts safety awareness, and funds enforcement. The bill aims to curb driver recklessness in work zones, where danger is high and impact is deadly.

• File S 4647, Open States, Published 2024-04-15

Apr 4 - At 157th Avenue and 97th Street, an SUV’s left turn slams into a young e-bike rider. Steel tears flesh. Blood pools on Queens asphalt. The cyclist, helmeted but unlicensed, stays conscious as his leg splits open. Driver inattention rules the scene.

According to the police report, a 20-year-old e-bike rider was traveling north at the corner of 157th Avenue and 97th Street when an SUV made a left turn and struck him. The report states the SUV driver’s action was a 'left turn,' and lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the contributing factor. The collision resulted in severe lacerations to the cyclist’s leg, described in the report as 'his leg splits open' and 'blood on asphalt.' The cyclist was wearing a helmet and remained conscious after the crash. The report notes the cyclist was unlicensed, but does not cite this as a contributing factor. No evidence in the report suggests any error by the cyclist. The crash underscores the lethal consequences of driver inattention in left-turn scenarios.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4714654 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Apr 4 - Queens fights over a rail line. The mayor backs a park. Advocates demand transit. Poor residents lose out. Elected officials split. The city risks locking out thousands from jobs and care. The debate rages. No one asks the people.

This op-ed, published April 4, 2024, covers the battle over the unused Rockaway Beach Branch rail line in southeastern Queens. The city, led by Mayor Adams, pushes a park-only project, funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation. Rick Horan, QueensLink’s executive director, argues the plan blocks a vital north-south rail corridor, denying disadvantaged communities access to jobs, education, and healthcare. The op-ed states: 'It is simply irresponsible to build a park on a viable transit right-of-way in the biggest city in America.' State Senators James Sanders, Jr. and Joe Addabbo, Assembly Member Stacey Amato, and Council Members Selvena Brooks-Powers, JoAnn Ariola, and Bob Holden support studies and funding for the rails-and-trails QueensLink alternative. The mayor’s plan faces criticism for ignoring public input and environmental justice. No safety impact assessment for vulnerable road users was provided.

• Op-Ed: Keeping Poor Residents in Transit Deserts is Getting Expensive, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-04-04

Apr 4 - Queens fights over a rail line. The mayor backs a park. Advocates demand transit. Poor residents lose out. Elected officials split. The city risks locking out thousands from jobs and care. The debate rages. No one asks the people.

This op-ed, published April 4, 2024, covers the battle over the unused Rockaway Beach Branch rail line in southeastern Queens. The city, led by Mayor Adams, pushes a park-only project, funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation. Rick Horan, QueensLink’s executive director, argues the plan blocks a vital north-south rail corridor, denying disadvantaged communities access to jobs, education, and healthcare. The op-ed states: 'It is simply irresponsible to build a park on a viable transit right-of-way in the biggest city in America.' State Senators James Sanders, Jr. and Joe Addabbo, Assembly Member Stacey Amato, and Council Members Selvena Brooks-Powers, JoAnn Ariola, and Bob Holden support studies and funding for the rails-and-trails QueensLink alternative. The mayor’s plan faces criticism for ignoring public input and environmental justice. No safety impact assessment for vulnerable road users was provided.

• Op-Ed: Keeping Poor Residents in Transit Deserts is Getting Expensive, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-04-04