Six Dead, No Change: Auburndale’s Streets Are Killing Us

Sep 11 - Southbound on Clearview Expressway, a sedan driver hit a box truck stopped in traffic. The 93-year-old driver bled badly. The truck driver suffered a head injury. Police recorded driver inattention and distraction.

A crash on Clearview Expressway involved a southbound sedan and a box truck stopped in traffic. The driver of the sedan went straight and hit the back of the truck. The sedan’s 93-year-old woman driver was injured with severe bleeding and leg trauma. The 38-year-old man driving the truck reported a head injury. According to the police report, the contributing factor was “Driver Inattention/Distraction.” Police recorded driver inattention/distraction in the crash. The truck had center back-end damage. The sedan had center front-end damage. Both drivers were licensed in New York. No pedestrians or cyclists were reported injured.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4842053 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Sep 3 - A westbound driver hit a parked car at 203 St and 32 Ave in Queens. The woman driver suffered a neck bruise. Two others were listed with unspecified injuries. Police cited “Illnes” as a factor.

At 11:50 a.m. at 203 St and 32 Ave in Queens, a driver in a 2016 Toyota sedan going west hit a parked 2022 Chevrolet sedan. The driver, a 66-year-old woman, was hurt with a neck contusion. Two additional people tied to the crash were listed with unspecified injuries. According to the police report, the moving vehicle was “Going Straight Ahead” and the other was “Parked.” The report lists “Illnes” as a contributing factor. Police recorded “Illnes” by the driver. No pedestrians or cyclists were reported injured.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4839446 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Aug 23 - The driver of a northbound sedan ran traffic control and hit the right side of an eastbound SUV at Utopia Pkwy and 28 Ave. One driver suffered chest contusions and was listed injured. Police cited Traffic Control Disregarded.

The driver of a northbound sedan ran traffic control and struck the right side doors of an eastbound SUV at Utopia Parkway and 28 Avenue. A 28-year-old male driver suffered chest contusions and was recorded as injured. According to the police report, the contributing factor was "Traffic Control Disregarded." The sedan’s center front end contacted the SUV’s right side, matching the recorded points of impact. Both vehicles had one occupant and were recorded as traveling straight ahead. Police listed no other contributing factors for the injured driver.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4837400 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Aug 14 - Paladino moves to cut the Streets Master Plan. The bill deletes bus- and bike-lane quotas and their definitions. Accountability drops. Riders and walkers lose clear targets. The car status quo holds.

Int 1362-2025 sits in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure after introduction on August 14, 2025, and referral the same day. Sponsored by Council Member Vickie Paladino. The bill amends Admin Code §19-199.1 to repeal the definitions of “protected bicycle lane” and “protected bus lane,” and to strip lane quotas from the Streets Master Plan. The matter summary says, “This bill would remove the bus lane and bike lane quotas from the Streets Master Plan.” It also deletes protected lane reporting from neighborhood investment lists, while keeping other benchmarks for APS, bus stop upgrades, TSP, intersection redesigns, ramps, and pedestrian space. Status: in committee; no vote yet.

• File Int 1362-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-08-14

Aug 14 - Paladino’s bill guts the Streets Master Plan. It repeals definitions for protected bike and bus lanes and deletes their quotas. Riders and walkers lose firm targets. The city trades clear commitments for vague promises.

Int 1362-2025 sits in committee. The Council introduced it on August 14, 2025 and referred it to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure that day. Sponsored by Council Member Vickie Paladino (District 19). The bill repeals the definitions of protected bicycle lane and protected bus lane in Admin Code §19-199.1. It also strikes the Streets Master Plan benchmarks that required installing protected bike and bus lanes. As the matter summary states, "This bill would remove the bus lane and bike lane quotas from the Streets Master Plan." Other benchmarks remain: transit signal priority, bus stop upgrades, intersection redesigns, accessible pedestrian signals, pedestrian space, and ramps. The change erases clear lane targets for cyclists and bus riders.

• File Int 1362-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-08-14

Aug 14 - Paladino’s bill guts the Streets Master Plan. It repeals definitions for protected bike and bus lanes and deletes their quotas. Riders and walkers lose firm targets. The city trades clear commitments for vague promises.

Int 1362-2025 sits in committee. The Council introduced it on August 14, 2025 and referred it to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure that day. Sponsored by Council Member Vickie Paladino (District 19). The bill repeals the definitions of protected bicycle lane and protected bus lane in Admin Code §19-199.1. It also strikes the Streets Master Plan benchmarks that required installing protected bike and bus lanes. As the matter summary states, "This bill would remove the bus lane and bike lane quotas from the Streets Master Plan." Other benchmarks remain: transit signal priority, bus stop upgrades, intersection redesigns, accessible pedestrian signals, pedestrian space, and ramps. The change erases clear lane targets for cyclists and bus riders.

• File Int 1362-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-08-14

Aug 14 - Paladino moves to cut the Streets Master Plan. The bill deletes bus- and bike-lane quotas and their definitions. Accountability drops. Riders and walkers lose clear targets. The car status quo holds.

Int 1362-2025 sits in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure after introduction on August 14, 2025, and referral the same day. Sponsored by Council Member Vickie Paladino. The bill amends Admin Code §19-199.1 to repeal the definitions of “protected bicycle lane” and “protected bus lane,” and to strip lane quotas from the Streets Master Plan. The matter summary says, “This bill would remove the bus lane and bike lane quotas from the Streets Master Plan.” It also deletes protected lane reporting from neighborhood investment lists, while keeping other benchmarks for APS, bus stop upgrades, TSP, intersection redesigns, ramps, and pedestrian space. Status: in committee; no vote yet.

• File Int 1362-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-08-14

Aug 13 - A driver struck a man crossing 155th Street near JFK. The car sped off. Medics rushed the victim to the hospital. He died. Police searched for footage. No arrests. The street stayed silent.

NY Daily News (2025-08-13) reports a 52-year-old man was killed crossing 155th St. at South Conduit Ave. near JFK Airport around 2:30 a.m. The driver hit the man and fled. Police said, "The driver sped off without stopping. No arrests have been made." Officers searched for surveillance footage to identify the vehicle. The article notes 68 pedestrians have died in city crashes this year. The hit-and-run highlights ongoing dangers for those on foot and the challenge of holding drivers accountable.

• Queens Hit-And-Run Kills Pedestrian Near JFK, NY Daily News, Published 2025-08-13

Aug 12 - A car tore through an Astoria intersection. It struck a food truck. Two men died on the sidewalk. The driver died too. Metal, flesh, coffee, blood. The street swallowed them. It happened fast. No one stood a chance.

According to the New York Post (2025-08-12), an 84-year-old driver sped through 42nd Street and 19th Avenue in Astoria, Queens, crashing into a food truck and killing two customers and himself. Surveillance showed the car "going about 60 miles an hour" before impact. The article quotes a witness: "Someone screamed really loudly, and I just had stepped back, like right up to the sidewalk." The force severed a victim's foot. The crash highlights the lethal risk when drivers lose control at high speed in pedestrian zones. No charges were filed; the driver died at the scene.

• Speeding Car Slams Food Truck, Kills Two, New York Post, Published 2025-08-12

Aug 11 - A driver of an SUV hit a 12-year-old riding an e-bike at 195 Street and 56 Avenue in Queens. The boy was ejected and suffered whole-body injuries. Police recorded Failure to Yield by the driver.

An adult female driver of an SUV traveling east on 56 Avenue struck a 12-year-old male riding an e-bike southbound on 195 Street. The boy was ejected and suffered injuries to his entire body; police logged contusion/bruise complaints. According to the police report, the contributing factor was "Failure to Yield Right-of-Way." The SUV's center front is listed as the point of impact and damage. The e-bike operator is recorded as unlicensed. Both vehicles are listed as going straight before the crash. Police list the rider as injured and ejected.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4834296 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Aug 11 - A car thief fled cops, leaping into the Atlantic. Officers dove in, fought him in the water, and dragged him to shore. The chase began with a stolen sedan, ended in cold surf, cuffs snapping shut.

NY Daily News (2025-08-11) reports a car thief jumped into the Atlantic off Far Rockaway after police caught him with a stolen Honda. The suspect, Matthew Swafford, used a stolen North Carolina plate. Officers pursued him into the water, as shown in NYPD video. Detective Demerest called, 'Take my belt!' before diving in. Swafford was charged with possession of stolen property and other offenses. The incident highlights risks when suspects flee in stolen vehicles, raising questions about pursuit protocols and the dangers posed by car theft in dense urban areas.

• Car Thief Jumps Far Rockaway Dock, NY Daily News, Published 2025-08-11

Aug 8 - Floods drowned Bay Terrace. Streets vanished. Leaders demand signs and real fixes. Pedestrians and cyclists still face danger. Signs warn, but water keeps coming.

"Just as Queens was about to get hundreds of millions of dollars in the federal infrastructure plan to address some of the severe flooding issues right here in Queens, the Trump administration yanked it, revoked that funding, and this is what we’re going to have to be faced with even more." -- John Liu

On August 8, 2025, Queens Borough President Donovan Richards and Council Member Vickie Paladino, joined by State Sen. John Liu and others, called for flood-related street signage and storm mitigation in Bay Terrace. They urged the Department of Transportation to act after flash floods submerged the Cross Island Parkway. The matter, described as a 'call for flood-related street signage and storm mitigation efforts,' saw Richards call signage a 'small step' and Paladino stress the need for warnings. The safety analyst notes these efforts may help general conditions but do not address the core safety needs of pedestrians and cyclists or shift burdens away from vulnerable users.

• Queens leaders call for flood signage and infrastructure in Bay Terrace, AMNY, Published 2025-08-08

Aug 8 - Floods drowned Bay Terrace. Streets vanished. Leaders demand signs and real fixes. Pedestrians and cyclists still face danger. Signs warn, but water keeps coming.

On August 8, 2025, Queens Borough President Donovan Richards and Council Member Vickie Paladino, joined by State Sen. John Liu and others, called for flood-related street signage and storm mitigation in Bay Terrace. They urged the Department of Transportation to act after flash floods submerged the Cross Island Parkway. The matter, described as a 'call for flood-related street signage and storm mitigation efforts,' saw Richards call signage a 'small step' and Paladino stress the need for warnings. The safety analyst notes these efforts may help general conditions but do not address the core safety needs of pedestrians and cyclists or shift burdens away from vulnerable users.

• Queens leaders call for flood signage and infrastructure in Bay Terrace, AMNY, Published 2025-08-08

Aug 7 - Queens leaders kill Creedmoor’s car-free dream. The city bows to drivers. Walkers and cyclists lose. Streets stay hostile. Safety gains vanish. The promise of a people-first neighborhood dies.

On August 7, 2025, Eastern Queens Greenway condemned the city’s decision to scale back the Creedmoor redevelopment. The plan, once a bold vision for a car-free, walkable neighborhood, was gutted after pressure from local politicians like Assembly Member Ed Braunstein and Council Member Joann Ariola. The original proposal called for 2,775 homes and limited parking. Now, density drops by 27 percent. Empire State Development claims compromise, but the statement is aspirational and lacks concrete safety measures for pedestrians or cyclists. Vulnerable road users remain exposed. The city missed its chance.

• NYC Could Have Its First Car-Free Neighborhood (But Won’t Get It Due To Revanchist Pols), Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-08-07

Aug 3 - A driver struck an e-bike rider in Queens. A scooter rider crashed in Brooklyn. Both died. Streets claimed them. Police investigate. Lives ended fast. Metal and speed left no room for error.

NY Daily News (2025-08-03) reports two fatal e-vehicle crashes. On July 31, a 62-year-old Nissan Rogue driver hit Zhao Feng Zhen, 55, on Hollis Court Blvd in Queens. The driver remained at the scene; police continue to investigate. On July 12, Eusebio Quinones, 60, lost control of his electric scooter on Union Ave in Brooklyn and died from his injuries days later. The article notes, 'police are still investigating the crash.' These deaths highlight ongoing risks for vulnerable road users on city streets.

• Two Killed In Separate E-Vehicle Crashes, NY Daily News, Published 2025-08-03

Aug 1 - A car struck and killed a 23-year-old man on 101st Street. The driver sped off after an encounter at the window. Police found the victim with severe trauma. He died at Jamaica Hospital.

According to the New York Post (2025-08-01), a 23-year-old man died after being run over on 101st Street and Liberty Boulevard in Queens. The article reports, "Sonalall approached the driver's side window and flashed what appeared to be a gun, startling the motorist, who then drove off, striking Sonalall." The Queens District Attorney's Office did not charge the driver, citing fear for his life. The incident highlights the lethal risk when vehicles are used in moments of conflict. No charges were filed, raising questions about how self-defense is interpreted in car-related deaths.

• Man Killed By Driver In Queens Street, New York Post, Published 2025-08-01

Jul 31 - A driver in an SUV turned left on Hollis Court Blvd at 50 Ave. He hit a 55-year-old woman on an e-bike going straight. She suffered fatal chest injuries.

A 55-year-old woman riding an e-bike was killed after a driver in an SUV made a left turn on Hollis Court Blvd at 50 Ave in Queens and hit her as she went straight south. According to the police report, both were traveling south and the SUV’s right front quarter panel hit the e-bike’s left front. The rider was ejected and suffered fatal chest injuries. Police recorded all contributing factors as “Unspecified” and cited no driver error. The crash took the cyclist’s life and left another block marked by a turn gone wrong.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4832001 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Jul 30 - The driver of a sedan collided with another sedan at 46 Ave and 192 St in Queens. An 83-year-old woman driving one car suffered a bruised lower leg. Police recorded driver inattention and failure to yield.

The driver of an eastbound sedan collided with a northbound sedan at 46 Avenue and 192 Street in Queens. An 83-year-old woman driving one of the cars was injured, sustaining a contusion to her lower leg. According to the police report, "Driver Inattention/Distraction" and "Failure to Yield Right-of-Way" were contributing factors. Police recorded failure to yield by the driver. The front ends of both vehicles were damaged. No other injuries were specified in the report. Both named contributing factors are driver errors listed in the police data.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4831525 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Jul 29 - City and business leaders back a $3 million study to overhaul 14th Street. The plan aims to carve out space for walkers, bikers, and buses. Cars lose ground. Streets grow safer. The city bets on change.

On July 29, 2025, Christopher Bonanos reported a sweeping proposal to remake 14th Street. No council bill number or committee is listed. The Adams administration, local BIDs, and the NYC Economic Development Corporation pledged $3 million for a 24-month study. The plan, described as 'transformative' and 'generational,' aims to create a 'complete street' for pedestrians, cyclists, delivery workers, and transit. Mayor Eric Adams and city officials support the move. According to safety analysts, such overhauls, especially when led by city and business groups, often yield safer, more equitable streets for vulnerable users.

• Everyone Wants to Fix 14th Street, New York Magazine - Curbed, Published 2025-07-29

Jul 9 - A battery exploded. Fire roared. Yuet Kiu Cheung, 76, was trapped in smoke and flame inside a Queens pizzeria. She died from her burns. Lithium-ion danger struck again. Four others escaped.

According to the New York Post (2025-07-09), Yuet Kiu Cheung, 76, died after an e-bike battery exploded inside Singas Famous Pizzeria in Flushing, Queens. The FDNY described a 'blowtorch effect' that trapped Cheung as she tried to escape the bathroom. The article notes, 'These fires are treacherous. They move very quickly.' This was the first fatal lithium-ion battery fire in NYC for 2025, with officials citing a rising trend in such incidents. The battery was stored outside the bathroom, highlighting risks of indoor storage and the need for stronger safety measures.

• E-Bike Battery Blast Kills Woman In Queens, New York Post, Published 2025-07-09