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

Senate passed S 5130. The bill pushes complete street design. It aims for safe access for all. Pedestrians and cyclists get a shot at safer roads. The vote was split, but the bill moved forward.

Senate bill S 5130, titled 'Enables safe access to public roads for all users by utilizing complete street design principles,' passed committee votes on March 2 and May 16, 2022. Senator Kennedy sponsored the bill. Support came from members like Jeremy Cooney, Anna Kaplan, and John Liu. Dissent came from Patrick Gallivan and Susan Serino. The bill pushes cities to design roads for everyone—pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers. It marks a shift from car-first planning. The measure aims to cut risk for people outside cars. Full vote details and text are at the New York Senate website.

• File S 5130, Open States, Published 2022-03-02

Three vehicles collided on Northern Boulevard. A sedan struck the back of a pick-up truck, which then hit another truck. The sedan driver, a 24-year-old man, suffered knee and lower leg injuries and whiplash. The crash involved following too closely.

According to the police report, a chain collision occurred on Northern Boulevard involving a sedan and two pick-up trucks all traveling east. The sedan driver, a 24-year-old man, was injured with knee, lower leg, and foot trauma, along with whiplash. The report lists "Following Too Closely" as a contributing factor, indicating the sedan driver failed to maintain a safe distance. All drivers were licensed and slowing or stopping before impact. The sedan struck the center back end of the first pick-up truck, which then collided with the second truck. The injured driver was restrained with a lap belt and harness and was not ejected.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4506643 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-12

Forty years. No greenway. Queens waits as city stalls. Parks and DOT talk, but no cash. Council Member Sandra Ung vows to fight for funding. Cyclists and families left exposed. The path remains a promise. Danger and delay linger.

This action concerns the long-delayed Queens Greenway, discussed in a public statement on February 17, 2022. The project, first planned in 1977 and 1988, would connect Flushing Meadows Corona Park to Fort Totten with a safe route for pedestrians and cyclists. The Parks Department and DOT presented a new vision but admitted that none of the $105 million needed is funded. Council Member Sandra Ung, representing parts of the greenway, said, 'I want to finally see it become a reality,' and stressed the need for accessible open spaces. Still, she could not commit any specific funding. Cycling advocates criticized the city for asking residents to pick favorite sub-projects, calling it a tactic to lower expectations. The city offered no timeline. Vulnerable road users remain at risk as the greenway languishes.

• This Time the Charm: Will Long-Delayed Queens Greenway Finally Get Funding?, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2022-02-17

Senate and Assembly passed S 1078. New drivers must now learn how to avoid hitting people on foot or bike. Law aims to cut crashes at the root—before drivers get the keys.

Bill S 1078, introduced in the Senate on April 27, 2021, requires pedestrian and bicyclist safety instruction in the drivers pre-licensing course. The bill moved through committee and passed the Senate and Assembly, with key votes on May 20, 2021, February 1, 2022, May 16, 2022, and May 23, 2022. The matter summary reads: 'Requires instruction in pedestrian and bicyclist safety as part of the drivers pre-licensing course.' Primary sponsor: Senator Gounardes, joined by Bailey, Biaggi, Brisport, Cleare, Comrie, and others. The measure targets driver ignorance, a root cause of deadly crashes, by putting vulnerable road users at the center of driver education.

• File S 1078, Open States, Published 2022-02-01

A 19-year-old crossed with the signal. An Audi turned left. Steel hit flesh. His hip broke. The driver kept going. The street stayed quiet. The wound did not.

A 2007 Audi sedan, driven by a 49-year-old woman, struck a 19-year-old man as he crossed Utopia Parkway with the signal. According to the police report, the driver was making a left turn when she failed to yield the right-of-way. The impact shattered the pedestrian’s hip and left him in pain. The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the primary contributing factor. The driver remained licensed and uninjured. The pedestrian was crossing legally at the intersection. No other contributing factors were noted in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4496432 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-12

A woman died after being shoved onto Times Square subway tracks. The train struck her. Police arrested the suspect. Council Member Julie Won joined officials at the scene. Leaders promised action. The system failed a vulnerable New Yorker. Riders remain exposed.

On January 16, 2022, Council Member Julie Won (District 26) joined city and state officials in response to a fatal subway incident. The matter, titled "Suspect Charged With Murder In 'Unprovoked' Fatal Shoving Of Woman Onto Times Square Subway Tracks," details the killing of Michelle Go, who was pushed onto the tracks and struck by a train. Mayor Eric Adams and Governor Kathy Hochul pledged to improve subway safety and address mental health and homelessness in transit. Won stood with other lawmakers, highlighting the impact on Asian-American communities. The council has not advanced specific legislation, but the event underscores the urgent need for systemic protections for vulnerable riders. No safety analyst assessment was provided.

• Suspect Charged With Murder In "Unprovoked" Fatal Shoving Of Woman Onto Times Square Subway Tracks, gothamist.com, Published 2022-01-16