Bayside Bleeds While Leaders Stall—How Many More Lives?

Senate passed S 3897. More state cash flows to cities that build complete streets. Lawmakers push for safer roads. Pedestrians and cyclists get a shot at survival.

Bill S 3897 cleared the Senate committee on March 2, 2022, with a final vote on May 25, 2022. The bill, titled 'Relates to complete street design features and funding of construction and improvements at a municipalities' expense,' boosts state funding for transportation projects when cities add complete street features. Senator Kennedy sponsored the bill. Senators including Cooney, Gallivan, Kaminsky, Kaplan, Liu, and others voted yes. The measure aims to tie state money to safer street design, pushing municipalities to build roads that protect people outside cars.

• File S 3897, Open States, Published 2022-05-25

Senate passed S 5602 to keep school zone speed cameras running longer. More eyes on reckless drivers. Lawmakers push back against speeding near kids. The vote was clear. The danger remains.

Bill S 5602, titled 'Relates to the hours of operation of a school zone speed camera demonstration program,' passed the Senate on May 25, 2022, and the Assembly on June 2, 2022. The bill extends the hours that speed cameras operate in New York City school zones. Primary sponsor: Senator Gounardes, with co-sponsors Biaggi, Cleare, Gianaris, Hoylman, Jackson, Kavanagh, Krueger, Myrie, Persaud, Ramos, Rivera, and Sepulveda. The measure saw strong support in both chambers, despite some opposition. The bill aims to keep cameras watching when children are at risk. More enforcement, more accountability. The fight for safer streets continues.

• File S 5602, Open States, Published 2022-05-25

Albany passed A 8936. Cities get more state cash if they build complete streets. Lawmakers want safer roads. The bill sailed through both chambers. Money now follows safety.

Bill A 8936, titled 'Relates to complete street design features and funding of construction and improvements at a municipalities' expense,' passed the Assembly on May 23, 2022, and the Senate on June 1, 2022. The bill boosts state funding for transportation projects when municipalities add complete street features. Assemblymember Fahy led as primary sponsor, joined by Hunter, Seawright, Woerner, and others. The Assembly and Senate both voted yes, with broad support. The law aims to push cities to design streets for everyone—pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers—by tying state dollars to safety upgrades.

• File A 8936, Open States, Published 2022-05-23

Albany passed A 8936. Cities get more state cash if they build complete streets. Lawmakers want safer roads. The bill sailed through both chambers. Money now follows safety.

Bill A 8936, titled 'Relates to complete street design features and funding of construction and improvements at a municipalities' expense,' passed the Assembly on May 23, 2022, and the Senate on June 1, 2022. The bill boosts state funding for transportation projects when municipalities add complete street features. Assemblymember Fahy led as primary sponsor, joined by Hunter, Seawright, Woerner, and others. The Assembly and Senate both voted yes, with broad support. The law aims to push cities to design streets for everyone—pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers—by tying state dollars to safety upgrades.

• File A 8936, Open States, Published 2022-05-23

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 2022-05-23

Albany passed A 8936. Cities get more state cash if they build complete streets. Lawmakers want safer roads. The bill sailed through both chambers. Money now follows safety.

Bill A 8936, titled 'Relates to complete street design features and funding of construction and improvements at a municipalities' expense,' passed the Assembly on May 23, 2022, and the Senate on June 1, 2022. The bill boosts state funding for transportation projects when municipalities add complete street features. Assemblymember Fahy led as primary sponsor, joined by Hunter, Seawright, Woerner, and others. The Assembly and Senate both voted yes, with broad support. The law aims to push cities to design streets for everyone—pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers—by tying state dollars to safety upgrades.

• File A 8936, Open States, Published 2022-05-23

Albany passed A 8936. Cities get more state cash if they build complete streets. Lawmakers want safer roads. The bill sailed through both chambers. Money now follows safety.

Bill A 8936, titled 'Relates to complete street design features and funding of construction and improvements at a municipalities' expense,' passed the Assembly on May 23, 2022, and the Senate on June 1, 2022. The bill boosts state funding for transportation projects when municipalities add complete street features. Assemblymember Fahy led as primary sponsor, joined by Hunter, Seawright, Woerner, and others. The Assembly and Senate both voted yes, with broad support. The law aims to push cities to design streets for everyone—pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers—by tying state dollars to safety upgrades.

• File A 8936, Open States, Published 2022-05-23

Albany passed A 8936. Cities get more state cash if they build complete streets. Lawmakers want safer roads. The bill sailed through both chambers. Money now follows safety.

Bill A 8936, titled 'Relates to complete street design features and funding of construction and improvements at a municipalities' expense,' passed the Assembly on May 23, 2022, and the Senate on June 1, 2022. The bill boosts state funding for transportation projects when municipalities add complete street features. Assemblymember Fahy led as primary sponsor, joined by Hunter, Seawright, Woerner, and others. The Assembly and Senate both voted yes, with broad support. The law aims to push cities to design streets for everyone—pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers—by tying state dollars to safety upgrades.

• File A 8936, Open States, Published 2022-05-23

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 2022-05-23

Albany stalls on S5602. The mayor stays quiet. Speed cameras hang in the balance. Some senators push for 24/7 enforcement. Others hedge. Council members want camera cash for roads. The clock runs out. Streets stay dangerous. Lives hang on the vote.

Senate bill S5602, sponsored by Sen. Andrew Gounardes, would expand New York City’s speed camera program to 24/7 operation. The legislative session nears its end with no clear action. State Sen. Jabari Brisport supports the bill, calling for round-the-clock enforcement. Sen. John Liu backs maintaining cameras but won’t commit to S5602. Some City Council members demand that camera revenue fund local road improvements. Assembly Member Dick Gottfried doubts the Council will send the required home rule message in time, while Assembly Member William Magnarelli promises to advance the bill if they do. Mayor Adams’ team claims safety was discussed in Albany, but the mayor himself stayed silent. The bill faces opposition over increased penalties and insurance notifications. Without action, the city’s speed cameras—and the safety of its streets—are at risk.

• ALBANY NOTEBOOK: Mayor Treks Upstate, But Speed Cameras are Still at Risk of Expiring, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2022-05-18

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 2022-05-16

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 2022-05-16

A sedan slammed into the back of a flatbed truck on the Long Island Expressway. The sedan driver, a 53-year-old man, suffered head injuries and whiplash. The crash happened as the sedan was slowing and the truck moved straight ahead.

According to the police report, a sedan traveling west on the Long Island Expressway rear-ended a flatbed truck also heading west. The sedan driver, a 53-year-old man, was injured with head trauma and whiplash but was conscious and restrained by a lap belt and harness. The report lists "Following Too Closely" as the contributing factor. The sedan was slowing or stopping before impact, which occurred at the center back end of the truck and the center front end of the sedan. Both drivers were licensed. No other contributing factors or victim errors were noted.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4527403 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-10

City Hall fumbled in Albany. Traffic camera renewal hangs by a thread. Lawmakers cite weak outreach. Speed and red light cameras may go dark. Vulnerable New Yorkers face rising danger. The mayor’s team scrambles, but time runs out.

On May 10, 2022, critics blasted Mayor Eric Adams’ Albany efforts to secure key NYC priorities, including the renewal and expansion of speed and red light camera programs. The matter, covered in the article 'Critics slam Eric Adams’ Albany efforts on NYC priorities,' highlights City Hall’s inconsistent lobbying as the legislative session neared its end. Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez was sent to push for stalled camera legislation, but lawmakers like State Sen. John Liu said the mayor’s direct engagement was lacking. Andrea Stewart-Cousins, mentioned in the coverage, is a key Albany figure. The bill’s fate remains uncertain. If the cameras expire, enforcement near schools vanishes, exposing pedestrians and cyclists to greater risk. The city’s last-minute push may not be enough to protect its most vulnerable road users.

• Critics slam Eric Adams’ Albany efforts on NYC priorities, nypost.com, Published 2022-05-10

Two SUVs collided on the Long Island Expressway. One driver merged inattentively, striking the rear of the other. A 27-year-old male driver suffered a head contusion but was conscious and restrained. Multiple driver distractions contributed to the crash.

According to the police report, the crash involved two SUVs traveling west on the Long Island Expressway. One driver was merging while the other was going straight ahead. The merging driver struck the rear center of the other vehicle. The 27-year-old male driver of the struck vehicle was injured, sustaining a head contusion but remained conscious and was wearing a lap belt and harness. The report lists driver errors including Driver Inattention/Distraction and Improper Passing or Lane Usage. These factors contributed to the collision. No pedestrian or cyclist was involved. The crash caused damage to the center front and back ends of the vehicles.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4520705 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-10

Two sedans crashed on 217 Street. A woman driver suffered neck injuries and whiplash. Police cited failure to yield and distraction. Both cars took heavy damage. The injured driver was conscious and belted.

According to the police report, two sedans collided at 217 Street and 47 Avenue in Queens. The crash left a 53-year-old woman driver with neck injuries and whiplash. Police cited failure to yield right-of-way and driver inattention or distraction as contributing factors. The woman was conscious, not ejected, and wore a lap belt and harness. Her Honda sedan struck the center front end; the other sedan, a Subaru, was hit on the left side doors. Both drivers were licensed in New York. The crash caused significant damage to both vehicles.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4517424 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-10

A 15-year-old girl suffered abdominal and pelvic injuries in a Queens crash. Two SUVs collided, one traveling north, the other parked. The girl was front-seat passenger, restrained with a lap belt and airbag deployed. Driver distraction caused the impact.

According to the police report, the crash occurred on East Hampton Boulevard in Queens at 3:50 a.m. Two sport utility vehicles were involved, one traveling north and the other parked. A 15-year-old female occupant, seated in the front passenger seat, was injured with abdominal and pelvic trauma. She was not ejected and was restrained by a lap belt and airbag. The report lists driver inattention and distraction as contributing factors to the collision. The impact occurred at the center front end of the moving SUV and the center back end of the parked vehicle. No other injuries or violations were noted in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4516617 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-10

An 85-year-old woman driving an SUV in Queens was injured in a crash around 12:40 a.m. The vehicle’s front center end took the impact. The driver suffered shock and unknown injuries. Police noted pedestrian confusion as a factor.

According to the police report, an 85-year-old female driver in a 2015 Lexus SUV was injured in a crash on East Hampton Boulevard in Queens. The vehicle sustained damage to its center front end. The driver was not ejected but experienced shock and unknown bodily injuries. The report lists "Pedestrian/Bicyclist/Other Pedestrian Error/Confusion" as a contributing factor. No driver errors were explicitly cited in the data. The SUV was traveling east, going straight ahead at the time of impact. The airbag deployed during the collision. The report does not indicate any helmet use or signaling issues.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4515562 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-10

A 49-year-old man was injured on Bell Boulevard in Queens. He was not in the roadway when struck. The impact caused knee, lower leg, and foot injuries. The pedestrian was left in shock. No driver errors were reported.

According to the police report, a 49-year-old male pedestrian was injured on Bell Boulevard near 48 Avenue in Queens. The pedestrian was not in the roadway at the time of the crash but sustained injuries to his knee, lower leg, and foot. The report lists no contributing factors or driver errors such as failure to yield or speeding. The pedestrian was in shock following the incident. The vehicle involved is unspecified, and no details about the driver or vehicle condition are provided. The report does not mention any safety equipment or pedestrian actions contributing to the crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4509531 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-10

Two sedans crashed at 221 Street in Queens. A 3-year-old passenger suffered back injuries and shock. The collision involved a left-turning driver and a straight-moving vehicle. Failure to yield right-of-way and driver inexperience contributed to the crash.

According to the police report, two sedans collided on 221 Street in Queens. One driver was making a left turn while the other was traveling straight. The impact occurred at the center front end of both vehicles. A 3-year-old female passenger in the right rear seat was injured, suffering back pain and shock. The child was restrained in a child safety seat. The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Driver Inexperience' as contributing factors. Both drivers held valid licenses. The crash caused damage to the front ends of both vehicles.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4508946 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-10