No More Bodies for the Spreadsheet: Demand Safe Streets Now

Jul 14 - Council bill lets ambulettes drive and park in bus lanes. Double-parking allowed to help passengers. Streets grow tighter. Danger for walkers and riders rises.

Bill Int 1339-2025 sits in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Introduced July 14, 2025, by Council Members Julie Menin and Linda Lee, it would 'exempt ambulettes from certain bus lane restrictions and allow them to double park to assist passengers.' The bill grants ambulettes the right to drive, stop, and double-park in bus lanes while helping passengers. Menin and Lee sponsor the measure, which was referred to committee on July 14. No safety analysis was provided. The change would squeeze vulnerable road users, making sidewalks and crossings riskier.

• File Int 1339-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-07-14

Jul 14 - Council bill lets ambulettes drive and double-park in bus lanes. More vehicles in bus lanes mean more risk for people walking, biking, and waiting at curbs. Danger grows where curb chaos reigns.

Bill Int 1339-2025 sits with the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure since July 14, 2025. The bill, titled 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code...exempting ambulettes from certain bus lane restrictions and allowing them to double park to assist passengers,' would let ambulettes drive, stop, and double-park in bus lanes to help passengers. Council Member Julie Menin sponsors, joined by Linda Lee, Frank Morano, Eric Dinowitz, Lynn C. Schulman, Kamillah Hanks, Carlina Rivera, and Chris Banks. Allowing more vehicles to double-park and block bus lanes increases risk for pedestrians and cyclists at the curb. The city’s most vulnerable will face more conflict and less safe space.

• File Int 1339-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-07-14

Jul 14 - Council bill lets ambulettes use bus lanes and double-park to help passengers. More vehicles in bus lanes, more double-parking. Vulnerable road users face tighter, riskier streets.

Int 1339-2025, now in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, was introduced July 14, 2025 by Council Member Linda Lee. The bill, titled 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to exempting ambulettes from certain bus lane restrictions and allowing them to double park to assist passengers,' lets ambulettes drive, park, and double-park in bus lanes to help passengers. Lee sponsored the bill. If passed, more vehicles will block bus lanes and sidewalks, squeezing pedestrians and cyclists. The city’s most vulnerable will face more danger at the curb.

• File Int 1339-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-07-14

Jul 14 - Council bill lets ambulettes drive and double-park in bus lanes to help passengers. Streets narrow. Danger grows for walkers and riders. Vulnerable users pay the price.

Bill Int 1339-2025 sits in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Introduced July 14, 2025, by Council Member Linda Lee, it would 'exempt ambulettes from certain bus lane restrictions and allow them to double park to assist passengers.' Lee sponsored the measure, which was referred to committee the same day. The bill lets ambulettes drive, park, and double-park in bus lanes to help passengers board and deboard. No safety review was provided. The move risks more blocked lanes and sightlines, putting pedestrians and cyclists in harm’s way.

• File Int 1339-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-07-14

Jul 14 - Council bill lets ambulettes drive and double-park in bus lanes to help passengers. Streets narrow. Danger grows for walkers and riders. Vulnerable users pay the price.

Bill Int 1339-2025 sits in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Introduced July 14, 2025, by Council Member Linda Lee, it would 'exempt ambulettes from certain bus lane restrictions and allow them to double park to assist passengers.' Lee sponsored the measure, which was referred to committee the same day. The bill lets ambulettes drive, park, and double-park in bus lanes to help passengers board and deboard. No safety review was provided. The move risks more blocked lanes and sightlines, putting pedestrians and cyclists in harm’s way.

• File Int 1339-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-07-14

Jul 8 - Hillside Avenue chokes on cars. Buses crawl at four miles per hour. New lanes promise relief for 215,000 riders. Space shifts from cars to buses. Streets change. Riders wait.

Gothamist (2025-07-08) reports new bus lanes are coming to Hillside Avenue, Queens. Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez said the corridor suffers from 'an inconsistent, patchwork design' and blocked lanes. Buses crawl at four miles per hour due to congestion. Only a third of road space serves buses, though 83% of transit users ride them. The project adds camera-enforced bus lanes, parking, and loading zones. Policy shifts road space from private cars to public transit, aiming to speed up service for 215,000 daily riders.

• Bus Lanes Target Congestion On Hillside Avenue, Gothamist, Published 2025-07-08

Jul 5 - City aims to carve bike lanes into 31st Street. Merchants fear lost access. Residents cite danger. DOT points to dozens hurt, two killed. The street stays deadly. The fight over space continues.

According to the New York Post (2025-07-05), the NYC Department of Transportation plans to narrow lanes and add bike paths on 31st Street in Astoria, Queens. The DOT cites 126 injured vehicle occupants, 33 injured pedestrians, 24 injured cyclists, and two deaths from 2020 to 2024, calling it 'one of the most dangerous streets in Queens.' Business owners warn the changes will block deliveries and threaten livelihoods. Residents worry about access and safety, especially for the elderly and students. The plan highlights the tension between street redesigns and the needs of vulnerable road users.

• City Bike Lane Plan Sparks Queens Clash, New York Post, Published 2025-07-05

Jul 4 - A boy, 15, fell from a No. 7 train at Queensboro Plaza. He landed on the tracks. Medics rushed him to the hospital. He died. The NYPD is investigating. Two other subway incidents happened that morning.

ABC7 reported on July 4, 2025, that a 15-year-old boy died after falling from the top of a No. 7 train at Queensboro Plaza station. The article states, "Police say the 15-year-old boy was riding on top of a No. 7 train around 2:45 a.m." and "He fell onto the tracks as it pulled into the Queensboro Plaza station." The NYPD is investigating this and two other incidents: a person struck by a J train and another killed while walking between cars on a No. 2 train. The events highlight ongoing dangers in the subway system and raise questions about platform and train safety.

• Teen Dies Falling From No. 7 Train, ABC7, Published 2025-07-04

Jul 2 - A sedan hit a young e-bike rider at 61 Avenue and Marathon Parkway. The cyclist suffered a fractured leg. Police cite traffic control ignored. Metal met flesh. Streets failed again.

A sedan and an e-bike collided at 61 Avenue and Marathon Parkway in Queens. The 20-year-old e-bike rider suffered a fractured leg. According to the police report, both drivers disregarded traffic control. The report lists 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as a contributing factor. The sedan's front end struck the cyclist. No other injuries were reported. The crash exposes the danger when drivers ignore the rules and vulnerable road users pay the price.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4825043 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Jun 30 - Council orders swift removal of abandoned, derelict cars. Streets clear in 72 hours. No plates, no stickers, no excuses. Police and sanitation must act. Safer crossings for all who walk, ride, or wait.

Bill Int 0857-2024, now at the Mayor's desk, passed the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and full Council on June 30, 2025. The bill, titled "A Local Law to amend the administrative code...in relation to vehicles reported as abandoned to the department of sanitation," requires the Department of Sanitation to remove derelict vehicles within 72 hours of report. The NYPD must tow cars lacking valid plates or stickers. Prime sponsor Selvena N. Brooks-Powers led, joined by Crystal Hudson, Amanda Farías, Lincoln Restler, and others. The law targets street hazards, clearing blocked sightlines and crosswalks. It aims to cut risks for pedestrians and cyclists by removing abandoned vehicles fast.

• File Int 0857-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-06-30

Jun 30 - Council orders swift removal of abandoned, derelict cars. Streets clear in 72 hours. No plates, no stickers, no excuses. Police and sanitation must act. Safer crossings for all who walk, ride, or wait.

Bill Int 0857-2024, now at the Mayor's desk, passed the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and full Council on June 30, 2025. The bill, titled "A Local Law to amend the administrative code...in relation to vehicles reported as abandoned to the department of sanitation," requires the Department of Sanitation to remove derelict vehicles within 72 hours of report. The NYPD must tow cars lacking valid plates or stickers. Prime sponsor Selvena N. Brooks-Powers led, joined by Crystal Hudson, Amanda Farías, Lincoln Restler, and others. The law targets street hazards, clearing blocked sightlines and crosswalks. It aims to cut risks for pedestrians and cyclists by removing abandoned vehicles fast.

• File Int 0857-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-06-30

Jun 26 - Sedan hit moped on Horace Harding Expressway. One moped rider injured. Police cite unsafe speed and lane change. Metal and bodies collided. Streets stayed dangerous.

A sedan and a moped collided on Horace Harding Expressway at 253rd Street in Queens. One moped driver, age 51, suffered a leg injury. According to the police report, the crash involved unsafe speed and unsafe lane changing. The sedan was going straight; the moped was changing lanes. Multiple people were involved, including passengers and registrants, but only the moped driver was reported injured. The report lists 'Unsafe Speed' and 'Unsafe Lane Changing' as contributing factors. No helmet or signal use is mentioned as a factor.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4823573 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Jun 24 - A pickup tore through Astoria. It struck Amanda Servedio, a cyclist with the right of way. She flew from her bike. The driver fled. Police found the truck later. Servedio died at Elmhurst Hospital. The city lost another rider.

Gothamist reported on June 24, 2025, that Bekim Fiseku was indicted for murder and manslaughter after fatally striking cyclist Amanda Servedio in Astoria. Prosecutors say Fiseku, fleeing police after an attempted burglary, sped through red lights and bike lanes, ultimately hitting Servedio at 37th Street and 34th Avenue. Surveillance captured the chase. The indictment states, 'The defendant allegedly led police on a 10-minute chase through the crowded streets.' Servedio, 36, was returning from a cycling event and had the right of way. Fiseku abandoned his truck and evaded arrest until February. The case highlights the lethal risk posed by reckless drivers and high-speed police pursuits on city streets.

• Cyclist Killed In Astoria Police Chase, Gothamist, Published 2025-06-24

Jun 23 - A pickup fleeing police struck Amanda Servedio on her bike. The crash hurled her thirty feet. She died at the scene. The driver, Bekim Fiseku, ran. Police chased him through residential streets. Eight months later, they made an arrest.

According to NY Daily News (2025-06-23), Amanda Servedio, 37, was killed when a Dodge Ram pickup, fleeing NYPD officers, struck her at 37th St. and 34th Ave. in Queens. The driver, Bekim Fiseku, was wanted for burglary and had tape over his license plate. Police chased him nearly a mile through residential streets. A witness said, "She went airborne. She flew like 30 feet. It was a lot of force." The article highlights concerns about NYPD's pursuit tactics, quoting the victim's father: "It was probably not the place to be doing a high-speed chase, in the residential neighborhood." Fiseku faces murder and manslaughter charges. The case raises questions about the risks of police chases in dense city neighborhoods.

• Police Chase Ends With Cyclist Killed, NY Daily News, Published 2025-06-23

Jun 17 - Senate passes S 8344. School speed zone rules in New York City get extended. Lawmakers make technical fixes. The bill keeps pressure on drivers near schools. Streets stay a little safer for kids.

Bill S 8344, titled 'Extends provisions and makes technical corrections to school speed zones in NYC; repealer,' moved through the Senate and Assembly in June 2025. Sponsored by Senator Andrew Gounardes, the bill passed Senate votes on June 12 and June 13, and cleared the Assembly on June 17. The measure extends and corrects school speed zone laws in New York City, repealing outdated provisions. Gounardes led the push, with strong support from most Senate Democrats and a split Assembly. The bill's technical fixes aim to keep protections in place for children and other vulnerable road users near schools. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File S 8344, Open States, Published 2025-06-17

Jun 16 - White Plains gets speed cameras near schools. Lawmakers move fast. Most vote yes. Cameras catch drivers who endanger kids. Program ends 2030. Streets may slow. Danger faces children every day.

Senate Bill S 7678, sponsored by Shelley Mayer, establishes a school speed zone camera demonstration program in White Plains. The bill passed the Senate on June 11, 2025, and the Assembly on June 16, 2025. The matter reads: 'Establishes a school speed zone camera demonstration program in the city of White Plains; repeals authorization of program December 31, 2030.' Mayer led the push. Most senators and assembly members voted yes. The bill aims to catch speeding drivers near schools, a known threat to children and families. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File S 7678, Open States, Published 2025-06-16

Jun 16 - Senate passed S 7785. The bill carves out large Mitchell-Lama housing from bus traffic rules. Lawmakers voted yes. The carve-out weakens enforcement. Streets grow less safe for people on foot and bike.

Bill S 7785, titled 'Relates to bus operation-related traffic regulations,' passed the Senate and Assembly in June 2025. The measure, sponsored by Senator Jamaal Bailey, excludes violations in cooperative housing developments with at least 10,000 Mitchell-Lama units from bus operation traffic regulations. The bill advanced through committee and received broad support in both chambers. By exempting these large complexes, the law weakens traffic enforcement where thousands live. This move increases risk to pedestrians and cyclists, stripping away protections that save lives. Vulnerable road users lose another layer of safety in dense city streets.

• File S 7785, Open States, Published 2025-06-16

Jun 13 - Lawmakers back speed cameras near Schenectady schools. The bill passed both chambers. Cameras catch drivers who endanger kids. The program ends in 2030. Streets near schools may get safer. The vote was not unanimous.

Senate Bill S 5677, titled 'Establishes a school speed zone camera demonstration program in the city of Schenectady,' moved through the Senate and Assembly in June 2025. The Senate passed it on June 12, with primary sponsor James Tedisco (District 44) and co-sponsor Patricia Fahy (District 46) leading the push. The Assembly approved it on June 13. The bill sets up automated speed enforcement near schools and sunsets December 31, 2030. The measure aims to catch speeding drivers near children. Some lawmakers voted no, but most supported the move. No formal safety analyst note was provided, but the bill targets a known danger zone for vulnerable road users.

• File S 5677, Open States, Published 2025-06-13

Jun 13 - Senate and Assembly clear S 6815. MTA workers get a pass for driving in bus lanes while on duty. Law shields agency vehicles from tickets. Streets grow more crowded. Vulnerable users face more risk.

Bill S 6815, titled 'Relates to bus lane restrictions in New York city,' passed the Senate on June 12, 2025, and the Assembly on June 13, 2025. The bill states, 'it shall be a defense to any prosecution for a violation of a bus lane restriction ... when an employee of the metropolitan transportation authority is performing authorized duties.' Sponsored by Senator Leroy Comrie and co-sponsored by Nathalia Fernandez, the measure exempts MTA employees from bus lane tickets while working. No safety analysis was provided. The bill opens bus lanes to more agency vehicles, crowding space meant for buses, cyclists, and pedestrians.

• File S 6815, Open States, Published 2025-06-13

Jun 13 - Senate passes S 8344. School speed zone rules in New York City get extended. Lawmakers make technical fixes. The bill keeps pressure on drivers near schools. Streets stay a little safer for kids.

Bill S 8344, titled 'Extends provisions and makes technical corrections to school speed zones in NYC; repealer,' moved through the Senate and Assembly in June 2025. Sponsored by Senator Andrew Gounardes, the bill passed Senate votes on June 12 and June 13, and cleared the Assembly on June 17. The measure extends and corrects school speed zone laws in New York City, repealing outdated provisions. Gounardes led the push, with strong support from most Senate Democrats and a split Assembly. The bill's technical fixes aim to keep protections in place for children and other vulnerable road users near schools. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File S 8344, Open States, Published 2025-06-13