Blood on the Crosswalk: South Jamaica Pays for City Hall’s Inaction

Mar 14 - Two sedans traveling north on VanWyck Expressway collided, injuring a rear-seat passenger. The crash caused back injuries and whiplash. Driver inattention and unsafe speed contributed to the impact, which damaged the left front panels of both vehicles.

According to the police report, two sedans traveling north on VanWyck Expressway collided at 4:50 AM. Both vehicles were going straight ahead when the collision occurred, impacting the left front quarter panel and left front bumper respectively. The report cites driver inattention and unsafe speed as contributing factors to the crash. A 42-year-old female passenger seated in the middle rear seat of one vehicle suffered back injuries and whiplash, remaining conscious and restrained by a lap belt. The report explicitly notes driver inattention and distraction as primary causes, highlighting systemic danger from driver errors. No pedestrian or cyclist was involved, and no victim behaviors were listed as contributing factors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4709457 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Mar 14 - Assembly bill A 9420 would cut congestion tolls for motorcycles in half. Sponsor Alicia Hyndman backs the move. No safety review yet for people on foot or bike. The city’s core stays risky.

Assembly bill A 9420, sponsored by Alicia Hyndman (District 29), is at the sponsorship stage. The bill, introduced March 14, 2024, lets the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority charge motorcycles half the congestion tolls of other vehicles in the central business district. The bill summary states: 'Authorizes the Triborough bridge and tunnel authority to impose tolls and fees for congestion pricing for motorcycles in the central business district in the amount of half of the charges for the tolls and fees of other vehicles.' No safety analyst has reviewed the impact on vulnerable road users. The risk to pedestrians and cyclists remains unaddressed.

• File A 9420, Open States, Published 2024-03-14

Mar 7 - Council moves to force DOT to post clear bus lane signs on every block. Riders and walkers need to know when cars must stay out. The bill demands public, block-by-block rules. No more guessing. Streets reveal their rules.

Int 0647-2024 sits in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure after introduction on March 7, 2024. The bill, titled "A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to bus lane restrictions," orders DOT to post signs on each block with bus lane rules and to publish hours online. Sponsors include Althea V. Stevens (primary), Chris Banks, Chi A. Ossé, Nantasha M. Williams, Carmen N. De La Rosa, Amanda Farías, Yusef Salaam, and Kevin C. Riley. The measure aims to end confusion and make bus lane rules plain for all. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File Int 0647-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-03-07

Mar 7 - Council wants every e-bike and scooter tagged and tracked. Plates on wheels. Riders face new rules. Lawmakers say it’s about order. The bill sits in committee. Streets wait.

Int 0606-2024 was introduced on March 7, 2024, in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The bill, titled "A Local Law to amend the administrative code...requiring that every bicycle with electric assist, electric scooter and other legal motorized vehicle be licensed and registered," would force all e-bikes, e-scooters, and similar vehicles not covered by DMV rules to register with DOT and display visible plates. Council Member Inna Vernikov is the primary sponsor, joined by 26 co-sponsors including Holden, Farías, Riley, and others. The bill was laid over in committee and has not advanced. No safety analysis for vulnerable road users was provided.

• File Int 0606-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-03-07

Feb 28 - Council bill pushes DOT to let schools, centers, and institutions use streets outside their doors. More people, less traffic. Streets shift from cars to community. Still in committee.

Int 0450-2024 sits with the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure since February 28, 2024. The bill orders DOT to create a program letting community centers, schools, arts, and religious institutions use adjacent outdoor spaces. The matter title reads: 'requiring the department of transportation to establish a program to allow community centers, schools, arts and cultural institutions and religious institutions to use adjacent outdoor spaces.' Council Member Shekar Krishnan leads, joined by Stevens, Restler, Won, and others. The bill has not yet passed. If enacted, it could reclaim space from cars, giving it to people. No formal safety analysis yet, but the measure could mean safer, more vibrant streets for all.

• File Int 0450-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

Feb 28 - Council moves to form a board on school crossing guard deployment. NYPD, DOT, and DOE must report twice a year. The aim: more eyes on street danger where kids cross.

Bill Int 0448-2024 sits in the Committee on Public Safety after introduction on February 28, 2024. The bill, titled "A Local Law to amend the administrative code...in relation to an advisory board on crossing guard deployment," calls for NYPD, DOT, and DOE to join an advisory board. The board must send biannual reports on crossing guard needs to the Mayor, Council Speaker, and Police Commissioner. Council Member Kamillah Hanks leads as primary sponsor, joined by Stevens, Schulman, Salaam, and others. The Bronx Borough President requested the bill. The board’s reports could spotlight gaps and push for better protection at dangerous crossings.

• File Int 0448-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

Feb 28 - Council bill pushes demand-based parking in crowded boroughs. DOT must set rates, tweak with notice. Exempt vehicles dodge new fees. Streets may shift. Pedestrians and cyclists watch the curb.

Int 0474-2024 sits in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Introduced February 28, 2024, by Julie Won and co-sponsored by Williams, Restler, Salaam, Bottcher, Riley, Brewer, Farías, and the Brooklyn Borough President. The bill orders DOT to create at least one dynamic parking zone per borough, with rates rising or falling by real-time demand. DOT must set the range before launch and give a week’s notice for changes. Vehicles with special permits stay exempt. The matter title reads: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to establishing dynamic parking zones.' No safety analyst has assessed the impact on vulnerable road users.

• File Int 0474-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

Feb 28 - Council bill demands NYPD track every time cops use cars as weapons. No more hiding behind vague stats. Each crash, each injury, must be counted. The city moves closer to truth.

Int 0255-2024 sits in the Committee on Public Safety. Introduced February 28, 2024, by Council Member Lincoln Restler and co-sponsored by Hudson, Won, Hanif, Bottcher, Brewer, Avilés, Abreu, Ossé, Krishnan, Williams, Cabán, Nurse, Sanchez, and at the Brooklyn Borough President's request. The bill reads: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code... in relation to use of force incidents involving police department use of a motor vehicle.' It forces the NYPD to report every use of a car to control a subject. No more lumping these acts with other force. The bill aims for hard numbers and real accountability. Vulnerable road users—pedestrians, cyclists, passengers—will no longer be invisible in police data.

• File Int 0255-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

Feb 28 - Council wants DOT to study how street design can keep commercial trucks out of residential blocks. The bill sits in committee. Streets should shelter people, not heavy traffic.

Int 0114-2024, now in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, was introduced on February 28, 2024. The bill orders the Department of Transportation to report on 'the utility and feasibility of using street design as a means to limit or reduce the use by commercial vehicles of streets in residential neighborhoods.' Jennifer Gutiérrez leads as primary sponsor, joined by Avilés, the Public Advocate, and others. The bill was referred to committee on the day of introduction. It demands a clear look at how design can push trucks off streets where people walk, bike, and live.

• File Int 0114-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

Feb 28 - Council bill would pay up to $1,000 for tips that help catch hit-and-run drivers who injure or kill. Police and city workers are barred from rewards. The measure targets unsolved crashes that leave victims behind.

Int 0143-2024, now in the Committee on Public Safety, was introduced February 28, 2024. The bill states: 'establishing a reward for individuals who provide information leading to the apprehension, prosecution or conviction of a person who seriously injures or kills another individual in a hit-and-run accident.' Council Member Rita C. Joseph leads as primary sponsor, joined by Brooks-Powers, Narcisse, Vernikov, Louis, Bottcher, Hudson, Gennaro, and Williams. The bill excludes law enforcement and city employees from eligibility. The aim is to mobilize the public to help solve hit-and-run cases, many of which remain unsolved, and bring justice for victims.

• File Int 0143-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

Feb 28 - Council targets repair shops and rentals clogging city streets with business vehicles. Fines hit hard. Streets clear for people, not profit. Committee weighs next move.

Bill Int 0227-2024 sits in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure after its introduction on February 28, 2024. The measure, titled 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code...prohibiting certain commercial establishments from parking vehicles on city streets,' cracks down on auto shops, rental businesses, and gas stations using public streets for business parking. Council Members Nantasha M. Williams (primary sponsor), Vickie Paladino, Erik D. Bottcher, and Robert F. Holden back the bill. Violators face $250–$400 daily fines and possible impoundment. The law aims to reclaim curb space for the public, not private fleets. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File Int 0227-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

Feb 8 - Council moves to force brighter sidewalks. Bill orders 500 corridors lit each year. Shadows shrink. Pedestrians gain ground. Committee holds the bill. Streets wait.

Int 0079-2024, now laid over in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, was introduced on February 8, 2024. The bill demands the city install pedestrian lighting in at least 500 commercial corridors per year, aiming for a minimum of 1 footcandle (11 lux) on every sidewalk. The matter title reads: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to installation of pedestrian lighting fixtures.' Council Member Selvena N. Brooks-Powers leads as primary sponsor, joined by Restler, Krishnan, Bottcher, and others. The committee has not yet voted. The bill’s text sets clear targets for coverage and contiguity, but action is stalled. Vulnerable road users remain in the dark until the city acts.

• File Int 0079-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-08

Feb 4 - SUV turned wrong on Glassboro Avenue. Struck a man outside the intersection. Two-year-old in sedan hurt. Hip fractured. Head bruised. Night crash. Driver error clear. Streets unforgiving.

According to the police report, an SUV made an improper turn near 147-50 Glassboro Avenue in Queens at 11:00 PM. The crash left a 42-year-old pedestrian with a fractured hip and dislocation. He was not in the roadway or intersection when struck. A two-year-old boy, riding in a child seat in a sedan, suffered a head contusion. The sedan was making a left turn. The report lists 'Turning Improperly' by the SUV driver as the main contributing factor. No victim actions or equipment are cited as causes. The crash highlights the danger of driver error. Both victims were seriously hurt.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4700254 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Jan 25 - A 49-year-old man suffered upper arm abrasions after a sedan struck him at an intersection. The driver made a left turn with limited view and distracted attention. The pedestrian was crossing with the signal when the impact occurred.

According to the police report, a 49-year-old male pedestrian was injured while crossing at an intersection on 170 Street near Liberty Avenue. The pedestrian was crossing with the signal when a 2014 Chevrolet sedan, driven by a licensed female driver, made a left turn and struck him with the vehicle's center front end. The pedestrian sustained abrasions and an upper arm injury but remained conscious. The report cites the driver's contributing factors as 'View Obstructed/Limited' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction,' indicating driver error was central to the crash. The vehicle sustained no damage. The pedestrian's crossing with the signal is noted but not listed as a contributing factor. This collision underscores the dangers posed by driver distraction and limited visibility at intersections.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4699834 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Jan 15 - A 26-year-old woman suffered knee and lower leg injuries after a sedan struck her while she was getting on or off a vehicle at a Queens intersection. The driver’s inattention caused the collision, leaving the pedestrian bruised but conscious.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 16:25 in Queens near 109 Avenue and 164th Street. A 26-year-old female pedestrian was injured when a 2017 Toyota sedan traveling south struck her with its right front bumper. The pedestrian was located at the intersection, getting on or off a vehicle other than a school bus. The report cites 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the primary contributing factor to the crash. The driver, a licensed male from New York, was going straight ahead when the impact occurred. The pedestrian sustained contusions and injuries to the knee, lower leg, and foot but remained conscious. A second parked sedan was involved only by damage to its left rear quarter panel. The collision highlights the dangers posed by distracted driving in areas with vulnerable pedestrians.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4695885 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Jan 8 - SUV and sedan collided on 157 Street. Metal twisted. Three women hurt—faces, chests, hips battered. Shock set in. No pedestrians. No cyclist. Streets stayed dangerous.

According to the police report, a 2020 Honda SUV heading north and a 2021 Toyota sedan heading east collided at 9:30 on 157 Street in Queens. The SUV was struck on its left side doors; the sedan took the hit on its front. Three women were injured: a 22-year-old passenger with facial wounds, an 84-year-old driver with chest trauma, and a 46-year-old driver with hip and leg injuries. All suffered shock. The report lists all contributing factors as unspecified. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved. Both drivers were licensed and driving straight before the crash. The SUV’s left rear quarter and the sedan’s front end were damaged.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4693898 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Jan 3 - A northbound SUV struck a westbound sedan on 164 Place in Queens. Both female drivers and a young passenger suffered head injuries and whiplash. Police cite failure to yield and traffic control disregard as key factors in the collision.

According to the police report, the crash occurred on 164 Place in Queens at 6:57 AM. A 2023 SUV traveling north collided with a 2018 sedan traveling west. The SUV impacted the sedan's right side doors while the sedan sustained damage to its center front end. The SUV driver, a 39-year-old female, was injured with head trauma and whiplash, and police identified 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as contributing factors. The sedan driver, a 35-year-old female, also suffered head injuries and whiplash. A 1-year-old female passenger in the sedan was injured with unknown bodily injury but was restrained in a child safety seat. Both drivers were conscious and wearing seat belts. The report highlights driver errors, specifically failure to yield and ignoring traffic controls, as central to the crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4692748 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Dec 31 - A 21-year-old driver crashed on Vanwyck Expressway. He suffered a head injury and was semiconscious. The vehicle was traveling at unsafe speeds when it collided.

A sedan driver, 21 years old, was injured in a crash on Vanwyck Expressway. According to the police report, the driver was traveling at unsafe speeds. He sustained a head injury and was found semiconscious at the scene. The driver was wearing a lap belt and harness but was still severely injured. No other vehicles or pedestrians were involved in the incident.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4691357 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Dec 23 - Two vehicles collided on Van Wyck Expressway at 9 p.m. Five occupants suffered injuries. Drivers changed lanes unsafely and were distracted. Injuries ranged from whiplash to fractures. All occupants wore seat belts and were not ejected.

According to the police report, a 2001 sedan and a 2023 SUV collided on the Van Wyck Expressway. The crash involved unsafe lane changing and driver inattention or distraction as contributing factors. The sedan driver and four passengers, aged 17 to 56, were injured. Injuries included back pain, whiplash, shoulder and upper arm pain, and fractures. All occupants were restrained with lap belts and harnesses and were not ejected. The SUV struck the sedan's left front bumper with its right rear bumper while traveling north. The SUV driver was going straight ahead, while the sedan driver was changing lanes. The report highlights driver errors—unsafe lane changing and distraction—as the cause of the crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4689924 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Dec 12 - MTA plans $30 million for Queens bus overhaul. Eight new routes. More frequent service for thousands. Stops spaced farther apart. Most riders keep their stops. Councilmember Brooks-Powers doubts gains for her district. Borough President Richards backs the plan. Rollout not before 2025.

The MTA’s Queens Bus Network Redesign, announced December 12, 2023, proposes $30 million in service upgrades and expands local routes from 83 to 91. The plan, under review since 2020, aims to boost 10-minute-or-better service for 200,000 more residents, raising coverage from 60.1% to 68.9%. The official summary states the redesign will 'streamline and speed up service.' Council Transportation Chair Selvena Brooks-Powers voiced 'serious concerns' about disadvantages for her district, especially with congestion pricing. Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, once critical, now supports the draft after public outreach. State Senator Leroy Comrie noted Brooks-Powers wants clarity for her community, not outright rejection. The redesign awaits further input and is expected no sooner than 2025. No safety analyst has assessed the impact on vulnerable road users.

• MTA’s Queens Bus Redesign: $30M in Service, 8 More Routes, Skepticism from Brooks-Powers, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-12-12