Baisley Park Bleeds While Leaders Stall

Lawmakers back speed cameras near Kingston schools. Cameras catch drivers who speed. The bill passed both chambers. It sunsets in 2029. Children and families walk safer, but the fix is temporary.

Senate Bill S 8607, titled 'Establishes a school speed zone camera demonstration program in the city of Kingston,' passed the Senate on June 6, 2024, and the Assembly on June 7, 2024. The bill, sponsored by Senator Michelle Hinchey, creates a camera program to catch speeding drivers near schools. The program ends December 31, 2029. The measure saw broad support in both chambers, but some lawmakers voted no. The bill aims to protect children and families on foot near schools, but its impact will end unless renewed. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File S 8607, Open States, Published 2024-06-07

Assembly passes A 7652. Schenectady gets school speed cameras. Law aims to slow drivers near kids. Cameras expire in 2028. Vote split. Streets may get safer for children on foot.

Bill A 7652, titled 'Establishes a school speed zone camera demonstration program in the city of Schenectady,' passed the Assembly on June 7, 2024. The measure, sponsored by Assemblymembers Phil Steck and Angelo Santabarbara, creates a camera program to catch speeding drivers near schools. The program ends December 31, 2028. The Assembly vote saw strong support but also opposition. Steck and Santabarbara led the push. The bill's text is blunt: 'Establishes a school speed zone camera demonstration program in the city of Schenectady.' No formal safety analyst note was provided, but speed cameras have a record of reducing driver speed and protecting children walking to school.

• File A 7652, Open States, Published 2024-06-07

Assembly passes A 7652. Schenectady gets school speed cameras. Law aims to slow drivers near kids. Cameras expire in 2028. Vote split. Streets may get safer for children on foot.

Bill A 7652, titled 'Establishes a school speed zone camera demonstration program in the city of Schenectady,' passed the Assembly on June 7, 2024. The measure, sponsored by Assemblymembers Phil Steck and Angelo Santabarbara, creates a camera program to catch speeding drivers near schools. The program ends December 31, 2028. The Assembly vote saw strong support but also opposition. Steck and Santabarbara led the push. The bill's text is blunt: 'Establishes a school speed zone camera demonstration program in the city of Schenectady.' No formal safety analyst note was provided, but speed cameras have a record of reducing driver speed and protecting children walking to school.

• File A 7652, Open States, Published 2024-06-07

Senate backs S 9752. Mt. Vernon gets green light for up to 20 school speed zones. Law aims to slow cars near kids. Most senators vote yes. A few say no. Streets may change. Danger remains for the young.

Senate Bill S 9752, sponsored by Jamaal Bailey, authorizes Mt. Vernon to launch a school speed zone demonstration program, with up to twenty zones allowed. The bill passed the Senate on June 7, 2024, during a committee vote. The matter title reads: 'Authorizes the city of Mt. Vernon to establish a school speed zone demonstration program; authorizes installation in no more than twenty school speed zones in such city.' Bailey and a majority of senators voted yes, while a handful opposed. The bill targets speeding near schools, a known threat to children and other vulnerable road users. No formal safety analyst note was provided.

• File S 9752, Open States, Published 2024-06-07

Senate backs S 9752. Mt. Vernon gets green light for up to 20 school speed zones. Law aims to slow cars near kids. Most senators vote yes. A few say no. Streets may change. Danger remains for the young.

Senate Bill S 9752, sponsored by Jamaal Bailey, authorizes Mt. Vernon to launch a school speed zone demonstration program, with up to twenty zones allowed. The bill passed the Senate on June 7, 2024, during a committee vote. The matter title reads: 'Authorizes the city of Mt. Vernon to establish a school speed zone demonstration program; authorizes installation in no more than twenty school speed zones in such city.' Bailey and a majority of senators voted yes, while a handful opposed. The bill targets speeding near schools, a known threat to children and other vulnerable road users. No formal safety analyst note was provided.

• File S 9752, Open States, Published 2024-06-07

Lawmakers back speed cameras near Kingston schools. Cameras catch drivers who speed. The bill passed both chambers. It sunsets in 2029. Children and families walk safer, but the fix is temporary.

Senate Bill S 8607, titled 'Establishes a school speed zone camera demonstration program in the city of Kingston,' passed the Senate on June 6, 2024, and the Assembly on June 7, 2024. The bill, sponsored by Senator Michelle Hinchey, creates a camera program to catch speeding drivers near schools. The program ends December 31, 2029. The measure saw broad support in both chambers, but some lawmakers voted no. The bill aims to protect children and families on foot near schools, but its impact will end unless renewed. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File S 8607, Open States, Published 2024-06-06

Lawmakers back speed cameras near Kingston schools. Cameras catch drivers who speed. The bill passed both chambers. It sunsets in 2029. Children and families walk safer, but the fix is temporary.

Senate Bill S 8607, titled 'Establishes a school speed zone camera demonstration program in the city of Kingston,' passed the Senate on June 6, 2024, and the Assembly on June 7, 2024. The bill, sponsored by Senator Michelle Hinchey, creates a camera program to catch speeding drivers near schools. The program ends December 31, 2029. The measure saw broad support in both chambers, but some lawmakers voted no. The bill aims to protect children and families on foot near schools, but its impact will end unless renewed. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File S 8607, Open States, Published 2024-06-06

Lawmakers back speed cameras near Kingston schools. Cameras catch drivers who speed. The bill passed both chambers. It sunsets in 2029. Children and families walk safer, but the fix is temporary.

Senate Bill S 8607, titled 'Establishes a school speed zone camera demonstration program in the city of Kingston,' passed the Senate on June 6, 2024, and the Assembly on June 7, 2024. The bill, sponsored by Senator Michelle Hinchey, creates a camera program to catch speeding drivers near schools. The program ends December 31, 2029. The measure saw broad support in both chambers, but some lawmakers voted no. The bill aims to protect children and families on foot near schools, but its impact will end unless renewed. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File S 8607, Open States, Published 2024-06-06

Senate backs S 9718. Bill orders safe street design for all. Cyclists, walkers, and riders get new protections. Some senators vote no. The car’s grip loosens, but danger remains.

Senate bill S 9718, titled 'Enables safe access to public roads for all users by utilizing complete street design principles,' passed committee votes on May 28 and June 3, 2024. Primary sponsor Sean Ryan, with co-sponsors Liz Krueger, Monica Martinez, Jack M. Martins, Anthony H. Palumbo, and Julia Salazar, pushed the measure. The bill mandates street designs that protect everyone, not just drivers. Most senators voted yes, but a block of no votes showed resistance. The bill’s language centers vulnerable users. It marks a shift: streets must serve people, not just cars.

• File S 9718, Open States, Published 2024-06-03

Two sedans collided on Rockaway Boulevard in Queens. One driver suffered a back abrasion but remained conscious. Police cite driver inattention and traffic control disregard as causes. Both vehicles sustained front and side damage in the crash.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 15:48 on Rockaway Boulevard in Queens. Two sedans were involved: a 2010 Nissan that was parked and a 2024 Cadillac traveling north. The collision involved the center front end of both vehicles and the left side doors of the Honda sedan traveling west. The sole injured party was a 28-year-old male driver, who suffered a back abrasion but was conscious and restrained with a lap belt and harness. The report lists contributing factors as 'Traffic Control Disregarded' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction,' highlighting driver errors as the primary cause. No victim behaviors were cited as contributing factors. The crash underscores the dangers of driver distraction and failure to obey traffic controls.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4729560 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Senate backs S 9718. Bill orders safe street design for all. Cyclists, walkers, and riders get new protections. Some senators vote no. The car’s grip loosens, but danger remains.

Senate bill S 9718, titled 'Enables safe access to public roads for all users by utilizing complete street design principles,' passed committee votes on May 28 and June 3, 2024. Primary sponsor Sean Ryan, with co-sponsors Liz Krueger, Monica Martinez, Jack M. Martins, Anthony H. Palumbo, and Julia Salazar, pushed the measure. The bill mandates street designs that protect everyone, not just drivers. Most senators voted yes, but a block of no votes showed resistance. The bill’s language centers vulnerable users. It marks a shift: streets must serve people, not just cars.

• File S 9718, Open States, Published 2024-05-28

A sedan turned left on Sutphin Boulevard and hit a northbound moped. The moped driver suffered facial abrasions. Police cite driver inattention and improper turning as causes.

According to the police report, a sedan making a left turn on Sutphin Boulevard near 116 Avenue in Queens collided with a northbound moped at 2:18 AM. The moped driver, a 30-year-old man, was injured with abrasions to his face but remained conscious and was not ejected. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Turning Improperly' as contributing factors by the sedan driver. The moped driver was unlicensed, but this was not listed as a contributing factor. The impact damaged the moped's left front bumper. This crash shows the risk posed by driver distraction and improper turning.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4729557 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Queens lawmakers demand more express buses before the $15 congestion toll hits. They say MTA left Queens behind. Riders in transit deserts face long, costly trips. Lawmakers call the exclusion unacceptable. They want fair service before new fees begin.

On May 16, 2024, ten Queens lawmakers, including Julia Salazar (District 18), urged the MTA to expand express bus service to Queens before the $15 Manhattan congestion toll starts. The group wrote to MTA chairman Janno Lieber, stating, "Express buses play a vital role in Queens’ public transit network and only stand to become even more pivotal in the near and distant future." They criticized the MTA for boosting express bus service in Brooklyn and Staten Island but not Queens, calling the exclusion "unacceptable." The lawmakers stressed that many southeast and northeast Queens residents lack subway access and rely on express buses to reach Midtown. They argued the 10 percent LIRR discount is no substitute for robust bus service. Salazar and her colleagues support congestion pricing but insist its success depends on expanded, equitable transit for all vulnerable riders.

• Queens lawmakers demand more MTA bus service to Manhattan before $15 congestion toll begins, nypost.com, Published 2024-05-16

Pickup and sedan crashed hard in Queens. Both drivers bruised. One ejected, hurt bad. Police cite inattention, distraction, unsafe speed, failure to yield. Metal twisted. Streets unforgiving.

According to the police report, a pickup truck and a sedan collided at 14:35 on 143 Street near 116 Avenue in Queens. The pickup, heading south, struck the eastbound sedan. The 40-year-old pickup driver suffered leg and foot bruises. The 26-year-old sedan driver was ejected and injured his hip and upper leg. Both men were conscious after the crash. Police list 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Passenger Distraction' for the pickup driver, and 'Unsafe Speed' and 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' for the sedan driver. The sedan's left front bumper and the truck's left front quarter panel took the hit. These driver errors led to the violent impact.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4728734 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Truck cut into lane on VanWyck. Hit sedan’s front bumper. Two men inside suffered neck and back whiplash. Police cite unsafe lane change and failure to yield. System failed to protect them.

According to the police report, a southbound tractor truck merged on VanWyck Expressway and struck the left front bumper of a sedan traveling straight. The truck’s right rear quarter panel took the hit. The sedan’s driver, 39, and a 46-year-old passenger suffered neck and back whiplash. Both were conscious. Police list 'Unsafe Lane Changing' and 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as causes. The sedan driver also faced 'Passing Too Closely' as a factor. The report centers on the truck driver’s unsafe merge and failure to yield, not the actions of those injured.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4721057 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A taxi struck a sedan from behind while both vehicles were slowing on Linden Boulevard. The impact injured a right rear passenger in the taxi, causing neck whiplash. Police cite the taxi driver’s failure to maintain safe distance as the cause.

According to the police report, the crash occurred on Linden Boulevard at 2:07 AM when a taxi traveling east rear-ended a sedan also traveling east. Both vehicles were slowing or stopping before the collision. The point of impact was the center back end of the sedan and the center front end of the taxi. The taxi driver was cited for "Following Too Closely," a driver error that directly contributed to the crash. A 41-year-old male occupant seated in the right rear passenger position of the taxi sustained neck injuries described as whiplash. He was conscious and restrained by a lap belt and harness at the time of the crash. The report does not list any contributing factors related to the injured passenger. This collision underscores the dangers of inadequate following distance on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4719030 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Queens fights over a rail line. The mayor backs a park. Advocates demand transit. Poor residents lose out. Elected officials split. The city risks locking out thousands from jobs and care. The debate rages. No one asks the people.

This op-ed, published April 4, 2024, covers the battle over the unused Rockaway Beach Branch rail line in southeastern Queens. The city, led by Mayor Adams, pushes a park-only project, funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation. Rick Horan, QueensLink’s executive director, argues the plan blocks a vital north-south rail corridor, denying disadvantaged communities access to jobs, education, and healthcare. The op-ed states: 'It is simply irresponsible to build a park on a viable transit right-of-way in the biggest city in America.' State Senators James Sanders, Jr. and Joe Addabbo, Assembly Member Stacey Amato, and Council Members Selvena Brooks-Powers, JoAnn Ariola, and Bob Holden support studies and funding for the rails-and-trails QueensLink alternative. The mayor’s plan faces criticism for ignoring public input and environmental justice. No safety impact assessment for vulnerable road users was provided.

• Op-Ed: Keeping Poor Residents in Transit Deserts is Getting Expensive, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-04-04

A 25-year-old male driver suffered neck injuries after his SUV struck a parked SUV on 168 Street in Queens. The collision caused front-end damage to the moving vehicle and rear quarter damage to the parked vehicle. Alcohol involvement was noted.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 21:10 on 168 Street in Queens when a 2024 Mazda SUV traveling east collided with a parked 2023 Honda SUV. The point of impact was the center front end of the moving vehicle and the left rear quarter panel of the parked vehicle. The driver, a 25-year-old male, was conscious and wearing a lap belt but sustained neck injuries described as whiplash. The report cites alcohol involvement as a contributing factor to the crash. No other driver errors or victim behaviors were specified. The collision highlights the dangers posed by impaired driving and the risks to vehicle occupants even in collisions with stationary vehicles.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4714807 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Senate passes S 2714. Bill pushes complete street design. Aim: safer roads for all. Pedestrians, cyclists, and riders get space. Car dominance challenged. Lawmakers move to cut street carnage.

Senate bill S 2714, titled 'Enables safe access to public roads for all users by utilizing complete street design principles,' advanced through committee and passed several Senate votes, most recently on March 27, 2024. Sponsored by Timothy M. Kennedy with support from Jake Ashby, Jamaal Bailey, and others, the bill mandates street designs that protect everyone—not just drivers. The measure saw strong support but faced opposition from some senators. By requiring complete street principles, S 2714 aims to reduce danger for pedestrians, cyclists, and transit users. The bill marks a shift away from car-first planning, forcing cities to build streets for people, not just traffic.

• File S 2714, Open States, Published 2024-03-27

A sedan turning right struck a man crossing a marked crosswalk on Foch Boulevard in Queens. The pedestrian suffered back injuries and shock. The driver’s inattention caused the collision, highlighting dangers at intersections even with marked crossings.

According to the police report, at 21:35 on Foch Boulevard in Queens, a 2014 Acura sedan making a right turn struck a male pedestrian crossing in a marked crosswalk without a signal. The pedestrian sustained internal complaints and back injuries, classified as injury severity 3, and was in shock. The point of impact was the sedan’s right front bumper, which also sustained damage. The report explicitly cites 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the contributing factor, repeated twice, indicating the driver failed to maintain proper attention during the maneuver. There is no indication that the pedestrian’s actions contributed to the crash. This incident underscores how driver distraction at intersections can lead to serious injuries for pedestrians, even when they use marked crosswalks.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4712650 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04