Left Turning, Life Ending: Queens Streets Demand Action

Senate backs S 775. The bill defines the ignition interlock monitor’s job. It forces offenders to install devices and obey court orders. Lawmakers act to keep repeat drunk drivers off the street.

Senate bill S 775, titled "Relates to the responsibilities of an ignition interlock monitor," passed committee votes on February 1, March 21, and May 16, 2023. The bill describes the monitor’s role and mandates compliance for those ordered to install ignition interlock devices. Primary sponsor Jeremy Cooney (District 56) led, joined by Nathalia Fernandez, Monica Martinez, and Shelley Mayer. The measure saw broad support, with senators voting yes across multiple sessions. The law aims to keep drivers with violations from endangering others by enforcing strict compliance with court-ordered ignition interlocks.

• File S 775, Open States, Published 2023-03-21

Senate passes S 4647. Bill hikes penalties for endangering highway workers. It funds more enforcement. It pushes work zone safety awareness. Lawmakers move to protect workers from reckless drivers.

Senate bill S 4647, titled "Increases penalties for endangerment of a highway worker, promotes work zone safety awareness, and establishes a fund for additional work zone safety enforcement," advanced through committee on April 15, 2024. Sponsored by Timothy M. Kennedy, with Joseph P. Addabbo Jr., Pamela Helming, Mario Mattera, Robert Rolison, and James Skoufis as co-sponsors, the bill passed multiple Senate votes. The measure targets drivers who endanger highway workers, boosts safety awareness, and funds enforcement. The bill aims to curb driver recklessness in work zones, where danger is high and impact is deadly.

• File S 4647, Open States, Published 2023-03-21

Senate backs S 775. The bill defines the ignition interlock monitor’s job. It forces offenders to install devices and obey court orders. Lawmakers act to keep repeat drunk drivers off the street.

Senate bill S 775, titled "Relates to the responsibilities of an ignition interlock monitor," passed committee votes on February 1, March 21, and May 16, 2023. The bill describes the monitor’s role and mandates compliance for those ordered to install ignition interlock devices. Primary sponsor Jeremy Cooney (District 56) led, joined by Nathalia Fernandez, Monica Martinez, and Shelley Mayer. The measure saw broad support, with senators voting yes across multiple sessions. The law aims to keep drivers with violations from endangering others by enforcing strict compliance with court-ordered ignition interlocks.

• File S 775, Open States, Published 2023-03-21

Senate backs S 775. The bill defines the ignition interlock monitor’s job. It forces offenders to install devices and obey court orders. Lawmakers act to keep repeat drunk drivers off the street.

Senate bill S 775, titled "Relates to the responsibilities of an ignition interlock monitor," passed committee votes on February 1, March 21, and May 16, 2023. The bill describes the monitor’s role and mandates compliance for those ordered to install ignition interlock devices. Primary sponsor Jeremy Cooney (District 56) led, joined by Nathalia Fernandez, Monica Martinez, and Shelley Mayer. The measure saw broad support, with senators voting yes across multiple sessions. The law aims to keep drivers with violations from endangering others by enforcing strict compliance with court-ordered ignition interlocks.

• File S 775, Open States, Published 2023-03-21

A man on an e-scooter collided with a Jeep SUV in Queens. The unlicensed e-scooter driver followed too closely and struck the SUV’s right front quarter panel. The rider suffered chest injuries and minor bleeding, left shaken but not ejected.

According to the police report, a collision occurred on Jamaica Avenue in Queens involving an unlicensed e-scooter driver and a licensed Jeep SUV driver. The e-scooter driver was injured, sustaining chest trauma and minor bleeding. The report lists 'Following Too Closely' and 'View Obstructed/Limited' as contributing factors. The e-scooter driver was traveling east going straight ahead, while the SUV was slowing or stopping. The point of impact was the center front end of the e-scooter and the right front quarter panel of the SUV. The e-scooter driver was not ejected but experienced shock. No helmet or signaling factors were noted.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4611806 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-09

A 12-year-old girl playing in the roadway was struck by a northbound sedan on 213 Street in Queens. She suffered a head contusion and was conscious at the scene. The sedan hit her on its left side doors, causing injury but no ejection.

According to the police report, a 12-year-old female pedestrian was injured while playing in the roadway on 213 Street near Jamaica Avenue in Queens. The pedestrian was struck by a northbound 2021 Nissan sedan, which impacted her on the vehicle's left side doors. The girl sustained a head contusion and remained conscious after the collision. The report lists no specific contributing factors or driver errors such as failure to yield or speeding. The pedestrian's actions were noted as "Playing in Roadway," but no helmet or signaling factors were involved. The driver was licensed and traveling straight ahead at the time of impact. The crash caused damage to the sedan's left side doors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4612610 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-09

Senator Comrie pushes a yellow alert for deadly hit-and-runs. Police would blast car details fast. The goal: catch fleeing drivers. The dead deserve justice. Streets remember.

Senate bill S 5588, sponsored by Senator Leroy Comrie, was introduced on March 8, 2023. The bill sits at the sponsorship stage. It aims to 'establish a yellow alert system for law enforcement to publicize vehicle information in instances of hit-and-run accidents in which a person has been killed.' Comrie leads the charge. The alert would spread vehicle details after fatal hit-and-runs, aiming to help police track down drivers who flee. No safety analyst note is available. The bill targets the aftermath, not prevention. Vulnerable road users remain at risk until drivers are held to account.

• File S 5588, Open States, Published 2023-03-08

State pushes a $1.2-billion tax break for Penn Station towers. Critics slam the deal as a handout to Vornado. Hundreds of homes and businesses face displacement. Promised funding for transit falls apart. The public gets risk. Developers get power.

On March 6, 2023, the debate over Gov. Hochul’s Penn Station redevelopment plan intensified. The $1.2-billion tax break, meant to spur ten new towers and fund a $20-billion transit overhaul, is under fire. The plan, pitched as a lifeline for Penn Station, now faces doubts about its ability to deliver. State officials admit the project will not fully fund the station. Developer Steve Roth, head of Vornado, is not required to build, putting revenue in doubt. Senator Leroy Comrie called for a reset, saying, “the GPP that’s been presented is not longer working.” Critics, including attorney Chuck Weinstock and policy analyst Rachael Fauss, argue the deal benefits Vornado, not the public. Hundreds of businesses and homes could be lost. The project’s value and feasibility remain in question. No safety analysis for vulnerable road users was provided.

• Gov. Hochul’s Penn Station Tax Giveaway Makes Less Sense Than Ever, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-03-06

Senate passes S 4647. Bill hikes penalties for endangering highway workers. It funds more enforcement. It pushes work zone safety awareness. Lawmakers move to protect workers from reckless drivers.

Senate bill S 4647, titled "Increases penalties for endangerment of a highway worker, promotes work zone safety awareness, and establishes a fund for additional work zone safety enforcement," advanced through committee on April 15, 2024. Sponsored by Timothy M. Kennedy, with Joseph P. Addabbo Jr., Pamela Helming, Mario Mattera, Robert Rolison, and James Skoufis as co-sponsors, the bill passed multiple Senate votes. The measure targets drivers who endanger highway workers, boosts safety awareness, and funds enforcement. The bill aims to curb driver recklessness in work zones, where danger is high and impact is deadly.

• File S 4647, Open States, Published 2023-02-28

Senate passes S 4647. Bill hikes penalties for endangering highway workers. It funds more enforcement. It pushes work zone safety awareness. Lawmakers move to protect workers from reckless drivers.

Senate bill S 4647, titled "Increases penalties for endangerment of a highway worker, promotes work zone safety awareness, and establishes a fund for additional work zone safety enforcement," advanced through committee on April 15, 2024. Sponsored by Timothy M. Kennedy, with Joseph P. Addabbo Jr., Pamela Helming, Mario Mattera, Robert Rolison, and James Skoufis as co-sponsors, the bill passed multiple Senate votes. The measure targets drivers who endanger highway workers, boosts safety awareness, and funds enforcement. The bill aims to curb driver recklessness in work zones, where danger is high and impact is deadly.

• File S 4647, Open States, Published 2023-02-28

Assembly and Senate passed A 602. The bill sets state funding rules for federally assisted and municipal complete street projects. Lawmakers moved fast. Streets shaped by budgets, not safety.

Bill A 602, titled 'Relates to the percentage responsibility of the state for federally assisted projects,' passed committee votes in the Assembly on January 24, 2023, and in the Senate on February 13, 2023. Sponsored by Patricia Fahy, the bill addresses how much the state pays for federally assisted projects and for municipal projects with complete street designs. The measure saw broad support, with near-unanimous yes votes in both chambers. The bill's focus is on funding, not on direct safety improvements for pedestrians, cyclists, or other vulnerable road users. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File A 602, Open States, Published 2023-02-13

Assembly and Senate passed A 602. The bill sets state funding rules for federally assisted and municipal complete street projects. Lawmakers moved fast. Streets shaped by budgets, not safety.

Bill A 602, titled 'Relates to the percentage responsibility of the state for federally assisted projects,' passed committee votes in the Assembly on January 24, 2023, and in the Senate on February 13, 2023. Sponsored by Patricia Fahy, the bill addresses how much the state pays for federally assisted projects and for municipal projects with complete street designs. The measure saw broad support, with near-unanimous yes votes in both chambers. The bill's focus is on funding, not on direct safety improvements for pedestrians, cyclists, or other vulnerable road users. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File A 602, Open States, Published 2023-02-13

Assembly and Senate passed A 602. The bill sets state funding rules for federally assisted and municipal complete street projects. Lawmakers moved fast. Streets shaped by budgets, not safety.

Bill A 602, titled 'Relates to the percentage responsibility of the state for federally assisted projects,' passed committee votes in the Assembly on January 24, 2023, and in the Senate on February 13, 2023. Sponsored by Patricia Fahy, the bill addresses how much the state pays for federally assisted projects and for municipal projects with complete street designs. The measure saw broad support, with near-unanimous yes votes in both chambers. The bill's focus is on funding, not on direct safety improvements for pedestrians, cyclists, or other vulnerable road users. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File A 602, Open States, Published 2023-02-13

Assembly and Senate passed A 602. The bill sets state funding rules for federally assisted and municipal complete street projects. Lawmakers moved fast. Streets shaped by budgets, not safety.

Bill A 602, titled 'Relates to the percentage responsibility of the state for federally assisted projects,' passed committee votes in the Assembly on January 24, 2023, and in the Senate on February 13, 2023. Sponsored by Patricia Fahy, the bill addresses how much the state pays for federally assisted projects and for municipal projects with complete street designs. The measure saw broad support, with near-unanimous yes votes in both chambers. The bill's focus is on funding, not on direct safety improvements for pedestrians, cyclists, or other vulnerable road users. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File A 602, Open States, Published 2023-02-13

Assembly and Senate passed A 602. The bill sets state funding rules for federally assisted and municipal complete street projects. Lawmakers moved fast. Streets shaped by budgets, not safety.

Bill A 602, titled 'Relates to the percentage responsibility of the state for federally assisted projects,' passed committee votes in the Assembly on January 24, 2023, and in the Senate on February 13, 2023. Sponsored by Patricia Fahy, the bill addresses how much the state pays for federally assisted projects and for municipal projects with complete street designs. The measure saw broad support, with near-unanimous yes votes in both chambers. The bill's focus is on funding, not on direct safety improvements for pedestrians, cyclists, or other vulnerable road users. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File A 602, Open States, Published 2023-02-13

Senator Comrie backs bill to cut motorcycle congestion fees in half. Central business district. Motorcycles pay less. Cars still crowd streets. Danger for walkers and riders remains.

Senate bill S 4102, sponsored by Senator Leroy Comrie (District 14), was introduced on February 3, 2023. The bill sits at the sponsorship stage. It authorizes the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority to impose congestion pricing for motorcycles in the central business district at half the rate of other vehicles. 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 assessed the impact on vulnerable road users. The measure offers a break for motorcycles, but the threat to pedestrians and cyclists in crowded streets persists.

• File S 4102, Open States, Published 2023-02-03

Assembly and Senate passed A 602. The bill sets state funding rules for federally assisted and municipal complete street projects. Lawmakers moved fast. Streets shaped by budgets, not safety.

Bill A 602, titled 'Relates to the percentage responsibility of the state for federally assisted projects,' passed committee votes in the Assembly on January 24, 2023, and in the Senate on February 13, 2023. Sponsored by Patricia Fahy, the bill addresses how much the state pays for federally assisted projects and for municipal projects with complete street designs. The measure saw broad support, with near-unanimous yes votes in both chambers. The bill's focus is on funding, not on direct safety improvements for pedestrians, cyclists, or other vulnerable road users. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File A 602, Open States, Published 2023-01-24

A sedan turning left struck a moped rider going straight on Hollis Avenue. The moped driver, a 26-year-old man, was ejected and suffered head injuries and whiplash. The sedan driver failed to yield right-of-way. Both vehicles damaged front center ends.

According to the police report, a sedan traveling north on Hollis Avenue made a left turn and collided with a moped traveling east straight ahead. The moped driver, a 26-year-old male, was ejected from his vehicle and sustained head injuries and whiplash. The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as a contributing factor, indicating the sedan driver did not yield to the moped rider. The moped driver was unlicensed and not wearing any safety equipment. The sedan driver was licensed and female. Both vehicles sustained damage to their center front ends. No other contributing factors were specified.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4597777 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-09

A sedan traveling south struck a parked SUV on Monterey Street in Queens. The sedan’s driver, 41, suffered facial abrasions and lost consciousness. The impact damaged the sedan’s front and the SUV’s rear quarter panel. No ejections reported.

According to the police report, a 41-year-old male driver in a 2013 sedan was going straight south on Monterey Street when he collided with a parked 2016 BMW SUV. The sedan struck the right rear quarter panel of the SUV with its left front bumper. The driver was injured, sustaining abrasions to his face and losing consciousness. The report lists 'Lost Consciousness' as a contributing factor. The driver was wearing a lap belt and harness. The parked SUV had no occupants at the time. The crash caused center front end damage to the sedan and center back end damage to the SUV. No other driver errors or contributing factors were noted.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4597611 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-09

Senate passed S 840. The bill sets state funding rules for federally assisted and municipal complete street projects. Lawmakers moved fast. No mention of direct safety gains for people on foot or bike.

Senate bill S 840, sponsored by Timothy M. Kennedy and co-sponsored by Robert Rolison, passed committee on January 9, 2023. The bill, titled 'Relates to the percentage responsibility of the state for federally assisted projects; relates to the state share of municipal projects where the municipality funds a complete street design,' sets funding formulas for state and municipal projects. Seventeen senators voted yes. The bill does not address direct safety impacts for vulnerable road users. No analyst note on safety.

• File S 840, Open States, Published 2023-01-09