Blood in the Crosswalk: No More Excuses, No More Deaths

MTA revealed its final Queens bus overhaul. Routes shift. Stops thin out. Riders brace for longer walks. Council Member Brooks-Powers warns of harm to her district. The city lags on bus lanes. Public review looms. Vulnerable riders face uncertainty.

On December 12, 2023, the MTA released its final proposal for the Queens bus network redesign. The plan, shaped by two years of outreach, proposes 121 routes—eight more than before—but cuts and combines stops, aiming for straighter lines and faster trips. The matter summary states the redesign seeks 'improved travel speed and reliability.' Council Member Selvena N. Brooks-Powers, chair of the Transportation Committee, voiced 'serious concerns about the proposal’s impact on her constituents, especially with the looming arrival of congestion pricing.' She called for an 'equitable and balanced' approach. The plan faces backlash over wider stop spacing and fewer stops, which could force longer walks for riders—many of them elderly or disabled. The city has failed to meet its legal mandate for new bus lanes, building only 18 miles this year. The proposal enters public review ahead of a 2025 rollout.

• MTA unveils final proposal for Queens bus network redesign, amny.com, Published 2023-12-12

A 17-year-old girl was struck on South Conduit Avenue in Queens. The sedan hit her with its front center while making a left turn. She suffered a head contusion but remained conscious. Glare impaired visibility at the time.

According to the police report, a 17-year-old female pedestrian was injured on South Conduit Avenue in Queens when a 2015 Kia sedan, driven by a licensed female driver, made a left turn and struck her with the vehicle's center front end. The pedestrian suffered a head contusion and was conscious after the crash. The report lists glare as a contributing factor, indicating impaired visibility. The driver’s action of making a left turn led to the collision. No other driver errors or victim actions are noted. The pedestrian was not at an intersection, and no safety equipment or signals are mentioned.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4684928 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-06

Two sedans crashed on South Conduit Avenue in Queens. Both drivers were injured, including a 40-year-old woman and a 77-year-old female passenger. The collision involved improper lane usage and turning. Injuries ranged from head trauma to full body shock.

According to the police report, two sedans collided on South Conduit Avenue in Queens. The crash involved a 40-year-old female driver and a 77-year-old female front-seat passenger, both injured with serious trauma. The report lists 'Passing or Lane Usage Improper' and 'Turning Improperly' as contributing factors. The 40-year-old driver suffered injuries to her entire body, while the 77-year-old passenger sustained head injuries. Both occupants experienced shock but were not ejected from the vehicles. The collision caused damage to the center front ends and left side doors of the vehicles. No other factors such as helmet use or signaling were noted in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4693216 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-06

Mayor Adams will ban parking near 1,000 intersections each year. The city aims to clear corners, boost sightlines, and protect people on foot. Advocates pushed for this. The plan outpaces current law but leaves thousands of corners untouched for decades.

On December 1, 2023, Mayor Eric Adams announced a new executive policy: New York City will remove car parking near 1,000 intersections annually, far exceeding the 100 intersections required by recent Council law. The effort, known as daylighting, aims to improve visibility and pedestrian safety. Adams said, 'Protecting New Yorkers is my most sacred responsibility as mayor.' Council Member Selvena Brooks-Powers praised daylighting as 'a proven safety measure.' DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez stressed that daylighting must include physical infrastructure to prevent reckless turns. The Department of Transportation will also add raised crosswalks, extended sidewalks, and leading pedestrian signals at 1,000 intersections next year. The city will expand speed restriction technology in its fleet and increase data transparency. Advocates and community boards have long called for these changes. With nearly 47,000 intersections citywide, the plan will take decades to reach every corner.

• Adams Says He’ll Ban Parking Near 1,000 Intersections Every Year To Make Corners Safer, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-12-01

Mayor Adams wavers on congestion pricing. He questions the $15 toll, stirring opposition. Experts slam his stance. Councilmember Brooks-Powers voices concern for drivers, but data shows most benefit. The mayor’s shift weakens support for safer, saner streets.

On December 1, 2023, Mayor Eric Adams publicly questioned New York City’s incoming congestion pricing plan, specifically the proposed $15 peak toll. The matter, covered by Streetsblog NYC, quotes Adams: the fee is 'the beginning of the conversation' and exemptions must be considered. Councilmember Selvena Brooks-Powers, chair of the Transportation Committee, echoed concerns, saying the toll 'is going to put definitely a hardship on many of my constituents.' Experts Bruce Schaller and Danny Pearlstein criticized Adams, urging him to champion the program’s benefits for transit riders and the environment. The mayor’s office later clarified his comments focused on city workers in city vehicles. The article notes that while a small fraction of Brooks-Powers’s constituents drive into Manhattan, all would benefit from improved transit. Adams’s wavering undermines momentum for a policy proven to reduce traffic and protect vulnerable road users.

• Cycle of Rage: Mayor is Failing the Leadership Test on Congestion Pricing, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-12-01

Box truck slammed into SUV’s right front in Queens. Passenger inside SUV suffered whiplash and full-body trauma. Both vehicles moved straight. Driver errors: improper lane use.

According to the police report, a box truck and an SUV collided on North Conduit Avenue in Queens. The box truck struck the right front quarter panel of the SUV. The SUV’s front passenger, a 43-year-old woman, was injured with whiplash and injuries to her entire body. She was conscious and restrained by a lap belt and harness. The report lists driver errors as "Passing or Lane Usage Improper" for both vehicles. The SUV’s right side doors were damaged. Both drivers were licensed and traveling straight ahead at the time of the crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4682878 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-06

Two SUVs crashed on Belt Parkway. Both drivers hurt, bodies battered, shocked. Police cite tailgating and unsafe moves. Metal twisted. Airbags burst. No one thrown from the wreck.

According to the police report, two SUVs collided on Belt Parkway when one struck the other from behind. Both drivers, a 51-year-old woman and a 33-year-old man, suffered injuries to their entire bodies and were in shock. The report lists 'Following Too Closely,' 'Unsafe Lane Changing,' and 'Other Vehicular' as contributing factors. The lead SUV was demolished, while the striking vehicle had front-end damage. Both drivers wore lap belts and harnesses, and airbags deployed. No ejections occurred. The crash underscores the danger of driver error and close following on city highways.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4682376 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-06

Two sedans crashed head-on on 145 Road in Queens just after midnight. A 27-year-old female driver suffered knee and lower leg injuries. Police cited unsafe speed as a contributing factor. The driver was not ejected and was in shock at the scene.

According to the police report, two sedans collided head-on on 145 Road in Queens at 12:27 a.m. The crash involved a 27-year-old female driver who was injured in the knee, lower leg, and foot. She was not ejected from her vehicle but experienced shock. The report lists unsafe speed as a contributing factor to the collision. Both vehicles sustained front-end damage. The injured driver was traveling north and was licensed in Pennsylvania. The other sedan was traveling east with three occupants. No other contributing factors or victim errors were noted in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4683392 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-06

A 47-year-old man was struck while crossing 225 Street with the signal. The driver failed to yield right-of-way, hitting the pedestrian head-on. The man suffered a head contusion but remained conscious at the scene.

According to the police report, a 47-year-old male pedestrian was injured at the intersection of 225 Street and South Conduit Avenue in Queens. The pedestrian was crossing with the signal when a Toyota car traveling east struck him with the center front end. The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as a contributing factor. The pedestrian suffered a head contusion and was conscious after the crash. The driver was going straight ahead and did not yield to the pedestrian. No other contributing factors or safety equipment were noted.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4682629 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-06

Two SUVs collided on 150 Drive in Queens. One driver was injured with back contusions. The crash involved a left turn and straight travel. Police cited failure to yield right-of-way as a key factor. Both vehicles sustained left-side damage.

According to the police report, two SUVs collided on 150 Drive in Queens. A female driver traveling north was going straight when a male driver traveling south made a left turn, causing the collision. The female driver suffered back injuries and contusions but was conscious and restrained by a lap belt and harness. The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as a contributing factor, indicating driver error by the turning vehicle. The impact occurred at the left front bumper of the turning SUV and the left rear quarter panel of the straight-moving SUV. No other contributing factors or victim errors were noted.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4678233 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-06

A 24-year-old front-seat passenger suffered chest injuries in a Queens crash. The SUV struck the sedan’s right rear quarter panel. Police cited traffic control disregard and unsafe speed. The passenger was conscious and wearing a lap belt.

According to the police report, a collision occurred on Springfield Boulevard in Queens involving a 2020 SUV and a 2007 sedan. The SUV, traveling north, struck the sedan, traveling west, on its right rear quarter panel. A 24-year-old male front-seat passenger in the SUV was injured, sustaining chest contusions and bruises. He was conscious and restrained by a lap belt. The report lists driver errors as 'Traffic Control Disregarded' and 'Unsafe Speed.' The impact caused damage to the right rear bumper of the SUV and the right front bumper of the sedan. No ejections occurred. The report does not indicate any contributing factors related to the passenger’s safety equipment.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4677548 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-06

A young rider slammed into a car at high speed on Belt Parkway. He flew from his bike. His chest crushed. He died alone on the cold pavement. Unsafe speed and inexperience marked his final ride.

A 23-year-old motorcyclist died after striking the front of a vehicle on Belt Parkway, westbound. According to the police report, the rider was ejected from his 2008 Yamaha at high speed. He wore a helmet. His chest was crushed. The report lists 'Unsafe Speed' and 'Driver Inexperience' as contributing factors. No other injuries were reported. The crash left the rider dead on the roadway, the night cold and empty around him.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4676886 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-06

SUV rear-ends SUV on Belt Parkway. Front passenger suffers head injury and concussion. Police cite driver inattention and tailgating. No pedestrians or cyclists involved.

According to the police report, two SUVs traveling west on Belt Parkway collided when one struck the rear of the other. The front passenger in the hit vehicle, a 42-year-old woman, suffered a head injury and concussion. She was conscious and not ejected. Police list driver inattention and following too closely as contributing factors. Both drivers were licensed and driving straight ahead. The injured passenger wore a lap belt and harness. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4677472 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-06

Revel pulls the plug on shared mopeds. The company pivots to electric taxis. Car-free travel options shrink. Riders lose a fast, nimble way to move. Revel’s exit marks another blow to micro-mobility in New York. Streets grow less free.

On November 3, 2023, Revel, the Brooklyn-based electric moped company, announced it will end its moped rental service in New York City and San Francisco. The company’s founders, Frank Reig and Paul Suhey, shared the news, citing a 30 percent drop in ridership and financial strain. Revel’s mopeds, once hailed as a lifeline during transit disruptions, will disappear from city streets by November 18. The company now focuses on its growing electric taxi fleet, boasting 500 Teslas and over 1,500 drivers. Advocates mourned the loss, calling it a bad day for car-free travel. Revel’s mopeds were legal, registered, and barred from bike lanes by geo-fencing. Their departure leaves fewer options for vulnerable road users seeking safe, efficient alternatives to cars.

• Electric Moped Company Revel Bails on Two Wheelers in Full Transition to Taxis, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-11-03

A boy died. The city promises change. Officials tout daylighting and new signals. Critics say action comes too late. Nine children dead this year. Cyclist deaths set records. The mayor defends his record. Parents and advocates demand more. The street stays dangerous.

On November 1, 2023, following the death of 7-year-old Kamari Hughes, Mayor Adams and his administration announced plans to redesign the fatal Brooklyn intersection. The Department of Transportation adjusted signal timing and promised more robust changes, including daylighting and loading zones. Council Member Selvena Brooks-Powers called daylighting 'a proven safety measure.' Deputy Mayor Meera Joshi said the city will target high-crash and school-adjacent corners, using barriers to keep cars from blocking sightlines. Critics like Danny Harris of Transportation Alternatives condemned the city’s reactive approach, demanding daylighting at every intersection. Officials claim 299 intersections have been daylighted this year, surpassing Council mandates. Despite these steps, advocates argue the city acts only after tragedy, leaving vulnerable road users at risk.

• Mayor Boasts of His Record — However Spotty — As He Vows to Fix Corner Where Boy Was Killed, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-11-01

A boy died under the wheels of an NYPD tow truck. Council Member Brooks-Powers pushed a bill to daylight intersections. The law passed despite the mayor’s silence. Advocates demand the city erase parking exemptions. They want clear corners. They want no more deaths.

Council Member Selvena Brooks-Powers, chair of the transportation committee, introduced legislation requiring the Department of Transportation to study and implement daylighting at a minimum of 100 intersections each year. The bill became law even though the mayor did not sign it. The measure, described as 'a proven safety measure that increases visibility to oncoming traffic at intersections and reduces danger for pedestrians and drivers alike,' responds to the death of a young boy struck by an NYPD tow truck. Brooks-Powers and advocates like Danny Harris of Transportation Alternatives called for urgent action, criticizing Mayor Adams for scaling back street safety improvements. Community boards and advocates urge the city to remove parking exemptions near crosswalks, arguing that lack of daylighting leads to preventable deaths. The push is clear: daylight every intersection, save lives, stop traffic violence.

• Advocates Demand Daylighting at Intersections in Wake of Boy’s Death, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-10-31

A taxi struck a sedan from behind on North Conduit Avenue in Queens. The sedan driver, a man, suffered an eye abrasion but was conscious and restrained. Police cited driver inattention and inexperience as factors in the crash.

According to the police report, a taxi traveling west on North Conduit Avenue rear-ended a sedan also heading west. The sedan's driver, a male occupant, was injured with an eye abrasion but remained conscious and was secured by a lap belt and harness. The report lists driver inattention and driver inexperience as contributing factors. The point of impact was the center front end of the sedan and the center back end of the taxi. Both drivers were licensed in New York. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4673993 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-06

Bike riders keep dying. Twenty-five lost since January. Most killed on streets without protection. Council Member Brooks-Powers calls for urgent investment in safer roads, especially in outer boroughs. Activists demand the city build protected bike lanes now. Promises have failed. Lives are lost.

On October 17, 2023, Council Member Selvena N. Brooks-Powers (District 31) highlighted the deadly toll facing cyclists in New York City. The event, covered by amny.com, cited a study showing 25 bike riders killed since January, making this the deadliest year for cyclists since 1999. The matter summary states: 'New York City is on pace to see the deadliest year for bike riders since 1999.' Brooks-Powers stressed the urgent need for investments in street infrastructure, especially in outer-borough communities. She joined advocates and fellow Council Member Diana Ayala in demanding the city fulfill legal requirements to build safe streets. The analysis found 94% of cyclist deaths occurred on streets without protected bike lanes. Activists and analysts called for immediate action to fast track the NYC Streets Plan and expand protected lanes, noting that only 3% of city streets have them, despite an 18.1% drop in injuries and deaths where they exist.

• NYC on pace for deadliest year for bike riders since 1999: Study, amny.com, Published 2023-10-17

Cyclist deaths in New York City hit a grim peak in 2023. Most victims died on streets without protected bike lanes. Advocates blame city delays. Councilmember Brooks-Powers faces pressure to speed up safety fixes. Lives hang in the balance. Promises are not enough.

On October 17, 2023, a report spotlighted a deadly surge in cyclist fatalities across New York City, with District 31—represented by Council Transportation Chair Selvena N. Brooks-Powers—bearing the highest toll. The matter, titled 'Crunching the Data on the Record-Setting Year For Cyclist Deaths,' details that 94 percent of victims died on streets lacking protected bike lanes. Transportation Alternatives called on Brooks-Powers and her Council colleagues to pass Intro 417, which would eliminate a three-month wait and speed up bike lane construction. Brooks-Powers, mentioned as district representative, faces mounting pressure as advocates decry delays and demand urgent action. The report states: 'Promises won’t keep bike riders safe – but completed, fully protected bike lanes will. The time to act is now.' The city’s failure to meet the NYC Streets Plan benchmarks has left vulnerable road users exposed, with advocates urging immediate follow-through on essential street redesigns.

• Crunching the Data on the Record-Setting Year For Cyclist Deaths, streetsblog.org, Published 2023-10-17

Cyclist deaths soared in 2023. Most died on streets without protection. The mayor broke his promise on bike lanes. Projects stalled. Advocates blame City Hall. Council urged to pass Intro 417. The city touts progress. Riders keep dying.

A new report from Transportation Alternatives, published October 17, 2023, slams Mayor Adams for failing to meet the City Council-mandated NYC Streets Plan. The report states, 'Traffic crashes in New York City killed more cyclists through the first nine months of 2023 than all but one other year on record.' Adams promised 75 miles of new protected bike lanes each year but delivered just 26.3 miles in 2022, missing the 30-mile benchmark and falling far short of the 50-mile requirement for 2023. Danny Harris, executive director of Transportation Alternatives, accused Adams of putting 'politics over people' and called on Council Transportation Chair Selvena Brooks-Powers and colleagues to pass Intro 417, which would eliminate a three-month delay in bike lane construction. DOT spokesman Chris Browne defended the administration, citing nearly 100 street projects. But the report is clear: delays and broken promises leave cyclists exposed and dying.

• Crunching the Data on the Record-Setting Year For Cyclist Deaths, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-10-17