Blood on the Asphalt: Springfield Gardens Pays for City Hall’s Delay

Council demands DOT show its work. The law forces public updates on every street safety project. No more hiding delays. No more silent cost overruns. Progress for bus riders, cyclists, and walkers must be tracked and posted.

Int 1105-2024 became law on May 10, 2025, after action by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The bill, sponsored by Julie Won and co-sponsored by Brooks-Powers, Hanif, Ayala, and others, amends the city code to require the Department of Transportation to post annual and monthly updates on all projects tied to the streets master plan. The law’s title: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to tracking progress made towards the requirements of the streets master plan.' It forces transparency on protected bike lanes, bus lanes, pedestrian signals, and upgrades. The public will see delays, costs, and status. No more secrets. The mayor returned it unsigned, but the law stands.

• File Int 1105-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-11-13

DOT finished the Queens Boulevard redesign. Protected bike lanes, pedestrian islands, and new signals now line seven miles. Fatalities dropped 68 percent. Injuries fell 35 percent. Julie Won helped fund the next phase. Concrete upgrades will harden safety. Streets remember every life.

On November 12, 2024, the Department of Transportation announced the completion of the final phase of the Queens Boulevard Redesign. The project, part of Vision Zero, was celebrated in Council District 26 with Council Member Julie Won present and helping secure $1.5 million for future upgrades. The redesign stretches from Queens Plaza to Hillside Avenue, creating the city’s longest protected bike lane. The DOT reports a 68% drop in fatalities and a 35% reduction in injuries since 2015. The redesign adds parking-protected bike lanes, pedestrian islands, and improved signals. The next phase, funded in part by Won, will replace painted lanes with concrete, add raised medians, and increase accessibility. DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez called it a milestone, saying, 'Queens Boulevard is not the Boulevard of Death anymore, but the Boulevard of Life.'

• A ‘Boulevard of Life’ transformation: DOT announces completion of Queens Boulevard Redesign, amny.com, Published 2024-11-12

SUV slammed right side on Rockaway Blvd. Eleven-year-old boy and woman driver bruised. Chest and leg hit. No clear cause named. Metal and flesh took the blow.

An SUV traveling east on S Conduit Ave struck its right side at Rockaway Blvd. According to the police report, an 11-year-old boy in the front seat suffered a chest contusion. The 33-year-old woman driving was bruised on her leg. Both were conscious after the crash. The report lists all contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' No driver errors are named. Both injured people wore lap belts and harnesses, as noted after the absence of any listed driver error.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4829462 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Two SUVs smashed in Queens. One driver, a 28-year-old woman, took the hit. Her arm and shoulder hurt. Shock set in. Metal crumpled. No one else harmed. No pedestrians. No cyclists.

According to the police report, two SUVs collided on Guy R Brewer Blvd in Queens. A 2021 Jeep, starting from parking, struck a 2020 Ford making a right turn. The Jeep’s 28-year-old female driver suffered upper arm and shoulder injuries and was in shock. She wore a lap belt and harness and was not ejected. The report lists unspecified contributing factors for the drivers. No explicit driver errors such as failure to yield or speeding are noted. Both vehicles had front bumper damage. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4770387 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A 25-year-old man died when his BMW tore apart on Nassau Expressway. The car sped east, too fast for the dark. Metal twisted, silence followed. No other lives touched, but the road bore witness to reckless velocity.

A deadly single-car crash on Nassau Expressway claimed the life of a 25-year-old man, according to the police report. The incident involved a 2023 BMW sedan traveling eastbound. The report states the vehicle was moving at an 'Unsafe Speed.' The driver was ejected from the car and suffered fatal injuries to his entire body. The police narrative describes the aftermath: 'A 2023 BMW sped east, too fast for the dark. The driver, 25, was thrown from the wreck. His body broke on impact. No sirens, no cries. Just twisted metal cooling under the silence.' The only contributing factor cited is excessive speed. No mention is made of other vehicles, pedestrians, or cyclist involvement. The report does not list any victim behaviors as contributing factors. The focus remains on the lethal consequences of unsafe speed on city roads.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4769290 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A 5-year-old boy suffered a head contusion as an unlicensed SUV driver made a left turn and collided with a sedan traveling straight. The SUV struck the sedan’s left front bumper, causing injury to the child passenger restrained by a lap belt and harness.

According to the police report, the crash occurred in Queens at 8:00 AM on 225 Street near N Conduit Avenue. A 2020 SUV, driven by an unlicensed male driver making a left turn, collided with a 2024 sedan traveling south. The point of impact was the right front quarter panel of the SUV and the left front bumper of the sedan. The report cites 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as a contributing factor. A 5-year-old male occupant in the sedan, seated in the right rear passenger seat and secured with a lap belt and harness, sustained a head contusion and was injured but conscious. The report highlights the driver error of the unlicensed SUV operator without attributing fault to the child passenger.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4769562 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Three sedans slammed together on Belt Parkway. Unsafe speed drove the crash. A 19-year-old driver took the hit—elbow, arm, hand, whiplash. Metal twisted. Night air thick with danger.

According to the police report, three sedans collided late at night on Belt Parkway in Queens. A 19-year-old male driver suffered injuries to his elbow, lower arm, and hand, along with whiplash. The report lists 'Unsafe Speed' as the key contributing factor. All vehicles were heading west when the crash happened. Impact points included the center front end and right front quarter panel, showing a violent, multi-car collision. The injured driver wore a lap belt and was not ejected. The police report names unsafe speed as the cause, with no mention of fault by the injured or any pedestrian or cyclist involvement.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4768152 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A 47-year-old man bent over a stalled car on 228th Street. An SUV, driver distracted, came south. The right front bumper hit flesh and bone. The man collapsed, bleeding, unconscious, broken on Queens pavement. The driver kept going straight.

According to the police report, near 145-27 228th Street in Queens, a 47-year-old man was leaning over a stalled car when a southbound SUV struck him with its right front bumper. The report states the driver was inattentive and distracted at the time of the crash. The pedestrian suffered severe bleeding and injuries to his entire body, and was found unconscious on the street. The police report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the sole contributing factor. The man was not at an intersection and was working on a car, but the report does not cite these as contributing factors. The impact left the victim collapsed and motionless, underscoring the danger posed by distracted driving.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4769400 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Two sedans traveling west on Belt Parkway collided head-to-tail. The 30-year-old male driver wearing a lap belt suffered neck injuries and whiplash. Police cited driver inexperience as a contributing factor. Both vehicles sustained center-end damage.

According to the police report, at 16:20 two sedans traveling westbound on Belt Parkway collided with center back and center front impacts. The 30-year-old male driver of one vehicle, secured with a lap belt and harness, sustained neck injuries and complained of whiplash. The report identifies driver inexperience as a contributing factor to the crash. Both vehicles, a 2020 Honda and a 2009 BMW, were occupied by single licensed male drivers. The collision occurred while both vehicles were going straight ahead. No other contributing factors or victim behaviors were noted in the report. The driver was conscious and not ejected from the vehicle.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4767981 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A northbound SUV struck a parked sedan on N Conduit Ave in Queens. The SUV driver, a 61-year-old man, suffered neck injuries and shock. Police cite driver inattention as the cause. The parked vehicle sustained left side damage.

According to the police report, at 12:14 PM on N Conduit Ave in Queens, a 2019 Ford SUV traveling north collided with a parked 2018 Nissan sedan. The point of impact was the left side doors of the parked vehicle, which sustained damage. The SUV driver, a 61-year-old male occupant wearing a lap belt, was injured with neck trauma and experienced shock. The report identifies 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the contributing factor to the crash. The driver was licensed in New York and was going straight ahead prior to the collision. No other contributing factors or victim behaviors were noted in the report. The collision highlights the systemic danger posed by driver distraction in urban traffic environments.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4770807 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A rear-end crash on Belt Parkway injured a 34-year-old female sedan driver. The impact struck the center front end of the sedan and the center back end of an SUV. The driver suffered neck injuries and whiplash, remaining conscious and restrained.

According to the police report, at 10:30 AM on Belt Parkway, a 34-year-old female driver in a 2024 sedan was injured in a rear-end collision with a 2021 SUV. The sedan sustained damage to its center front end, while the SUV was damaged at its center back end. The sedan driver, who was wearing a lap belt and harness, suffered neck injuries and complained of whiplash but remained conscious. The report lists the contributing factors as unspecified, but the nature of the crash indicates a failure to maintain safe distance or control by the SUV driver traveling eastbound behind the sedan. No pedestrian or cyclist was involved. The driver errors cited focus on vehicle interaction, with no victim fault noted.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4766400 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A pickup truck flipped on South Conduit Avenue. Metal screamed, glass shattered. A 73-year-old man bled from the head, belted in the front seat. The sedan’s front left crumpled. Blood on the belt. The road fell silent.

A violent collision unfolded on South Conduit Avenue near 153-70 in Queens when a pickup truck overturned after a lane change, according to the police report. The crash involved a pickup and a sedan, both traveling east. The report states, 'A pickup flipped after a lane change. A 73-year-old man, belted in the front seat, bled from the head.' The sedan’s front left quarter panel was crushed. Police cite 'Unsafe Lane Changing' and 'Passing or Lane Usage Improper' as contributing factors. The 73-year-old male passenger in the pickup, restrained by a lap belt and harness, suffered severe head bleeding but remained conscious. The report details blood on the belt and silence on the road. Driver error—specifically unsafe lane changing—stands at the center of this crash’s violence.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4766064 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Three cars slammed together on North Conduit Avenue. A 49-year-old driver took the brunt, suffering whiplash and full-body pain. The cause remains unclear. Metal twisted. One man hurt. Streets stayed dangerous.

According to the police report, three vehicles—a 2001 Dodge pickup truck and two sedans—collided while heading west on North Conduit Avenue in Queens. The pickup struck the front of a sedan, which then hit the back of another sedan. A 49-year-old male driver suffered whiplash and injuries to his entire body. He was conscious and not ejected. The report lists contributing factors as unspecified, with no driver errors such as failure to yield or speeding identified. The crash left all vehicles damaged at the front or rear. The report gives no further details on what led to the collision.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4765698 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Two SUVs traveling eastbound collided on Farmers Boulevard in Queens. Both drivers were licensed men. One driver suffered neck injury and whiplash. No vehicle damage was reported. Police noted unspecified contributing factors but no clear driver errors.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 9:32 AM on Farmers Boulevard in Queens involving two eastbound SUVs. Both drivers were male and licensed in New York. The first vehicle, a 2024 Acura SUV, was struck at the center back end, while the second, a 2021 Jeep SUV, impacted at the center front end. The Acura driver, age 52, sustained a neck injury described as whiplash and was conscious and not ejected. The report lists contributing factors as unspecified for both drivers, with no explicit driver errors such as failure to yield or speeding noted. Neither vehicle showed damage, suggesting a low-impact collision. No pedestrian or cyclist was involved, and no victim behaviors were cited as contributing factors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4762185 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A Jeep with faulty brakes slammed into a Cadillac’s rear on Belt Parkway. The front passenger, 45, suffered a crushed neck. He stayed conscious. The Jeep showed no damage. The man did. Systemic failure left flesh broken and steel untouched.

According to the police report, a 1997 Jeep traveling westbound on Belt Parkway struck the rear of a Cadillac sedan. The collision occurred when the Jeep, identified as having 'Brakes Defective' as a contributing factor, crashed into the Cadillac’s center back end. The front passenger in the Cadillac, a 45-year-old man, was injured with severe neck crush injuries and remained conscious at the scene. The report notes that the passenger wore only a lap belt. The Jeep showed no damage, while the Cadillac sustained damage to the right rear bumper. The police report explicitly cites 'Brakes Defective' as the primary cause, highlighting a clear driver-related mechanical failure. No victim behaviors are listed as contributing factors. The crash underscores the lethal risk posed by defective vehicle systems and the systemic dangers present on New York City roads.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4759323 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Council bill slashes legal parking time for big rigs. Ninety minutes max for tractor-trailers. Three hours for other commercial trucks. Streets clear faster. Heavy metal moves on.

Int 1069-2024, now in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, was introduced September 26, 2024. The bill reads: "reducing the maximum time commercial vehicles may park." Sponsored by Kevin C. Riley and 23 others, it limits parking to three hours for most commercial vehicles, and 90 minutes for tractor-trailers, unless signs say otherwise. The law takes effect 120 days after passage. Council aims to keep streets less clogged by oversized trucks. No safety analyst note was provided, but the bill targets long-term truck storage on city streets.

• File Int 1069-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-09-26

Council ends jaywalking penalties. Pedestrians now cross anywhere, any time. No summons. Law strips drivers of excuses. Streets shift. Power tilts to people on foot.

Int 0346-2024, now enacted, rewrites New York’s pedestrian rules. The bill, heard by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, passed on September 26, 2024, and became law on October 26, 2024. Its title: “A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to pedestrian crossing guidelines and right of way.” Sponsored by Council Member Tiffany Cabán and co-sponsored by Narcisse, Won, Hanif, Hudson, and Restler, the law lets pedestrians cross streets anywhere, even against signals. No more tickets for crossing outside crosswalks. The Department of Transportation must educate all street users on new rights and responsibilities. The law removes a tool police used to target walkers. It shifts blame from people on foot to the system and those behind the wheel.

• File Int 0346-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-09-26

A multi-vehicle collision on Belt Parkway left a 29-year-old male driver with neck injuries. According to the police report, driver inattention caused the crash. The driver, restrained by a lap belt and harness, suffered whiplash but remained conscious.

According to the police report, a chain-reaction crash occurred on Belt Parkway involving multiple sedans and SUVs all traveling eastbound. The collision resulted from driver inattention or distraction, as cited in the contributing factors. A 29-year-old male driver was injured, sustaining neck injuries described as whiplash. He was not ejected and was conscious at the scene. The driver was properly restrained with a lap belt and harness. The point of impact was primarily center back end damage on several vehicles, indicating a rear-end collision sequence. No pedestrian or cyclist was involved, and no victim behaviors were noted as contributing factors. The crash highlights the dangers of driver distraction on high-speed roadways.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4757611 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

City Council pulled the jaywalking bill before a vote. Advocates warned new language could blame pedestrians for crashes. The bill would have let people cross mid-block, but now demands they yield to drivers. Racial bias in enforcement remains unaddressed.

On September 12, 2024, the City Council delayed action on a bill to legalize jaywalking. The measure, sponsored by Council Member Mercedes Narcisse, passed the Transportation Committee but was withdrawn before a full Council vote. The bill’s summary stated it would 'legalize crossing outside crosswalks and require a pedestrian education campaign.' Advocates objected to last-minute changes that would force pedestrians to yield to drivers, fearing it could criminalize those struck by cars. Narcisse highlighted 'systemic bias in how these laws are enforced.' Committee Chair Selvena Brooks-Powers said, 'There is little evidence to support the claim that criminal or civil offenses for jaywalking change pedestrian behavior or increase pedestrian safety,' and noted racial disparities in ticketing. The NYPD and DOT opposed the bill, citing safety concerns. The bill’s fate remains uncertain, with advocates demanding stronger protections for pedestrians.

• Council Balks on Legalizing ‘Jaywalking’, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-09-12

A deadly seven-way tangle in the Rockaways will get $25 million in upgrades. Protected bike lanes. Bigger pedestrian islands. Raised crosswalks. City officials promise change after 112 crashes since 2019. Construction starts 2027. No more waiting for blood on the asphalt.

The planned overhaul targets the chaotic intersection of Beach 35th Street, Seagirt Boulevard, Rockaway Freeway, and Beach Channel Drive. Announced September 11, 2024, the $24.8 million project includes protected bike lanes, expanded sidewalks, and safer crossings. Queens Borough President Donovan Richards pledged $500,000, saying, "We're not waiting until someone loses their life to take action." Since 2019, 112 crashes have injured 54 people here—five of them pedestrians. The intersection currently favors cars, forcing pedestrians on long detours. The redesign will dead-end Beach 35th Street, add raised bike lanes, and expand pedestrian space. Final design is due next year, with construction set for 2027 and completion by 2029. The project includes a $2.6 million federal grant and is tied to Edgemere sewer upgrades.

• Chaotic Rockaways Intersection to Get Bike and Pedestrian Upgrades in 2027, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-09-11