JFK: No Deaths, Just a Hundred Broken Lives

Apr 6 - The city will test up to 20 delivery microhubs this summer. Trucks will unload at these sites. Smaller vehicles will finish deliveries. The goal: fewer trucks clogging streets, less double parking, and cleaner air. Councilmember Brooks-Powers backs sustainable change.

On April 6, 2023, the city announced a Department of Transportation pilot program to launch up to 20 neighborhood delivery microhubs. This initiative, required by a 2021 City Council law, aims to reduce truck traffic and organize last-mile deliveries. The matter summary states: 'The city will launch a pilot program testing neighborhood delivery microhubs across the five boroughs, aimed at reducing the surge of truck traffic.' Councilmember Selvena N. Brooks-Powers, representing District 31, emphasized the need for sustainable infrastructure to curb environmental justice impacts from truck congestion. The program will allow large trucks to unload at designated hubs, shifting the final delivery leg to vans, cargo bikes, or carts. Details on locations and management are pending. After a year, DOT will review data and consider expansion, with a final report due in 2026. Environmentalists and advocates support the move but note it does not address warehouse siting in vulnerable communities.

• City to pilot local delivery ‘microhubs’ to curb truck congestion starting this summer, amny.com, Published 2023-04-06

Apr 4 - City Council pushes for $3 million to swap dangerous batteries and $61 million more for Fair Fares. They demand safer streets, more paving, and equity for communities hit hardest by crashes. Speaker Adams and Brooks-Powers lead the charge. City Hall resists.

On April 4, 2023, the City Council, led by Speaker Adrienne Adams and Transportation Committee Chair Selvena Brooks-Powers, issued its budget response to the mayor’s $103-billion plan. The Council’s $2.7-billion proposal calls for a near-doubling of Fair Fares funding, $3 million for a battery swap and fire outreach program for delivery workers, and $45.1 million more for road paving. The Council also demands increased investment in street safety infrastructure, especially in communities of color facing high crash rates. Brooks-Powers said, 'New Yorkers deserve access to high-quality services and investments in infrastructure citywide.' Council Member Keith Powers called the battery swap program a 'down payment.' The Council’s push aims to restore cuts and address deadly street conditions. City Hall, citing fiscal pressures, remains cautious but open to negotiation.

• Council Budget Response: $3M for Battery Swaps and $61M for Fair Fares (Among Other Things), Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-04-04

Mar 31 - Twenty-six council members urge Albany to pass Sammy’s Law. The bill lets New York City lower speed limits below 25 mph. Speaker Adams and the Transportation Chair stay silent. Advocates say lower speeds mean fewer deaths. The Assembly leaves the measure out.

On March 31, 2023, a majority of New York City Council members signed a letter supporting Sammy’s Law, which would let the city set speed limits below 25 mph. The letter, sent to state legislative leaders, declared, "We write as a majority of New York City Council Members to express our strong support for the passage of Sammy's Law." Twenty-six council members signed on, but Council Speaker Adrienne Adams and Transportation Committee Chair Selvena Brooks-Powers did not. Brooks-Powers argued, "Stricter speed limits must also be paired with investments in physical infrastructure as well that deter drivers from going too fast." Advocates, including DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez and Comptroller Brad Lander, rallied in support. Despite the push, the Assembly left the measure out of its budget. The bill remains stalled, leaving vulnerable road users at risk.

• Council (Minus Speaker Adams and Transportation Committee Chair) Tells State Lawmakers it Supports Sammy’s Law, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-03-31

Mar 30 - A driver with 27 speeding tickets killed a pedestrian on North Channel Bridge. The city’s Dangerous Vehicle Abatement Program failed to stop him. Police made no arrests. Advocates and Councilmember Brooks-Powers demand safer street design and local control over speed limits.

On March 30, 2023, a driver with a record of 27 speeding tickets—11 in the past year—struck and killed a 32-year-old pedestrian in Queens. The crash happened on North Channel Bridge near Cross Bay Boulevard. The driver stayed at the scene; police made no arrests or summonses. The Dangerous Vehicle Abatement Program (DVAP) requires drivers with 15 speeding tickets in a year to take a safety course or risk vehicle seizure, but enforcement is weak. Only a few hundred out of over 20,000 eligible drivers have complied. Queens Council Member Selvena Brooks-Powers, chair of the transportation committee, called for re-examining street safety and road design at the corridor, echoing residents’ demands for safer infrastructure. Advocates, including Families for Safe Streets, urged passage of Sammy’s Law to let NYC set its own speed limits. Brooks-Powers did not comment on the DVAP’s failures.

• RECKLESS ABANDON: Driver With History of Speeding Kills Man in Queens, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-03-30

Mar 25 - A Ford SUV overturned on Rockaway Boulevard in Queens. A one-year-old passenger suffered a head contusion. The vehicle was demolished. Steering failure and defective brakes caused the crash. The child was restrained and conscious after the impact.

According to the police report, a 2004 Ford SUV traveling south on Rockaway Boulevard overturned, demolishing the vehicle. The crash injured a one-year-old occupant seated in the right rear, who sustained a head contusion but remained conscious. The child was secured in a child restraint. The report lists steering failure and defective brakes as contributing factors. The driver was licensed and going straight ahead before the crash. The impact overturned the vehicle, causing severe damage. No other driver errors or victim actions were noted.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4615343 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Mar 22 - A 23-year-old male SUV driver suffered a head injury and minor bleeding after rear-ending a pickup truck on Rockaway Boulevard in Queens. Both vehicles were traveling east. The SUV sustained center back end damage; the truck had front end damage.

According to the police report, a collision occurred on Rockaway Boulevard in Queens involving a 2021 Ford SUV and a 2012 Hino pickup truck. Both vehicles were traveling east when the SUV struck the rear of the pickup truck. The SUV driver, a 23-year-old male, was injured with a head wound and minor bleeding. He was wearing a lap belt and harness and was not ejected. The report lists unspecified contributing factors but does not identify any driver errors such as failure to yield or speeding. The pickup truck driver was not reported injured. The impact damaged the center back end of the SUV and the center front end of the pickup truck.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4614765 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Mar 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

Mar 3 - Council moves Intro 501-A forward. No more cash reward for reporting drivers blocking bike or bus lanes. The bill phases in citywide. Digital training and ID now required. Broader zones, stricter rules. Safety and accountability take center stage.

Intro 501-A, sponsored by Council Member Lincoln Restler, advanced in the City Council on March 3, 2023. The bill, now revised, drops the 25 percent bounty for citizen reporters. It requires digital training and valid New York identification. The rollout starts in Lower Manhattan and Downtown Brooklyn, expanding citywide over three years. The Department of Transportation must create a mobile app and post signage in reporting zones. The bill doubles reporting zones around schools to 2,640 feet. Restler said, 'The updated version of this bill will prioritize safety by reducing the likelihood of conflict between neighbors while continuing to empower citizen enforcement across nearly the entirety of New York City.' Transportation Committee Chair Selvena Brooks-Powers led the committee. Advocates like Transportation Alternatives and Bike New York support the bill, citing the need for civilian enforcement to keep streets safe for vulnerable users.

• ‘Citizen Reporting’ Bill Moves Forward, But Without the Bounty, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-03-03

Mar 3 - Council moves Intro 501 forward. No cash reward for reporting. Only trained New Yorkers can file. First, Lower Manhattan and Downtown Brooklyn. Citywide in three years. Aim: stop blocked bike and bus lanes. Brooks-Powers leads. Restler pushes safety. Streets stay in focus.

Intro 501, a bill to let citizens report drivers blocking bike or bus lanes, advanced in the City Council on March 3, 2023. The Transportation Committee, chaired by Selvena N. Brooks-Powers (District 31), steered the revision. The bill, sponsored by Lincoln Restler, drops the 25 percent ticket bounty but expands reporting zones and phases in citywide coverage over three years. The matter summary states: 'A long-stalled bill that would allow people to report drivers who block bike or bus lanes is about to move forward in the City Council, but without its central feature: people who make complaints will no longer receive 25 percent of the resulting ticket revenue.' Restler said, 'My top priority is expanding street safety.' The bill now requires a digital training course and valid ID for complainants. Only unoccupied cars can be reported. The Department of Transportation must create a mobile app and post signage. Advocates support the bill, citing the need for civilian enforcement to protect vulnerable road users.

• ‘Citizen Reporting’ Bill Moves Forward, But Without the Bounty, streetsblog.org, Published 2023-03-03

Feb 24 - A driver killed 7-year-old Dolma Naadhun at a Queens intersection. City workers made minor fixes. Council members demanded daylighting and real barriers. DOT resisted, citing flexibility. Advocates want curb extensions. The city’s slow action leaves streets deadly.

On February 24, 2023, Council Members Julie Won, Tiffany Cabán, and Selvena Brooks-Powers sent a letter to the Department of Transportation (DOT) after a driver killed Dolma Naadhun. They demanded daylighting, neckdowns, speed bumps, stop signs, and reflective markings at Newtown Road intersections. The lawmakers wrote, “Nothing can bring back Dolma Naadhun, but we can prevent further loss of life so that no family must experience the loss of a loved one.” DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez opposed a Council bill mandating 100 daylighted intersections per year, arguing for flexibility and physical infrastructure in daylit spaces. Advocates and experts agree: daylighting without barriers is flawed. They call for curb extensions to slow drivers and protect people. Residents remain frustrated by the city’s slow, limited response after repeated deaths and injuries.

• R.I.P. DOLMA: A Deep Dive on DOT’s Daylighting Dilemma, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-02-24

Feb 14 - DOT missed safety targets. Council pressed for action. DOT balked, citing staff shortages. Council demanded more. Advocates called bills weak. Streets remain dangerous. No relief for pedestrians or cyclists. City government stalls. Vulnerable lives hang in the balance.

At a February 14, 2023 City Council oversight hearing, DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez admitted the agency failed to meet last year’s street safety benchmarks. The hearing, led by Council Member Selvena Brooks-Powers, reviewed a slate of bills requiring reflective materials, school safety signs, daylighting, bollards, and more frequent fatality studies. Rodriguez said DOT supports the intent but opposes the bills, citing staffing shortages and a need for flexibility. Brooks-Powers expressed disappointment: 'It sounds, unfortunately, like DOT is not supporting any of the bills.' Council Member Lincoln Restler criticized city austerity and shrinking staff. Advocates, including Amy Cohen, said the bills 'don’t go nearly far enough.' The hearing exposed deep gaps between Council ambition, DOT capacity, and the urgent need for safer streets.

• DOT to Council: Don’t Ask Us To Do More After We Failed to What You Mandated Us To Do Last Year, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-02-14

Feb 14 - City Council grilled DOT on street safety. Commissioner Rodriguez rejected new bollards, signs, and speed bumps. Advocates demanded action after 255 deaths. Council and DOT agreed only on a 5 mph limit for Open Streets. Vulnerable New Yorkers remain at risk.

On February 14, 2023, the City Council’s Transportation Committee, chaired by Selvena N. Brooks-Powers (District 31), held a hearing on a slate of street safety bills. The matter, titled 'DOT chief pushes back on City Council’s latest street safety proposals,' saw Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez oppose mandatory installation of bollards, safety signs near schools, reflective curbs, and speed bumps near senior centers. Brooks-Powers opened the hearing noting, 'It sounds, unfortunately, like DOT doesn’t support any of the bills that we’re looking to discuss today.' Street safety advocates, including Priscilla Afokoba and Amy Cohen, spoke in favor of the proposals, citing the 255 people killed by motorists in the previous year. The only consensus: a resolution to urge Albany to reduce the speed limit to 5 mph on Open Streets, with Governor Hochul signaling support. The hearing highlighted deep divides between the Council and DOT on protecting pedestrians and cyclists.

• DOT chief pushes back on City Council’s latest street safety proposals, gothamist.com, Published 2023-02-14

Feb 14 - Council pressed DOT on slow safety progress. Adams administration rejected bills for traffic calming, daylighting, and crash studies. Council vowed to push forward. DOT blamed staff cuts. Advocates demanded hard fixes. Streets stay deadly. Vulnerable lives hang in the balance.

On February 14, 2023, the City Council held an oversight hearing on a package of street safety bills. Transportation Committee Chair Selvena Brooks-Powers led the debate. The Adams administration, represented by DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez, opposed the bills, arguing, 'Streets are dynamic and conditions are constantly changing. We need to be nimble.' The bills would require DOT to install traffic calming near senior centers, daylight intersections, add school safety signs, study and install bollards, and increase crash reporting. Council Member Lincoln Restler criticized the mayor’s budget cuts, saying they undermine safety goals. Brooks-Powers pledged to advance the bills, stressing the need for hard infrastructure, especially in Black and Brown neighborhoods. DOT admitted it is behind on bus and bike lane targets. No formal safety analyst assessment was provided, but advocates insist better design saves lives.

• DOT honchos grilled on street safety progress as Adams admin announces opposition to Council bills, amny.com, Published 2023-02-14

Feb 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

Jan 27 - City Council grilled the Adams administration on street carnage. The hearing exposed failures: missed targets for protected bike lanes, bus lanes, and safety investments. Council members called for real infrastructure, not just enforcement. Advocates demanded accountability and action for vulnerable New Yorkers.

On January 27, 2023, the City Council’s Transportation Committee held an oversight hearing on street safety and Vision Zero implementation. The hearing, led by Chair Selvena Brooks-Powers, questioned whether Mayor Adams is honoring his pledge to end road violence. The matter focused on the administration’s failure to meet Council-mandated benchmarks in the NYC Streets Plan, especially protected bike lanes and bus lanes. Brooks-Powers stated, 'No New Yorker should have to fear for their life while crossing or using our streets.' She stressed that enforcement alone is not enough, demanding equitable infrastructure in neglected neighborhoods. Advocacy leaders like Elizabeth Adams and Sara Lind echoed the call for physical changes and accountability. The hearing marked a rare moment of scrutiny, with advocates welcoming the Council’s push for real safety measures for all road users.

• Council Wants Answers from Adams Administration on Road Violence Epidemic, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-01-27

Jan 25 - Councilmember Brooks-Powers calls a hearing on hidden license plates. Drivers hide plates to dodge cameras. City Hall claims enforcement, but plates stay covered. Vulnerable New Yorkers pay the price. The city’s promise rings hollow. Action, not words, saves lives.

On January 25, 2023, Council Transportation Committee Chair Selvena N. Brooks-Powers (District 31) announced a forthcoming NYC Council hearing on obscured license plates and enforcement. The hearing, date not yet set, follows mounting evidence that drivers—including law enforcement—deface or cover plates to evade speed and toll cameras. The matter, described as a public safety issue, exposes a gap in city enforcement. Brooks-Powers’s action responds to calls for accountability, as highlighted in the article: 'there will be a hearing on obscured plates.' Despite City Hall’s claim that 'obscuring and defacing license plates is against the law' and that enforcement is increasing, the streets tell a different story. Unreadable plates let reckless drivers escape detection. Vulnerable road users—pedestrians, cyclists, passengers—face greater risk. The city’s failure to act leaves them exposed.

• The End of ‘Criminal Mischief’? A Reflection on Three Months of Field Work, streetsblog.org, Published 2023-01-25

Jan 25 - Council eyes crackdown on drivers hiding plates. Lawmakers plan a hearing. Defaced plates dodge cameras, shield reckless drivers. City Hall claims action, but enforcement lags. Vulnerable New Yorkers pay the price. The system protects the powerful, not the people.

On January 25, 2023, Council Transportation Committee Chair Selvena Brooks-Powers announced an upcoming hearing on enforcement against obscured license plates. The hearing, not yet scheduled, follows months of reporting by Gersh Kuntzman, who documented widespread plate defacement by drivers—including law enforcement and public officials—to evade speed and toll cameras. The article quotes Brooks-Powers: 'there will be a hearing on obscured plates.' Kuntzman urges expansion of Council Member Lincoln Restler’s Intro 501, which would let the public report illegal plates via 311. City Hall claims it is 'strengthening enforcement,' but Kuntzman’s reporting shows little follow-through. The lack of action lets reckless drivers escape accountability, undermining automated enforcement and endangering vulnerable road users. The system’s failure leaves pedestrians and cyclists exposed while drivers hide in plain sight.

• The End of ‘Criminal Mischief’? A Reflection on Three Months of Field Work, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-01-25

Jan 25 - Advocates call on Mayor Adams to back open streets, curb car use, and fund transit. They urge permanent outdoor dining, end to parking mandates, and more space for people. The message is clear: put safety and public space before cars.

On January 25, 2023, advocates released a statement ahead of Mayor Adams’s State of the City address. The statement, titled 'What the Livable Streets Movement Wants from Thursday’s State of the City Address,' urges the city to prioritize open streets, permanent outdoor dining, and public transit. The group calls for eliminating parking mandates and expanding Summer Streets to Brooklyn and Queens. They demand automated curb enforcement and a reduction in the city’s vehicle fleet. Borough Presidents Antonio Reynoso and Donovan Richards support the Summer Streets expansion. The statement insists, 'Leadership should be celebrating [public transit] and investing in it above all else.' The advocates reject half-measures and marketing campaigns. They want policies that move people out of cars and reclaim streets for vulnerable road users.

• What the Livable Streets Movement Wants from Thursday’s State of the City Address, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-01-25

Jan 24 - 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

Jan 23 - A sedan hit a woman crossing Rockaway Boulevard with the signal. The driver failed to yield. She suffered injuries to her knee, leg, and foot. The car’s left front bumper was damaged.

According to the police report, a sedan traveling west on Rockaway Boulevard struck a 42-year-old woman as she crossed at the intersection with Farmers Boulevard. The pedestrian was crossing with the signal and suffered abrasions and injuries to her knee, lower leg, and foot. The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as a contributing factor by the driver. The sedan’s left front bumper was the point of impact and sustained damage. No other contributing factors, such as helmet use or signaling, were noted.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4599688 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19