Another Child Dead. Leaders Shrug. How Many More Before They Act?

Bus driver shortages choke transit. Agencies slash service. Low pay, abuse, brutal hours, and neglect drive workers away. Riders wait longer. Streets grow more dangerous for those on foot and bike. Solutions exist. Agencies must act. Lives depend on it.

On July 20, 2022, Streetsblog NYC published a report titled 'Four Factors Driving the Bus Operator Shortage (And What to Do About Them).' The analysis highlights that over 90% of transit agencies struggle to hire bus drivers, forcing 71% to cut or delay service. The report cites low pay, workplace assaults, harsh schedules, and lack of basic facilities as root causes. It urges agencies to raise pay, cut hiring barriers, protect drivers, and provide humane schedules and facilities. The article states, 'Bus driver shortages are undermining transit agencies' efforts to recover from the pandemic and become the front-line mobility option that American cities need.' The report does not name specific council members or legislative actions, but it calls for systemic change to protect workers and restore reliable service for vulnerable road users.

• Four Factors Driving the Bus Operator Shortage (And What to Do About Them), Streetsblog NYC, Published 2022-07-20

Steel-and-bamboo trash bins in Times Square leak, overflow, and attract rats. Doors stay unlocked. Garbage juice pools on sidewalks. The $1.3 million Clean Curbs pilot strains under heavy use. Sanitation vows more cleaning, better maintenance, and fixes. Streets stay cluttered.

The Clean Curbs pilot, launched by the Sanitation Department and Times Square Alliance, rolled out steel-and-bamboo trash enclosures at Eighth Avenue and 43rd Street in April 2022. By July 20, bins showed leaks, unlocked doors, and garbage overflow. The pilot, costing $1.3 million, aims to 'test methods for getting garbage bags off the streets.' Sanitation spokesman Vincent Gragnani promised daily cleaning and improved maintenance, saying, 'If this is a recurring issue, it will be taken into account as we expand the program.' CITIBIN owner Liz Picarazzi admitted the bins are over-capacity and need more frequent cleaning. Critics call the pilot too small for New York’s scale. Streets remain hazardous for walkers, who still dodge trash and puddles.

• GROSS: ‘Clean Curbs’ Bins Show Growing Pains in Times Square, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2022-07-20

Gas prices rise. Driving falls. State fuel tax receipts show a sharp drop. Fewer cars on the road mean less danger for those on foot or bike. The link is clear. Pricing shapes streets. The numbers do not lie.

This editorial, published July 20, 2022, by Charles Komanoff in Streetsblog NYC, examines the effect of high gas prices on driving in New York State. Komanoff, a longtime advocate for congestion pricing and carbon taxes, analyzes state motor fuel tax receipts from 2019 to 2022. He finds a 16 percent drop in fuel sales, with April 2022 showing a stark 40 percent decline compared to April 2019. The piece, titled 'High Gas Prices Are Reducing Driving!', challenges claims that Americans are immune to price signals. Komanoff writes, 'Pricing has power. Changes in the prices of goods and services affect demand for those items.' No council bill or vote is involved. The analysis underscores that fewer cars mean safer streets for vulnerable road users, though no formal safety assessment is provided.

• KOMANOFF: High Gas Prices <i>Are</i> Reducing Driving!, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2022-07-20

Doyers Street in Chinatown will close to cars and become a permanent pedestrian plaza. The city will add gravel, markings, and planters. The move follows years of temporary closures. Locals and businesses welcome the change. Streets once deadly for walkers now belong to them.

On July 19, 2022, the NYC Department of Transportation announced the full pedestrianization of Doyers Street in Chinatown, formalizing its status as a car-free plaza. The project builds on the success of Covid-era open streets and seasonal closures. DOT spokesman Vin Barone said, "DOT is proud to build on the success of our Open Streets with proposals to formalize spaces like the Doyers Open Street as a permanent pedestrian plaza." Wellington Chen, executive director of the Chinatown Partnership, praised the move, calling it "healthier and safer for both shopkeepers and customers." The plan includes new plaza features and changes to nearby parking for commercial loading. The effort is part of a broader city push, with BIDs leading similar projects across New York. The conversion gives crowded Chinatown a rare, needed refuge for pedestrians and local businesses.

• Chinatown’s Doyers Open Street to Become a Car-Free Plaza, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2022-07-19

Amtrak killed bike service on the Maple Leaf line. Cyclists lost a vital link to upstate trails. Riders scrambled. Advocates fumed. Officials demanded action. Amtrak blamed equipment. No timeline for return. Cyclists now face fewer options, higher costs, and more barriers.

On July 1, 2022, Amtrak abruptly ended bike service on its Maple Leaf line from New York to Toronto. The move left cyclists without a key route to upstate destinations and the Empire State Trail. The matter, described as 'an unexpected blow to cyclists statewide,' drew sharp criticism. Senator Tim Kennedy, chair of the state Senate Transportation Committee, urged Amtrak to reverse the decision and expand bike services. Bike New York’s Jon Orcutt called the cut symptomatic of a national failure to support sustainable transit. Amtrak cited equipment needs for longer trips but gave no date for restoring service. Cyclists now face fewer travel options, higher costs, and new barriers to safe, car-free mobility.

• Amtrak Abruptly Stops Bike Service on ‘Maple Leaf’ to Upstate and Canada, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2022-07-15

New Yorkers keep driving. Gas use climbs. May 2022 saw 235 million gallons burned. The state’s gas tax holiday cuts revenue, hides true fuel use. More driving means more death, more congestion, more poison in the air. Vulnerable road users pay the price.

This report, published July 14, 2022, highlights the impact of New York State’s gas tax holiday, which started June 1 and runs through year’s end. The article states: 'New York State residents continued to drive heavily despite high gas prices, with fuel consumption increasing from March to May 2022.' Danny Pearlstein of Riders Alliance slams the tax holiday as 'an outrageous windfall for oil profiteers' and warns it deprives New Yorkers of essential services. The article ties increased driving to sprawl and transit neglect, noting, 'Decades of sprawl planning and disinvestment in transit has made it more difficult to get around without a car—at a cost of our lungs, our bodies and our planet.' The surge in driving means more road deaths, more congestion, and more pollution. Vulnerable road users—pedestrians, cyclists, passengers—face greater danger as car dependency deepens.

• Update: New Yorkers are Still Driving Like Crazy, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2022-07-14

Manhattan’s leaders want Broadway closed to cars. They cite 429 injuries and four deaths from 14th to 42nd streets. They demand a real plan, not piecemeal fixes. The city’s slow pace angers them. Victims wait. Traffic keeps killing.

On July 12, 2022, Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine and Council Members Carlina Rivera, Erik Bottcher, and Keith Powers urged the Department of Transportation to declare Broadway from 14th to 34th streets a 'limited access open street.' They called for a comprehensive pedestrianization plan, referencing 429 injuries and four pedestrian deaths along the corridor since 2011. Their letter states, 'This stretch of Broadway needs to be made safer, and we believe pedestrianization... could be a way to positively transform the area.' The officials want a tangible plan by fall and concrete actions by early 2023. Business leaders, including Dan Biederman, now support the move, citing economic benefits. The recent taxi crash at Broadway and 29th, injuring six, has fueled urgency. The city’s Broadway Vision plan promises pedestrianization from Union Square to Columbus Circle, but advocates and victims’ families demand more, faster.

• ANALYSIS: Electeds Seek Much More than Piecemeal Pedestrianization on Broadway, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2022-07-12

Council Member Keith Powers and allies demand Broadway’s full pedestrianization. They cite 429 injuries, four deaths. They want a corridor-wide plan, not scattered fixes. Business leaders now back the move. Recent crashes fuel urgency. The city promises action.

On July 12, 2022, Council Member Keith Powers (District 4) joined Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine and Council Members Carlina Rivera and Erik Bottcher to urge the Department of Transportation to pedestrianize Broadway from 14th to 34th streets, with plans to extend up to 42nd Street. Their letter cites 429 injuries and four pedestrian deaths along Broadway between August 2011 and May 2022. The officials wrote, 'This stretch of Broadway needs to be made safer, and we believe pedestrianization, with limited necessary entries for vehicles that must access certain points along Broadway, could be a way to positively transform the area and benefit all New Yorkers.' Business leaders, including Dan Biederman of the 34th Street Partnership, now support the plan, calling it good for economic development. The push follows a recent taxi crash at Broadway and 29th Street that injured six. The city’s Broadway Vision plan promises to pedestrianize much of the corridor from Union Square to Columbus Circle.

• ANALYSIS: Electeds Seek Much More than Piecemeal Pedestrianization on Broadway, streetsblog.org, Published 2022-07-12

DOT plans to turn Underhill Avenue into a bike boulevard and add traffic-calming on Vanderbilt. The city will close blocks, add bike lanes, and carve out more space for people. Locals pushed for safer streets. Construction may start this fall.

On July 5, 2022, the Department of Transportation (DOT) announced a proposal to overhaul Underhill and Vanderbilt Avenues in Prospect Heights. The plan, described as a 'traffic network and public realm plan,' aims to convert Underhill Avenue into a bike boulevard and upgrade Vanderbilt Avenue with new bike lanes, pedestrian islands, and traffic-calming features. The proposal follows community workshops where residents demanded safer, people-first streets and dedicated loading zones. DOT will close the northern-most block of Underhill to cars, add two-way bike lanes, and install pinch-points to slow drivers. On Vanderbilt, sharrows become painted bike lanes, and new pedestrian islands and turn lanes will protect cyclists and walkers. DOT hopes to begin construction in the fall and is reviewing the neighborhood for further changes. Gib Veconi, a local advocate, said, 'The changes will help force drivers to slow down 24/7.'

• City Proposes Bike and Pedestrian Upgrades to Two Prospect Heights Avenues, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2022-07-05

DOT and MTA start work on Flatbush Avenue. Seven miles of danger for walkers and cyclists. Bus lanes, signals, and bold changes on the table. Community split. Businesses fear lost parking. Advocates push for safety. No fixes before 2023.

On July 1, 2022, the Department of Transportation (DOT) and MTA kicked off a public process to overhaul bus service and pedestrian safety along Brooklyn’s Flatbush Avenue. The project, part of the Streets Master Plan, faces committee review and community outreach through summer and fall, with implementation not expected before 2023. DOT Director of Bus Priority Kyle Gebhart said, “Everything is on the table.” The agency’s data shows slow buses and high rates of pedestrian and cyclist injuries. The plan divides the corridor into three segments for tailored solutions, including curbside and center-running bus lanes, transit signal priority, and busways. Some business groups voiced anger over possible parking loss, but transit advocates countered that most shoppers do not drive. Riders Alliance’s Danny Pearlstein said, “Busways are great for business, bringing more customers from more neighborhoods more efficiently and affordably.” The project’s outcome will shape safety for thousands who walk, bike, and ride.

• DOT Begins Flatbush Ave. Bus Improvement Project With Everything on the Table, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2022-07-01

A GMC SUV struck a baby boy on Jewett Avenue. The child crossed with the signal. The SUV’s right front hit his face. Blood poured. He stayed awake. The driver looked elsewhere. The street ran red. The system failed the smallest among us.

A GMC SUV hit a baby boy as he crossed Jewett Avenue with the signal. According to the police report, 'A GMC SUV struck a baby boy crossing with the signal. The right front hit his face. He bled hard but stayed awake. He was zero years old. The driver was looking elsewhere.' The child suffered severe bleeding to the face but remained conscious. The driver’s action was listed as 'Driver Inattention/Distraction.' The data shows the baby was a pedestrian at the intersection, crossing lawfully. No helmet or signal use is listed as a contributing factor. The crash highlights the danger when drivers fail to pay attention, especially near vulnerable road users.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4542320 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-16

Two sedans collided on Woolley Avenue. A 77-year-old woman suffered chest injuries and whiplash. Both cars took heavy front-end damage. No cause listed. No pedestrians or cyclists involved.

According to the police report, two sedans crashed on Woolley Avenue. The impact struck the center front of one car and the right front quarter of the other. A 77-year-old female driver was hurt, with chest trauma and whiplash. She was conscious and wore a lap belt. Both drivers were licensed and headed straight before the crash. The report lists no driver errors or contributing factors. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved. The injured driver was not ejected from her vehicle.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4542202 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-16

Over 2,500 neighbors demand a safer McGuinness Boulevard. The petition calls for fewer lanes, wider sidewalks, and a protected bike lane. Community anger follows deadly crashes. The city’s DOT faces pressure to act. The street remains a danger zone.

On June 28, 2022, Assemblymember Emily Gallagher and over 2,500 residents backed a petition urging a full redesign of McGuinness Boulevard. The Department of Transportation will present its draft plan to Brooklyn Community Board 1’s Transportation Committee on June 30. The petition, described as a call for 'wider sidewalks and a wider median, a protected bike lane, and eliminating one lane of traffic in each direction,' follows the hit-and-run death of teacher Matthew Jensen. Gallagher stated, 'Our community is speaking loud and clear: no more deaths on McGuinness.' The campaign has support from Councilmember Lincoln Restler and Borough President Antonio Reynoso. The street, a busy four-lane truck route, has seen dozens of crashes and injuries in recent years. Organizers and residents demand urgent action to end the deadly toll on vulnerable road users.

• EXCLUSIVE: More than 2,500 sign petition supporting McGuinness Boulevard redesign ahead of DOT presentation, brooklynpaper.com, Published 2022-06-28

City rolls out Clean Curbs pilot in Hells Kitchen. Trash bins take curb space once reserved for cars. Bags move off sidewalks. Pedestrians get room to walk. Rats lose cover. Some drivers grumble. Council Member Bottcher calls it progress. Streets change. Safety follows.

On June 27, 2022, the city launched the Clean Curbs residential pilot on West 45th Street between Ninth and Tenth avenues in Hells Kitchen. The Department of Sanitation will install several dozen rat-proof trash bins for building managers and superintendents to store garbage and recycling, moving bags off sidewalks and into curbside street lanes. The matter summary reads: 'Testing a rat-proof trash container... instead of on the sidewalk.' Council Member Erik Bottcher said he is 'thrilled that our district was the first to be chosen for this exciting advance,' calling it 'another important step.' The pilot takes parking space for bins, sparking complaints from drivers but clearing pedestrian paths. The city plans to expand the $1.3-million program to all five boroughs. Critics note the bins are small and collection methods unchanged, limiting scale. Still, the move marks a shift: less sidewalk trash, more space for people.

• EXCLUSIVE: ‘Clean Curbs’ Residential Bins To Launch in Hells Kitchen, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2022-06-27

Three dead. Seven injured. Brooklyn streets ran red this weekend. Drivers struck, dragged, and killed. Victims included a child and an elder. Officials spoke. Promises made. The toll climbs. Vision Zero falters. Blood on the asphalt. The crisis deepens.

On June 26, 2022, Mayor Eric Adams and Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez issued a joint statement after a weekend of deadly crashes in Brooklyn. The statement followed a spate of violence: 'Car drivers killed at least three people and injured seven others, including an 11-year-old boy.' The carnage included hit-and-runs, reckless driving, and unlicensed operators. Adams and Rodriguez said they are 'working every day to deliver true public safety for pedestrians, cyclists, and everyone who uses our streets.' They acknowledged recent progress but warned, 'the disturbing incidents we've seen in recent weeks and the last 48 hours remind us just how fragile those positive steps are and how much more work remains.' The city faces one of its most violent years since Vision Zero began. The numbers: 106 killed citywide in the first half of 2022, surpassing 2015. The crisis is not over. The danger remains.

• Weekend Road Carnage Kills Three, Injures at Least Seven, as Bad Old Days Return, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2022-06-26

A sedan turning left struck a bicyclist going straight on Jewett Avenue. The cyclist, a 58-year-old man, suffered abrasions and injuries to his knee and lower leg. The driver was distracted and inexperienced. The cyclist wore a helmet.

According to the police report, a 2015 sedan driven by a licensed female driver made a left turn on Jewett Avenue and collided with a bicyclist traveling westbound. The bicyclist, a 58-year-old man, was injured with abrasions and trauma to his knee, lower leg, and foot. The report lists driver inattention and distraction as contributing factors, along with driver inexperience. The point of impact was the sedan's right front bumper and the bike's left front quarter panel. The cyclist was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash. The crash caused damage to the sedan's right front quarter panel and the bike's left side doors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4540829 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-16

A BMW sedan hit a 19-year-old man in a marked crosswalk on Clove Road. The car’s left front bumper smashed his head. He fell, unconscious and bleeding, under the streetlights. Driver inattention and unsafe lane changing led to the crash.

A 19-year-old pedestrian was struck and injured by a 2006 BMW sedan while crossing Clove Road near Victory Boulevard in a marked crosswalk. According to the police report, the left front bumper hit the pedestrian’s head, leaving him unconscious and bleeding. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Unsafe Lane Changing' as contributing factors. The driver and another occupant were not reported injured. The pedestrian was crossing without a signal, but the primary causes cited were driver errors. No mention of helmet or signaling as contributing factors appears in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4542170 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-16

DOT’s plan adds nine miles of protected bike lanes in Eastern Queens. Activists say it falls short. Gaps remain. Cyclists still risk death. Community Board 11 debates. Some call it progress. Others demand more. The fight for safe streets continues.

The Department of Transportation’s proposal for a protected bike-lane network in Eastern Queens, updated after Community Board 11 feedback, now includes about nine miles of protected lanes. The plan, described as 'crucial for providing protected access to parks and greenways,' faces criticism from activists and residents who say it lacks key connections and leaves cyclists exposed. CB11 member John Kelly, speaking personally, voiced fear for his child’s safety and called for a shift in car culture. Victor Dadras, chair of the CB11 Transportation Committee, called the plan 'a step in the right direction' but admitted it is incomplete. The committee will discuss the proposal further, with a full board vote expected in September. DOT may begin marking lanes in the fall. Activists cite recent cyclist deaths and demand a stronger, safer network.

• City’s Proposed Eastern Queens Bike Network Needs Work, Activists Say, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2022-06-23

Staten Island buses vanish from schedules more than any in New York. Riders wait. They miss work. They give up. The MTA blames a driver shortage. Service lags behind the rest of the city. The fix is slow. The danger grows.

On June 22, 2022, Streetsblog NYC reported that Staten Island buses are canceled more than any other borough’s, citing MTA data. The matter highlights that 'Staten Island has the city's lowest rate of Service Delivered.' Riders like Kayla and Brandon Grada spoke of constant cancellations and unreliable schedules. Janno Lieber, MTA Chairman and CEO, said hiring is underway to address the shortage. Staten Island’s service delivery rate was 92 percent in April, compared to 97 percent citywide. The MTA’s hiring freeze and pandemic losses hit Staten Island hardest. Riders report missed work and abandoning transit. The MTA promises improvement, but for now, vulnerable road users face longer waits and greater risk.

• Staten Island’s Buses are the Most-Canceled in New York City, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2022-06-22

City workers behind the wheel keep hitting people. Taxpayers bleed. In 2021, New York paid $138.5 million to settle 4,143 crash claims. Cops, sanitation, fire, and transit agencies drive the toll. The city’s own cars are a menace. Victims pay the price.

On June 22, 2022, the city Comptroller released the annual Claims Report, revealing that in fiscal year 2021, New York City paid $138.5 million to settle 4,143 cases involving city workers crashing city-owned vehicles. The report states: 'City-owned motor vehicles cause the largest share of personal injury and property damage settlements.' Comptroller Brad Lander sounded the alarm, saying, 'These payouts cost over a hundred of million dollars a year, and can never account for the damage to traffic victims and their families. Traffic violence has a price NYC cannot afford.' The NYPD, Department of Sanitation, FDNY, Department of Environmental Protection, and DOT accounted for nearly all payouts. Only Sanitation and DOT responded to the report. The city’s own fleet remains a threat to vulnerable road users. The cost is measured in blood and dollars.

• Crashes By City Workers — Especially Cops — Are Still Costing Taxpayers Dearly, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2022-06-22