Port Richmond Bleeds While City Leaders Look Away

New York will install fixed trash containers in West Harlem’s curb lanes by spring 2025. Sidewalk garbage bags will vanish. Custom trucks will haul the bins. The plan removes 150,000 parking spots. Streets clear. Rats drop. Sidewalks open for people, not cars.

On February 1, 2024, the city announced an expansion of trash containerization in West Harlem. The Department of Sanitation will install stationary curbside trash enclosures for buildings with 31 or more units in Manhattan Community Board 9 by spring 2025. The policy, championed by Mayor Adams, follows a pilot that cut rat sightings by 68 percent. Adams called the new side-loading truck 'the future of New York City garbage collection.' The plan replaces about 150,000 parking spots—five percent of the city’s total—with trash containers. Smaller buildings will use wheeled bins on sidewalks. Advocates support the move, urging shared containers to keep sidewalks clear. Some warn that too many bins could harm businesses and streetscapes. The city will study environmental impacts before rollout. The expansion aims to reclaim space from cars, clear sidewalks, and improve safety for pedestrians and other vulnerable road users.

• No Parking: City is Expanding Harlem Trash Containerization — And Getting the Trucks to Do It Right, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-02-01

SUVs and pickups crush safety. They kill more, clog streets, burn more fuel. Komanoff says electrification and downsizing are not enough. Driving must fall. Road pricing, better transit, and livable streets matter as much as cleaner cars. The toll is real.

On February 1, 2024, Charles Komanoff published an op-ed in Streetsblog NYC warning of the dangers of rising SUV and pickup truck use. He writes, 'The increasing size of passenger vehicles has been catastrophic for road safety, traffic congestion, climate viability, and household budgets.' Komanoff opposes SUV and pickup proliferation and supports downsizing, electrification, and policies like road pricing and better transit. He stresses that larger vehicles are far more likely to kill other road users. He argues that electrification and smaller cars alone cannot cut emissions or deaths enough. Only less driving, paired with systemic changes—congestion pricing, curb pricing, and livable streets—will protect the vulnerable and the climate. No council bill is attached, but the warning is clear: car bloat endangers everyone outside the vehicle.

• Komanoff: Get the Facts About ‘Car Bloat’ and Pollution, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-02-01

Five years after passage, the city’s commercial waste overhaul crawls forward. Only one zone starts in 2024. Fewer trucks, fewer miles, but delays keep danger rolling. Streets still wait for safer rigs. Cyclists and pedestrians remain exposed.

Bill creating the Commercial Waste Zone program, sponsored by Antonio Reynoso, passed in 2019 after deadly crashes involving private haulers. The Department of Sanitation (DSNY) announced on January 31, 2024, that only one of twenty zones—Jackson Heights, Corona, Elmhurst—will launch this year. The law aims to cut truck miles in half, add backup cameras, GPS, and safety training. DSNY spokesperson Joshua Goodman said contracts target safety and worker protections. Reynoso urged ongoing oversight, saying, 'It is important that DSNY continuously reassess implementation and course correct as needed.' Yet, delays persist, especially on installing guard rails to prevent pedestrians and cyclists from being swept under trucks. Justin Wood of NYLPI voiced concern over the slow rollout. The program promises fewer trucks and safer streets, but for now, most neighborhoods wait.

• Long-Delayed Business Waste Program to Start Later This Year, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-01-31

Senate passes S 6808. The bill creates first responder safety zones. It sets speed limits in these zones. Lawmakers act after crashes and close calls. The vote is strong. The danger is real. The streets demand change.

Senate bill S 6808, titled 'Relates to establishing first responder safety zones and setting speed limits in such safety zones,' moved through committee and passed multiple Senate votes between May 2023 and March 2024. Primary sponsor John Mannion led the push, joined by Joseph P. Addabbo Jr., Iwen Chu, and Pamela Helming. The bill aims to carve out protected zones for first responders and lower speed limits in those areas. The measure passed with broad support, reflecting urgency after repeated crashes near emergency scenes. The bill’s text and votes show lawmakers responding to the deadly toll of reckless driving near first responders. Vulnerable road users—pedestrians, passengers, and responders—stand in harm’s way. The bill targets that risk.

• File S 6808, Open States, Published 2024-01-30

Every day, 9,000 trucks thunder through Sunset Park and Red Hook. Warehouses choke streets. Black and Latino residents breathe the fumes and dodge danger. Lawmakers push the Clean Deliveries Act to curb the chaos. The burden falls hard. The fight is on.

The Clean Deliveries Act, now under consideration in Albany, aims to regulate last-mile warehouse traffic and emissions across New York State. The bill responds to a new report showing Sunset Park and Red Hook face the city's highest truck volumes—over 9,000 daily trips—linked to sprawling Amazon, FedEx, and UPS facilities. The report states, 'a quarter of residents across the Empire State live within half a mile of a distribution center that’s at least 50,000 square feet, disproportionately harming Black and Latino communities.' State Sen. Andrew Gounardes, representing the affected Brooklyn neighborhoods, calls for urgent action 'for the sake of our climate and the safety of our streets.' Assembly Member Marcela Mitaynes, whose district sees the most daily truck traffic, urges colleagues to pass the Act. Advocates like Kevin Garcia say the bill is 'key legislation to protect frontline communities from increased vehicular traffic and tailpipe emissions.' The Act would require emissions reviews, pollution minimization, and studies of low-emission zones in hotspots.

• Poorer Brooklynites Bear the Brunt of Online Delivery Boom: Report, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-01-23

Thousands of cars without plates clog city streets. Enforcement is weak. Only a fraction get towed. Council Member Sandy Nurse calls ghost plates a public safety risk. The city’s response is slow. Vulnerable road users pay the price for inaction.

On January 16, 2024, the City Council held an oversight hearing on traffic enforcement for plateless vehicles. The Sanitation Committee, chaired by Council Member Sandy Nurse (District 37), led the debate. The hearing focused on the city’s failure to remove unregistered, plateless cars. In 2023, over 51,000 complaints were filed, but only 1,821 cars were towed. Nurse said, 'Cars with ghost plates are a risk to public safety.' Council Member Shaun Abreu pushed for a bill to streamline the Department of Sanitation’s towing process, but DSNY Commissioner Jessica Tisch opposed it, citing legal and operational hurdles. The NYPD and DSNY formed a task force, but advocates and councilmembers say it is not enough. The city’s lack of action leaves vulnerable road users exposed to reckless, untraceable drivers.

• No License Plates? No Problem! Scofflaw Drivers Remove Tags Yet Rarely Get Caught, streetsblog.org, Published 2024-01-16

Thousands of cars without plates clog New York streets. City agencies barely act. Drivers dodge tickets and accountability. Council Members Nurse and Abreu demand action. The city shrugs. Plateless cars stay. Vulnerable road users pay the price.

Council Member Shaun Abreu introduced a bill in September 2023 to streamline the Department of Sanitation’s (DSNY) towing of plateless vehicles. The bill remains stalled after DSNY Commissioner Jessica Tisch testified against it, citing operational and legal hurdles. The matter, discussed in the Sanitation Committee led by Council Member Sandy Nurse, highlights a citywide crisis: over 51,000 complaints about plateless cars in 2023, but only 1,821 removals. The article quotes Nurse—'Cars with ghost plates are a risk to public safety'—and Abreu, who calls the city’s inaction a repurposing of public space for dumping. Despite a DSNY/NYPD task force, enforcement remains weak. The city’s failure leaves reckless drivers unaccountable and endangers everyone outside a car.

• No License Plates? No Problem! Scofflaw Drivers Remove Tags Yet Rarely Get Caught, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-01-16

Concrete barriers on Park Avenue bike lanes promised safety. Drivers ignored them. Cars block both ends. Cyclists forced into traffic. Police rarely ticket. Council stalls on citizen reporting. The city’s fix failed. Cyclists pay the price.

On January 12, 2024, Streetsblog NYC reported on the failure of new concrete barriers meant to protect bike lanes on Park Avenue in the Bronx. The Department of Transportation, led by Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez, installed these barriers in fall 2023, aiming to 'harden' bike lanes in a borough with few safe cycling routes. Cyclists like Joseph Rienti say the barriers are better than nothing, but drivers now park at both ends, forcing riders into car traffic. Rienti urges better design or enforcement, not removal. Police enforcement is almost nonexistent: less than 2 percent of 76,000 complaints led to tickets. City Council, including Transportation Committee Chair Selvena Brooks-Powers, has not advanced a bill allowing citizen reporting of blocked lanes, despite majority support. DOT spokeswoman Mona Bruno promises to work with police, but for now, the barriers fail to protect vulnerable cyclists.

• Barriers Fail To Keep Drivers From Blocking Bronx Bike Lanes, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-01-12

Two sedans traveling opposite directions collided front-to-front on Broadway in Staten Island. A front-seat passenger suffered back injuries and whiplash. Both drivers were licensed and going straight. No vehicle damage was reported despite the impact.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 21:35 on Broadway near Castleton Avenue in Staten Island. Two sedans, one traveling east and the other west, collided head-on with center front end impacts. Both drivers were licensed men from New York, driving straight ahead at the time of collision. The report notes no vehicle damage despite the impact. A 31-year-old female front passenger in the westbound sedan was injured, sustaining back injuries and whiplash. She was conscious and wearing a lap belt. The report lists unspecified contributing factors but does not cite driver errors such as failure to yield or speeding. No pedestrian or cyclist was involved. The focus remains on the collision between the two vehicles and the resulting injuries to the passenger.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4695440 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Vendors vanished from the Brooklyn Bridge. City workers swept the span at midnight. Tourists walked free of tables and hawkers. The walkway opened up. No ducking, weaving, or crowding. The city seized eight vendor tables. The bridge stayed packed, but clear.

On January 3, 2024, the city implemented a total vendor ban on the Brooklyn Bridge. The Department of Transportation and NYPD cleared all souvenir stands and food sellers at midnight. A sign now reads, 'No vending allowed.' Councilmember Gale A. Brewer, District 6, was mentioned for introducing a related bill last month to restrict sales only on narrow sections. Mayor Eric Adams said, 'Tourists and New Yorkers alike deserve to walk across it and enjoy its beauty without being packed together like sardines or risking their safety.' The ban aims to improve pedestrian flow on the crowded bridge, which sees over 34,000 walkers on a fall weekend. Supporters of vendors mourned the loss of affordable food and art. Tourists welcomed the extra space and easier passage.

• Tourists enjoy vendor-free Brooklyn Bridge as ban goes into effect, gothamist.com, Published 2024-01-03

Downtown Brooklyn saw new public spaces, art, and transit upgrades in 2023. City leaders cut sidewalk sheds, opened plazas, and boosted subway access. Over $40 million was pledged for streets, transit, and pedestrian safety. Lincoln Restler and others pushed for these changes.

Council Member Lincoln Restler (District 33) and city leaders announced major transportation and public space improvements in Downtown Brooklyn on December 29, 2023. The announcement, titled 'A jam-packed 2023: A look back at Downtown Brooklyn improvements and enhancements this year,' highlighted new public spaces, art installations, and infrastructure upgrades. Notably, the Hoyt Street Subway Station entrance at Fulton Mall was renovated with a new elevator for better accessibility. The Downtown Brooklyn Partnership, with Restler's support, pushed for the removal of long-standing sidewalk sheds at Willoughby Plaza, restoring open space to the public. Mayor Eric Adams pledged over $40 million for streetscape, transportation, and pedestrian safety enhancements, with $8 million earmarked for Fulton Mall. These actions aim to make Brooklyn safer and more accessible for all road users.

• ‘A jam-packed 2023’: A look back at Downtown Brooklyn improvements and enhancements this year, brooklynpaper.com, Published 2023-12-29

A hit-and-run truck killed an 82-year-old cyclist on Northern Boulevard. The driver fled. This marks the 29th cyclist death in 2023. Councilmember Brooks-Powers blasted DOT for missing legal bike lane targets. Streets remain deadly. Progress is slow. Accountability is lacking.

On December 28, 2023, Council Transportation Committee Chair Selvena Brooks-Powers responded to the death of an 82-year-old cyclist killed by a hit-and-run truck on Northern Boulevard. This incident marked the 29th cyclist fatality in 2023, a grim milestone in a year of rising traffic violence. Brooks-Powers criticized the Adams administration and the Department of Transportation for failing to meet the Streets Plan's legal requirement of 50 miles of protected bike lanes, achieving only about 30 miles. She stated, 'Thirty-plus miles of completed new bike lane is of course better than none, but falls far short of Streets Plan requirements.' Brooks-Powers also condemned the missed bus lane targets and called out DOT's lack of transparency, pledging to hold the agency accountable and push for safer, more equitable streets. The city faces more cars, more crashes, and more injuries, while vulnerable road users pay the price.

• Another Cyclist Killed in One of the Deadliest Years on Record, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-12-28

Sanitation will plow bike lanes and roads at the same time. No more waiting. No more trade-offs. Commissioner Tisch says every street gets cleared together. Cyclists will not be left stranded in snow. The city finally treats bike lanes as vital.

On December 21, 2023, the Department of Sanitation announced a major shift in snow removal policy. Sanitation Commissioner Jessica Tisch declared, “For the first time the plan calls for doing both at the same time, rather than prioritizing one over the other or making trade-offs.” This policy change ends years of prioritizing car lanes over bike lanes for snow clearance. The agency updated its annual snow plan and hired 563 new workers, now able to dispatch plows for all routes simultaneously. The new approach means protected bike lanes—165 miles worth—will be cleared alongside roads, not after. Tisch emphasized, “Every street in the city is on a route and we are staffed to dispatch every route at the same time. Prioritization of certain streets is a thing of the past.” Advocates, including Jon Orcutt of Bike New York, praised the move as overdue and vital for cyclists’ safety. The city’s snow fleet now includes smaller plows fit for bike lanes, ending the era of neglect.

• Sanitation Promises to Plow Bike Lanes at the Same Time As Roads, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-12-21

Federal officials updated the MUTCD, touting flexibility for safer streets. Advocates wanted more. The new rules clarify design for human error and ease bike and transit features. But speed limit reforms are weak. Cities get tools, but danger remains entrenched.

On December 19, 2023, the Federal Highway Administration released a new Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), the first update since 2009. The policy, shaped by advocacy campaigns, was summarized as offering 'more flexibility to design roads safely,' but advocates say it is 'a transitional document; it’s not a transformational document.' FHWA Administrator Shailen Bhatt claimed the update empowers cities to prioritize active transportation, stating, 'The cities that are really thriving... are the ones who are really putting active transportation at the forefront.' However, advocates like Mike McGinn and Beth Osborne criticized the weak reforms to the 85th percentile speed rule and the lack of bold safety mandates. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law now requires updates every four years, giving hope for future, stronger reforms. For now, the MUTCD still leaves vulnerable road users at risk, with only incremental gains.

• Feds, Advocates Talk About What’s In The New MUTCD (And What Isn’t)!, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-12-19

Two vehicles crashed on Richmond Terrace in Staten Island. Both drivers, men in their 30s and 40s, suffered injuries. The impact struck the left front bumper of a pickup and the rear left of an SUV. Driver distraction caused the crash.

According to the police report, a 36-year-old male driver of a pickup truck and a male driver of an SUV collided while traveling west on Richmond Terrace. The pickup truck struck the left front bumper against the SUV's left rear bumper. The pickup driver was injured with whiplash and bodily trauma but was not ejected and wore a lap belt and harness. The report lists "Driver Inattention/Distraction" as the contributing factor for both drivers. Both drivers were licensed and traveling straight ahead at the time of impact. No pedestrian or cyclist was involved in this crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4686787 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

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

The MTA’s 20-Year Needs Assessment draws fire for playing it safe. Critics say it ignores bold transit expansion. The plan favors maintenance and minor tweaks. It leaves regional riders stranded. No real integration. No big moves. Just more of the same.

On December 12, 2023, Streetsblog NYC published a critique of the MTA 20-Year Needs Assessment. The article, titled 'Raising the Regional Bar: Why the MTA 20-Year Needs Assessment Inevitably Falls Flat,' argues the plan 'fails to accomplish its stated mission of bringing the New York region into the 21st century.' The critique highlights the lack of major expansion projects and the absence of a plan to fully integrate Penn Station into a regional rail network. The author calls for greater cooperation among the MTA, NJ Transit, Port Authority, Amtrak, and local bus operators. The piece urges leaders to deliver a world-class, interconnected transit system instead of isolated improvements. No council members are named; this is a policy critique, not a legislative action.

• Raising the Regional Bar: Why the MTA 20-Year Needs Assessment Inevitably Falls Flat, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-12-12

Council Member Gale Brewer slams the MTA’s 20-Year Needs Assessment. She says it clings to old tracks and tired fixes. Expansion is missing. Integration is ignored. Brewer calls for bold, regional action. The city’s future rides on more than patchwork repairs.

On December 12, 2023, Council Member Gale A. Brewer (District 6) publicly criticized the MTA’s 20-Year Needs Assessment. The critique, titled 'Raising the Regional Bar: Why the MTA 20-Year Needs Assessment Inevitably Falls Flat,' argues the plan 'fails to accomplish its stated mission of bringing the New York region into the 21st century.' Brewer points out the assessment’s focus on maintenance over expansion, noting the lack of major projects and regional integration. She urges the MTA, NJ Transit, Amtrak, and others to cooperate for a seamless, world-class network. Brewer’s stance: the city needs more than cosmetic fixes and must aim for true transit growth. No direct safety impact assessment was provided.

• Raising the Regional Bar: Why the MTA 20-Year Needs Assessment Inevitably Falls Flat, streetsblog.org, Published 2023-12-12

Congress moves to set lithium-ion battery standards. Delivery workers still pay for safety. Sixteen dead, 253 fires this year. City backs the bill. Tech giants resist supplying safe batteries. Workers face high costs. Danger persists on city streets.

On December 11, 2023, a congressional panel advanced the Setting Consumer Standards for Lithium-Ion Batteries Act, introduced by Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-Bronx). The bill, supported by the city and FDNY Commissioner Laura Kavanagh, requires the Consumer Product Safety Commission to create federal safety standards for micromobility batteries. The matter summary states the bill aims to 'protect against the risk of fires.' Torres and advocates like Ligia Guallpa of the Worker's Justice Project pushed for app-based companies to supply certified batteries, but tech giants oppose this. Kavanagh said, 'A strong federal standard for lithium-ion batteries is required to ensure public safety.' Despite new laws, the cost of safe batteries—up to $5,000—still falls on low-paid delivery workers. Sixteen people have died in 253 battery fires this year. The city passed a buyback program for faulty batteries, but it has not started. The burden remains on the most vulnerable.

• Feds One Step Closer to Requiring Safety Standards for Lithium-ion Batteries, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-12-11

A 22-year-old man was struck at an intersection on Richmond Terrace. The impact caused abrasions over his entire body. Police cited the driver’s failure to yield right-of-way. The pedestrian remained conscious despite serious injuries.

According to the police report, a 22-year-old male pedestrian was injured at an intersection on Richmond Terrace in Staten Island. The pedestrian suffered abrasions across his entire body and was conscious after the collision. The report lists the driver’s failure to yield right-of-way as a contributing factor. No other vehicle details or driver information were provided. The pedestrian’s actions remain unknown, and no safety equipment or helmet use was noted. The crash highlights the dangers pedestrians face when drivers do not yield as required.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4686048 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04