Port Richmond Bleeds While City Leaders Look Away

Sexual harassment stalks DC’s transit. Women riders vanish. WMATA’s old campaigns worked, but vanished too. Ridership drops. Safety erodes. The agency drifts. Riders wait. The call is clear: bring back anti-harassment efforts. Restore trust. Protect women. Save transit.

This opinion piece, published April 17, 2023, urges the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) to revive anti-sexual harassment campaigns. The article states, 'WMATA should consider reviving their anti-harassment campaigns to help create a welcoming environment for women.' Before the pandemic, women made up over half of DC transit riders. Now, their numbers have dropped. WMATA’s past campaigns, run with Stop Street Harassment and Collective Action for Safe Spaces, reduced reported harassment and encouraged reporting. But since 2019, progress has stalled. The author notes that sexual harassment drives women away from transit, pushing them toward cars and taxis. WMATA’s 2023 budget lists anti-harassment as a priority, but action is missing. The piece calls for visible, renewed efforts to protect women and restore trust in public transit.

• Opinion: We Should Do More To Fight Sexual Harassment on Transit, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-04-17

A traveler lived car-free in England, Germany, and Japan. She walked, biked, and rode transit. Streets felt safe. Drivers yielded. Cities built for people, not cars. She calls for New Jersey to follow. She saw less danger, more freedom, and fewer cars.

This opinion piece, published April 14, 2023, is not a council bill but a personal statement advocating for car-free living. The author describes her experience in Cambridge, Stuttgart, and Tokyo, where 'everything we needed was within easy reach by foot, bike, bus, or train.' She urges New Jersey to deliver more options for all people, not just drivers. The piece supports congestion pricing, public transit, walkability, and bike infrastructure. No council members are named. The author highlights how deliberate city planning—compact development, mixed uses, and robust transit—keeps vulnerable road users safer. Streets designed for people, not cars, reduce risk and open freedom for all.

• Opinion: Car-Free Inspiration From an Overseas Adventure, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-04-14

A hit-and-run driver killed Jaydan McLaurin, a teenage cyclist, on 21st Street in Astoria. He is the 11th cyclist killed this year. The street lacks protected bike lanes. Politicians and advocates demand urgent action. City failed to meet legal safety mandates.

""These are preventable tragedies. Mayor Adams and [DOT] Commissioner [Ydanis] Rodriguez must invest in building safe streets, especially on known-dangerous corridors. We cannot afford to fall further behind on the NYC Streets Plan’s legal requirements."" -- Charles Fall

On April 11, 2023, a hit-and-run driver killed Jaydan McLaurin, a teenage cyclist, on 21st Street in Astoria, Queens. This corridor is a Vision Zero priority but only has an unprotected bike lane. The crash marks the 11th cyclist death in New York City this year, a record high for this point in the year. Council Member Tiffany Cabán called the loss 'wave after wave of grief and heartbreak' and demanded safer streets for pedestrians and cyclists. Transportation Alternatives Executive Director Danny Harris urged Mayor Adams and DOT Commissioner Rodriguez to invest in safe streets and fulfill the NYC Streets Plan’s legal requirements. Advocates noted the Department of Transportation failed to expand bike and bus lanes as required last year. The call is clear: the city must act now to protect vulnerable road users.

• Teen Cyclist Killed by Hit-and-Run Driver in Queens; 11th to Die this Year, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-04-11

NYPD station houses in Brooklyn and Queens choke streets with cars. Sidewalks vanish. Buses squeeze past. Pedestrians and riders dodge danger. Officers park anywhere, block homes, ignore laws. Memorials and entrances get buried. Streets turn hostile. The city looks away.

This media commentary, published March 31, 2023, by Streetsblog NYC, spotlights the Eastern Regional Final of 'March (Parking) Madness.' The contest pits Brooklyn’s 75th Precinct against Queens’ 102nd Precinct for worst parking abuses. The article states: 'cars parked all over the place, garbage everywhere, and little respect for its neighbors.' Officers park illegally, block sidewalks, and force bus passengers into the street. The 75th Precinct surrounds its memorial with cars. The 102nd’s entrance is nearly blocked by police vehicles. Both precincts show disregard for neighbors and the law. Council members are not named; this is a public exposé, not a legislative action. No safety analyst note is provided, but the reporting makes clear: NYPD parking practices endanger pedestrians, transit riders, and neighbors.

• March (Parking) Madness: The Eastern Regional Final is a Tight One!, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-03-31

Council Member Lincoln Restler joined advocates at City Hall. They pressed Albany to let New York City set its own speed limits. Families mourned children lost to speeding drivers. The Assembly remains the last barrier. The push is urgent. Lives hang in the balance.

On March 29, 2023, Council Member Lincoln Restler and other city officials rallied for Sammy’s Law, a bill allowing New York City to set its own speed limits without state approval. The bill, named for Sammy Cohen Eckstein, killed by a speeding driver in 2013, would let the city lower limits to 20 mph. The matter, described as 'Let New York City lower its own speed limits,' has strong support from the mayor, DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez, and advocates like Families for Safe Streets. Restler’s action was public advocacy. The Assembly is the final hurdle; the bill is already in the governor’s and Senate’s budgets. Advocates cite a 36% drop in pedestrian deaths after the 2014 speed limit change. Families demand action to prevent more deaths.

• City polls, advocates call on Assembly to let NYC set its own speed limits, amny.com, Published 2023-03-29

A new report spotlights Vanderbilt Avenue’s open street as a model for trash containerization. Experts say bins could reclaim sidewalks from garbage, freeing space for people. The plan would shift trash from pedestrian paths to the curb, cutting sidewalk clutter and car dominance.

""It would be visually nicer and probably cleaner to have the trash in a container versus on the ground, where it can fall out and blow in the wind."" -- Charles Fall

On March 28, 2023, a policy report recommended using Vanderbilt Avenue’s open street in Brooklyn as a blueprint for citywide trash containerization. The report, led by Clare Miflin of the Center for Zero Waste Design, states: 'The Vanderbilt Avenue open street in Brooklyn could become a blueprint for how the city can finally containerize its trash for collection.' The analysis found that containers could replace sidewalk trash piles, freeing up as much as 25 percent of pedestrian space. The Department of Transportation is redesigning the road, adding curb extensions and loading zones, while the Department of Sanitation considers new collection methods. The plan calls for curbside bins, reducing sidewalk obstacles for pedestrians and shifting space away from cars and trash. No council member sponsored this report, but city agencies and experts are involved. The report argues for urgent action to reclaim public space from garbage and vehicles.

• Vanderbilt Avenue Open Street Could Be Model for Trash Containerization: Report, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-03-28

Biden’s push for half-a-million EV chargers locks cities into car-first streets. Advocates warn it steals curb space from bike lanes and plazas. Billions go to cars, not transit or safe walking. The plan leaves vulnerable road users in the dust.

On March 24, 2023, the Biden administration announced a federal initiative to build a vast network of electric vehicle (EV) charging hubs, aiming for 500,000 plugs and offering a $7,500 clean vehicle tax credit. The policy, described as a 'multi-billion dollar network of electric vehicle (EV) charging hubs,' claims to cut carbon emissions in half by 2030. Transportation advocates Jon Orcutt, Chris Rall, and Jaqi Cohen voiced strong opposition, warning that the plan entrenches car dependency and endangers future use of curb space for bike lanes, pedestrian plazas, or outdoor dining. Critics argue the federal grant program ignores transit riders and fails to electrify municipal fleets. As one advocate put it, 'Billions of dollars are essentially being spent to further the public’s dependence on cars with little benefit to those who cannot rely on one.' The initiative, lacking support for transit or active transportation, leaves vulnerable road users exposed.

• Biden’s Electric Vehicle Charging Initiative is Simply Not Going to Solve America’s Car or Climate Problem, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-03-24

MTA will retrofit over 1,000 buses on 57 routes with open stroller spaces by fall. Parents can board without folding strollers. Grace Lee, Assemblymember, praised the move. No safety incidents reported. Riders with disabilities keep priority seating. Accessibility grows.

On March 23, 2023, the MTA announced an expansion of its Open Stroller Pilot, aiming to retrofit more than 1,000 buses across 57 routes by fall 2023. The program, described as creating 'a seamless boarding experience for parents,' will allow strollers to remain open on buses, ending the need for parents to fold them before boarding. Assemblymember Grace Lee, representing District 65, voiced strong support, sharing her own struggles as a parent navigating transit with strollers. The expansion follows positive feedback and no reported safety incidents during the pilot’s first phase. The designated stroller spaces will not compromise wheelchair access, ensuring continued priority for riders with disabilities. The move marks a step toward safer, more accessible transit for families and vulnerable riders.

• MTA to expand bus stroller pilot to over 1,000 buses over 57 routes by fall 2023, amny.com, Published 2023-03-23

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

Senate backs S 775. The bill defines the ignition interlock monitor’s job. It forces offenders to install devices and obey court orders. Lawmakers act to keep repeat drunk drivers off the street.

Senate bill S 775, titled "Relates to the responsibilities of an ignition interlock monitor," passed committee votes on February 1, March 21, and May 16, 2023. The bill describes the monitor’s role and mandates compliance for those ordered to install ignition interlock devices. Primary sponsor Jeremy Cooney (District 56) led, joined by Nathalia Fernandez, Monica Martinez, and Shelley Mayer. The measure saw broad support, with senators voting yes across multiple sessions. The law aims to keep drivers with violations from endangering others by enforcing strict compliance with court-ordered ignition interlocks.

• File S 775, Open States, Published 2023-03-21

A 48-year-old man was struck while crossing a marked crosswalk on Post Avenue. The vehicle hit him head-on, causing a fractured knee and lower leg injury. The driver failed to yield and was distracted. The pedestrian was conscious but seriously hurt.

According to the police report, a pedestrian was injured on Post Avenue at a marked crosswalk. The 48-year-old male pedestrian was crossing without a signal when a vehicle traveling south struck him with its center front end. The pedestrian suffered fractures and dislocations to his knee, lower leg, and foot. The report lists driver errors as Failure to Yield Right-of-Way and Driver Inattention/Distraction. The pedestrian was not ejected and was conscious at the scene. No safety equipment was noted. The vehicle was going straight ahead and had damage to its center front end. The crash highlights the dangers posed by driver failure to yield and distraction in crosswalk collisions.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4612307 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-07

State senators pressed DOTs to fight e-bike stigma and protect riders. They called for education, better battery rules, and fair treatment for delivery workers. City Hall’s inaction leaves e-bike users exposed. Bans loom while agencies stall. Vulnerable riders pay the price.

On March 2, 2023, State Sen. Jessica Ramos and colleagues sent a letter to city and state DOTs urging action against the 'demonization' of e-bikes and e-scooters. The letter, signed by Ramos and State Sen. Liz Krueger, demanded more education on safe riding and battery use, warning, 'We cannot allow a narrative to build against a vital, green, and growing mode of transportation.' Ramos criticized City Hall for failing to post speed limits and design streets for e-mobility. Krueger backed battery safety bills, while Councilman Bob Holden pushed for outright bans, citing deaths and injuries. The senators warned that inaction could lead to blanket bans, hitting delivery workers hardest. The city’s plan for safe charging hubs faces local opposition. DOT claims a 'holistic approach,' but vulnerable riders remain at risk as agencies drag their feet.

• State Pols Call on DOTs to Counter E-Bike ‘Demonization’, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-03-10

A 26-year-old man was struck by a northbound sedan on Port Richmond Avenue. The pedestrian suffered bruises and injuries to his knee and lower leg. The vehicle showed no damage. The man remained conscious after the collision.

According to the police report, a 26-year-old male pedestrian was injured when a 2019 Ford sedan traveling north on Port Richmond Avenue struck him. The pedestrian sustained contusions and injuries to his knee, lower leg, and foot. The vehicle was entering a parked position and impacted the pedestrian on its left rear quarter panel. The sedan showed no damage. The report lists unspecified contributing factors but does not identify any driver errors such as failure to yield or speeding. The pedestrian was conscious and suffered moderate injuries. No safety equipment or pedestrian actions were noted as contributing factors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4616817 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-07

Brooklyn power players met behind closed doors. They fought to keep the BQE wide and fast. Former party boss Frank Seddio led the charge. Some officials want fewer lanes for cleaner air and safer streets. City Hall claims neutrality. The debate rages on.

On March 4, 2023, a closed-door City Hall meeting gathered Brooklyn political figures to debate the future of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE). The event, organized by Deputy Mayor Meera Joshi, focused on whether to reduce the BQE from three lanes to two. Former Brooklyn Democratic Party Chair Frank Seddio opposed the lane reduction, urging allies to resist the change. The meeting excluded some officials who support shrinking the highway, such as Assembly Member Jo Anne Simon and State Senator Andrew Gounardes, who cite environmental and community health concerns. Council Member Lincoln Restler criticized the city for favoring a three-lane solution and sidelining affected communities. City Hall denied taking a side, stating, 'the decision would be based on a DOT traffic study.' No formal council bill or vote was recorded, and no safety analyst assessed the impact on vulnerable road users.

• THE POWER BROKERS: Brooklyn Machine Fights Smaller BQE at Closed-Door City Hall Meeting, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-03-04

Governor Hochul’s budget dodges state duty. City pays more, gets less. Riders face fare hikes, no better service. State hoards surplus, starves transit. Lawmakers protest. Suburbs dodge taxes. The city shoulders the load. Riders pay the price. Streets stay dangerous.

Governor Hochul’s 2023 state budget proposal, analyzed March 3, 2023, keeps New York State’s long-running refusal to match MTA funding under law 18-b. The budget, now under legislative review, forces New York City to cover a $500 million gap, while the state sits on an $8.7 billion surplus. The matter: 'Hochul's budget not only asks city residents to cover the largest chunk of the MTA's budget gap, but does so in part by continuing long-running practices that essentially under-fund the MTA by millions of dollars each year.' Assembly Member Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas and State Sen. Andrew Gounardes both object, demanding the state honor its legal obligations. Riders Alliance and Reinvent Albany condemn the austerity. With fare hikes looming and no service improvements, city transit riders—often pedestrians and cyclists—bear the brunt. The budget leaves vulnerable road users exposed, as transit stagnates and car dominance persists.

• Analysis: Hochul Turns Her Back on Transit Riders With Her MTA Budget, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-03-03

Snow fell. Bus riders stood in slush. Bike lanes vanished under piles. Sanitation crews cleared some paths, but Parks left cycling routes blocked. Brooklyn Bridge bike path shined. Most streets failed the vulnerable. The city’s patchwork snow plan left danger for all who walk or ride.

On February 28, 2023, Streetsblog NYC published a report on New York City’s first major snow of the year. The article, titled 'Eyes on the Street: The First (And Only?) Snow Report of the Year,' details how sidewalk snow clearance, left to property owners, forced bus riders into slush. Painted bike lanes became useless as drivers shoveled snow into them and plows avoided parked cars. The Department of Sanitation’s new narrow snowplows cleared some routes well, but the Parks Department left cycling paths impassable, showing 'no interest...to encourage cycling.' Only the Brooklyn Bridge bike path stood out, freshly swept and safe. No council bill or vote is attached, but the report exposes how city agencies’ uneven snow removal endangers pedestrians, cyclists, and bus riders.

• Eyes on the Street: The First (And Only?) Snow Report of the Year, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-02-28

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 2023-02-28

A sedan making a left turn struck a pickup truck going straight east on Park Avenue. Two occupants in the sedan were injured. The driver suffered whiplash; a teenage passenger had facial injuries and minor bleeding. Driver distraction caused the crash.

According to the police report, a 33-year-old female driver in a sedan was making a left turn on Park Avenue when her vehicle collided with a pickup truck traveling straight east. The crash injured both occupants of the sedan: the driver sustained whiplash, and a 16-year-old passenger suffered facial injuries with minor bleeding. Both were restrained with lap belts and harnesses and were not ejected. The contributing factor listed was driver inattention or distraction. The pickup truck driver was licensed and traveling straight ahead. The impact occurred at the sedan's center front end and the truck's left front bumper. No pedestrian involvement was reported.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4608450 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-07

Three pedestrians died in separate crashes. One was a child. Drivers struck victims at dangerous intersections. City allowed parked cars to block sightlines. DOT resists daylighting. Police killed one victim. Advocates demand action. Streets remain deadly. Accountability is missing.

A pending City Council bill would require daylighting—removing parking near corners—at 100 intersections per year. The Department of Transportation opposes the bill. The issue gained urgency after three pedestrians, including 7-year-old Dolma Naadhun, died in separate crashes over the weekend of February 19, 2023. One victim was killed at an intersection where parked cars blocked visibility and the ADA ramp. Another, Zabina Gafoor, was struck by an NYPD vehicle responding to an emergency. Advocates, including Elizabeth Adams of Transportation Alternatives, condemned the city’s failure to implement proven safety measures, saying, 'Our city’s children deserve to grow up without the threat of traffic violence.' The bill remains pending. Critics say the city’s refusal to daylight intersections and hold drivers accountable continues to put lives at risk.

• Outrage Builds Over Weekend Pedestrian Deaths, Including a Child, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-02-19

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