Brad Aaron
Brad Aaron began writing for Streetsblog in 2007, after years as a reporter, editor, and publisher in the alternative weekly business. Brad adopted New York's dysfunctional traffic justice system as his primary beat for Streetsblog. He lives in Manhattan.
Recent Posts
Driver Not Charged for Killing Girl, 10, and Injuring Mother in Borough Park
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A motorist killed a 10-year-old girl and injured her pregnant mother as the pair crossed a street in Borough Park Tuesday night. Blima Friedman was at least the eighth child age 14 and under killed by a New York City driver in 2014, and the third in the last six weeks. The crash occurred at […]
NYC Motorists Have Killed Five Pedestrians and One Cyclist in 10 Days
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At least five pedestrians and one cyclist have been killed by motorists since November 15. Of the six drivers involved, four left the scene. Of the four who were either caught by NYPD or remained at the scene, only one has been charged for causing a death. One three-hour span on Monday was especially violent. At […]
Motorist With Now-Expired NYC Disability Placard Still Blocking Curb Ramp
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And now back to Seaman Avenue. A few weeks ago we noted that motorists who obtain disability permits from the city can basically park wherever they want, even in “no parking” zones with curb ramps for pedestrians with disabilities. An unmarked crosswalk at Seaman and W. 214th Street, in Inwood, is a favorite spot for […]
DOT: Seaman Avenue Bike Lanes Won’t Return This Year
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The asphalt is fresh, the yellow lines and crosswalks installed, but DOT won’t be returning bike lanes to Seaman Avenue until next year, according to the office of local City Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez. Seaman Avenue is the only designated north-south bike route between the Hudson River Greenway and the Bronx, and it’s the trunk […]
More Arterial Carnage: Driver Seriously Injures Woman on Atlantic [Updated]
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Update: A witness to this crash contacted Streetsblog. His account has been added to the post. A motorist seriously injured a pedestrian on Atlantic Avenue at Washington Avenue in Brooklyn this morning. A witness, who didn’t want his name published, told Streetsblog he was crossing Atlantic with several other pedestrians when the crash occurred. “There’s […]
Will de Blasio’s Bike Lane Network Keep Pace With Citi Bike Expansion?
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A City Council hearing on bike infrastructure is about to get underway this afternoon, where council members will “focus on ways to improve” NYC bike infrastructure, according to a press release from Ydanis Rodriguez, the transportation chair. One issue that Transportation Alternatives will be highlighting at the hearing is the mismatch between the existing bike […]
Eyes on the Street: When Will Inwood Get Its Scarce Bike Lanes Back?
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As Streetsblog readers know, Inwood is the Manhattan neighborhood where DOT periodically and without warning takes away bike infrastructure. So locals were pleased when in 2013 DOT announced a handful of modest bike projects for Inwood and Washington Heights, including Upper Manhattan’s first protected bike lane, and the rehabbing of bike lanes on Seaman Avenue, which […]
Families for Safe Streets Meets With Cuomo Rep to Talk DMV Reforms
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In a meeting with representatives from Governor Andrew Cuomo’s administration Tuesday, members of Families for Safe Streets called for reforms to New York State Department of Motor Vehicles protocols, with the goal of discouraging reckless driving and obtaining some measure of justice for crash victims and their families. Karen Rae, Cuomo’s deputy transportation secretary, met with relatives […]
NYPD Blames Teen Killed by SI Motorist Before Completing Investigation
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NYPD says it’s still investigating the death of a teenage jogger who was struck by a motorist on Staten Island, but that didn’t stop the department from publicizing a “preliminary” finding claiming the victim was at fault. Based on NYPD investigations into this crash and others, it’s open season on pedestrians who cross streets on a […]
Eyes on the Street: SUVs Planted in 14th Street Pedestrian Plaza
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“The Vanishing Game” is a Range Rover ad posing as a book. What a fitting title for this takeover of the pedestrian plaza at 14th Street and Ninth Avenue, a sizable area of which disappeared over the weekend under a couple of luxury SUVs. True to the ad-as-book fakery, these things were tilted on jacks […]
Queens DA Richard Brown on Driver Who Killed Allison Liao: Accidents Happen
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A letter from District Attorney Richard Brown’s office explaining why no charges were filed against the driver who killed 3-year-old Allison Liao offers disturbing insight into the mindset of prosecutors charged with holding motorists accountable for serious traffic crashes in Queens. The crash was captured on video. On the afternoon of October 6, 2013, Allison […]
DOT Unveils Interactive Vision Zero Map, But NYPD Data Still Incomplete
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As the Transportation Alternatives Vision Zero for Cities Symposium got underway in Downtown Brooklyn this morning, DOT released an interactive map of traffic crashes, street safety projects and more. One piece that’s still missing, though: NYPD enforcement data. “Vision Zero View” maps injury and fatal crashes based on the latest available data, updated monthly, and […]