Dozens of Children Killed on NYC Streets since Mayor Adams Took Office, Lawmakers Demand Redesign of Intersections
A group of lawmakers and transportation advocates gathered at City Hall this week, carrying 50 pairs of shoes to represent the dozens of children killed in car crashes since Mayor Eric Adams took office. The group is calling for the city council to pass legislation requiring redesigns at streets across all five boroughs.
The proposed bill would require the city Department of Transportation to remove up to 20 feet of parking spaces from near every intersection each year, a strategy known as "daylighting." The goal is to improve pedestrian safety and reduce the number of traffic-related deaths. However, the plan has sparked controversy due to its potential impact on parking availability.
Initially, Adams and transportation department officials had expressed support for daylighting, but changed their stance last year after releasing a report claiming that it can actually make intersections more dangerous. Queens Councilmember Julie Won, who sponsored the bill, says that lives have been lost while the city failed to act.
Won has criticized Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez, saying he should be "completely ashamed" for not taking action earlier. She is open to a watered-down version of the bill that would only require daylighting at intersections near schools, with the goal of achieving better results.
While advocates point to Hoboken, New Jersey as an example of how daylighting can work, with zero traffic deaths in eight years, it remains unclear if the scaled-back bill will pass by the start of 2026. Speaker Adrienne Adams and her office have maintained that pedestrian safety is a top priority, but details for any potential compromise are still being negotiated.
The number of children killed on NYC streets has been alarming, with dozens lost to traffic-related incidents since Mayor Adams took office. As advocates push for change, lawmakers must decide whether the benefits of improved safety outweigh the cost of reduced parking availability.
A group of lawmakers and transportation advocates gathered at City Hall this week, carrying 50 pairs of shoes to represent the dozens of children killed in car crashes since Mayor Eric Adams took office. The group is calling for the city council to pass legislation requiring redesigns at streets across all five boroughs.
The proposed bill would require the city Department of Transportation to remove up to 20 feet of parking spaces from near every intersection each year, a strategy known as "daylighting." The goal is to improve pedestrian safety and reduce the number of traffic-related deaths. However, the plan has sparked controversy due to its potential impact on parking availability.
Initially, Adams and transportation department officials had expressed support for daylighting, but changed their stance last year after releasing a report claiming that it can actually make intersections more dangerous. Queens Councilmember Julie Won, who sponsored the bill, says that lives have been lost while the city failed to act.
Won has criticized Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez, saying he should be "completely ashamed" for not taking action earlier. She is open to a watered-down version of the bill that would only require daylighting at intersections near schools, with the goal of achieving better results.
While advocates point to Hoboken, New Jersey as an example of how daylighting can work, with zero traffic deaths in eight years, it remains unclear if the scaled-back bill will pass by the start of 2026. Speaker Adrienne Adams and her office have maintained that pedestrian safety is a top priority, but details for any potential compromise are still being negotiated.
The number of children killed on NYC streets has been alarming, with dozens lost to traffic-related incidents since Mayor Adams took office. As advocates push for change, lawmakers must decide whether the benefits of improved safety outweigh the cost of reduced parking availability.
this is getting out of hand 
. seriously though, 50 pairs of shoes representin' all those kids who didn't make it home from school? that's just heartbreaking 
. daylighting might seem like a small thing, but if it can save even one life, it's worth fightin' for 
. i get why ppl are skeptical about reducin' parking spots, but like Won said, lives have been lost due to inaction 
. Hoboken is a great example, and i think we should be lookin' at other cities that've done similar stuff 
. Speaker Adams needs to take this seriously & work with ppl to find a solution 
. our streets should be safe for all kids 
.
This is a worrying trend in our city, folks! The stats are staggering - dozens of young lives lost on our streets since Mayor Eric Adams took office. I think it's only fair that we hold our leaders accountable for their decisions on transportation. It's time to put the needs of pedestrians above parking spaces. 
While I understand the concerns about reduced parking availability, is a few less spots really worth the value of human life? 
It's time for our lawmakers to weigh the pros and cons and make a decision that prioritizes safety. Our children deserve nothing less! 
. First, he's all for daylighting, then he's like " nah, maybe not". It's like, can't we just agree on something already?! 
. It's like, yes, some parking spaces might need to go, but so what?! The lives of these kids are at stake 
.
. We need to find a balance here, not make one thing more important than the other 
. Can we please just pass this bill already?! 
. The idea of "daylighting" intersections is a good one, but I understand why some people might be worried about parking spaces being reduced 
I mean, Hoboken, NJ has shown that it can work, so let's learn from that example and make NYC streets safer for everyone 
. The lawmakers are pushing for change, and I hope they can make it happen 
gotta say, it's crazy to think that over 50 kids have lost their lives on NYC streets since mayor Adams took office! 
let's hope lawmakers can get on board with this and make some real changes! 
like what's the point if no 1 can park their car? its not like NYC is gonna run outta spaces or sumthn 
& btw, i think mayor adams & transport dept r just tryin to cover up the fact that they cant solve this problem on ther own 
And what's with the 20 feet of parking space reduction? That's gonna be a real pain for people who work from home or have families. How are we supposed to balance safety with everyday convenience? I'm all for looking out for kids, but this bill just seems like it's gonna cause more problems than it solves... 
... it's crazy how the mayor and his team were initially on board with daylighting but then had a change of heart last year 
. It's like they were caught up in some data that didn't sit well with them 
... meanwhile, more kids are getting killed on NYC streets 
. I don't think it's fair to say Ydanis Rodriguez should be "completely ashamed" tho 
... he's trying to make things work in a complex system 
. The fact that we're even debating this is a big deal 
. Daylighting at intersections is a no-brainer - who needs 20 feet of parking when you can have safe crossings? 
Let's get on board with this bill ASAP and hope that our lawmakers are willing to put people over cars 
.
. I think the city should find a way to make our streets safer without messing with parking too much. Maybe they could install more crosswalks and pedestrian lights? And what about those schools that are near busy intersections? Can't we just make those areas safe already?! 