With Mayor Zohran Mamdani\u2019s new leadership taking the city reigns, the Advance\/SILive.com talked to two of Staten Island\u2019s councilmembers about what they see as their districts\u2019 most worrisome streets\u2014and their vision for governmental solutions.<\/p>\n
(Councilmember Frank Morano was not available for an interview before publication.)<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve seen some changes on streets like Van Duzer using traffic calming measures,\u201d said Councilmember Kamillah Hanks. \u201cBut more needs to be done.\u201d<\/p>\n
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This composite shows Councilmember David Carr, left, and Councilmember Kamillah Hanks, right. (Advance\/SILive.com | Jan Somma-Hammel)The most worrisome roads<\/p>\n
Both Hanks, a Democrat representing the North Shore, and Councilmember David Carr, a Republican representing the Mid-Island, have districts that can be defined by some of the borough\u2019s major roads: Richmond Terrace, Victory Boulevard, Forest Avenue and Hylan Boulevard among them.<\/p>\n
However, when asked which streets felt the most dangerous, both pointed to smaller, more residential streets that connect major infrastructure. <\/p>\n
Prospect Avenue and Henderson Avenue<\/p>\n
Hanks named locations like Prospect Avenue in New Brighton and Henderson Avenue \u2014which spans New Brighton, Randall Manor and West Brighton \u2014 as particularly concerning on the North Shore, as they see a high volume of traffic moving past areas with a significant number of pedestrians.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese roads are bounded by senior housing, schools, rehabilitation centers and parks, and they serve as direct connections to and from the Staten Island Ferry Terminal,\u201d Hanks explained. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe combination of high speed, heavy traffic, and vulnerable populations makes pedestrian crossings especially dangerous,\u201d she continued.<\/p>\n
![\"Hylan](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/GJWOA4M3YBHDBBOCQGDVHIJBOU.JPG\")
Traffic crawls through the intersection of Midland Avenue and Hylan Boulevard around 6 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 28, 2025. (Advance\/SILive.com | Luke Peteley)Greeley Avenue<\/p>\n
Similarly, Carr pointed out Greeley Avenue, which connects Hylan Boulevard and Father Capodanno Boulevard<\/a> in Midland Beach, as a road that he believes needs to be changed. <\/p>\n The traffic circles on that road have not served their stated purpose of reducing driving speeds and have made it more difficult to see cars coming from side streets, Carr said.<\/p>\n The recent addition of a limited number of stop signs on that road<\/a> is proof it needs to be improved, he continued.<\/p>\n This is not the first time Carr has raised concerns about Greeley Avenue, but a DOT spokesperson previously told the Advance\/SILive.com that the traffic circles \u201care proven measures to slow speeds and turns, and to enhance safety on this corridor.\u201d<\/p>\n Seaview Avenue<\/p>\n Carr also expressed frustration with the redesign of Seaview Avenue in Ocean Breeze, particularly the floating parking lanes<\/a> because of the potential impact on emergency vehicle access in the area.<\/p>\n Each direction of the new Seaview Avenue now features a 12-foot travel lane, a 10-foot-wide parking lane, a new 5-foot buffer zone, and the Island\u2019s first protected bike lanes bordering the curb.<\/p>\n Previously, Seaview Avenue had two lanes of travel in each direction and smaller, unprotected bike lanes.<\/p>\n At the unveiling of the changes, DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez addressed community concerns that ambulances would be stuck in additional traffic, emphasizing that his agency involved the FDNY with this project.<\/p>\n \u201cThe moving of ambulances or police vehicles is something that we don\u2019t compromise in any project. And any project that we do in our city, including this one, has the feedback of the Fire Department and NYPD,\u201d Rodriguez said at the time.<\/p>\n Hylan Boulevard<\/p>\n For years, Hylan Boulevard has been the site of dangerous crashes, gaining it the nickname \u201cBoulevard of Death.\u201d<\/a> In 2025, five of the nine most dangerous intersections were at spots along the road<\/a>.<\/p>\n When asked about Hylan Boulevard, which runs through his district, Carr recognized that something needs to be done, but said that the most useful changes wouldn\u2019t come from the Department of Transportation.<\/p>\n \u201cI actually don\u2019t think that it\u2019s necessarily a solution that DOT would be able to bring to the table,\u201d Carr said. \u201cI think what we\u2019re talking about is about transit.\u201d<\/p>\n Carr explained that the best solution for Hylan Boulevard would involve giving Staten Islanders \u2014 particularly those on the South Shore \u2014 more transit options.<\/p>\n He also called expanded express bus service and a South Shore fast ferry \u201cthe only way, ultimately\u201d to address congestion on Staten Island\u2019s main thoroughfare. <\/p>\n What are the solutions?<\/p>\n For her district, Hanks spoke of better street safety education along with improvements in specific problematic areas to increase safety.<\/p>\n These \u201cintersection-by-intersection redesigns\u201d would feature infrastructure like raised crosswalks and smart traffic signals \u2014 which adjust traffic light timing \u2014 to slow traffic and enhance pedestrian safety, Hanks explained. <\/p>\n Carr said that there needs to be a balance of enhancing safety while also improving the flow of traffic.<\/p>\n To do so, Carr would like to see more left-turn signals installed at intersections in his Mid-Island district, along with increased pedestrian crossing times to accompany any signal changes.<\/p>\n \u201cThe nice thing about that is that it helps the traffic flow better and it actually protects pedestrians who might be trying to cross the street,\u201d Carr explained.<\/p>\n In addition, both Carr and Hanks pointed to legislation they say would lead to tangible changes for traffic safety in the borough.<\/p>\n Hanks pushed two bills, one of which would create a pilot program where pedal-assist bicycles would be confiscated<\/a> from operators with three or more moving violations until they complete a defensive biking course.<\/p>\n The other, Intro 1106, would have the DOT remove speed cameras<\/a> from areas where the nearby school has closed, which Hanks said she believes would \u201c[keep] enforcement focused on safety rather than revenue.\u201d<\/p>\n Similarly, Carr stressed a speed-camera related bill as an important step forward for traffic safety in the borough.<\/p>\n His legislation, Intro 161, would require DOT<\/a> to study 100 camera locations a year for the feasibility of a speed bump, with the option to remove cameras from locations with successful speed bumps installed.<\/p>\n \u201cBecause if you really want to slow people down, no better way than one of those,\u201d Carr said.<\/p>\n In response to these concerns, a spokesperson from the DOT issued the following statement:<\/p>\n \u201cIn 2025 the city reduced traffic deaths to historic lows citywide and installed several critical safety projects on Staten Island. We look forward to building on that success in the new year.\u201d<\/p>\n The spokesperson also pointed out that DOT already deactivates speed cameras near closed schools as outlined by state law and highlighted the agency\u2019s street changes on Richmond Terrace<\/a> and Seaview Avenue.<\/p>\n Also causing a lot of buzz is legislation that would bar parking within 20 feet of a crosswalk<\/a> or \u201cdaylighting.\u201d Supported by Councilmember Frank Morano, discussion of the safety proposal has been heated<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cLook, no one loves their cars more than Staten Islanders \u2014 I get that, I live it. But even in a car-loving district like mine, people want to be able to see when they\u2019re turning, and they don\u2019t want their kid or their neighbor getting hit at an intersection because a van was blocking the crosswalk,\u201c Morano previously told the Advance\/SILive.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n However, some Staten Island officials have rallied against daylighting universally, pushing for an intersection-by-intersection approach. <\/p>\n A new mayor to take on traffic<\/p>\n Both lawmakers were also asked if working with the new mayoral administration would be any different from those of years past.<\/p>\n Hanks said she is ready to work with the administration on improving streets, but stressed that the city needs to make sure that policies reflect the realities of Staten Island.<\/p>\n \u201cIt remains to be seen how the new administration will approach Staten Island traffic conditions,\u201d Hanks said. <\/p>\n \u201cOur borough\u2019s streets face unique challenges, winding streets with hills, limited mass transit, and vulnerable populations that require tailored solutions,\u201d she continued.<\/p>\n Carr, for his part, recognized that ideological differences would be inevitable but remained confident that there could be a \u201cpositive working relationship\u201d as long as there was a spirit of collaboration.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you come to the table with a sense of \u2018alright you guys have been thinking about your intersections for years, what do you think are good places for us to start\u2019 then I think what we can find a way to have some really good results for the borough,\u201d Carr said.<\/p>\n Staten Island lives depend on it<\/p>\n From October 2024 through March 2025, there were a disturbing seven pedestrian fatalities on Staten Island<\/a>.<\/p>\n Since March, at least three more Staten Islanders have been struck and killed by cars: Meiyun Chen, 66, of Charleston<\/a> in October; Robert Farina, 60, of Port Richmond<\/a> later that month; and Nilsa Cruz , 66, of Mariners Harbor<\/a> as recently as Dec. 18.<\/p>\n During 2025, Staten Island recorded 13 overall traffic fatalities, the only borough to not see a decrease from the year prior, according to new DOT data<\/a>.<\/p>\n In total, more than 55 lives \u2014pedestrians, passengers and motorists \u2014 have been lost on the borough\u2019s roads and sidewalks since 2021<\/a>.<\/p>\n Along with documenting this harrowing trend, the Advance\/SILive.com has looked at New York City\u2019s approach to traffic enforcement<\/a> and the growing congestion on the borough\u2019s roads.<\/p>\n In a project titled Staten Island Traffic SOS, the Advance\/SILive.com detailed Vision Zero data trends<\/a>, described traffic conditions<\/a> and documented personal stories on Staten Island\u2019s Boulevard of Death<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"hylan](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/QJD7XR7GXNCGNBVUE3KBQA74AM.JPG\")
Traffic backs up along Hylan Boulevard near Bedford Avenue in Midland Beach.(Advance\/SILive.com | Mike Matteo)<\/p>\n![\"map](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/1760955788_340_thumbnail.jpeg\")
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