This road in NYC is infamously dangerous — and Mamdani can't fix it

New York City's Ocean Parkway is “a six-lane highway known for reckless driving,” Stephen Nessen writes for Gothamist — and Mayor Zohran Mamdani is prohibited from redesigning it. Because New York State oversees Ocean Parkway, any changes must come from state officials rather than the city. While New York State has reduced the parkway's speed limit and replaced stop signs with traffic lights, along with other changes, locals say it should put more safety measures in place. 

Over the last five years, car crashes have killed seven people and injured 74 on Ocean Parkway. While Frederick Law Olmsted originally designed the parkway with pedestrians in mind, the area is not very pedestrian friendly: A bike lane and walkway are on either side of the parkway, but they are squeezed between the six-lane highway and another road. Resident Gaby Haba told Gothamist the city should install a gate that separates the street from the paths.

“Some locals wanted the state to lower the street’s speed limit below the 25 mph restriction that’s been in place since 2015. Under a state law passed in 2024, the city transportation department is allowed to reduce the speed limit to 20 mph on many local streets. But the law prohibits such a low speed limit on main arterial roads like Ocean Parkway,” Gothamist reports.