Heastie’s Roadblock: Blood, Bodies, and Broken Promises

Aug 3 - Three sedans collided on White Plains Road in the Bronx. A 34-year-old driver suffered back and crush injuries. Police recorded unsafe speed. Vehicles showed front and rear damage. Traffic stopped at the scene.

Three sedans collided on White Plains Road at East 229th Street in the Bronx. One driver, a 34-year-old man, was injured with back and crush injuries and remained conscious. According to the police report, 'Unsafe Speed' was the contributing factor. Police recorded two vehicles stopped in traffic and a third vehicle slowing or stopping before the crash. Points of impact were logged as center back end, right rear bumper, and center front end. Multiple occupants reported unspecified injuries. The report lists unsafe speed as the cause; no other contributing factors were recorded.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4833130 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Jul 9 - An SUV hit a 67-year-old woman in the Bronx. She crossed with the signal. The impact crushed her head. She lay unconscious. The driver turned left. Police list no clear cause.

A 67-year-old woman was struck and injured by an SUV while crossing E 232 St at White Plains Rd in the Bronx. According to the police report, she was crossing with the signal at the intersection when the driver, a 53-year-old man, made a left turn and hit her with the left front bumper. The woman suffered head injuries and was found unconscious with crush injuries. The police report lists all contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' No driver errors are noted in the data.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4826530 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

May 24 - A 76-year-old woman died on White Plains Road. An SUV hit her head-on. Police cite driver inattention. The crash happened late at night. The street turned deadly in an instant. One life ended. The driver walked away.

A 76-year-old female pedestrian was killed when a northbound SUV struck her on White Plains Road at East 216th Street in the Bronx. According to the police report, the vehicle's center front end hit the pedestrian, causing fatal head injuries. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the primary contributing factor. The driver, a 56-year-old woman, was licensed and uninjured. No other injuries were reported among the vehicle occupants. The pedestrian was not at an intersection at the time of the crash. The police report does not list any pedestrian error or equipment as a factor. Systemic danger persists when driver distraction meets vulnerable road users.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4815461 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

May 10 - A taxi struck a woman in the Bronx. She suffered severe hip and leg wounds. The driver failed to yield. The street stayed busy. The system failed to protect her.

A taxi hit a 37-year-old woman at the intersection of East 220th Street and White Plains Road in the Bronx. She suffered severe lacerations to her hip and upper leg. According to the police report, the driver failed to yield the right-of-way. The driver, a 61-year-old man, was licensed and headed south. The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the contributing factor. No vehicle damage was reported. The crash left the pedestrian injured and exposed the ongoing danger at city intersections.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4811922 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Apr 13 - A 25-year-old on an e-bike hit a parked pick-up truck on Colden Ave. His helmet stayed on. His head bled. The truck’s bumper bent. Two men in the truck were unhurt.

A 25-year-old e-bike rider crashed into the rear of a parked pick-up truck near 3311 Colden Ave in the Bronx. According to the police report, the rider suffered severe head lacerations but wore a helmet. The pick-up truck’s bumper was damaged. Two 58-year-old men in the truck were not injured. The report lists no driver errors or contributing factors. Helmet use is noted only because it appears in the official record.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4805794 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Mar 3 - Lawmakers push for cameras to ticket double parkers. Streets choke with blocked bike lanes and chaos. Manual enforcement fails. DOT backs automation. Some lawmakers resist, call for cops. Vulnerable road users left dodging danger as debate drags.

On March 3, 2025, a legislative proposal surfaced to deploy automated parking enforcement cameras across New York City. Assemblymember Steven Raga leads the push for a $35 million pilot, aiming to install 150 cameras targeting double parking and illegal stops. The bill, not yet assigned a committee or number, seeks to automate enforcement where manual efforts fall short. Raga writes, 'manual enforcement has not been able to meet the demand to combat double parking and illegal parking.' State Senator Simcha Felder of District 44 opposes the measure, arguing for traditional police summonses instead. The Department of Transportation supports the expansion, stating, 'Automated enforcement has proven to change driver behavior and make our streets safer for everyone.' The debate centers on whether automation or police presence best protects pedestrians and cyclists from blocked lanes and traffic hazards.

• New push for automated ticketing of drivers who double park in NYC, gothamist.com, Published 2025-03-03

Feb 19 - Trump killed congestion pricing. Subway riders fumed. The city lost billions for transit. Streets will clog again. Danger rises for those on foot and bike. Riders called the move insane. Politicians slammed the decision. The city’s lifeline is at risk.

On February 19, 2025, President Trump ended New York City’s congestion pricing program, just weeks after it began. The federal action canceled the $9 toll meant to fund the MTA’s capital plan, threatening $16 billion for transit upgrades. The matter drew sharp words: Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie said, 'The president and the Republican members of New York's congressional delegation ... just blew a $16-billion hole in the most important transit system in the nation.' Subway riders at Canal Street called the move 'insane' and accused Trump of ignoring New Yorkers. Advocates and everyday riders warned that ending congestion pricing would slow commutes, worsen traffic, and put vulnerable road users at greater risk. The city’s future now hangs in the balance, with transit funding gutted and streets set to fill with cars again.

• NYC Subway Riders to Trump: Drop Dead, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-02-19

Jan 13 - Albany leaders stall on MTA funding. They block capital plans. They threaten congestion pricing. Subways face cuts. Riders pay the price. Service, safety, and reliability hang in the balance. Political games choke the city’s lifeline. Vulnerable New Yorkers lose again.

This report covers the ongoing 2025 state legislative budget negotiations over the MTA’s 2025-29 capital plan and congestion pricing. The article, published January 13, 2025, highlights how Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, and Governor Hochul have failed to deliver needed funding. The matter summary states: 'Starving the MTA will not actually improve service and will not actually improve safety, will not actually improve reliability.' Lawmakers consider exemptions or repeals to congestion pricing, undermining the MTA’s financial foundation. Andrew Rein, a key voice, warns that withholding funds is 'a recipe for disaster and an abdication of responsibility.' The legislature’s inaction threatens subway modernization, safety, and reliability. Without proper investment, vulnerable riders—those who rely on transit—face greater risk and hardship.

• Albany’s Power Brokers Are Trying To Break Your Subway, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-01-13

Jan 12 - Two sedans slammed head-on near Bronxwood Avenue. Metal twisted, airbags burst. Four people inside crushed, stunned, incoherent. Parked cars struck in the chaos. The street fell silent, wreckage marking the cost of unsafe speed and reckless force.

On E 216th Street near Bronxwood Avenue in the Bronx, two sedans collided head-on, tearing through the night. According to the police report, the crash occurred at 1:09 a.m. and involved a 2008 Acura sedan and a 2013 Nissan sedan, both traveling straight ahead. The report details that 'Unsafe Speed' was a contributing factor, with one driver also flagged for 'Alcohol Involvement.' The narrative describes airbags bursting and metal folding, leaving four occupants—two drivers and two passengers—injured. Victims suffered crush injuries, with one semiconscious, two incoherent, and one in shock. The force of the collision sent vehicles into parked cars, compounding the destruction. The police report makes clear: unsafe speed and driver recklessness shattered the quiet, leaving bodies broken and a street scarred.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4785315 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Dec 30 - Albany leaders killed the MTA’s capital plan. Repairs and upgrades freeze. Janno Lieber warns of cascading failures. Riders face broken signals, crumbling tracks, and delays. The Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee urges reversal. Lawmakers argue over funding while the city waits.

On December 30, 2024, New York State legislative leaders rejected the MTA 2025-29 Capital Plan. Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins blocked approval, citing incomplete funding. The plan, described as funding 'crucial state-of-good-repair track work,' now hangs in limbo. MTA CEO Janno Lieber called the move a 'Catch-22' that could cause cascading failures and delay urgent repairs. The Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the MTA urged lawmakers to withdraw their objection, warning of long-term delays and higher costs. Stewart-Cousins’s spokesperson, Mike Murphy, dismissed the urgency, pointing to unfinished projects from the last plan. The standoff leaves essential transit upgrades—and the safety of millions—at risk.

• MTA to Albany Pols: Your 11th-Hour Rejection of the Capital Plan Will Cause an ‘Insurmountable’ Problem, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-12-30

Dec 26 - Albany leaders stopped the MTA’s $68-billion plan. Their move halts new trains, station fixes, and power upgrades. Riders wait. Subways and buses age. Streets stay dangerous. No comment from Heastie or Stewart-Cousins. Advocates warn: delay means risk for millions.

On December 26, 2024, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins blocked the MTA’s 2025-2029 capital plan, worth $68 billion. The action came via a Christmas Eve letter to MTA CEO Janno Leiber, rejecting the plan and stalling critical transit improvements. The plan, as described, funds 'essential work'—new trains, accessibility, power, and station repairs. Riders Alliance called on Albany to 'fix the subway.' Danny Pearlstein of Riders Alliance warned, 'the least-visible projects are the most vulnerable to cuts – but also often the most essential, like new signals and upgrades to power systems and structures.' Neither Heastie nor Stewart-Cousins responded to requests for comment. The rejection delays contract awards for new electric rail cars and locomotives, leaving millions of riders—and vulnerable road users—at risk from crumbling infrastructure and unreliable transit.

• Christmas Sockings: Carl Heastie and Andrea Stewart-Cousins Say ‘No’ to Better Transit, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-12-26

Nov 30 - A BMW sedan, driven by a permit holder, tore through Eastchester Road in the Bronx. A 60-year-old man died beneath its wheels. Parked cars shuddered. The street was dark. The driver was distracted. The man’s body bore the crush.

A 60-year-old pedestrian was killed when a BMW sedan, operated by a driver holding only a permit, struck him on Eastchester Road near Givan Avenue in the Bronx. According to the police report, the crash occurred just after midnight, and the street was dark. The report states the driver was inattentive or distracted at the time of the collision. The impact was so forceful that parked cars were damaged. The pedestrian was not in a crosswalk when struck, but the police report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the contributing factor. The driver’s permit status is noted in the narrative, underscoring a lack of full licensure. The report does not cite any pedestrian actions as contributing factors. The focus remains on the driver’s distraction and permit status, which led to fatal consequences for the man in the roadway.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4775743 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Nov 27 - A 2013 Infiniti SUV surged off course on Schieffelin Avenue, its front end folding in a head-on crash. The 69-year-old driver, conscious but battered, suffered head trauma and crushing injuries. The street swallowed the sound. Metal and silence remained.

A violent collision unfolded on Schieffelin Avenue near Baychester Avenue when a 2013 Infiniti SUV veered off course and struck head-on, according to the police report. The report states the vehicle's front end folded inward from the impact. The 69-year-old male driver, the sole injured party, was found conscious at the scene but suffered head trauma and crush injuries. According to the police report, the driver 'did not keep right,' with 'Failure to Keep Right' listed as the contributing factor. The narrative describes the moment: 'A 2013 Infiniti SUV veered off course, striking head-on. The 69-year-old driver, conscious, suffered head trauma and crush injuries. The front end folded inward. He did not keep right.' No other vehicle occupants or road users were reported injured. The crash underscores the consequences when a driver fails to maintain proper lane discipline.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4774671 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Nov 9 - A 27-year-old rider on Monticello Avenue crashed into a BMW’s side. Thrown from his Honda, his head struck the pavement. He died under the streetlights. The motorcycle lay wrecked, the street marked by violence and loss.

According to the police report, a 27-year-old man riding a Honda motorcycle northbound on Monticello Avenue near Strang Avenue collided with the left side doors of a BMW sedan. The crash occurred at 18:43 in the Bronx. The motorcyclist, who was not wearing a helmet, was ejected from his bike and suffered fatal head injuries, dying at the scene. The police report lists 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as a contributing factor, highlighting a critical driver error. The narrative describes the motorcycle as demolished and the rider as dying alone under the streetlights. The report notes the victim’s lack of helmet use, but only after citing the disregard for traffic control as a key factor in the deadly crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4769894 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Nov 9 - A Honda sedan turned left on Laconia Ave. The front end crumpled on impact. A rear passenger suffered back injuries, left in shock. The driver’s inattention and inexperience caused the crash. The street remained silent, the damage clear.

At 1:58 a.m. on Laconia Ave near E 233rd in the Bronx, a 2024 Honda sedan made a left turn when it crashed. According to the police report, the vehicle’s center front end was the point of impact and sustained damage. The driver, a licensed female, was distracted and inexperienced, cited explicitly as contributing factors in the crash. A male rear passenger, 18 years old, was injured with back pain and nausea, remaining inside the vehicle and not ejected. The report notes his injury severity as moderate and his emotional state as shock. There is no mention of any contributing behavior by the passenger. The crash narrative centers on driver error—distraction and inexperience—as the cause of the collision and resulting injuries.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4770020 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Sep 30 - Gov. Hochul may slash the $68.4-billion MTA capital plan. Transit advocates rage. Riders face crumbling subways, broken promises. The governor holds the knife. The future of safe, reliable transit hangs in the balance. The buck stops with her.

On September 30, 2024, Governor Kathy Hochul announced she might not fill a $33-billion gap in the proposed 2025-2029 MTA capital plan, threatening to shrink the $68.4-billion package approved by the MTA Board. The plan now awaits review by the Capital Plan Review Board, which has 90 days to approve or reject it. The matter centers on whether the governor will force cuts to desperately needed repairs and upgrades. Advocates like Danny Pearlstein of Riders Alliance demand Hochul fund 'the reliable, accessible, resilient service we've long been denied but that we need and deserve.' Rachael Fauss of Reinvent Albany calls out Hochul’s record, urging her to cut her own Interborough Express project first if reductions come. The MTA declined comment. The fate of New York’s transit—and the safety of millions who rely on it—rests on this decision.

• Derailed? Gov. Hochul May Rip Up MTA Capital Plan, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-09-30

Sep 23 - A flatbed truck turned left at Bronxwood Avenue. A 64-year-old man crossed with the light. Steel crushed flesh. The truck stopped. The man lay still. The intersection fell silent, marked by violence and the weight of machinery.

A 64-year-old man was killed when a flatbed truck struck him at the intersection of Bronxwood Avenue and East 229th Street in the Bronx, according to the police report. The crash occurred as the truck was making a left turn. The report states, 'A flatbed truck turned left. A 64-year-old man crossed with the light. The front end struck him. His body crushed beneath steel.' The pedestrian was crossing with the signal at the intersection, as explicitly noted in the police data. The police report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified,' but the narrative and vehicle data confirm the truck's left turn and the pedestrian's lawful crossing. The man suffered fatal crush injuries to his entire body. No driver errors beyond the left turn are specified, but the sequence underscores the lethal risk posed by turning vehicles to people in crosswalks.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4758508 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Sep 14 - Steel tore on Bronx Boulevard as a BMW SUV veered and slammed a parked Nissan. A 37-year-old man’s back was crushed in the silence. The street froze. The crash left one injured, the city’s danger exposed again.

According to the police report, at 3:02 a.m. near 3640 Bronx Boulevard, a BMW SUV traveling north veered and struck a parked Nissan sedan. The report states the impact folded steel and left a 37-year-old male driver with crush injuries to his back. He remained conscious at the scene. The police report lists 'Passing or Lane Usage Improper' as a contributing factor, highlighting a critical driver error. The Nissan was parked at the time of the collision, and no other injuries were reported. The evidence in the report underscores the consequences of improper lane usage, as the SUV’s movement directly led to the severe injury of the sedan’s occupant. No victim actions are cited as contributing factors. The crash stands as another instance of systemic road danger in the Bronx.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4757079 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Jul 24 - State Sen. Jeremy Cooney calls out Governor Hochul. He demands a 100-day plan to fill the $16.5 billion MTA gap left by her congestion pricing pause. Projects for safer, more accessible transit hang in the balance. Albany leaders mostly stay silent.

On July 24, 2024, State Sen. Jeremy Cooney, new chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, issued a public demand for Governor Hochul to deliver a '100-day plan' to replace the $16.5 billion MTA funding shortfall caused by her cancellation of congestion pricing. In his op-ed, Cooney wrote, 'the time for debating the merits of congestion pricing has passed,' urging the governor to convene finance, labor, and passenger representatives to find a solution. Cooney’s push comes as the MTA faces threats to station accessibility, signal upgrades, and new trains and buses. Other Albany leaders, including Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and Senate President Andrea Stewart-Cousins, have offered little response. Senate Finance Chair Liz Krueger called Hochul’s move illegal. The bill or action is not numbered, but the committee involved is the Senate Transportation Committee. No direct safety analyst note was provided, but the loss of funding jeopardizes projects vital to vulnerable road users.

• Hochul Must Put Up or Shut Up on Congestion Pricing, New Senate Transportation Chair Says, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-07-24

Jul 2 - Albany stalls. The MTA faces a $15 billion hole. Lawmakers argue over reviving congestion pricing with a lower toll. Transit hangs in the balance. Streets stay clogged. Riders and walkers wait for answers. No fix. No funding. Danger lingers.

On July 2, 2024, state lawmakers, including Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal (District 47), debated the future of congestion pricing and MTA funding. The matter, reported as 'MTA in dark over Gov. Hochul’s talks to revive congestion pricing with lower tolls,' highlights confusion and division. Hoylman-Sigal supports lowering the toll, saying, 'The goal should be mend it don’t end it.' He urges keeping the program alive to save mass transit. Sen. Liz Krueger is open to tweaks if goals are met. Assemblyman Gary Pretlow opposes any revival. The MTA faces a $15 billion shortfall after the program’s pause. Policy experts warn that lowering the toll could weaken congestion relief and transit funding. No clear plan exists. Vulnerable road users remain at risk as gridlock and uncertainty persist.

• MTA in dark over Gov. Hochul’s talks to revive congestion pricing with lower tolls: ‘I don’t know anything’, nypost.com, Published 2024-07-02