Uptown’s Toll: Death on Broadway, Blood on the Parkway

May 28 - Brooklyn’s Democratic machine targets the Bedford Avenue protected bike lane. Power brokers demand removal. Cyclists and walkers lose ground. The mayor’s allies press for cars. Streets grow harsher. Vulnerable road users face rising danger.

On May 28, 2025, the New York City Council debated the future of the Bedford Avenue protected bike lane. No bill number or committee was cited. The matter: 'The Bedford Avenue protected bike lane is facing opposition from key figures in the Brooklyn Democratic machine.' Council Members Lincoln Restler and Chi Oss support the lane. Former Adams chief of staff Frank Carone and Brooklyn party chair Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn lead the opposition. Mayor Eric Adams calls for listening to bike lane critics. Challenger Sabrina Gates wants the lane rerouted. DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez defends the lane’s safety record. A safety analyst warns: 'Threats to protected bike lanes undermine safe infrastructure for cyclists and pedestrians, potentially reducing mode shift and safety in numbers while increasing risk for vulnerable road users.' The fight is not just political. It is life and death for those outside a car.

• Democratic Party Machine Joins the Bikelash on Bedford Avenue, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-05-28

May 27 - A police cruiser swerved from a taxi and slammed into two people eating outside. Sirens screamed. Metal struck flesh. Both diners and officers landed in the hospital. The street stayed open. The city kept moving. The system failed the vulnerable.

According to the New York Post (May 27, 2025), an NYPD squad car struck two people seated at an outdoor dining area on Broadway and West 112th Street. The crash happened when a taxi made a left turn, prompting the police car to swerve. The article states, “The 37-year-old cab driver was given a summons for failure to yield to oncoming traffic.” Both diners and police vehicle occupants were hospitalized in stable condition. The report notes, “It was not immediately clear if authorities were responding to a call when the incident unfolded.” The incident highlights risks at curbside dining areas and ongoing dangers from driver error and street design. The investigation continues.

• Police Car Hits Diners In Manhattan Crash, New York Post, Published 2025-05-27

May 27 - City bans mopeds from bike lanes on Queensboro and Brooklyn bridges. Cyclists and pedestrians reclaim space. DOT shifts mopeds to roadways. Rule aims to cut conflict and danger. Safety improves for vulnerable users. Change takes effect June 26.

On May 27, 2025, the city adopted a new rule allowing mopeds on the lower roadway of the Queensboro Bridge and on the Brooklyn Bridge, removing them from bike lanes. DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez said, "This rule change expands safe and practical travel options for moped riders—particularly the thousands of delivery workers and commuters who depend on them every day, while also enhancing safety for pedestrians and cyclists by reducing conflicts on shared crossings." The rule takes effect June 26. The move follows years of complaints about mopeds crowding bike lanes and endangering cyclists and pedestrians. Streetsblog NYC reported the change, noting that previous city law forced mopeds into bike lanes, creating hazardous conditions. Removing mopeds from bike lanes reduces conflicts and speeds in spaces intended for vulnerable users, improving safety and comfort for pedestrians and cyclists and supporting mode shift.

• Tuesday’s Headlines: Good News for Bridge Bike Lanes Edition, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-05-27

May 26 - A moped and an ambulance crashed on St Nicholas Ave. One man was hurt, thrown partly from his moped. Police cite driver inexperience and improper lane use. The street saw impact, metal, and injury. The city’s danger showed again.

A crash on St Nicholas Ave at W 183 St in Manhattan involved a moped and an ambulance. According to the police report, a 25-year-old moped driver was injured, suffering abrasions to his arm and was partially ejected. The ambulance driver and another person were not reported injured. Police list 'Driver Inexperience' and 'Passing or Lane Usage Improper' as contributing factors. The moped was passing when it struck the left side doors, while the ambulance was making a right turn. No helmet use was cited as a factor. The crash highlights the risks faced by vulnerable road users in New York City streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4816030 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

May 25 - A sedan hit a woman crossing Audubon Avenue. She suffered a fractured leg. The car’s right front slammed into her. Police listed no clear cause. The driver was licensed. The street saw pain, metal, and blood.

A 54-year-old woman was struck by a sedan while crossing near 113 Audubon Avenue in Manhattan. According to the police report, the pedestrian was not at an intersection or crosswalk when the crash occurred. She sustained a fractured lower leg and was conscious at the scene. The sedan’s right front quarter panel struck her. The driver, a 75-year-old man, was licensed and traveling north. Police listed the contributing factor as 'Unspecified.' No driver errors were cited in the report. No mention of helmet or signal use appears in the data. The crash left one pedestrian injured and exposed the ongoing risks faced by those on foot in city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4815641 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

May 23 - A Brooklyn tween stood before Mayor Adams. She backed the Bedford Avenue bike lane. Hasidic men booed her. City officials said the lane cut injuries. The crowd split. No policy changed. The fight for safe streets played out in sharp relief.

On May 23, 2025, a town hall meeting took place at Beis Chana School on Bedford Avenue in Williamsburg. The event, covered by Streetsblog NYC, was not a council bill or committee action but a public forum. The matter, titled 'Bklyn Tween Speaks Truth to Mayor Adams on Supposedly ‘Dangerous’ Bike Lane, Gets Booed By Hasidic Men,' saw Rafe Herzfeld, a 12-year-old resident, defend the protected bike lane. Mayor Adams and DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez responded, with Rodriguez stating, 'Bedford Avenue is simply safer since the bike lane went in.' The meeting drew about 150 Hasidic men and other locals, some of whom booed Herzfeld. The safety_impact_note clarifies: 'The event described is a town hall meeting with no direct policy action or legislative change affecting pedestrian or cyclist safety.' The night showed deep divides but no new law.

• Bklyn Tween Speaks Truth to Mayor Adams on Supposedly ‘Dangerous’ Bike Lane, Gets Booed By Hasidic Men, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-05-23

May 22 - A cyclist moved south on Amsterdam. A parked truck’s door swung open. Metal met flesh. The rider, a woman, hit hard. She suffered a hip and leg injury. Police cite driver inattention. The street stayed busy. The danger stayed real.

A 30-year-old woman riding a bike southbound on Amsterdam Avenue collided with the left side doors of a parked Toyota truck. According to the police report, the crash was caused by 'Driver Inattention/Distraction.' The cyclist was injured, sustaining abrasions and trauma to her hip and upper leg. She was conscious at the scene and wore a helmet. The truck driver, a 50-year-old man, was not reported injured. The report lists no other contributing factors. The data highlights driver inattention as the primary cause, underscoring the persistent threat parked vehicles pose to people on bikes in Manhattan.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4814890 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

May 22 - City will spend $550 million to remake Fifth Avenue. Cars keep two lanes. Buses lose out. Cyclists get nothing. Sidewalks widen, but most space stays with traffic. Critics say safety for walkers and riders is left behind.

On May 22, 2025, Streetsblog NYC covered the city's announcement of a $550 million redesign for Fifth Avenue. The plan, described as a 'much-compromised redesign,' keeps two car lanes, scraps a bus lane, and offers no space for cyclists. Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez called it a 'pedestrian-first corridor,' but critics, including Riders Alliance spokesman Danny Pearlstein, slammed the move as a 'huge corporate giveaway at New Yorkers' expense.' The redesign widens sidewalks and adds planters and seating, but cars still dominate. Council members and advocates oppose the car-first approach. According to safety analysts, the event only mentions the redesign and its cost, without specifying design features or their effects on vulnerable road users; therefore, the safety impact cannot be determined from the information provided.

• Thursday’s Headlines: Car-First Fifth Avenue Edition, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-05-22

May 21 - A sedan hit a 16-year-old girl crossing Vermilyea Avenue with the signal. The car’s right front bumper struck her hip and leg. She was left in shock. Police cite failure to yield. The street stayed loud. The danger stayed real.

A 16-year-old pedestrian was injured when a sedan struck her at the intersection of Vermilyea Avenue and Dyckman Street in Manhattan. According to the police report, the girl was crossing with the signal when the northbound sedan, making a left turn, hit her with its right front bumper. She suffered injuries to her hip and upper leg and was described as being in shock. The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the contributing factor for the driver. No other contributing factors are noted. The driver and another occupant were uninjured. The crash highlights the ongoing risk to pedestrians at city intersections when drivers fail to yield.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4814803 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

May 20 - A sedan hit a cyclist on Broadway. The rider took a blow to the shoulder. Police list injuries but no cause. Streets stay hard. Cyclist hurt, driver unscathed.

A sedan and a bicycle collided at Broadway and West 162nd Street in Manhattan. The 38-year-old cyclist suffered a shoulder injury and bruising. According to the police report, both vehicles were going straight. No driver errors or contributing factors are listed. The sedan's front struck the back of the bike. The driver, a 66-year-old man, was not hurt. The report notes the cyclist wore no safety equipment, but does not list this as a cause. The crash left the cyclist injured and the driver unharmed.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4814950 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

May 20 - City targets 34th Street. Buses get priority. Cars must turn off. Goal: faster rides, fewer crashes. Officials cite 14th Street’s gains—speed up, crashes down. Change comes for Midtown. Riders wait for relief.

amNY reported on May 20, 2025, that New York City’s Department of Transportation proposed a dedicated busway for 34th Street between 3rd and 9th Avenues. The plan aims to boost bus speeds by 15% for tens of thousands of daily riders. Private cars and taxis could enter but must turn off at the first legal opportunity. DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez said, 'After seeing tremendous success on 14th Street where buses have sped up, traffic has virtually disappeared, and far fewer New Yorkers are getting hurt in crashes we are excited to propose a similar design on 34th Street.' The 14th Street busway, launched in 2019, increased bus speeds by up to 24% and reduced crashes. The 34th Street plan seeks similar safety and efficiency gains, with community input shaping the final design.

• City Plans 34th Street Busway Overhaul, amny, Published 2025-05-20

May 19 - A taxi hit an 11-year-old boy crossing Wadsworth Terrace. The child suffered internal injuries to his abdomen and pelvis. No driver errors were specified. The street stayed dangerous. The city stayed silent.

An 11-year-old pedestrian was struck by a taxi while crossing Wadsworth Terrace in Manhattan. According to the police report, the child suffered internal injuries to the abdomen and pelvis. The crash involved a taxi traveling east, impacting the right front bumper. The report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' No driver errors such as failure to yield or distraction were cited. No other injuries were reported among vehicle occupants. The incident highlights the ongoing risks faced by pedestrians on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4815362 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

May 19 - Police handcuff cyclists. Judges toss tickets. Lawmakers protest. NYPD issues criminal summonses for minor bike infractions. Riders face court for actions once legal. Anger grows. The city’s crackdown targets the vulnerable, not the dangerous.

West Side Spirit reported on May 19, 2025, that opposition is mounting against the NYPD’s new policy of issuing criminal court summonses to cyclists for minor traffic violations. Council Member Gale Brewer criticized the move, stating, "A civil summons is a more appropriate response and thrusting people into the criminal justice system unnecessarily is bad public policy." The article notes that some officers issued summonses for actions legalized in 2019, such as cyclists proceeding with a pedestrian walk signal. Many tickets were dismissed in court due to errors by police. A class action lawsuit has been filed by a cyclist ticketed for a legal maneuver. The crackdown raises questions about enforcement priorities and the risk of criminalizing vulnerable road users instead of addressing systemic dangers.

• NYPD Faces Backlash Over Bike Summonses, West Side Spirit, Published 2025-05-19

May 19 - Adams administration opens a pedestrian path on Queensboro Bridge. Federal Secretary Duffy objects. Critics say his stance ignores history and safety. The bridge once belonged to walkers. Now, the city returns space to people, not cars. Tensions flare. Vulnerable users watch.

On May 19, 2025, Streetsblog NYC covered the Adams administration's move to open a dedicated pedestrian path on the Queensboro Bridge. The event, not a council bill but a city action, drew sharp criticism from U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy, who opposed removing a vehicle lane for pedestrians and cyclists. The article states: 'forcing pedestrians and cyclists in both directions to share a single lane on a bridge with nine lanes for car drivers was unsafe.' DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez, Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, and Council Member Julie Won attended the opening. The safety analyst notes: 'The event text does not describe a specific policy or legislative change, so there is no direct impact on pedestrian or cyclist safety to assess.' Still, the move restores space to those on foot and bike, challenging car dominance and federal resistance.

• Monday’s Headlines: ‘Hey, Sean, We’re Walking Here’ Edition, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-05-19

May 18 - A distracted SUV driver struck a 73-year-old man crossing with the signal on St Nicholas Ave. The pedestrian suffered a leg injury. Police cite driver inattention as the cause.

A 73-year-old pedestrian was injured when a station wagon/SUV struck him as he crossed St Nicholas Ave with the signal. According to the police report, the driver was inattentive and distracted. The pedestrian suffered an abrasion and a leg injury. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the contributing factor. No other causes are cited. The driver and another occupant were not reported injured. The vehicle showed no damage. The crash highlights the danger of driver distraction to people crossing the street.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4815101 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

May 16 - Council Member Gale Brewer calls for regulation, not criminal summonses, for e-bike riders. She blasts NYPD crackdowns that endanger immigrant delivery workers. Brewer urges holding delivery apps accountable for unsafe practices, not punishing the most vulnerable on city streets.

On May 16, 2025, Council Member Gale A. Brewer (District 6) took a public stance against the NYPD’s surge in criminal summonses for e-bike violations. In her editorial, Brewer wrote, 'Regulation, not criminal summonses, makes sense.' She condemned the 4,000% spike in summonses, highlighting the grave risks these pose to immigrant delivery workers, who face potential deportation for minor traffic infractions. Brewer argued that unsafe riding stems from unrealistic delivery deadlines set by companies like Grubhub and Uber, not from inherent recklessness. She called for regulation targeting delivery app practices and for companies to set realistic delivery times and prioritize safety. Brewer’s position: punish the companies, not the workers. No safety analyst note was provided.

• Do better on e-bikes: Regulation, not criminal summonses, makes sense, nydailynews.com, Published 2025-05-16

May 15 - NYPD cracked down on cyclists, issuing over 900 criminal summonses in two weeks. DOT was left in the dark. Critics slammed the move as harsh, unfair, and out of step with actual danger. Delivery workers, mostly immigrants, bore the brunt.

On April 28, 2025, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch launched a new policy targeting cyclists with criminal summonses for minor traffic violations. In just two weeks, police issued more than 900 summonses—far surpassing the 553 issued in all of 2024. The Department of Transportation (DOT), led by Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez, was not informed. The matter drew sharp criticism from former DOT Commissioner Hank Gutman, who questioned why cyclists face harsher penalties than drivers: 'A car that runs a red light doesn't get a criminal violation, so why would a bike?' Government watchdogs and advocates, including Ben Furnas and Jon Orcutt, condemned the lack of coordination and the disproportionate enforcement. Many tickets targeted delivery workers, a group largely made up of immigrants. Critics argue the crackdown is excessive and fails to address the real dangers on city streets.

• Quiet Desperation: NYPD’s Tisch Didn’t Tell DOT About Her Crackdown on Cycling, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-05-15

May 13 - Police ticket cyclists for obeying walk signals. Law says cyclists can cross with pedestrians. NYPD ignores it. Tickets pile up. One rider fights back in court. The city’s policy stands, unmoved by the law.

According to the New York Post (May 13, 2025), cyclist Oliver Casey Esparza filed a federal lawsuit against the NYPD, alleging officers wrongfully ticket cyclists for running red lights even when they follow pedestrian crossing signals, as permitted by a 2019 City Council law. The suit claims, 'the city maintains a policy and practice of detaining, ticketing, and prosecuting cyclists who lawfully ride through an intersection when the pedestrian control signal indicates white/walk.' Esparza received a $190 summons at Third Avenue and East 42nd Street, Manhattan, despite acting within the law. The lawsuit names current and former NYPD commissioners, accusing them of knowingly violating civil rights. The article notes a sharp rise in tickets for cyclists in early 2025. The NYPD declined to comment. The case highlights a gap between city law and police enforcement, raising questions about policy compliance and systemic accountability.

• Cyclist Sues NYPD Over Red Light Tickets, New York Post, Published 2025-05-13

May 13 - Five dead. Forty badly hurt. The Conduit slices through Queens and Brooklyn, fast and wide. DOT will study a fix. Borough presidents called for urgent change. The city will listen to neighbors. The old highway’s days are numbered. Lives hang in the balance.

""Brooklyn and Queens deserve a Conduit Boulevard that improves daily life, not a roadway that puts pedestrians and drivers at risk and physically divides entire neighborhoods."" -- Ydanis A. Rodriguez

On May 13, 2025, the Department of Transportation (DOT) announced a city-funded public engagement process for a major safety redesign of Conduit Boulevard, a three-mile corridor linking Atlantic Avenue to the Belt Parkway and JFK Airport. The project follows urgent requests in 2023 from Queens Borough President Donovan Richards and Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso. DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez said, "Brooklyn and Queens deserve a Conduit Boulevard that improves daily life, not a roadway that puts pedestrians and drivers at risk and physically divides entire neighborhoods." The corridor has seen five deaths and 40 severe injuries in five years. The median’s dirt paths show heavy pedestrian use, but only 15 crosswalks span the stretch. The public process begins in June and may run into 2026. The redesign aims to end decades of danger for vulnerable road users.

• Can New York City Fix Its Deadly ‘Conduit’ to JFK Airport?, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-05-13

May 11 - SUV slammed into a parked sedan on Amsterdam. Seven people hurt. Head and neck injuries. Police list no clear cause. Unlicensed driver behind the wheel.

A station wagon/SUV making a U-turn hit a parked sedan on Amsterdam Avenue at West 156th Street. According to the police report, seven people were injured, including a 12-year-old boy, a 72-year-old woman, and a 37-year-old woman with head and neck injuries. Both drivers were hurt. The SUV driver was unlicensed. The police report lists all contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' No other causes are given. The sedan was struck at the center back end by the SUV's front. No helmet or signal issues are noted in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4812695 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19