Bronx Streets Bleed While City Sleeps—Push Riley to Protect the Vulnerable Now

Council called on the MTA to train non-police subway staff to handle mental health crises. The resolution followed deadly incidents on tracks. Sponsors said clear protocols could save lives. The bill was filed at session’s end. No direct safety review.

Resolution 0484-2023 was introduced on February 2, 2023, in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The bill called for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to provide non-police staff in the subway system with training and protocols for dealing with mentally ill customers. The matter title reads: 'Resolution calling on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to provide non-police staff working in the subway system with training and a protocol for handling issues with mentally ill customers.' Council Members Selvena N. Brooks-Powers (primary sponsor), Kevin C. Riley, Kristin Richardson Jordan, Crystal Hudson, Lincoln Restler, and Farah N. Louis sponsored the resolution. The bill was filed at the end of the session on December 31, 2023. No safety analyst reviewed its impact on vulnerable road users.

• File Res 0484-2023, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2023-02-02

Council bill Int 0879-2023 would force DOT to install bollards at rebuilt sidewalks, curb extensions, and ramps. The law targets spots where cars strike. It demands a study, annual reports, and clear rules. Filed at session’s end. No action yet.

Int 0879-2023 was introduced on January 19, 2023, in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The bill, titled “A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to the installation of bollards at reconstructed sidewalks, curb extensions and pedestrian ramps,” was sponsored by Council Members Brooks-Powers, Krishnan (primary), Stevens, Hanif, Hudson, Richardson Jordan, Riley, and the Manhattan Borough President. The bill requires the Department of Transportation to install bollards at reconstructed sidewalks, curb extensions, and pedestrian ramps, especially where accessibility upgrades are made. It mandates a study on bollard effectiveness in high pedestrian areas and demands annual reporting on installations and requests. The bill was filed at the end of session on December 31, 2023, with no enactment. The measure aims to harden pedestrian space, forcing the city to act where cars threaten walkers and wheelchair users.

• File Int 0879-2023, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2023-01-19

A Jeep tore down Bronxwood Avenue. It hit parked cars. Steel bent. Glass flew. The unlicensed driver, 22, was thrown halfway out. His arm bled heavy. The street filled with fuel and silence. No one else was hurt.

A speeding Jeep crashed into several parked cars on Bronxwood Avenue near Adee Avenue in the Bronx. The 22-year-old unlicensed driver was partially ejected and suffered severe bleeding to his arm. According to the police report, 'Unsafe Speed' was a contributing factor. The Jeep was demolished. Parked sedans and an SUV were struck but had no occupants. No other injuries were reported. The police narrative describes the scene: 'A Jeep, speeding west, slammed parked cars. The unlicensed driver, 22, was flung halfway out, arm torn and bleeding. Airbag burst. Steel folded. The street stood silent, littered with glass and the smell of fuel.' Driver error—unsafe speed—was the primary cause. The driver was unlicensed at the time of the crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4583210, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

The Council passed Int 0291-2022, forcing city agencies to map, plan, and report on greenways. The law demands annual updates and public engagement. It aims to carve out safe, car-free corridors for walkers and cyclists. The mayor returned it unsigned.

Int 0291-2022, now Local Law 115 of 2022, was enacted by the City Council on November 27, 2022. The bill came through the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, first introduced April 28, 2022. The law's title: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to a citywide greenway plan.' Council Member Selvena N. Brooks-Powers sponsored the bill, joined by dozens of co-sponsors including Rivera, Hudson, and others. The Council voted overwhelmingly in favor on October 27, 2022. The law orders the Department of Transportation and Parks to identify, map, and report on greenways, and to consult with community boards. Proposals for new greenway segments or repairs must be presented to affected communities within 60 days. The mayor returned the bill unsigned, but it became law. The measure compels the city to plan and maintain safe routes for non-drivers, with regular public reporting and accountability.

• File Int 0291-2022, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2022-10-27

A 60-year-old man crossed East Gun Hill Road at night. Two SUVs hit him in quick succession. His head struck hard. His body broke. He died at the intersection. The street stayed silent. The city lost another pedestrian.

A 60-year-old man was killed while crossing East Gun Hill Road near White Plains Road in the Bronx. According to the police report, the man was crossing against the signal when two SUVs, both traveling west, struck him in turn. The report states, 'Head shattered. Organs crushed. He lay still at the intersection. He died where he fell.' The only contributing factor listed in the data is 'Pedestrian/Bicyclist/Other Pedestrian Error/Confusion.' No driver errors or additional contributing factors are noted in the report. The drivers of both SUVs were licensed and remained at the scene. No other injuries were reported.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4575019, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A sedan hit an 84-year-old man crossing Bartow Avenue. Blood ran from his head. His face was torn. He lay conscious on the pavement. The driver stayed at the scene. The street held the silence of impact.

An 84-year-old man was crossing near 2050 Bartow Avenue in the Bronx when a 2001 Honda sedan struck him head-on. According to the police report, the man was conscious but suffered severe head injuries and lacerations to his face. The driver, a licensed woman, remained at the scene. The report lists no specific driver errors or contributing factors. The pedestrian was not at an intersection or crosswalk and was crossing without a signal. No helmet or signal use is mentioned as a factor. The crash left the pedestrian injured and bleeding, underscoring the danger faced by those on foot in city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4572538, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

Council bill Int 0738-2022 would force DOT to factor in traffic enforcement agents when drafting the city’s safety plan. The measure, filed at session’s end, aimed to cut crashes, injuries, and deaths. It never reached a vote. Vulnerable lives remain at risk.

Bill Int 0738-2022 was introduced on September 29, 2022, in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The bill’s title: “A Local Law to amend the administrative code...requiring the department of transportation to consider placement of traffic enforcement agents in developing an interagency roadway safety plan.” Sponsors included Gale A. Brewer (primary), Kevin C. Riley, Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, and the Queens Borough President (by request). The bill required DOT to weigh the use of traffic enforcement agents in its five-year safety plan, aiming to reduce violations, crashes, injuries, and fatalities. The plan would be updated every five years and reported to the mayor and council. The bill was filed at the end of session on December 31, 2023, without passage. Vulnerable road users saw no immediate benefit.

• File Int 0738-2022, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2022-09-29

A box truck hit a man on a bike. His head split open. Blood pooled on the curb. The truck sped off. The street stayed silent. Drugs and distraction fueled the crash. The cyclist was left broken in the Bronx dawn.

A box truck struck a 35-year-old man riding a bike near 3957 Provost Avenue in the Bronx. According to the police report, the cyclist suffered a severe head injury and was ejected from his bike. The driver of the box truck continued straight ahead and did not remain at the scene. The report lists 'Drugs (illegal)' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as contributing factors. The cyclist was not wearing a helmet, which is noted in the report, but only after the driver’s errors. The crash left the cyclist injured and the street marked by blood. No other injuries were reported.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4557787, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A young woman rode south on Baychester. A distracted driver hit her from behind. Her arm split open. Blood pooled. She stayed conscious. Her bike broke. The street did not forgive.

A 24-year-old woman riding a bike south on Baychester Avenue near Needham Avenue in the Bronx was struck from behind and suffered severe lacerations to her arm. According to the police report, 'The driver was distracted.' The crash left the cyclist conscious but injured, with blood on the roadway and her bike damaged. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the contributing factor. No other contributing factors were cited. The data does not specify the involvement of helmets or signals. The crash underscores the danger posed by distracted driving to vulnerable road users.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4550352, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

Twenty-eight killed in Bronx traffic crashes in six months. Pedestrians and cyclists among the dead. Councilmember Kevin Riley demands urgent action. Advocates blame lack of protected bike lanes. City promises more street redesigns. Danger remains for the vulnerable.

On July 19, 2022, Councilmember Kevin C. Riley (District 12) called for increased street safety measures after a spike in Bronx traffic fatalities. The report, titled 'Report finds traffic deaths on the rise in the Bronx, ‘immense work’ needed to ensure safety, pol urges,' highlights 28 deaths in the first half of 2022—up from 23 the previous year. Riley stated, 'The tragic increase of fatal traffic violence in the Bronx so far this year is a testament to the immense work that still must be done to ensure all New York City streets are safe for all.' Of those killed, seven were pedestrians and four were cyclists or scooter riders. Advocates and Riley point to a lack of protected bike lanes and street upgrades as key dangers. The Department of Transportation claims new projects are underway, but the Bronx remains underserved. Riley’s call underscores the urgent need for systemic change to protect vulnerable road users.

• Report finds traffic deaths on the rise in the Bronx, ‘immense work’ needed to ensure safety, pol urges, nydailynews.com, Published 2022-07-19

Council bill Int 0596-2022 would force DOT to repair broken curbs when streets get resurfaced. Curbs shape the border between sidewalk and street. Broken curbs trip walkers, let cars mount sidewalks, and endanger the frail. The bill died in committee.

Int 0596-2022 was introduced on July 14, 2022, in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The bill required the Department of Transportation to repair any curb deemed a safety hazard during street resurfacing. The matter summary reads: 'requiring that the department of transportation repair broken curbs as part of resurfacing projects.' Council Member Selvena N. Brooks-Powers sponsored the bill, joined by Schulman, Brewer, Dinowitz, Krishnan, Narcisse, Menin, Yeger, Avilés, Nurse, Gutiérrez, Riley, Brannan, Sanchez, and Louis. The bill was filed at the end of session on December 31, 2023, and did not advance. Broken curbs are a daily threat to pedestrians, especially the elderly and disabled. The bill would have forced the city to address these hazards as part of routine work, but the effort stalled.

• File Int 0596-2022, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2022-07-14

A 31-year-old man biked north on White Plains Road. He wore no helmet. He was unlicensed. A bad turn and inattention sent him flying. His head struck hard. Blood pooled. He stayed conscious. The street showed no mercy.

A 31-year-old male bicyclist was seriously injured while riding north on White Plains Road near Burke Avenue in the Bronx. According to the police report, the cyclist was ejected and suffered severe bleeding from his head after being struck headfirst. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Turning Improperly' as contributing factors. The cyclist was unlicensed and wore no helmet, as noted in the data, but these are mentioned only after the driver errors. The crash left the man conscious but bleeding heavily. The street environment offered no protection. No other injuries were reported.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4548924, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A car sped down East Gun Hill Road. It hit a 19-year-old man walking with traffic. He bled on the asphalt, semiconscious, pain everywhere. The car’s front end took him down. The street did not stop.

A 19-year-old pedestrian was struck and severely injured by a car on East Gun Hill Road in the Bronx. According to the police report, the car was traveling west at an unsafe speed when its front end hit the man, who was walking along the roadway with traffic. The impact left him semiconscious and bleeding, with injuries across his entire body. The police report lists 'Unsafe Speed' and 'Aggressive Driving/Road Rage' as contributing factors. The driver’s actions—speeding and aggression—created the danger. No helmet or signaling issues were cited for the pedestrian.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4540385, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

Council pushed a bill to force early walk signals at crossings near hospitals, schools, libraries, and senior centers. Four hundred intersections per year. The bill died in committee. No law. No change. Streets stay dangerous for the city’s most vulnerable.

Int 0479-2022 was introduced on June 2, 2022, in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The bill aimed to require leading pedestrian interval signals at intersections next to hospitals, libraries, schools, and senior centers. The matter title reads: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to requiring leading pedestrian interval signals at intersections adjacent to hospitals, libraries, schools, and senior centers.' Council Member Lynn C. Schulman sponsored the bill, joined by Kagan, Hudson, Hanif, Abreu, Restler, Riley, and Sanchez. The bill would have forced the city to install these signals at no fewer than 400 intersections each year. The bill was filed at the end of session on December 31, 2023. No law passed. The city’s most vulnerable—kids, elders, patients—remain at risk at crossings meant to protect them.

• File Int 0479-2022, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2022-06-02

Council tried to stop repair shops and rentals from clogging streets with cars. The bill set steep fines and allowed impoundment. It died at session’s end. Streets stay crowded. Danger for walkers and riders remains. No relief for the vulnerable.

Int 0393-2022 was introduced on May 19, 2022, in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The bill aimed to prohibit commercial establishments—repair shops, rental agencies, maintenance shops—from parking, storing, or idling vehicles on city streets. The matter summary states: 'This bill would prohibit commercial establishments from parking vehicles on city streets as part of their business.' Civil penalties ranged from $250 to $400 per day, with possible impoundment. Sponsors included Kalman Yeger (primary), Carlina Rivera, Jennifer Gutiérrez, Kevin C. Riley, Marjorie Velázquez, Erik D. Bottcher, Nantasha M. Williams, and Robert F. Holden. The bill was filed at the end of the session on December 31, 2023. No safety analyst assessment was provided. The bill’s failure leaves streets crowded with commercial vehicles, keeping vulnerable road users at risk.

• File Int 0393-2022, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2022-05-19

Council bill Int 0401-2022 would force the city to install speed humps on streets bordering parks over one acre. The measure targets reckless driving near green spaces. The transportation committee filed the bill at session’s end. No action taken.

Int 0401-2022 was introduced in the City Council on May 19, 2022, and referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The bill’s title: “A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to requiring the installation of speed humps on roadways adjacent to any park equal or greater than one acre.” Council Member Shahana K. Hanif led as primary sponsor, joined by sixteen co-sponsors. The bill would have required the Department of Transportation to install speed humps on all roadways next to parks at least one acre in size, unless the DOT commissioner found installation unsafe or inconsistent with guidelines. The bill was filed without passage at the end of the session. No safety analyst assessment was provided.

• File Int 0401-2022, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2022-05-19

A 51-year-old woman crossed Bouck Avenue in a marked crosswalk. An SUV turned left and hit her head with its bumper. She collapsed, unconscious, and died on the pavement. The driver failed to yield. The street stayed silent.

A 51-year-old woman was killed while crossing Bouck Avenue near Burke Avenue in the Bronx. According to the police report, she was in a marked crosswalk when a westbound SUV turned left and struck her head with its front bumper. She suffered internal injuries and died at the scene. The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the contributing factor. The driver, a 32-year-old man, was licensed and uninjured. No other injuries were reported. The woman was crossing with no signal present, but the police report centers the driver's failure to yield as the cause of the crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4523147, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

Council bill Int 0256-2022 would force NYPD to count every time an officer uses a car to control someone. The law closes a reporting loophole. Police vehicles are now named as weapons. The bill was filed at session’s end. No action taken.

Int 0256-2022, introduced April 28, 2022, in the Committee on Public Safety, sought to amend the city code to require NYPD to report when officers use a motor vehicle as force. The bill’s matter title reads: “A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to use of force incidents involving police department use of a motor vehicle.” Council Member Althea V. Stevens led as primary sponsor, joined by 26 co-sponsors including Hudson, Williams, Restler, Krishnan, and others. The bill would have added 'use of a motor vehicle to gain control of a subject' as a reporting category. It was filed at the end of session on December 31, 2023, and did not advance. This measure aimed to expose police vehicle violence by demanding full transparency in use-of-force reporting.

• File Int 0256-2022, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2022-04-28

Council bill Int 0261-2022 would force the city to build curb extensions at deadly crossings. Five intersections per borough, every year. The aim: block cars from parking near crosswalks, boost pedestrian sightlines, and cut crashes where people walk.

Int 0261-2022 was introduced on April 28, 2022, in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The bill, titled 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to requiring curb extensions at certain dangerous intersections,' was sponsored by Council Members Hanif (primary), Menin, Hudson, Stevens, Ayala, Abreu, Krishnan, Nurse, and Riley. The bill required the Department of Transportation to identify intersections with high pedestrian crash rates and install curb extensions—prohibiting parking within 15 feet of crosswalks—at a minimum of five such intersections in each borough per year. The measure was filed at the end of session on December 31, 2023. Curb extensions are designed to increase pedestrian visibility and reduce deadly conflicts at crossings, directly targeting systemic dangers faced by people on foot.

• File Int 0261-2022, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2022-04-28

A dump truck turned left on Einstein Loop. Its front bumper struck a 76-year-old woman crossing with the light. She fell. She died where she lay. The truck showed no damage. The street stayed quiet. The loss was total.

A 76-year-old woman was killed while crossing Einstein Loop near Hutchinson River Parkway East. According to the police report, she crossed with the signal when a dump truck made a left turn and struck her with its front bumper. She fell and died at the scene. The truck showed no visible damage. The driver was licensed and remained at the scene. The police report lists the contributing factor as 'Unspecified.' No driver errors such as failure to yield or distraction were noted in the data. The victim was crossing legally at the intersection.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4508269, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15