Jan 18 - A Toyota pickup tore into the night on Hutchinson River Parkway. Metal crumpled. The driver, alone, stayed conscious, blood streaming from his head. Distraction ruled the cab. Airbag burst. The road kept moving. He did not.

A single-vehicle crash occurred on Hutchinson River Parkway, southbound, involving a 2023 Toyota pickup truck. According to the police report, the driver, a 49-year-old man, was alone in the vehicle and suffered severe head lacerations. The report states the driver was 'conscious' at the scene, with the airbag deployed and seatbelt fastened. The narrative describes the truck slamming 'head-on into the dark,' with the front end caved in and the right front bumper damaged. Police explicitly cite 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the contributing factor. No mention is made of any pedestrian or cyclist involvement, and no victim behaviors are listed as contributing factors. The crash underscores the persistent danger posed by driver distraction on city parkways.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4786682 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-12-12

Jan 17 - A city bus teetered over a Bronx overpass after swerving to dodge a double-parked car. Steel scraped concrete. Debris rained down. No one was hurt. The wall broke. The rules broke first.

NY1 reported on January 17, 2025, that a BxM1 MTA bus nearly plunged from the Henry Hudson Parkway overpass after the driver swerved to avoid an illegally double-parked car. The bus crashed into the wall, leaving it hanging over the edge. Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz said, "We’re told by the MTA that the bus was trying to get around an illegally double-parked car, and he hit the wall and went through it." No injuries were reported, but the crash caused structural damage and scattered debris below. City Councilman Eric Dinowitz noted, "It speaks to the importance of enforcing our parking rules because it was going around a double-parked car." The incident highlights the danger posed by lax parking enforcement and infrastructure vulnerable to impact.

• MTA Bus Hangs Off Bronx Overpass, NY1, Published 2025-01-17

Jan 15 - Metal screamed on the Cross Bronx Expressway. An Audi’s left side caved in. The lone driver, 25, was held by his belt but lost part of his leg. He did not wake. The car kept its silence.

A severe crash on the Cross Bronx Expressway left a 25-year-old Audi driver with an amputated leg, according to the police report. The incident occurred as the sedan traveled west, its left side absorbing the impact. The report states, 'An Audi took the hit on its left side. Metal screamed. The driver, 25, alone, lost part of his leg. The lap belt held him. He did not wake.' The driver was found unconscious, suffering a traumatic injury to the lower leg and foot. The police report lists the contributing factor as 'Unspecified,' offering no further detail on the cause or involvement of other vehicles. The focus remains on the catastrophic outcome and the systemic dangers present on high-speed corridors like the Cross Bronx Expressway.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4786044 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-12-12

Jan 5 - Businesses in Manhattan’s toll zone pass new $9 congestion fee to customers. Councilman Holden calls it a scam tax. Residents pay even if they don’t drive. Gridlock grows near the border. Critics warn of rising costs and slower emergency response.

On January 5, 2025, New York City began enforcing congestion pricing below 60th Street, charging drivers $9 during peak hours. The measure, discussed in the article 'NYC residents slapped with congestion pricing ‘surcharge’ by fed-up companies paying new toll: ‘Hochul inflation’,' has sparked backlash. Queens Councilman Robert F. Holden, representing District 30, condemned the move, stating, 'It’s no surprise that businesses will pass the Congestion Scam Tax on to consumers.' Companies like CompuVoip and Dream Events & Decor now add surcharges for customers in the zone. Holden’s criticism joins that of Bronx Councilwoman Kristy Marmorato and others, who warn of higher costs and increased gridlock. Emergency unions claim response times will suffer. The bill’s impact on vulnerable road users was not assessed.

• NYC residents slapped with congestion pricing ‘surcharge’ by fed-up companies paying new toll: ‘Hochul inflation’, nypost.com, Published 2025-01-05

Jan 3 - Congestion pricing hits Manhattan at midnight. Cars pay to cross south of 60th. Lawmakers split. Some call it a burden. Others hail cleaner air, safer streets, and better transit. The toll stirs anger, hope, and a fight over who pays and who breathes.

On January 3, 2025, congestion pricing (no bill number cited) will begin in Manhattan after a federal judge allowed the toll to proceed. The policy charges most drivers $9 to enter south of 60th Street during peak hours. The matter, titled 'Congestion pricing set to begin at midnight Sunday as federal judge clears path for Manhattan toll,' has drawn sharp lines. Council Member Robert F. Holden (District 30, Queens) opposes the toll, warning, 'I don't know how my district is going to be impacted.' He fears more cars parking in Queens and unclear pollution risks. Council Member Kristy Marmorato (Bronx) calls it a 'cash grab.' In contrast, State Sen. Kristen Gonzalez and Assembly Member Jessica González-Rojas support the measure, citing cleaner air, safer streets, and transit upgrades. González-Rojas says, 'Congestion pricing isn't about penalizing anyone—it's about modernizing our transportation system and tackling climate change.' The judge ordered further study on environmental impacts, but the toll begins as scheduled.

• Congestion pricing set to begin at midnight Sunday as federal judge clears path for Manhattan toll, amny.com, Published 2025-01-03

Jan 3 - As congestion pricing begins, unions and politicians rage. They claim tolls hurt workers and raise costs. Facts show most commuters use transit. Fewer cars mean faster emergency response. The toll funds transit upgrades. The drama masks real safety gains for all.

On January 3, 2025, public debate erupted as New York City prepared to activate congestion pricing in Manhattan. The measure, set to fund $15 billion in subway and rail improvements, drew fierce opposition from unions and Councilwoman Kristy Marmorato, who called it a 'cash grab' that would 'increase all costs in our daily lives.' The union for FDNY EMTs argued the toll would burden low-wage workers, but data shows 90% of commuters already use public transit. City officials, including mayoral spokesperson Liz Garcia, insisted emergency response would not suffer. The measure's summary notes that reducing car traffic will speed up emergency vehicles and protect passengers. The uproar highlights the tension between entrenched driving privileges and the urgent need to make streets safer for vulnerable road users.

• Congestion Pricing Is Happening: Cue the Irrational Drama from the Placard Elite and the Suburbs, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-01-03