No More Bodies: Make Fordham Road Safe Now

A Nissan SUV slammed head-on into stillness on Jerome Avenue. The driver, alone, drifted asleep and never woke. Smoke curled above the wreck. No other lives touched. The morning street bore witness to a solitary fatal mistake.

According to the police report, a 27-year-old man driving a Nissan SUV on Jerome Avenue near 1709 lost control of his vehicle after he 'fell asleep at the wheel.' The SUV struck head-on, resulting in the driver’s death. The report states the crash occurred in the early morning, with the street described as 'still' and 'nothing moved but the smoke.' The only person involved was the driver, who died alone in the vehicle. The police report explicitly lists 'Fell Asleep' as the contributing factor, underscoring the critical role of driver inattention and fatigue in this fatal incident. No other vehicles, pedestrians, or cyclists were involved or harmed.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4724137 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

DOT floats fixes for Tremont Avenue’s crawling buses. Speeds lag under 5 mph. Riders stew in delays. Council Member Feliz now backs bus lanes. Community leaders push for bold moves. DOT promises a plan, but trust runs thin after past failures.

On May 6, 2024, the Department of Transportation (DOT) considered improvements for the Bronx’s Tremont Avenue bus corridor. The matter, discussed with Bronx Community Boards 5 and 6, is titled: “City Considers Fixes for Another Ridiculously Slow Cross-Bronx Bus.” Council Member Oswald Feliz, who once opposed a Fordham Road bus lane, now supports dedicated lanes on Tremont. Council Member Pierina Sanchez also represents the area. Residents and riders call the Bx36 the slowest bus in the Bronx, citing delays and crowding. DOT data shows no speed gains since 2022. The corridor’s narrow lanes and parking worsen congestion and danger. Community leaders urge a busway or bus/truck-only stretch. DOT plans traffic analysis through summer 2024, with a proposal due later. The agency claims its top priority is “fast, reliable, and on-time” bus service, but skepticism remains after past inaction.

• City Considers Fixes for Another Ridiculously Slow Cross-Bronx Bus, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-05-06

Council bill demands DOT fix NYCHA sidewalks first. Seniors come before all. Broken walks trip, injure, kill. Law forces city to show its work. No more hiding behind red tape.

Bill Int 0504-2024, now laid over in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, was introduced March 7, 2024. It orders the DOT to prioritize sidewalk repairs at NYCHA sites, with senior housing first. The bill summary reads: 'establishing priority for sidewalk repairs at developments operated by the New York city housing authority.' Sponsors include Alexa Avilés (primary), Shaun Abreu, Shahana K. Hanif, Selvena N. Brooks-Powers, Sandy Nurse, Jennifer Gutiérrez, Pierina Ana Sanchez, Lincoln Restler, Rafael Salamanca, Jr., and Farah N. Louis. The law also requires public reporting of repairs and timelines. Sidewalk neglect endangers NYCHA residents—this bill aims to force action and transparency.

• File Int 0504-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-03-07

Council moves to expand Open Streets on busy holidays. More hours. More car-free blocks. Pedestrians and cyclists get space when crowds surge. Streets shift from traffic to people. Danger drops. The city listens to neighborhoods.

Bill Int 0270-2024 sits in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Introduced February 28, 2024, it amends city code to require the Department of Transportation to expand Open Streets hours on holidays with heavy foot traffic—Memorial Day, Juneteenth, July 4th, Labor Day, Halloween, and others. The bill reads: 'special activation of the Open Streets program on certain holidays and time periods with significant pedestrian traffic.' Council Member Shekar Krishnan leads as primary sponsor, joined by Rivera, Brooks-Powers, Louis, Nurse, Ossé, Sanchez, Cabán, Banks, Avilés, Riley, Salaam, Hanif, Feliz, Won, Restler, and Joseph. Community groups can suggest more dates. The city must review all requests under the same standards as regular Open Streets. This bill aims to give people the street when they need it most.

• File Int 0270-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

Council bill demands NYPD track every time cops use cars as weapons. No more hiding behind vague stats. Each crash, each injury, must be counted. The city moves closer to truth.

Int 0255-2024 sits in the Committee on Public Safety. Introduced February 28, 2024, by Council Member Lincoln Restler and co-sponsored by Hudson, Won, Hanif, Bottcher, Brewer, Avilés, Abreu, Ossé, Krishnan, Williams, Cabán, Nurse, Sanchez, and at the Brooklyn Borough President's request. The bill reads: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code... in relation to use of force incidents involving police department use of a motor vehicle.' It forces the NYPD to report every use of a car to control a subject. No more lumping these acts with other force. The bill aims for hard numbers and real accountability. Vulnerable road users—pedestrians, cyclists, passengers—will no longer be invisible in police data.

• File Int 0255-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

Council bill orders speed humps on roads beside parks over one acre. DOT can skip spots if safety or rules demand. Law aims to slow cars where families walk, run, and play.

Int 0262-2024 sits with the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure after introduction on February 28, 2024. The bill reads: “requiring the installation of speed humps on roadways adjacent to any park equal or greater than one acre.” Lincoln Restler leads as primary sponsor, joined by eighteen co-sponsors. The Department of Transportation must install speed humps unless the commissioner finds a risk to safety or a conflict with DOT guidelines. The law would take effect 180 days after passage. The measure targets streets where parks meet traffic, aiming to slow cars and shield people outside vehicles.

• File Int 0262-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

Council urges Albany to pass SAFE Streets Act. Lower speed limits. Rights for crash victims. Safe passing for cyclists. Complete streets. City demands action as deaths rise. Streets remain deadly. Lawmakers must act.

Resolution 0090-2024 sits in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Introduced February 28, 2024, it calls on the state to pass S.2422 ('Sammy’s Law') and A.1901, part of the SAFE Streets Act. The matter title: 'Resolution calling on the New York State Legislature to pass, and the Governor to sign, S.2422... allowing New York city to establish a lower speed limit, and A.1901, enacting a crash victims bill of rights.' Council Member Shahana K. Hanif leads, joined by Gutiérrez, Hudson, Nurse, and others. The resolution demands lower speed limits, crash victim rights, safe passing for cyclists, and complete street design. It cites rising traffic deaths and the failure of current measures. The Council wants Albany to give the city real power to protect people on its streets.

• File Res 0090-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

Council passed a law forcing taxis and for-hire cars to post bold warnings on doors. The signs tell passengers: look for cyclists before you open up. A small step. The city hands out the decals. No cost to drivers.

Int 0193-2024 became law on May 31, 2025, after action by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The bill, titled 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code...requiring taxis and for-hire vehicles to display a decal warning passengers to look for cyclists when opening the door,' was sponsored by Lincoln Restler and co-sponsored by over twenty council members, including Gutiérrez, Hudson, and Rivera. The law mandates clear warning decals on all rear passenger doors of taxis and for-hire vehicles. The Taxi and Limousine Commission will provide the signs at no cost. The measure aims to cut down on 'dooring'—a threat to cyclists citywide. The mayor returned the bill unsigned, but it became law.

• File Int 0193-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

A 71-year-old woman, crossing Jerome Avenue with the signal, was struck and left bleeding in the crosswalk. The driver vanished. Blood marked the intersection. No name, no car, only the echo of impact and silence.

According to the police report, a 71-year-old woman was crossing Jerome Avenue at East Burnside Avenue in the Bronx, using the crosswalk and following the signal, when she was struck by a vehicle. The report states she was found unconscious, suffering severe lacerations and injuries to her entire body. The driver did not remain at the scene; the vehicle and its operator vanished, leaving no identifying information. The narrative notes: 'A 71-year-old woman lay unconscious in the crosswalk, blood on the pavement, body torn. She crossed with the signal. A vehicle struck her and vanished.' The police report does not list any contributing factors for the driver, but the act of fleeing the scene after striking a pedestrian in a crosswalk underscores the systemic danger faced by vulnerable road users. The victim’s compliance with the crossing signal is noted only after the driver’s failure to remain at the scene.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4705544 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Council moves to force brighter sidewalks. Bill orders 500 corridors lit each year. Shadows shrink. Pedestrians gain ground. Committee holds the bill. Streets wait.

Int 0079-2024, now laid over in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, was introduced on February 8, 2024. The bill demands the city install pedestrian lighting in at least 500 commercial corridors per year, aiming for a minimum of 1 footcandle (11 lux) on every sidewalk. The matter title reads: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to installation of pedestrian lighting fixtures.' Council Member Selvena N. Brooks-Powers leads as primary sponsor, joined by Restler, Krishnan, Bottcher, and others. The committee has not yet voted. The bill’s text sets clear targets for coverage and contiguity, but action is stalled. Vulnerable road users remain in the dark until the city acts.

• File Int 0079-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-08

A 26-year-old man, unlicensed and unhelmeted, slammed his motorscooter head-on at Grand Concourse and East 184th. His skull split. Blood pooled. He lay conscious, gasping, deep cuts across his head. The morning was still dark.

A violent crash unfolded on Grand Concourse at East 184th in the Bronx. According to the police report, a 26-year-old man, operating a motorscooter without a license and without a helmet, crashed head-on. The report describes the aftermath: 'His skull split. Blood pooled on the street. He lay conscious, gasping, deep cuts across his head.' The incident occurred while it was still dark. The police report lists the driver's unlicensed status and lack of helmet as facts, but does not cite any other contributing factors. No other vehicles or persons were involved. The focus remains on the systemic danger of unlicensed, unprotected operation of motor vehicles on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4699571 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Councilmember Carmen De La Rosa backed a bill to let food carts move two feet from the curb. Vendors, store owners, and officials clashed over safety and space. The hearing exposed deep rifts. The city’s vending laws remain a battleground.

On December 13, 2023, the City Council held a hearing on street vending legislation. Councilmember Carmen De La Rosa, representing District 10, advanced a bill to allow food carts within two feet of the curb, instead of forcing them to abut traffic. The hearing, covered by Gothamist, saw rare agreement on banning vending in bike lanes and bridges, but fierce debate over location rules. The matter summary reads: 'NY street vendors and store owners, sometimes rivals, find some common ground.' De La Rosa’s bill aims to reduce danger for vendors forced close to traffic. Erin Piscopink of the NYC BID Association warned of unclear obstruction definitions and overcrowding. Councilmember Pierina Sanchez, another leader, called for real permit reform. The bills, part of a sweeping package, could come to a vote this year.

• NY street vendors and store owners, sometimes rivals, find some common ground, gothamist.com, Published 2023-12-13

A Toyota SUV struck a man crossing Jerome Avenue. The driver looked away. The SUV’s front end crumpled. The man’s face bled, torn open. He stayed conscious in the Bronx night. Distraction behind the wheel left flesh and metal wrecked.

A 2018 Toyota SUV, heading south on Jerome Avenue near 196th Street, hit a 38-year-old man in the intersection. According to the police report, the pedestrian suffered severe lacerations to his face but remained conscious at the scene. The SUV’s front end was dented. The report states, “The driver had looked away.” The listed contributing factor is 'Driver Inattention/Distraction.' No other contributing factors from the pedestrian are cited. The crash highlights the danger posed when drivers lose focus, leaving vulnerable road users exposed to harm.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4684371 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A moped struck a car making a U-turn on Jerome Avenue. The rider’s legs shattered. He stayed conscious. Sirens came late. The street was quiet except for his scream. The crash left pain and broken bodies behind.

A moped rider, age 32, suffered severe crush injuries to his legs after colliding with a car making a U-turn on Jerome Avenue near East 184th Street in the Bronx. According to the police report, the moped 'slammed into a car’s left side mid-U-turn.' The rider remained conscious at the scene. The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as a contributing factor in the crash. The moped was traveling straight when it struck the car’s left side doors. No helmet use or signaling issues were cited in the report. The crash highlights the danger faced by vulnerable road users on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4670159 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A Jeep smashed into a parked Volvo truck on Major Deegan. The Jeep’s front crumpled. Its driver, 51, bled from the face but stayed awake. Police list distraction as the cause. The truck never moved. Metal, blood, and silence followed.

A 1991 Jeep struck a parked Volvo truck on the Major Deegan Expressway. The Jeep’s front end folded in the crash. The driver, a 51-year-old man, suffered severe bleeding to his face but remained conscious. According to the police report, 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' was the contributing factor. The Volvo truck was parked and did not move before the collision. No other injuries were reported. The data lists no errors for the parked truck. The only listed cause is distraction by the Jeep driver. No mention of helmet or signal use appears in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4667683 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A 16-year-old on a moped slammed into a parked sedan on Kingsbridge Terrace. He flew from the seat. His head struck the street. Blood pooled. He stayed conscious, but his head was split open. Unsafe speed marked the crash.

A 16-year-old boy, unlicensed and riding a moped, crashed into a parked sedan on Kingsbridge Terrace in the Bronx. According to the police report, the moped was traveling at unsafe speed when it struck the left front bumper of the sedan. The impact ejected the teen from the moped. He landed hard, suffering severe head lacerations but remained conscious. The report lists 'Unsafe Speed' as a contributing factor. The teen was not wearing a helmet, as noted in the data, but the primary cause cited is unsafe speed. No other injuries were reported. The sedan was unoccupied and parked at the time of the crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4665781 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A woman on a moped slammed into a parked garbage truck on University Avenue. She flew from the seat. Her head hit the pavement. Blood pooled in the dark. She lay unconscious, her injuries grave. Distraction behind the handlebars proved deadly.

A 33-year-old woman riding a moped crashed into a parked garbage truck near 2265 University Avenue in the Bronx. According to the police report, she was ejected from the moped and suffered severe head lacerations, lying unconscious at the scene. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor. The woman was not wearing a helmet, as noted in the data, but the primary cause cited is driver distraction. The garbage truck was parked and sustained no damage. No other injuries were reported.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4665012 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A man crossed Grand Concourse with the light. An e-scooter sped through. The frame smashed his face. Blood spilled. He fell, semiconscious. The scooter kept going. The street stayed hard and silent.

A 35-year-old man was crossing Grand Concourse with the signal when an e-scooter hit him at speed. According to the police report, 'A man crossed with the light. An e-scooter came fast. His face met the frame. Blood poured. He dropped, semiconscious, 35 years old. The scooter rolled on, untouched.' The pedestrian suffered severe bleeding and facial injuries, left semiconscious at the intersection. The police report lists 'Unsafe Speed' as a contributing factor. The e-scooter showed no damage and continued on after the crash. No helmet or signal use is mentioned in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4657593 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Rep. Adriano Espaillat worked behind closed doors to stall Fordham Road bus lane improvements. Bronx lawmakers, once supportive, fell silent or opposed. The project, meant to speed up buses for 85,000 riders, now faces more delays. Vulnerable riders remain stuck in slow, dangerous traffic.

On August 3, 2023, Rep. Adriano Espaillat quietly lobbied Bronx officials against proposed Fordham Road bus lane upgrades. The project, under city review since 2022, aimed to speed up buses for 85,000 daily riders by installing dedicated busways or offset lanes. According to Streetsblog, Espaillat leaned on younger electeds to align with Council Member Oswald Feliz, a vocal critic. 'He defers to the local elected officials, and all of them seem to be in agreement,' said Espaillat’s chief of staff, Aneiry Batista. Lawmakers who once supported the upgrades grew silent or opposed them after Espaillat’s intervention. The Department of Transportation, MTA, and governor’s office met with Espaillat to discuss the project, but delays persisted. The opposition from Feliz and business groups led DOT to scrap the most ambitious safety options. Riders, many without cars, remain exposed to slow, hazardous conditions as cars block bus lanes and traffic crawls.

• Rep. Adriano Espaillat Rallying Bronx Pols Against Fordham Road Bus Lane Fixes: Sources, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-08-03

A Ford SUV swung wide on University Avenue. The moped hit head-on. The rider flew, helmetless. His skull split open. Blood pooled on the street. He survived. He remembers. The crash left scars and questions in the Bronx.

A Ford SUV made a wide U-turn on University Avenue near Morton Place. A moped, heading straight, struck the SUV head-on. According to the police report, the SUV driver was inattentive and speeding. The moped rider, unlicensed and not wearing a helmet, was ejected and suffered severe head injuries. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Unsafe Speed' as contributing factors. The moped rider, age 29, survived but sustained a split skull and severe lacerations. The crash left blood on the asphalt and a survivor who remembers every moment.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4645187 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04