District 7: Five Dead, No More Excuses

May 29 - Two taxis, too close on Henry Hudson Parkway. Metal slammed metal. A 29-year-old driver’s leg split open. Blood pooled on the floor. He stayed conscious, pain mounting as traffic rushed by. The crash was sudden. The injury, brutal.

According to the police report, two taxis traveling southbound on Henry Hudson Parkway collided when one followed too closely behind the other. The report lists 'Following Too Closely' as the contributing factor for both vehicles. The impact tore open the leg of a 29-year-old driver, causing severe bleeding and injuries to his knee, lower leg, and foot. The narrative details, 'Metal struck metal. A 29-year-old driver’s leg split open. Blood pooled. He stayed awake.' No other contributing factors are cited. The crash underscores the danger of tailgating in high-speed traffic. No mention is made of victim behavior as a cause. The report focuses on driver error—specifically, the failure to maintain a safe following distance.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4733872 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-17

Apr 14 - A runaway BMW fleeing police tore down Amsterdam Avenue. Its left bumper smashed into a 29-year-old man. His leg split open. Blood pooled on the asphalt. The car did not stop. The man stayed awake, wounded and alone.

According to the police report, a 2016 BMW sedan, described as a 'runaway vehicle' and 'fleeing police,' struck a 29-year-old pedestrian on Amsterdam Avenue near 152nd Street at 1:30 a.m. The report states the vehicle was traveling at an 'unsafe speed' and was involved in a police pursuit. The BMW's left front bumper hit the pedestrian low, causing severe lacerations to his knee and lower leg. The man remained conscious as blood pooled around him. The report notes the driver was unlicensed and did not stop after the collision. The primary contributing factors listed are 'Driverless/Runaway Vehicle' and 'Unsafe Speed.' The pedestrian was not at an intersection and was engaged in 'other actions in roadway,' but the report attributes fault to the vehicle's dangerous movement and the driver's actions.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4718935 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-17

Apr 9 - Councilmember Shaun Abreu introduced a bill to force delivery apps to restore tipping at checkout. The measure aims to stop app companies from hiding tips and cutting worker pay. Delivery workers say lost tips mean lost meals. The fight is on.

On April 9, 2024, Councilmember Shaun Abreu (District 7) introduced a bill targeting delivery app tipping practices. The bill, now before the City Council, would require apps to let customers tip at checkout and set a minimum gratuity suggestion of 10%. The measure responds to recent app changes that made tipping harder, slashing delivery workers’ earnings. Abreu called it 'the most common sense bill for not only Deliveristas but consumers.' The Department of Consumer and Worker Protection stated it does not endorse the app companies’ decisions and will review the legislation. Abreu is also working on a pay transparency bill. The legislation seeks to restore lost income for delivery workers, who rely on tips to survive.

• NYC delivery workers say apps are making it harder to tip. A new bill could change that., gothamist.com, Published 2024-04-09

Mar 14 - Columbia will widen escalators at 125th Street but refuses to fund elevators. Disabled riders face long detours. Politicians and students demand action. The university’s $13-billion endowment stays untouched. Public money must fill the gap. Progress stalls. Riders wait. Access denied.

This debate centers on Columbia University’s refusal to pay for elevators at the 125th Street 1 train station, despite its West Harlem campus expansion. The project is not a council bill but a protracted standoff, with the MTA and local officials pressing Columbia to fund full ADA accessibility. The university will pay to widen escalators but insists public funds should cover elevators, citing project approval before the Zoning for Accessibility law (October 2021). Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine calls elevator access 'the top priority among station accessibility projects in the borough.' Assembly Member Daniel O’Donnell’s office slams Columbia’s lack of transparency and urges investment, noting the school’s $13-billion endowment and $179 million in tax breaks. Students and disabled riders face daily hardship. The MTA, Council Member Shaun Abreu, and advocates push for progress, but Columbia stalls. No elevator, no access. Vulnerable users remain shut out.

• Columbia U. Wants Public to Pay for Transit Improvements on Campus, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-03-14

Mar 7 - 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

Mar 7 - Council wants every e-bike and scooter tagged and tracked. Plates on wheels. Riders face new rules. Lawmakers say it’s about order. The bill sits in committee. Streets wait.

Int 0606-2024 was introduced on March 7, 2024, in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The bill, titled "A Local Law to amend the administrative code...requiring that every bicycle with electric assist, electric scooter and other legal motorized vehicle be licensed and registered," would force all e-bikes, e-scooters, and similar vehicles not covered by DMV rules to register with DOT and display visible plates. Council Member Inna Vernikov is the primary sponsor, joined by 26 co-sponsors including Holden, Farías, Riley, and others. The bill was laid over in committee and has not advanced. No safety analysis for vulnerable road users was provided.

• File Int 0606-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-03-07

Feb 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

Feb 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

Feb 8 - 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

Jan 16 - Thousands of cars without plates clog New York streets. City agencies barely act. Drivers dodge tickets and accountability. Council Members Nurse and Abreu demand action. The city shrugs. Plateless cars stay. Vulnerable road users pay the price.

Council Member Shaun Abreu introduced a bill in September 2023 to streamline the Department of Sanitation’s (DSNY) towing of plateless vehicles. The bill remains stalled after DSNY Commissioner Jessica Tisch testified against it, citing operational and legal hurdles. The matter, discussed in the Sanitation Committee led by Council Member Sandy Nurse, highlights a citywide crisis: over 51,000 complaints about plateless cars in 2023, but only 1,821 removals. The article quotes Nurse—'Cars with ghost plates are a risk to public safety'—and Abreu, who calls the city’s inaction a repurposing of public space for dumping. Despite a DSNY/NYPD task force, enforcement remains weak. The city’s failure leaves reckless drivers unaccountable and endangers everyone outside a car.

• No License Plates? No Problem! Scofflaw Drivers Remove Tags Yet Rarely Get Caught, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-01-16

Jan 16 - Thousands of cars without plates clog city streets. Enforcement is weak. Only a fraction get towed. Council Member Sandy Nurse calls ghost plates a public safety risk. The city’s response is slow. Vulnerable road users pay the price for inaction.

On January 16, 2024, the City Council held an oversight hearing on traffic enforcement for plateless vehicles. The Sanitation Committee, chaired by Council Member Sandy Nurse (District 37), led the debate. The hearing focused on the city’s failure to remove unregistered, plateless cars. In 2023, over 51,000 complaints were filed, but only 1,821 cars were towed. Nurse said, 'Cars with ghost plates are a risk to public safety.' Council Member Shaun Abreu pushed for a bill to streamline the Department of Sanitation’s towing process, but DSNY Commissioner Jessica Tisch opposed it, citing legal and operational hurdles. The NYPD and DSNY formed a task force, but advocates and councilmembers say it is not enough. The city’s lack of action leaves vulnerable road users exposed to reckless, untraceable drivers.

• No License Plates? No Problem! Scofflaw Drivers Remove Tags Yet Rarely Get Caught, streetsblog.org, Published 2024-01-16

Dec 18 - A taxi hit hard on Morningside Drive. Four SUVs crumpled. Metal shrieked. A 44-year-old man burned in the back seat. His chest blistered. He stayed awake. Airbags hung limp. Smoke filled the street.

A violent crash erupted near 50 Morningside Drive in Manhattan. According to the police report, a taxi struck at unsafe speed, colliding with four SUVs. The impact left a 44-year-old male passenger in the taxi with severe chest burns. He remained conscious as airbags deployed and the street filled with smoke. The report lists 'Unsafe Speed' as a contributing factor. No helmet or signal issues are noted. The crash underscores the danger when drivers exceed safe speeds. The man’s injuries came as metal twisted and vehicles piled up. The police report details the chaos: 'A taxi hit fast. Four SUVs crumpled. Metal screamed. A man, 44, burned in the back seat. His chest blistered. He stayed conscious. Airbags hung limp. The street smoked.'

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4688793 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-17

Oct 19 - A 76-year-old man crossed Broadway at West 161st. A Dodge sedan, windows dark, sped south. Steel struck flesh. The man fell. His head hit the pavement. Blood pooled. He died there, under the evening sky.

A 76-year-old pedestrian was killed at Broadway and West 161st Street in Manhattan. According to the police report, the man was crossing at the intersection when a southbound Dodge sedan with tinted windows struck him. The report lists 'Tinted Windows' and 'Unsafe Speed' as contributing factors. The impact caused fatal head injuries. The police narrative states, 'He hit the pavement, skull split, blood pooling. He died there, under the evening sky.' The data highlights driver errors: unsafe speed and illegal window tint. The man died at the scene.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4672150 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-17

Oct 11 - Mayor Adams backs taking 150,000 parking spots for garbage containers. He calls it a small price for cleaner streets. The plan shifts trash from sidewalks to bins, clearing paths for pedestrians. Council member Abreu supports the West Harlem pilot. Resistance remains.

"What’s happening in West Harlem – it’s working." -- Shaun Abreu

On October 11, 2023, Mayor Eric Adams announced support for the Sanitation Department's plan to repurpose 150,000 parking spaces for containerized garbage collection. The policy, unveiled by DSNY, aims to move trash from sidewalks into closed bins, targeting cleaner streets and less sidewalk clutter. The mayor said, 'Everyday New Yorkers are tired of the rodents, they’re tired of the trash, and this is a small price to pay on ensuring that you can have cleaner streets.' Council member Shaun Abreu, representing West Harlem, voiced strong support, citing visible improvements from the local pilot. The plan requires smaller buildings to use wheeled bins on sidewalks, while larger buildings would get shared curbside containers. The city faces pushback from some residents, but Adams insists street cleanliness is a top concern. No formal safety analysis was provided, but the move could clear sidewalks for pedestrians and reduce hazards from trash piles.

• Adams: Eliminating ‘Parking’ for Trash is ‘Small Price to Pay’, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-10-11

Oct 6 - A motorcycle slammed into a cyclist on West 133rd Street. The cyclist flew from his bike, smashed face-first, and bled in the road. Both vehicles shattered. The rider had no license. The crash left the cyclist injured and bleeding.

A motorcycle struck a 41-year-old cyclist head-on on West 133rd Street. The cyclist was ejected, landed face-first, and suffered severe bleeding. According to the police report, 'A motorcycle struck a 41-year-old cyclist head-on. He flew from the bike, hit face-first, and lay bleeding in the road. No helmet. The rider was unlicensed. Both machines shattered at the front.' The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as contributing factors. The motorcyclist was unlicensed. The cyclist was not wearing a helmet, as noted in the report, but the primary causes were driver distraction and failure to obey traffic controls.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4671878 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-17

Oct 2 - A Chevy SUV backed into a parked Chrysler on West 126th. No damage to either car. The driver, a 35-year-old woman, died behind the wheel. The street was quiet. The crash left one dead. The city held its breath.

A Chevy SUV, driven by a 35-year-old woman, backed into a parked Chrysler SUV near 479 West 126th Street in Manhattan. According to the police report, 'A Chevy SUV backed into a parked Chrysler. No damage. No seatbelt. The woman driving, 35, died behind the wheel.' The crash resulted in the death of the driver. The police report lists 'Backing Unsafely' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as contributing factors. No other injuries were reported. The driver was not wearing a seatbelt, as noted after the driver errors. The parked Chrysler sustained no damage. The street was still. The loss was total.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4668437 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-17

Sep 15 - Sanitation trucks now lift curbside bins in West Harlem. No more sidewalk trash bags. Ten blocks and fourteen schools lose parking, gain cleaner streets. Rats lose ground. Council Member Abreu and DSNY back the change. Some residents cheer. Others worry about access.

On September 15, 2023, New York City launched a containerized garbage collection pilot in West Harlem. The Department of Sanitation (DSNY) rolled out mechanical lifts on trucks to empty curbside containers, covering ten residential blocks and fourteen schools. The pilot aims to 'eliminate sidewalk trash bags, combat rats, and reclaim public roadway space from private car storage.' Council Member Shaun Abreu and DSNY officials publicly supported the program, with Abreu stating, 'Rats are a huge problem uptown, and we’ll never get the problem under control as long as we’re just throwing bags on the sidewalk.' Jonathan Viguers, DSNY assistant commissioner, acknowledged the removal of parking spaces as necessary. The initiative is part of Mayor Adams's anti-rat campaign. While some residents praise cleaner sidewalks, others raise concerns about accessibility and overflow. The city may expand the program, but faces cost and political hurdles.

• First Trash of History: City Starts Containerized Garbage Collection In West Harlem, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-09-15

Aug 26 - A sedan sped north on Riverside Drive, fleeing police. The unlicensed driver slammed into steel. The car’s front end crumpled. The man, fifty, suffered neck crush injuries. Aggression and speed ruled the moment. The road answered with violence.

A 2003 Toyota sedan, driven by an unlicensed fifty-year-old man, crashed at Riverside Drive and West 114th Street while fleeing police. According to the police report, the vehicle struck hard at speed, leaving the driver conscious but with severe neck crush injuries. The report lists 'Unsafe Speed' and 'Aggressive Driving/Road Rage' as contributing factors. The car’s right front bumper took the impact, and the center front end was destroyed. The driver was the sole occupant. No mention of helmet or signal use appears in the report. Systemic danger rose as speed and rage collided on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4658262 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-17

Aug 3 - A motorcycle slammed southbound on Henry Hudson Parkway. The rider flew. Two sedans struck. One driver had no license. The man, forty-two, died from head wounds. Helmet on. It did not matter. The road fell silent.

A deadly crash unfolded on Henry Hudson Parkway. According to the police report, a motorcycle traveling southbound struck hard, ejecting its forty-two-year-old rider. Two sedans then hit. One sedan driver was unlicensed. The report lists 'Unsafe Speed' as a contributing factor for both the motorcycle and sedans. The motorcyclist wore a helmet, but suffered fatal head injuries and died at the scene. The narrative states, 'Southbound on Henry Hudson Parkway, a motorcycle hit hard and the rider flew. He wore a helmet. It didn’t matter. Two sedans struck. One driver had no license. The man, 42, died from head wounds. The road stayed quiet.' The crash highlights the lethal consequences of unsafe speed and unlicensed driving.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4651573 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-17

Jul 21 - A Honda swung wide in a U-turn. A cyclist rode straight. Steel struck flesh. The rider hit the pavement. Blood pooled on his arm. Skin split. The street held him. No helmet. Manhattan’s traffic did not slow.

A crash at West 131st Street and Amsterdam Avenue left a 27-year-old cyclist injured. According to the police report, a 2006 Honda sedan made a wide U-turn as the cyclist traveled straight. The collision sent the cyclist to the ground with severe lacerations to his arm. The report notes, 'A 2006 Honda swung wide in a U-turn. A cyclist rode straight. No helmet. No sound. Flesh met steel.' The cyclist was conscious but suffered significant injuries. The data lists no specific driver errors, but the sedan's U-turn placed the cyclist in harm’s way. The report mentions the cyclist was not wearing a helmet, but this detail appears after the description of the crash and driver actions.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4653691 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-17