No More Excuses: Demand Safe Streets Before Another Life Is Lost

• German Woman Killed in Horrific Hit-and-Run Near Bryant Park, West Side Spirit, Published 2025-09-26

• German tourist, 50, killed after reversing minivan pins her against truck in Midtown Manhattan, NY Daily News, Published 2025-09-24

Aug 26 - Mayor Adams vetoed a council push to decriminalize street vending. Vendors clustered on the narrow Brooklyn Bridge walkway. Crowding squeezes pedestrians, collides with cyclists and strollers, and can impede emergency movement, raising crash and injury risk.

""New York commuters as well as the millions of people who visit our city each year should be able to enjoy the Brooklyn Bridge without impediments to safety and pedestrian mobility,"" -- Ydanis A. Rodriguez

Bill: City Council package to decriminalize street vending (file number not provided). Status: vetoed by Mayor Eric Adams (veto reported last month). Committee: Committee on Immigration, chaired by Council Member Alexa Aviles. Key dates: vendors observed Aug. 25, 2025; story published Aug. 26, 2025. The article ran under the headline, "Defying a NYC ban, illegal vending thrives on iconic Brooklyn Bridge this summer." Adams issued the veto. Aviles and supporters pushed the decriminalization package and criticized enforcement barriers. DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez warned vendors impede pedestrian mobility. Safety analysts note: illegal vending clusters on the narrow walkway, reduces pedestrian space, creates conflicts with cyclists and strollers, and can impede emergency movement—raising crash and injury risk.

• Defying a NYC ban, illegal vending thrives on iconic Brooklyn Bridge this summer, amny.com, Published 2025-08-26

Aug 13 - A northbound SUV rear-ended a northbound cyclist at 5731 Broadway in the Bronx. The 31-year-old rider was ejected. He suffered a head injury, was semiconscious and bleeding. Police listed contributing factors as "Unspecified."

A northbound SUV struck a northbound bicyclist at 5731 Broadway in the Bronx. The rider, a 31-year-old man, was ejected and suffered a head injury, was semiconscious and had minor bleeding. The bike showed center front-end damage; the SUV sustained right rear bumper and center back-end damage. According to the police report, contributing factors were "Unspecified." No specific driver error is recorded in the report. Both vehicles were reported going straight ahead before the collision. The SUV driver reported no injuries; the police record centers the bicyclist’s ejection and head injury without assigning fault beyond the unspecified factors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4836177 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-10-03

Aug 13 - Greater Greenways will add 40 miles of new bike and walking paths. Cyclists and pedestrians gain protected, connected routes through parks and waterfronts. The plan shifts space from cars, reduces exposure to vehicles, and cuts crash risk.

""We say everyone deserves a greenway. Having access to greenways is not a privilege; it's a human right,"" -- Ydanis A. Rodriguez

No council bill number or committee is listed. Status: city plan announced Aug. 13, 2025; early action corridors each take about two years with completion planned for 2028. The matter is billed as "Greater Greenways plan will see dozens of new bike and walking paths coming to NYC streets, waterfronts and parks." Mayor Eric Adams announced the proposal. DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez presented details and said, "We say everyone deserves a greenway." No council votes or sponsors are listed. Safety analysts note: expanding and connecting greenways provides protected, low‑stress routes for pedestrians and cyclists, reduces exposure to vehicular traffic, encourages mode shift, and promotes equitable access to safe transportation.

• ‘Greater Greenways’ plan will see dozens of new bike and walking paths coming to NYC streets, waterfronts and parks, Brooklyn Paper, Published 2025-08-13

Aug 13 - The Adams administration pushed a Department of Sustainable Delivery to corral app-fueled e-bike chaos. Riders run lights and ride wrong way under delivery pressure. The plan would force apps to set safe deadlines, train workers, certify bikes and batteries.

""we need to get at the root cause of why reckless e-bike riding happens in the first place: the greed of big tech companies."," -- Ydanis A. Rodriguez

Bill number: none listed. Status: sponsorship; Adams administration says it sent legislation to the City Council to create a Department of Sustainable Delivery (DSD). Committee: not specified. Key date: op-ed published Aug 13, 2025. Matter title quoted: "Delivery apps and bad e-bike riding." Mayor Eric Adams is named as sponsor of the DSD plan. Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez wrote the op-ed and urged the Council to act, blaming app business models for reckless e-bike riding. The proposal would empower DSD to fine or suspend apps, set delivery time standards, require trip data, mandate safety training, and ensure legal e-bikes and certified batteries. Safety impact note: none provided.

• Delivery apps and bad e-bike riding, nydailynews.com, Published 2025-08-13

Aug 13 - City released the Greater Greenways master plan to link 500 miles of paths and add 40 near‑term miles. It promises car‑free stretches like Broadway but offers no cost or firm timeline. Officials pitched gains for pedestrians and cyclists amid recent bike‑lane rollbacks.

"“Our street is the backyard for many residents,”" -- Ydanis A. Rodriguez

Document: Greater Greenways master plan. Status: published; stage listed as SPONSORSHIP. No file number or committee is provided. Key date: plan published Aug 13, 2025; the report says construction could begin as soon as 2028. The article quotes the plan title: "NYC's new greenway master plan plots world of possibilities to get around city." Mayor Eric Adams is named in relation to the plan; Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez is quoted promoting access for pedestrians and cyclists. The piece notes the city gave no cost estimate or binding timeline and that no formal safety impact assessment or safety_impact_note was included. It also flags a recent Bedford Avenue removal of bike protections, leaving network gaps.

• NYC's new greenway master plan plots world of possibilities to get around city, gothamist.com, Published 2025-08-13

Aug 11 - Two young men died. Thrown from mopeds. Cars tangled with them. Sirens cut the night. Police closed the Bronx River Parkway. One driver in custody. The road stayed shut as dawn broke.

Gothamist (2025-08-11) reports two men, ages 21 and 23, died after being ejected from mopeds in a multivehicle crash on the Bronx River Parkway near Gun Hill Road. The crash, which involved two cars, closed southbound lanes. Police took one person into custody but had not filed charges. Officials were still investigating which car the detained person drove. The article states, “The two men who died were ejected from mopeds during the crash, which also involved two cars.” The cause of the collision remains under investigation, highlighting ongoing risks for vulnerable road users on city highways.

• Two Moped Riders Killed On Parkway, Gothamist, Published 2025-08-11

Aug 9 - Adams and DOT propose registering delivery apps, issuing worker IDs and reflective vests, mandating training, and requiring vehicle reporting. The rule pins safety on riders. It burdens vulnerable delivery workers and ignores dangerous street design.

File number: none. Status: proposed rule; committee: not applicable. Key dates: proposed July 28, 2025 and published for public comment; event noted Aug 9, 2025. The matter, "NYC Unveils Plan to Register Food Delivery Workers," would require app-based companies to register with DOT, assign unique ID cards, mandate safety training and reflective vests, and report vehicle types. Mayor Eric Adams announced the proposal and is quoted promoting safer streets. DOT Commissioner Ydanis A. Rodriguez backed the plan. A safety analyst warned that while training and gear may offer individual benefits, the policy shifts burdens onto vulnerable delivery workers, ignores systemic street design and enforcement problems, and lacks evidence of population-level safety gains.

• NYC Unveils Plan to Register Food Delivery Workers, BKReader, Published 2025-08-09

Aug 9 - A cab driver died after an SUV, moving at 77 mph in a 25 zone, struck his car in the Bronx. The driver ran. DNA on the airbag led to charges. The street stayed silent. The loss remains.

According to the New York Post (2025-08-09), Imani Williams was charged after her SUV hit a livery cab at 77 mph in a 25 mph zone, killing driver Robert Godwin. Prosecutors say Williams used a bus lane, ran a red light, and fled on foot. DNA from the airbag identified her. District Attorney Darcel Clark said, 'This defendant was allegedly driving three times the speed limit when her SUV slammed into a livery cab.' The case highlights the deadly risk of speeding and reckless driving in city streets.

• Speeding SUV Kills Bronx Cab Driver, New York Post, Published 2025-08-09

Aug 8 - A woman lay dead in Morris Heights. A driver fled. The street stayed silent. Another life lost to speed and steel.

CBS New York reported on August 8, 2025, that a woman was killed in a hit-and-run crash in Morris Heights, Bronx. The article states, "A Bronx woman is dead after a hit-and-run in Morris Heights." The driver left the scene, a clear violation of law. The incident highlights ongoing dangers for pedestrians and the persistent problem of drivers fleeing after deadly crashes. Policy gaps remain as enforcement and street design fail to protect vulnerable road users.

• Bronx Woman Dies In Hit-And-Run, CBS New York, Published 2025-08-08

Aug 8 - Officials raced the M34 on Aug. 7. Walkers beat the bus by seven minutes. The M34 averages 5.5 mph for 28,000 daily riders. Sponsors push a car-free 34th Street busway and pedestrianized Broadway to speed service and cut congestion.

Bill/file number: none listed. Status: SPONSORSHIP. Committees: NYC Council subcommittees on Zoning and Franchises, and Land Use approved the Midtown South Mixed-Use Plan one day earlier. Key dates: race on Aug. 7, 2025; article published Aug. 8, 2025. Matter titled "Victory on 34th Street: Transit groups, Manhattan pols, leave bus in the dust in bustling Midtown" centers a proposed car-free 34th Street busway. Zohran Mamdani joined the Aug. 7 stunt and said, "These are the slowest buses in the United States of America." CM Erik Bottcher and CM Keith Powers backed the plan. DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez and Mayor Eric Adams also voiced support. Transportation Alternatives' Ben Furnas praised the busway. No formal safety impact note was provided.

• Victory on 34th Street: Transit groups, Manhattan pols, leave bus in the dust in bustling Midtown, amny.com, Published 2025-08-08

Aug 8 - A rush-hour race on Aug 8, 2025 showed walkers beat the M34. City leaders pushed a 34th Street busway to cut cars, speed buses and free crosstown trips. Prioritizing buses and pedestrians should reduce traffic violence and boost equity.

Bill number: none. Status: demonstration and momentum for the Midtown South Mixed-Use Plan after subcommittees approved it the day before. Committee: NYC Council subcommittees. Key dates: Aug 7, 2025 (subcommittee approval), Aug 8, 2025 (bus-versus-walk race). Matter quoted: "The Midtown South Mixed-Use Plan... includes a busway limiting cars on a major segment of 34th Street." Council Member Barbara Russo-Lennon joined the demonstration. Zohran Mamdani raced and called buses the slowest in the nation. Council Members Erik Bottcher and Keith Powers publicly backed the busway; Mayor Eric Adams and DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez also voiced support. Limiting car access and prioritizing buses and pedestrians is likely to reduce traffic violence, improve equity, and help vulnerable road users.

• Victory on 34th Street: Transit groups, Manhattan pols leave bus in the dust in bustling Midtown, AMNY, Published 2025-08-08

Aug 7 - A stolen car tore through Canal and Bowery. Two lives ended. One sat on a bench. One rode a bike. The city now promises changes. Steel and speed met flesh. The street stays dangerous.

NY1 reported on August 7, 2025, that after a deadly crash at Canal Street and Bowery, the city will upgrade the intersection. On July 19, a stolen car, allegedly driven over 100 mph, killed Kevin Cruickshank and May Kwok. Kwok was sitting on a bench. Cruickshank rode his bike on the sidewalk. The article quotes authorities: 'A stolen vehicle, allegedly driven at more than 100 miles per hour...crashed into them.' The crash highlights risks from reckless driving and exposes gaps in street design. The Department of Transportation now plans safety improvements.

• Deadly Crash Spurs Chinatown Upgrades, NY1, Published 2025-08-07

Aug 4 - A white Mercedes hit a cyclist at 181st and Cabrini. The driver fled. Officers checked the victim, then left. The intersection is known for reckless driving. The cyclist survived with minor injuries.

CBS New York (2025-08-04) reports a hit-and-run at West 181st Street and Cabrini Boulevard. Surveillance shows a white Mercedes making a U-turn, striking a 29-year-old female cyclist. The driver abandoned the car and fled on foot. Officers on scene checked the victim, then left. Residents say, "No one stops at these stop signs. We see people go through these red lights all the time." The intersection has a record of reckless driving, worsened by increased bike traffic from the George Washington Bridge. The crash highlights ongoing dangers and gaps in street design and enforcement.

• Cyclist Struck In Washington Heights Hit-And-Run, CBS New York, Published 2025-08-04

Jul 31 - A Nissan SUV struck a 65-year-old e-biker on Second Ave. The rider flew to the pavement. The driver fled. The bike’s red light blinked in the dark. Police arrested the unlicensed driver two hours later. The rider remains critical.

West Side Spirit (2025-07-31) reports a 21-year-old unlicensed driver in a Nissan SUV struck a 65-year-old e-bike rider on Second Ave. near 15th St., leaving the cyclist with serious head trauma. The driver fled, drove on the sidewalk, and later took the SUV to a car wash. He confessed to police after turning himself in two hours later, saying he fled because he lacked a license. The article notes, 'He now faces charges of leaving the scene of an accident that caused serious injury and driving without a license.' The NYPD Highway District's Collision Investigation Squad continues to investigate. The crash highlights persistent dangers from unlicensed drivers and gaps in enforcement.

• Unlicensed Driver Hits E-Biker, Flees Scene, West Side Spirit, Published 2025-07-31

Jul 29 - A man shoved his girlfriend onto subway tracks at Fulton Street. The train crushed her legs. She survived, but lost both limbs. He fled, but police caught him. The court sentenced him to 18 years.

Gothamist (2025-07-29) reports a Brooklyn man received 18 years in prison after pleading guilty to pushing his girlfriend onto the tracks at Manhattan's Fulton Street Station on March 9, 2024. Prosecutors said Christian Valdez threw her as a train entered, causing injuries that led to both legs being amputated. District Attorney Alvin Bragg called it a 'life-threatening act of domestic violence in our transit system.' Valdez fled but was arrested hours later. The case highlights the vulnerability of transit riders and the severe consequences of violence in public spaces.

• Woman Loses Legs In Subway Attack, Gothamist, Published 2025-07-29

Jul 27 - A teen drove drunk, wrong-way, head-on into a car. Two men died. The driver fled. The city failed to stop him. A wedding became a funeral.

According to the New York Post (2025-07-27), a 17-year-old allegedly drank at a Midtown club, then drove the wrong way on the Henry Hudson Parkway. He crashed head-on into Kirk Walker and Rob McLaurin, killing both. The teen, Jimmy Connors, fled, leaving his injured passenger. The article states, “Walker, 38, was one day from his wedding when he and McLaurin were killed.” An off-duty NYPD officer pursued Connors but did not call 911. The lawsuit names the driver, club, NYPD, and city, raising questions about underage drinking enforcement and police response. Connors faces charges including second-degree murder.

• Wrong-Way Crash Kills Groom-To-Be, New York Post, Published 2025-07-27

Jul 24 - A 32-year-old e-bike rider fractured a leg after the driver of a standing vehicle failed to yield at W 230 St and Kingsbridge Ave in the Bronx. Police recorded driver inattention and failure to yield right-of-way.

An e-bike rider, 32, suffered fractures to the knee/lower leg/foot after a collision with a standing vehicle on W 230 St at Kingsbridge Ave. According to the police report, the crash involved 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way.' Police recorded failure to yield by the driver. The point of impact was the left front bumper of both vehicles. The rider was conscious and listed as injured with a fracture. The police report lists the contributing factors as Driver Inattention/Distraction and Failure to Yield Right-of-Way.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4830898 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-10-03

Jul 24 - A firefighter fell from his motorcycle on FDR Drive. A car struck him and fled. He died at Bellevue. The driver did not stop. Police are investigating. No arrests. The city lost a rescuer. The road remains dangerous.

Gothamist (2025-07-24) reports that Matthew Goicochea, 31, fell from his motorcycle on FDR Drive near East 25th Street and was struck by a vehicle that left the scene. Police said, "an unknown vehicle hit his motorcycle moments later and left the scene." The NYPD Highway Collision Investigation Squad is investigating. No arrests have been made. The driver’s failure to remain highlights persistent hit-and-run risks on city highways. The incident underscores ongoing dangers for vulnerable road users and the need for systemic safety improvements.

• Firefighter Killed After FDR Drive Crash, Gothamist, Published 2025-07-24