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

A driver struck a cyclist in Washington Heights. The cyclist survived. Neighbors say the intersection breeds danger. The driver fled. NYPD searches. Streets remain unsafe.

CBS New York reported on August 4, 2025, that a driver hit a cyclist in Washington Heights and left the scene. The article notes, "local residents say the intersection has been a problem for some time." The NYPD is searching for the driver. The incident highlights ongoing risks at this location and points to persistent systemic hazards for cyclists and pedestrians. No mention of charges or arrests. The crash underscores the need for stronger street design and enforcement.

• Cyclist Hit By Driver In Washington Heights, CBS New York, Published 2025-08-04

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

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

E-bike slammed into standing vehicle on W 230 St. Rider’s leg broke. Police cite driver inattention and failure to yield. Helmet worn. Streets stayed loud, dangerous.

An e-bike rider, age 32, suffered a fractured leg after colliding with a standing vehicle at W 230 St and Kingsbridge Ave in the Bronx. According to the police report, the crash was caused by driver inattention and failure to yield right-of-way. The rider was conscious and wore a helmet. The impact hit the left front bumper of both vehicles. No other injuries were reported. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as contributing factors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4830898 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Microhub zones sit empty. Trucks clog curbs. Cargo bikes idle. Streets choke on double-parked vans. Pedestrians and cyclists dodge danger. The city’s promise breaks. Risk remains.

""Creating designated locations where trucks can transfer packages to smaller, cleaner, and greener options for neighborhood-wide deliveries can reduce truck traffic, improve residents' quality of life, and help us shift to a more sustainable future."" -- Ydanis A. Rodriguez

On July 23, 2025, Streetsblog NYC reported on the NYC DOT microhub delivery pilot. The program, launched in April, aimed to shift parcel transfers from trucks to cargo bikes at three Upper West Side sites. The matter summary states: 'Microhub parking zones reserved for e-commerce firms to offload parcels from trucks to cargo bikes and hand-carts routinely go unused.' DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez backed the plan, but only Amazon and Net-Zero Logistics used their hubs. UPS trucks kept blocking streets. DOT threatens to revoke unused permits. The safety impact is negative: unused microhubs mean trucks still crowd curbs, missing a chance to protect pedestrians and cyclists from large vehicles.

• Eyes on the Street: UPS Blows Off DOT’s ‘Microhubs’ Delivery Pilot, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-07-23

A stolen Malibu sped off the Manhattan Bridge. It struck and killed a pedestrian and a cyclist. The driver tried to flee. Eyewitnesses stopped her. Broken bodies, broken laws, broken city.

According to NY Daily News (2025-07-22), Autumn Donna Ascension Romero crashed a stolen rental car at Bowery and Canal, killing May Kwok and Kevin Cruickshank. Prosecutors say Romero admitted to drinking before driving and tried to flee the scene with her passenger. An open tequila bottle and loaded pistols were found in the car. The article quotes, 'They then tried to flee the scene followed by multiple eyewitnesses who told them to stop.' Romero faces murder and vehicular homicide charges. The crash highlights dangers from impaired driving, stolen vehicles, and failures in preventing reckless use of rentals.

• Stolen Car Kills Two In Chinatown, NY Daily News, Published 2025-07-22

Box truck and sedan collided on Broadway. Two passengers injured. Metal twisted. No clear cause listed. Streets stay dangerous. Police report leaves questions open.

A box truck and a sedan crashed at 5219 Broadway in the Bronx. Two passengers were injured: a 22-year-old man suffered injuries to his entire body, and a 24-year-old woman sustained a head injury. According to the police report, the box truck was changing lanes while the sedan was going straight. No specific driver errors or contributing factors were listed in the report. Both injured passengers were using lap belts and harnesses. The report does not specify the cause of the crash or any further details about the drivers’ actions.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4829563 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A speeding car tore through Chinatown. It struck a cyclist and a woman on a bench. Both died at the scene. The driver faces murder charges. The car was a long-overdue rental. Debris scattered. Lives ended in seconds.

Gothamist (2025-07-21) reports a driver faces murder and manslaughter charges after a deadly Chinatown crash. The car, a weeks-overdue rental, sped off the Manhattan Bridge and struck a cyclist and a pedestrian, killing both. Police found two 9mm pistols in the trunk. The article states, "the car was traveling westbound off the Manhattan Bridge at a high rate of speed" and "struck Cruickshank, Kwok and an unoccupied NYPD vehicle." The passenger faces charges for unauthorized use and weapons possession. The crash highlights risks from unreturned rentals and high-speed driving in dense city streets.

• Chinatown Crash Kills Cyclist, Pedestrian, Gothamist, Published 2025-07-21

A stolen car tore through Bowery and Canal. Two lives ended. The driver, unlicensed, had fled a crash months before. System let her walk. Steel met flesh. The city failed to stop it.

NY Daily News (2025-07-20) reports a 23-year-old unlicensed driver killed two people in Chinatown with a stolen rental car. Months earlier, she hit a pedestrian in Brooklyn and fled. Police charged her with leaving the scene and aggravated unlicensed operation, but she was released without bail, as the charges were not bail eligible under state law. The article notes, "Three months before the fatal high-speed Saturday morning smash up... the 23-year-old driver allegedly clipped a woman... and fled." The case highlights gaps in bail policy and enforcement for unlicensed, repeat offenders.

• Unlicensed Driver Kills Two In Chinatown, NY Daily News, Published 2025-07-20

A sedan struck two pedestrians crossing with the signal on W 230 St and Broadway. Both were injured. Police cite driver distraction. Impact hit head and leg. The street stayed loud and cold.

A Ford sedan making a left turn at W 230 St and Broadway struck two pedestrians, a 20-year-old woman and an infant boy, as they crossed with the signal. Both suffered injuries: the woman to her leg, the boy to his head. According to the police report, 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' was the contributing factor. The impact came from the car's left front bumper. No other factors were listed. The crash left both pedestrians conscious but hurt, while the vehicle occupant was uninjured.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4829315 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A car sped off the Manhattan Bridge, jumped the curb, struck a cyclist and a pedestrian. Both died. The driver and passenger tried to flee. Police caught them. Metal, speed, and chaos at Canal and Bowery.

ABC7 reported on July 19, 2025, that a Chevy Malibu jumped the curb near Canal Street and Bowery, killing a cyclist in his 30s and a pedestrian in her 60s. The two women in the car attempted to flee but were arrested. Mayor Eric Adams cited 'the rate of speed was pretty high' and called for action against reckless driving. The car also struck a parked police van. Charges are pending as police investigate. The crash highlights ongoing dangers at busy intersections and the deadly impact of speed.

• Car Jumps Curb, Kills Two in Chinatown, ABC7, Published 2025-07-19

A van crashed on 42nd and 10th. Inside: 75 gallons of gasoline, 10 of diesel, dozens of propane tanks. The driver tried to hide the keys. Hazmat teams cleared the danger. Police made an arrest.

ABC7 (2025-07-17) reports NYPD found 75 gallons of gasoline, 10 gallons of diesel, and 76 propane cylinders in a van after a Manhattan crash. The driver "tried to get rid of his keys" and claimed he couldn't open the vehicle. Hazmat teams removed the fuel. The driver faces charges for reckless endangerment and fire code violations. The Manhattan DA is handling the case. The incident highlights risks from hazardous cargo on city streets and gaps in enforcement.

• Van Crash Reveals Fuel Stockpile In Midtown, ABC7, Published 2025-07-17

Adams’s Fifth Avenue plan drops bike and bus lanes. Cyclists and walkers left exposed. Sidewalks widen, but cars keep space. Board calls for real safety, not delay.

Streetsblog NYC (2025-07-14) reports Mayor Adams cut a bus lane and bike lane from the Fifth Avenue redesign, keeping two lanes for cars and widening sidewalks. The Manhattan Community Board 5 called this move not a "real solution" to safety, urging a return to the 2021 plan with protected bike lanes and faster bus service. "We want a real solution to the bike and pedestrian safety issue," said CB 5 Vice Chair Samir Lavingia. The board warns that without bike lanes, cyclists will ride sidewalks, risking conflict. The plan, shaped with business interests, leaves vulnerable road users exposed and delays safer changes until at least 2028.

• Fifth Avenue Redesign Cuts Bike, Bus Lanes, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-07-14

A 71-year-old passenger died. A 79-year-old driver struck two cars, then a pole. Metal twisted. Lives changed. The street stayed silent.

CBS New York (2025-07-12) reports a 71-year-old passenger died after a crash in Co-op City, Bronx. Police said a 79-year-old driver 'slammed into two cars before hitting a light pole.' The sequence ended in fatal injury. The article highlights the impact but does not detail causes. The crash underscores risks for passengers and raises questions about driver fitness and street design. No blame is assigned. The facts stand stark.

• Passenger Dies After Bronx Car Crash, CBS New York, Published 2025-07-12

A van hit a 23-year-old working in the roadway on Major Deegan. The worker suffered bruises. Oversized vehicle flagged as a factor. No pedestrians or cyclists involved. Systemic danger remains.

A 23-year-old man working in the roadway was struck and injured by a van on Major Deegan Expressway in the Bronx. According to the police report, the van was classified as an oversized vehicle, which was listed as a contributing factor. The worker suffered contusions to his entire body. The driver, a 60-year-old man, was not reported injured. No other vulnerable road users were involved. The report highlights 'Oversized Vehicle' as the key driver error. The incident underscores the risks faced by those working on city roads.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4829127 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Dinowitzes fight the Harlem River Greenway bike lane. They defend parking. Cyclists and walkers wait for safe passage. DOT says protected lanes save lives. The Bronx stays exposed.

""We support bike lanes."" -- Eric Dinowitz

On July 8, 2025, Assembly Member Jeff Dinowitz and Council Member Eric Dinowitz publicly opposed the city's plan for a protected bike lane on Bailey Avenue, part of the Harlem River Greenway. The matter, described as an 'anti-car crusade,' centers on the removal of 46 parking spots. The Dinowitzes claim the redesign ignores community voices. DOT and local advocates argue the project will cut injuries and deaths, citing crash data. A safety analyst notes the Greenway will create safe, separated space for pedestrians and cyclists, reducing harm and boosting active travel. The Dinowitzes support bike lanes in principle but resist changes that reduce parking.

• ‘Anti-Car Crusade’: Dinowitzes Slam Bronx Harlem River Greenway Bike Lane Touted by Mayor, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-07-08

Dinowitzes fight the Harlem River Greenway bike lane. They defend parking. Cyclists and walkers wait for safe passage. DOT says protected lanes save lives. The Bronx stays exposed.

""We did raise serious concerns about the removal of a large number of parking spots in an area that's already starved for parking. Your loaded term, 'car storage,' is totally insensitive to the needs and wishes of the neighborhood. We can have bike lanes and at the same time not have to remove so many parking spots."" -- Jeffrey Dinowitz

On July 8, 2025, Assembly Member Jeff Dinowitz and Council Member Eric Dinowitz publicly opposed the city's plan for a protected bike lane on Bailey Avenue, part of the Harlem River Greenway. The matter, described as an 'anti-car crusade,' centers on the removal of 46 parking spots. The Dinowitzes claim the redesign ignores community voices. DOT and local advocates argue the project will cut injuries and deaths, citing crash data. A safety analyst notes the Greenway will create safe, separated space for pedestrians and cyclists, reducing harm and boosting active travel. The Dinowitzes support bike lanes in principle but resist changes that reduce parking.

• ‘Anti-Car Crusade’: Dinowitzes Slam Bronx Harlem River Greenway Bike Lane Touted by Mayor, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-07-08

Sedan turned wrong on Broadway, struck e-bike. Rider thrown, leg fractured. Police cite improper turn and driver distraction. Danger at the intersection left a cyclist hurt.

A sedan making a U-turn on Broadway at West 232nd Street collided with an e-bike traveling straight. The e-bike rider, a 25-year-old man, was ejected and suffered a fractured leg. According to the police report, the crash was caused by 'Turning Improperly' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction.' The sedan's improper maneuver and lack of focus led to the impact. The rider was not blamed in the report. No mention of helmet use or signals as contributing factors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4825874 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Mayor Adams halts 34th Street busway. Streets stay clogged. Pedestrians and bus riders lose. Car dominance remains. Safety and equity stalled.

On July 3, 2025, the Adams administration paused the 34th Street busway project, as reported by Streetsblog NYC. The matter, described as a 'highly-anticipated 34th Street busway,' had support from Council Members Erik Bottcher, Keith Powers, and others. Bottcher called it 'transformative,' promising fewer crashes and faster buses. Powers slammed the last-minute reversal. Safety analysts warn: canceling the busway preserves car dominance, discourages transit, and keeps streets unsafe for pedestrians and cyclists. The project’s future is uncertain. Vulnerable New Yorkers pay the price.

• Anti-Miracle On 34th Street: Adams Administration Pauses Work On 34th Street Busway, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-07-03

Traffic deaths in New York City fell 32% in early 2025. Eighty-seven lives lost, the lowest since 1910. Fewer pedestrians and cyclists killed. Streets still dangerous, but the toll shrinks.

On July 3, 2025, BKReader reported city data showing a 32% drop in traffic deaths for the first half of 2025. The Department of Transportation released the numbers. The report, titled 'NYC Traffic Deaths Reach Record Low,' credits Vision Zero: speed cameras, protected bike lanes, lower e-bike speeds, and targeted enforcement. DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez said, 'Traffic deaths reached the lowest level in recorded history during the first six months of this year.' Mayor Eric Adams praised strong enforcement. A 32% reduction signals a major safety gain for all road users, especially pedestrians and cyclists.

• NYC Traffic Deaths Reach Record Low, BKReader, Published 2025-07-03