Parking Over People: Riverdale’s Streets Run Red

SUV rear-ends sedan on Henry Hudson Parkway. Two-year-old girl in back seat suffers concussion. Impact crushes SUV’s rear, smashes sedan’s front. Police cite following too closely.

According to the police report, a station wagon/SUV traveling north on Henry Hudson Parkway struck a sedan from behind. The crash left the SUV with center back-end damage and the sedan with right front bumper damage. A two-year-old girl riding in the sedan’s left rear seat was injured, suffering a concussion and injuries to her entire body. She was conscious and restrained with a lap belt and harness. The report lists "Following Too Closely" as the contributing factor, showing the SUV driver failed to keep a safe distance. No other contributing factors or victim errors were reported.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4608528 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-06

Assembly and Senate passed A 602. The bill sets state funding rules for federally assisted and municipal complete street projects. Lawmakers moved fast. Streets shaped by budgets, not safety.

Bill A 602, titled 'Relates to the percentage responsibility of the state for federally assisted projects,' passed committee votes in the Assembly on January 24, 2023, and in the Senate on February 13, 2023. Sponsored by Patricia Fahy, the bill addresses how much the state pays for federally assisted projects and for municipal projects with complete street designs. The measure saw broad support, with near-unanimous yes votes in both chambers. The bill's focus is on funding, not on direct safety improvements for pedestrians, cyclists, or other vulnerable road users. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File A 602, Open States, Published 2023-02-13

Assembly and Senate passed A 602. The bill sets state funding rules for federally assisted and municipal complete street projects. Lawmakers moved fast. Streets shaped by budgets, not safety.

Bill A 602, titled 'Relates to the percentage responsibility of the state for federally assisted projects,' passed committee votes in the Assembly on January 24, 2023, and in the Senate on February 13, 2023. Sponsored by Patricia Fahy, the bill addresses how much the state pays for federally assisted projects and for municipal projects with complete street designs. The measure saw broad support, with near-unanimous yes votes in both chambers. The bill's focus is on funding, not on direct safety improvements for pedestrians, cyclists, or other vulnerable road users. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File A 602, Open States, Published 2023-02-13

Assembly and Senate passed A 602. The bill sets state funding rules for federally assisted and municipal complete street projects. Lawmakers moved fast. Streets shaped by budgets, not safety.

Bill A 602, titled 'Relates to the percentage responsibility of the state for federally assisted projects,' passed committee votes in the Assembly on January 24, 2023, and in the Senate on February 13, 2023. Sponsored by Patricia Fahy, the bill addresses how much the state pays for federally assisted projects and for municipal projects with complete street designs. The measure saw broad support, with near-unanimous yes votes in both chambers. The bill's focus is on funding, not on direct safety improvements for pedestrians, cyclists, or other vulnerable road users. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File A 602, Open States, Published 2023-02-13

Assembly and Senate passed A 602. The bill sets state funding rules for federally assisted and municipal complete street projects. Lawmakers moved fast. Streets shaped by budgets, not safety.

Bill A 602, titled 'Relates to the percentage responsibility of the state for federally assisted projects,' passed committee votes in the Assembly on January 24, 2023, and in the Senate on February 13, 2023. Sponsored by Patricia Fahy, the bill addresses how much the state pays for federally assisted projects and for municipal projects with complete street designs. The measure saw broad support, with near-unanimous yes votes in both chambers. The bill's focus is on funding, not on direct safety improvements for pedestrians, cyclists, or other vulnerable road users. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File A 602, Open States, Published 2023-01-24

A sedan turning left on Kappock Street hit a 70-year-old man. He suffered a head injury and was semiconscious with minor bleeding. The driver impacted the pedestrian with the center front end. Details on pedestrian actions remain unknown.

According to the police report, a 2017 Toyota sedan driven by a licensed female driver was making a left turn on Kappock Street in the Bronx when it struck a 70-year-old male pedestrian. The pedestrian sustained a head injury and was semiconscious with minor bleeding. The point of impact was the center front end of the vehicle. The report lists no specific driver errors or contributing factors. The pedestrian's location and actions at the time of the crash are unknown. No safety equipment or helmet use is noted. The crash resulted in injury severity level 3 for the pedestrian.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4602292 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-06

Assembly bill A 1280 pushes for streets built for all. Dozens of lawmakers back the plan. The bill demands roads that protect walkers, cyclists, and riders. It calls for design, not luck, to keep people safe.

Assembly bill A 1280, now in sponsorship, aims to 'enable safe access to public roads for all users by utilizing complete street design principles.' Introduced January 13, 2023, the bill sits with the Assembly. Jonathan Rivera leads as primary sponsor, joined by over 70 co-sponsors including Patrick Burke, Kenny Burgos, and Catalina Cruz. Their action signals strong legislative momentum. The bill’s focus: force planners to build streets for people, not just cars. No safety analyst note is available, but the intent is clear—systemic change for vulnerable road users. The bill’s progress can be tracked at the New York Assembly website.

• File A 1280, Open States, Published 2023-01-13

A pick-up driver killed Edwin Rivera, 62, at Broadway and W. 238th in the Bronx. The driver fled. This stretch has seen hundreds of crashes. Councilmember Eric Dinowitz opposed safety upgrades. The city left this intersection dangerous. Rivera paid the price.

On December 31, 2022, Edwin Rivera was struck and killed by a pick-up truck driver at Broadway and W. 238th Street in Council District 11. The driver fled. The intersection sits in Councilmember Eric Dinowitz’s district. Dinowitz recently opposed a proposal to make Riverdale Avenue safer. The article states, 'Council District 11, which is represented by Eric Dinowitz, who recently opposed an effort to make Riverdale Avenue in his district safer.' The Department of Transportation installed safety measures north of Van Cortlandt Park, but not at the site of Rivera’s death. In 2022, Dinowitz’s district saw 1,659 reported crashes, injuring 135 pedestrians and 27 cyclists. The city’s inaction left a deadly gap. Rivera is the latest victim.

• Pedestrian Killed at a Dangerous Bronx Intersection that City Has Failed to Make Safe, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-01-04

Senate bill S 343 seeks a clear, public safety score for cars. The DMV would post these ratings. Lawmakers push for sunlight on danger. Pedestrians face risk. The system aims to expose it.

Senate bill S 343 was proposed on January 4, 2023. It sits in the sponsorship stage. The bill, titled 'Creates a pedestrian safety rating system for motor vehicles,' would require the Department of Motor Vehicles to post these ratings online. Primary sponsor Andrew Gounardes leads, joined by Leroy Comrie, Michael Gianaris, Brad Hoylman-Sigal, Robert Jackson, Liz Krueger, Zellnor Myrie, Gustavo Rivera, Julia Salazar, Luis R. Sepúlveda, and Toby Ann Stavisky. The measure targets transparency. It puts the danger of cars in plain sight. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File S 343, Open States, Published 2023-01-04

A box truck cut across Broadway. The motorcycle slammed into its side. The young rider flew from his seat, helmet on. His head struck hard. He died there, pavement cold, sky fading. Failure to yield left him no chance.

A 21-year-old motorcyclist was killed on Broadway near Council District 11. According to the police report, a box truck made a U-turn across the lane. The motorcycle, traveling straight, struck the truck’s side. The rider, who wore a helmet, was ejected and suffered fatal head injuries. The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the contributing factor. The box truck driver was not reported injured. The crash shows the deadly risk when drivers turn across traffic and fail to yield. The victim’s helmet is noted, but the fatal blow came from the impact itself.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4586127 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-06

A taxi traveling north struck two parked sedans on Riverdale Avenue in the Bronx. The taxi’s right front bumper hit the left rear quarter panels of both parked vehicles. The taxi driver and front passenger suffered whiplash and upper leg injuries.

According to the police report, a taxi traveling north on Riverdale Avenue collided with two parked sedans. The taxi’s right front bumper impacted the left rear quarter panels of the parked vehicles. The taxi driver and front passenger, both wearing lap belts and harnesses, sustained injuries including whiplash and upper leg trauma. The driver’s injury was to the neck, while the passenger suffered hip and upper leg injuries. Contributing factors listed include slippery pavement and other vehicular conditions. The report notes no ejections and both occupants were conscious. Driver errors include failure to maintain control on slippery pavement and possibly improper vehicle operation near parked cars.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4589997 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-06

A parked SUV was struck on its left rear bumper by a southbound sedan. The sedan’s right front bumper hit the SUV’s rear. The sedan driver, a 33-year-old man, suffered back injuries and whiplash. Driver distraction was cited as a factor.

According to the police report, a 2020 Hyundai sedan traveling southbound collided with a parked 2018 Toyota SUV on Riverdale Avenue in the Bronx. The point of impact was the sedan’s right front bumper against the SUV’s left rear bumper. The sedan driver, a 33-year-old man, was injured with back pain and whiplash but remained conscious and was wearing a lap belt and harness. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor. The SUV was stationary at the time of the crash. No other injuries or victims were reported.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4592169 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-06

Two sedans crashed on Riverdale Avenue in the Bronx. Both drivers were female and traveling south. The collision damaged the front quarter panels of both vehicles. One driver suffered back abrasions but was conscious and restrained by a lap belt.

According to the police report, two sedans collided on Riverdale Avenue near West 261 Street in the Bronx. Both vehicles were traveling south, each going straight ahead when the crash occurred. The point of impact was the right front quarter panel of one sedan and the left front quarter panel of the other. The driver of the Illinois-registered sedan, a 55-year-old woman, was injured with abrasions to her back but remained conscious and was wearing a lap belt. The report lists contributing factors as unspecified, with no clear driver errors identified. Both drivers held valid New York licenses. The crash resulted in moderate vehicle damage and injury to one occupant.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4574010 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-06

Assemblyman Dinowitz pushes a bill to slap New Jersey drivers with a $50 fee. The move answers NJ’s threat to block data sharing. Without cooperation, speeders dodge camera tickets. Streets stay dangerous. Lawmakers trade barbs. Vulnerable New Yorkers pay the price.

Bill number not specified. On September 28, 2022, Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz introduced a proposal in the New York State Legislature. The bill, now in committee, would impose a $50 fee on vehicles registered in states—like New Jersey—that refuse to share driver data for traffic enforcement. The measure responds to a New Jersey Senate bill blocking DMV data sharing, which could undermine New York City’s automated speed camera program. Dinowitz said, 'There's going to have to be a price to pay if my bill passes.' Safe streets advocates and NYC DOT warn that blocking data sharing lets speeders escape penalties, fueling traffic violence. The bill’s text states it 'authorizes the imposition of a $50 fee on vehicles entering NYC which are registered in states which do not cooperate with New York in the enforcement of traffic infractions through the use of photo-monitoring devices or signal monitoring systems.' The fight leaves vulnerable road users at risk, as enforcement gaps let reckless drivers go unpunished.

• NY bill threatens new $50 fee to NJ drivers as congestion pricing feud heats up, gothamist.com, Published 2022-09-28

A 63-year-old woman was hit by a westbound sedan on Liebig Avenue in the Bronx. The driver failed to yield right-of-way. The pedestrian suffered abrasions and injuries to her elbow, lower arm, and hand. The car’s front center end was damaged.

According to the police report, a 63-year-old female pedestrian was injured while crossing at a marked crosswalk on Liebig Avenue in the Bronx. The driver of a 2008 Chevrolet sedan, traveling westbound, failed to yield right-of-way, striking the pedestrian with the vehicle’s center front end. The pedestrian sustained abrasions and injuries to her elbow, lower arm, and hand. The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the primary contributing factor. The driver was licensed and driving straight ahead at the time of impact. No other contributing factors or victim errors were noted.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4568854 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-06

An 85-year-old man suffered full-body injuries and whiplash in a Bronx crash. His sedan struck a parked SUV on Riverdale Avenue. Police cited driver inattention as the cause. The driver was conscious and restrained by a lap belt.

According to the police report, an 85-year-old male driver was injured when his sedan collided with a parked SUV on Riverdale Avenue in the Bronx. The driver sustained injuries to his entire body and complained of whiplash but remained conscious. The report lists driver inattention and distraction as contributing factors to the crash. The driver was wearing a lap belt and was not ejected from the vehicle. Multiple vehicles were parked at the scene, but the collision involved the sedan impacting the left front bumper of the SUV. No other persons were reported injured.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4562188 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-06

A sedan turned left on Broadway. A bike rode straight. The car hit the cyclist head-on. His leg split open. Blood pooled on the Bronx asphalt. He stayed conscious, torn and bleeding, as traffic rolled past.

A sedan struck a 19-year-old cyclist head-on as it turned left on Broadway near West 254th Street in the Bronx. According to the police report, the cyclist suffered severe lacerations to his leg and remained conscious at the scene. The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Aggressive Driving/Road Rage' as contributing factors. The cyclist was not ejected from his bike. The data does not specify if safety equipment was used. The crash highlights the danger when drivers fail to yield and drive aggressively, leaving vulnerable road users exposed to grave harm.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4562650 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-06

Council heard fierce debate on congestion pricing. Dinowitz slammed credits for New Jersey drivers. Truckers and ride-share drivers bristled at high tolls. Advocates warned of more diesel trucks in the Bronx. The plan’s impact on vulnerable New Yorkers remains unclear.

On August 10, 2022, Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz (District 81) joined a heated policy debate over New York City’s congestion pricing plan. The proposal would charge drivers up to $23 to enter Manhattan below 60th Street. Dinowitz opposed credits for New Jersey drivers, calling them unfair. The debate, covered by gothamist.com, highlighted concerns from truckers, ride-share drivers, and advocates. The matter summary reads: 'Debate over NYC congestion pricing picks up as more effects of the plan emerge.' Critics, including Rep. Ritchie Torres, warned the plan could push more diesel trucks onto the Cross Bronx Expressway, raising public health and equity concerns. The council has not yet assessed the plan’s direct impact on vulnerable road users.

• Debate over NYC congestion pricing picks up as more effects of the plan emerge, gothamist.com, Published 2022-08-10

DOT will narrow Riverdale Avenue in the Bronx. Four lanes become two, with a center turn lane. Council Member Eric Dinowitz objects to the process, not the safety plan. Community Board 8 voted no. DOT cites crash deaths. The project moves forward.

On August 4, 2022, the Department of Transportation (DOT) confirmed it will proceed with the Riverdale Avenue road diet, narrowing the Bronx street from four lanes to two with a center turning lane. The matter, presented to Bronx Community Board 8’s Transportation Committee, was rejected in a close vote. Council Member Eric Dinowitz voiced strong opposition to the DOT’s process, calling it 'undemocratic' and criticizing the lack of community input, though he did not oppose the road diet itself. The DOT justified the changes by citing significant crash and injury data, and pointed to successful safety improvements from similar projects elsewhere in the Bronx. Dinowitz stated, 'I have been deeply troubled throughout this process due to the constant misrepresentation of facts and the lack of responsiveness to the community.' Despite local resistance, the DOT moves forward, prioritizing safety on a corridor marked by multiple fatalities.

• Bronx Pol Loses Fight Against Street Safety as DOT Moves Ahead on Riverdale Ave., Streetsblog NYC, Published 2022-08-04

A Mazda SUV turned left at West 235th and Oxford. The driver failed to yield. Sun glare filled the windshield. The bumper struck a 99-year-old woman in the crosswalk. She died on the street. Blood marked the spot. Metal met flesh. Silence followed.

A 99-year-old woman was killed while crossing West 235th Street at Oxford Avenue in the Bronx. According to the police report, she was in a marked crosswalk when a Mazda SUV made a left turn and struck her with its front bumper. The report states, 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Glare' as contributing factors. The driver, a 53-year-old man, was licensed and driving north. The impact caused fatal head injuries and severe bleeding. The police report makes clear the driver did not yield. The woman was crossing with no signal in a marked crosswalk. No other injuries were reported.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4550058 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-06