No One Walks Away: Four Dead on White Plains Road, City Still Sleeps

A 31-year-old man suffered knee and lower leg injuries after an SUV driver failed to yield right-of-way while making a left turn. The pedestrian was crossing with the signal at a Bronx intersection when struck, leaving him in shock and injured.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 22:24 in the Bronx at the intersection of E 224 St and Bronxwood Ave. A 31-year-old male pedestrian was crossing with the signal when he was struck by a 2007 Honda SUV making a left turn. The point of impact was the vehicle's right front bumper. The pedestrian sustained injuries to his knee, lower leg, and foot, resulting in shock. The report explicitly cites 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the contributing factor attributed to the vehicle driver. The SUV driver was licensed and traveling westbound. There was no damage reported to the vehicle. The pedestrian's crossing with the signal is noted but not listed as a contributing factor. The crash highlights driver error in yielding at intersections, causing serious injury to a vulnerable road user.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4789064 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A 31-year-old woman crossing with the signal suffered neck injuries when an SUV made an improper right turn and failed to yield right-of-way. The impact struck her at the intersection on Bronxwood Avenue, leaving her conscious but injured.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 8:30 AM on Bronxwood Avenue near East 221st Street in the Bronx. A 31-year-old female pedestrian was crossing with the signal when she was struck by a Nissan SUV making a right turn. The report cites the driver's failure to yield right-of-way and improper turning as contributing factors. The SUV's right front bumper collided with the pedestrian, causing internal neck injuries classified as severity level 3. The pedestrian was conscious at the scene. There is no indication of any pedestrian fault or safety equipment involvement. The incident highlights driver errors in yielding and turning maneuvers at intersections.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4790371 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Gov. Hochul dodged the $35 billion hole in the MTA’s capital plan. She told the MTA to revise and resubmit. Riders wait. Lawmakers point fingers. The city and state offer less than promised. The gap grows. Transit hangs in limbo.

On January 22, 2025, Governor Kathy Hochul announced the state’s budget approach, sidestepping the $33–$35 billion shortfall in the MTA capital plan. The plan, previously vetoed by Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, now faces deeper uncertainty. Hochul’s budget proposes $3 billion each from the state and city, less than the $4 billion the MTA expected. Hochul stated, "The MTA is developing an updated capital plan to propose to me and the legislature, and once we receive it, we will determine the best way to fund it." Advocates, including Reinvent Albany, called this an abdication of responsibility, warning it puts millions of transit riders at risk. No safety analyst has assessed the direct impact on vulnerable road users, but the funding gap threatens the system they rely on.

• Budget or Budge It? Gov. Hochul Continues Dawdling on the MTA Capital Plan, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-01-22

A city bus swerved to dodge a double-parked car. It crashed through a wall and dangled over a Bronx overpass. No one was hurt. Debris rained down. The city’s parking chaos left concrete cracked and nerves frayed.

NY1 reported on January 17, 2025, that a BxM1 MTA bus partially drove off the Henry Hudson Parkway overpass near Kappock Street after the driver swerved to avoid a double-parked car. Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz stated, "We’re told by the MTA that the bus was trying to get around an illegally double-parked car, and he hit the wall and went through it." The crash damaged the overpass wall and scattered debris onto the street below. No injuries were reported, though conflicting accounts left passenger presence unclear. City Councilman Eric Dinowitz highlighted the broader issue: "We’re seeing all over the city parking regulations not being enforced." The incident underscores the risks posed by illegal parking and the need for stricter enforcement and infrastructure checks.

• MTA Bus Hangs Off Bronx Overpass, NY1, Published 2025-01-17

Albany leaders talk. Riders wait. The $33-billion hole in the MTA capital plan grows. No new funding. No real answers. Delays mount. The system crumbles while politicians promise support but deliver nothing concrete. Vulnerable New Yorkers are left exposed.

On January 15, 2025, Governor Hochul addressed the $33-billion shortfall in the MTA’s 2025-2029 capital plan. The matter, described as a need for a 'concrete blueprint that will deliver actual results,' remains unresolved. Hochul, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, and Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins all voiced support but offered no funding solutions. Hochul rejected raising personal taxes and delayed the cap-and-invest program. Heastie pinned hopes on federal aid, while Stewart-Cousins admitted, 'we didn't have an answer.' The MTA is already delaying purchases. No council member or legislator advanced a plan. The gap leaves transit riders—especially those on foot, bike, or bus—at risk as the system’s decline continues.

• ‘Trust Us’: Albany Pols Offer Only Promises To Fill Massive Hole In MTA Capital Plan, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-01-15

Albany leaders stall on MTA funding. They block capital plans. They threaten congestion pricing. Subways face cuts. Riders pay the price. Service, safety, and reliability hang in the balance. Political games choke the city’s lifeline. Vulnerable New Yorkers lose again.

This report covers the ongoing 2025 state legislative budget negotiations over the MTA’s 2025-29 capital plan and congestion pricing. The article, published January 13, 2025, highlights how Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, and Governor Hochul have failed to deliver needed funding. The matter summary states: 'Starving the MTA will not actually improve service and will not actually improve safety, will not actually improve reliability.' Lawmakers consider exemptions or repeals to congestion pricing, undermining the MTA’s financial foundation. Andrew Rein, a key voice, warns that withholding funds is 'a recipe for disaster and an abdication of responsibility.' The legislature’s inaction threatens subway modernization, safety, and reliability. Without proper investment, vulnerable riders—those who rely on transit—face greater risk and hardship.

• Albany’s Power Brokers Are Trying To Break Your Subway, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-01-13

Andrea Stewart-Cousins appears in a sharp editorial blasting Governor Hochul’s 2025 agenda. The piece slams congestion pricing, green policies, and tax hikes. It accuses leaders of ignoring public will. Vulnerable road users remain unmentioned. Systemic danger persists.

On January 13, 2025, an editorial opinion referenced State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins (District 35) in a critique of Governor Hochul’s upcoming State of the State address. The editorial, published by nypost.com, claims, 'Gov. Hochul's State of the State address Tuesday will outline her 2025 legislative priorities, but New Yorkers shouldn't expect them to reflect their own desires.' Stewart-Cousins is mentioned as an opponent of charter school expansion and as a key legislative figure. The editorial opposes congestion pricing, green energy programs, and tax increases, but does not address the safety of pedestrians, cyclists, or other vulnerable road users. No safety analyst assessment is provided. The piece highlights ongoing systemic risks by ignoring the needs of those most at risk on city streets.

• Political deathwish: Gov. Hochul to unveil sad ’25 agenda in her State of the State, nypost.com, Published 2025-01-13

Two sedans slammed head-on near Bronxwood Avenue. Metal twisted, airbags burst. Four people inside crushed, stunned, incoherent. Parked cars struck in the chaos. The street fell silent, wreckage marking the cost of unsafe speed and reckless force.

On E 216th Street near Bronxwood Avenue in the Bronx, two sedans collided head-on, tearing through the night. According to the police report, the crash occurred at 1:09 a.m. and involved a 2008 Acura sedan and a 2013 Nissan sedan, both traveling straight ahead. The report details that 'Unsafe Speed' was a contributing factor, with one driver also flagged for 'Alcohol Involvement.' The narrative describes airbags bursting and metal folding, leaving four occupants—two drivers and two passengers—injured. Victims suffered crush injuries, with one semiconscious, two incoherent, and one in shock. The force of the collision sent vehicles into parked cars, compounding the destruction. The police report makes clear: unsafe speed and driver recklessness shattered the quiet, leaving bodies broken and a street scarred.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4785315 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Senate bill S 131 demands complete street design for state-funded projects. Sponsors push for safer roads. Guidance will go public. Streets could change. Pedestrians and cyclists stand to gain.

Senate bill S 131 was introduced on January 8, 2025, now in the sponsorship stage. The bill, titled 'Requires the consideration of complete street design for certain transportation projects which receive federal or state funding,' aims to force safer street planning. Primary sponsor Sean Ryan leads, joined by co-sponsors Jamaal Bailey, Jabari Brisport, Samra Brouk, Cordell Cleare, Leroy Comrie, Jeremy Cooney, Nathalia Fernandez, Michael Gianaris, Kristen Gonzalez, Robert Jackson, Rachel May, Kevin S. Parker, Christopher Ryan, and Luis R. Sepúlveda. The bill also orders the department to publish guidance on street design. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File S 131, Open States, Published 2025-01-08

Republican lawmakers blasted MTA chief Janno Lieber. They called for his resignation. They slammed the new $9 congestion toll. They dismissed claims of safer subways. They warned of more taxes. Riders and walkers remain caught in the crossfire.

On January 8, 2025, Republican state legislators, including Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick (District 9), held a press conference demanding the resignation of Metropolitan Transportation Authority Chair Janno Lieber. The lawmakers, joined by Senators Steven Rhoads and Bill Weber, criticized Lieber for 'losing the trust of commuters' and downplaying subway crime. They condemned the new $9 congestion pricing toll for Midtown, with Weber calling it 'tone deaf' and demanding repeal. The event summary reads: 'GOP pols push MTA boss to resign after brushing off transit crime as New York braces for even more taxes, fees.' The lawmakers oppose further taxes and fees to close the MTA’s $33 billion gap. No safety analyst assessed the impact on vulnerable road users. The debate leaves the city’s most exposed—pedestrians, cyclists, and transit riders—uncertain and unprotected.

• GOP pols push MTA boss to resign after brushing off transit crime as New York braces for even more taxes, fees, nypost.com, Published 2025-01-08

Lawmakers face a $33 billion MTA budget gap. The new Manhattan congestion toll hits drivers, but it is not enough. Senate leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins objects to the unfunded plan. More taxes and fees loom. Riders wait. Streets stay dangerous.

On January 6, 2025, the MTA’s $33 billion budget shortfall dominated debate. The matter, titled "MTA eyes new taxes, fees to plug $33B budget hole — even after NYC’s $9 congestion toll!", landed in the spotlight after the new toll failed to close the gap. Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, district 35, formally objected to the unfunded capital plan with Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie. Their joint letter blocked the plan’s January 1 start, forcing negotiations. Governor Hochul, who backs the $68 billion plan, promised no income tax hikes but left other taxes and fees on the table. Senate Finance Chair Liz Krueger called for transparency. The MTA’s future—and the safety of those who rely on it—hangs in the balance. No direct safety analysis for vulnerable road users was provided.

• MTA eyes new taxes, fees to plug $33B budget hole — even after NYC’s $9 congestion toll!, nypost.com, Published 2025-01-06

SUV making left turn slammed into e-bike rider on White Plains Road. Rider ejected, hit hard, left with leg and foot injuries. Police cite driver for ignoring traffic control. Streets remain unforgiving.

According to the police report, a 26-year-old male e-bike rider was struck and injured by a 2024 SUV making a left turn on White Plains Road at Magenta Street in the Bronx. The SUV, driven by a licensed woman, hit the bicyclist at the center front end. The rider was ejected and suffered contusions and injuries to his knee, lower leg, and foot, and went into shock. The report lists 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as a contributing factor, showing the SUV driver failed to obey signals or signs. No contributing factors were attributed to the bicyclist. The crash underscores the danger when drivers ignore traffic controls during turns.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4783136 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Albany leaders killed the MTA’s capital plan. Repairs and upgrades freeze. Janno Lieber warns of cascading failures. Riders face broken signals, crumbling tracks, and delays. The Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee urges reversal. Lawmakers argue over funding while the city waits.

On December 30, 2024, New York State legislative leaders rejected the MTA 2025-29 Capital Plan. Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins blocked approval, citing incomplete funding. The plan, described as funding 'crucial state-of-good-repair track work,' now hangs in limbo. MTA CEO Janno Lieber called the move a 'Catch-22' that could cause cascading failures and delay urgent repairs. The Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the MTA urged lawmakers to withdraw their objection, warning of long-term delays and higher costs. Stewart-Cousins’s spokesperson, Mike Murphy, dismissed the urgency, pointing to unfinished projects from the last plan. The standoff leaves essential transit upgrades—and the safety of millions—at risk.

• MTA to Albany Pols: Your 11th-Hour Rejection of the Capital Plan Will Cause an ‘Insurmountable’ Problem, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-12-30

A 60-year-old male bicyclist was ejected and injured in the Bronx after a sedan struck him head-on. The crash involved driver inattention and failure to yield right-of-way. The cyclist suffered abrasions to his face and remained conscious.

According to the police report, a collision occurred on Laconia Avenue in the Bronx involving a sedan and a bicycle. The bicyclist, a 60-year-old man, was ejected from his bike and sustained facial abrasions, classified as injury severity level 3. The sedan was traveling east, going straight ahead, and struck the bicyclist with its left front bumper. The report cites driver errors including 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as contributing factors. Additionally, the bicyclist's own contributing factors were 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Unsafe Speed.' The cyclist was not wearing any safety equipment. The sedan showed no damage and had no occupants at the time. The bicyclist remained conscious after the crash, highlighting the violent impact caused primarily by driver errors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4783787 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Carl Heastie killed the MTA’s $65 billion capital plan. The move came as Gov. Hochul faced backlash over congestion pricing and fare hikes. Riders and walkers are left exposed. The system stays broken. Albany plays politics. Streets stay dangerous.

On December 26, 2024, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie abruptly blocked the MTA’s proposed $65 billion capital plan. The move followed public outrage over Gov. Hochul’s congestion pricing scheme and a planned 4% fare hike for transit riders. The editorial, titled 'Gov. Hochul is the face of the MTA’s congestion-toll madness: Don’t let her fool you,' blasted the $9 toll and warned that the agency’s legal power to raise prices remains. Stewart-Cousins and Heastie’s last-minute action signals deeper political games, not reform. The article quotes Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli: 'Consolidation, efficiency, and savings in this area was promised years ago, but has yet to be fully realized.' No safety analyst weighed in, but the capital plan’s collapse means no new investment in safer streets or transit. Vulnerable road users remain at risk. The system’s failures continue.

• Gov. Hochul is the face of the MTA’s congestion-toll madness: Don’t let her fool you, nypost.com, Published 2024-12-26

Two state leaders killed the MTA’s $68 billion upgrade plan a day before approval. The veto blocks critical repairs, new subway projects, and safety upgrades. Riders face more delays, broken stations, and uncertainty. The city’s lifeline hangs in limbo.

On December 26, 2024, state Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie vetoed the MTA’s $68 billion capital plan. The MTA Board had approved the plan 10-0 on September 25 and submitted it to the Capital Plan Review Board (CPRB) on October 1. The matter, described as 'the MTA's $68 billion budget to fix mass transit,' was rejected by Stewart-Cousins and Heastie with a letter sent on Christmas Eve. Their action blocks dozens of projects, including subway accessibility, station repairs, and new transit lines like the Interborough Express. The veto leaves the future of these upgrades—and the safety of millions of riders—uncertain. The MTA warns this could threaten federal funding and delay critical improvements. The city’s transit system, already battered by delays and breakdowns, now faces more risk and instability.

• 2 NYS legislators reject MTA’s $68 billion capital plan, amny.com, Published 2024-12-26

Albany leaders stopped the MTA’s $68-billion plan. Their move halts new trains, station fixes, and power upgrades. Riders wait. Subways and buses age. Streets stay dangerous. No comment from Heastie or Stewart-Cousins. Advocates warn: delay means risk for millions.

On December 26, 2024, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins blocked the MTA’s 2025-2029 capital plan, worth $68 billion. The action came via a Christmas Eve letter to MTA CEO Janno Leiber, rejecting the plan and stalling critical transit improvements. The plan, as described, funds 'essential work'—new trains, accessibility, power, and station repairs. Riders Alliance called on Albany to 'fix the subway.' Danny Pearlstein of Riders Alliance warned, 'the least-visible projects are the most vulnerable to cuts – but also often the most essential, like new signals and upgrades to power systems and structures.' Neither Heastie nor Stewart-Cousins responded to requests for comment. The rejection delays contract awards for new electric rail cars and locomotives, leaving millions of riders—and vulnerable road users—at risk from crumbling infrastructure and unreliable transit.

• Christmas Sockings: Carl Heastie and Andrea Stewart-Cousins Say ‘No’ to Better Transit, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-12-26

A 17-year-old e-scooter passenger was ejected and seriously injured in a Bronx collision. The SUV hit the scooter’s right front, causing fractures and dislocation. Police cited failure to yield and traffic control disregard by the scooter rider’s party.

According to the police report, a collision occurred at 16:15 on East 213 Street in the Bronx involving a 2013 Nissan SUV traveling east and an e-scooter traveling south. The SUV struck the e-scooter on its right front bumper, damaging the SUV’s center front end and the scooter’s right side doors. A 17-year-old male passenger on the e-scooter was ejected and sustained serious injuries including fractures and dislocations to his knee, lower leg, and foot. The report lists contributing factors as 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Traffic Control Disregarded' linked to the injured passenger’s party. The SUV driver was licensed and traveling straight ahead. The crash highlights driver and rider errors involving yielding and traffic control compliance, with no mention of victim fault or helmet use.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4780223 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Three southbound vehicles collided in a chain-reaction crash on Bronx River Parkway. Following too closely caused rear-end impacts. A 26-year-old occupant suffered a fractured shoulder and dislocation, remaining conscious and not ejected from the vehicle.

According to the police report, a chain-reaction collision occurred on the Bronx River Parkway at 17:40 involving three southbound vehicles: an SUV, a 2019 sedan, and a 2023 sedan. The report cites "Following Too Closely" as the primary contributing factor for all involved vehicles. The impact points include the center front end of the SUV and the 2023 sedan, and the left rear bumper of the 2019 sedan. A 26-year-old female occupant was injured with a fractured, distorted, and dislocated shoulder-upper arm but was not ejected and remained conscious. The report highlights driver errors related to maintaining unsafe following distances, leading to the multi-vehicle collision. No victim behaviors were noted as contributing factors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4777033 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Two sedans collided on Paulding Ave in the Bronx, injuring a 35-year-old male driver. The crash involved driver inattention and failure to yield right-of-way. The injured driver suffered back pain and whiplash but was conscious and restrained.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 10 p.m. on Paulding Ave in the Bronx. Two sedans traveling east and south collided, with impact on the right front bumper and right front quarter panel. The 35-year-old male driver of the BMW, who was wearing a lap belt and harness, sustained back injuries and whiplash. The report cites driver errors including 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as contributing factors. The injured driver was not ejected and remained conscious. The BMW driver held a permit license, while the other vehicle was operated by a licensed female driver. Vehicle damage was noted on the right front and right rear bumpers. The report focuses on driver errors leading to the collision and resulting injuries.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4776157 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04