No More Blood on Canal Street: Demand Safer Roads Now

May 28 - Council pushes bill for cheaper bike share for New Yorkers over 65. More seniors could ride. The city’s streets may see older cyclists in the mix. The committee now holds the bill.

Bill Int 1288-2025 sits with the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Introduced May 28, 2025, and re-referred June 4, it mandates a discounted bike share rate for seniors 65 and older. The bill’s title: “A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to a discounted bike share rate for seniors.” Council Member Farah N. Louis leads, joined by Marte, Powers, Lee, Nurse, Hanif, Brewer, Banks, and Menin. The Department of Transportation would require bike share operators to offer this rate. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File Int 1288-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-05-28

May 28 - Council bill pushes for discounted bike share rates for New Yorkers 65 and up. The move aims to open city streets to older riders. The measure sits with the Transportation Committee. No safety review yet.

Int 1288-2025 was introduced on May 28, 2025, and referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The bill would require the Department of Transportation to set a discounted bike share rate for seniors, defined as those 65 or older. The matter title reads: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to a discounted bike share rate for seniors.' Council Member Farah N. Louis leads as primary sponsor, joined by Marte, Powers, Lee, Nurse, Hanif, Brewer, Banks, Menin, Feliz, Hanks, Avilés, and Gutiérrez. The bill was re-referred to committee on June 4, 2025. No safety analyst has yet assessed its impact on vulnerable road users.

• File Int 1288-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-05-28

May 28 - Council pushes a bill to cut bike share costs for New Yorkers over 65. The measure aims to open city cycling to more seniors. The committee now weighs its next move.

Bill Int 1288-2025, now in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, was introduced May 28, 2025. The bill, titled 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to a discounted bike share rate for seniors,' would require the Department of Transportation to mandate lower bike share rates for those 65 and older. Council Member Farah N. Louis leads as primary sponsor, joined by Marte, Powers, Lee, Nurse, Hanif, Brewer, Banks, Menin, Feliz, Hanks, Avilés, Gutiérrez, and Restler. The bill was re-referred to committee June 4. The move aims to make cycling more accessible for older New Yorkers.

• File Int 1288-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-05-28

May 28 - Council pushes cheaper bike share for students 16 and up. More teens on bikes. Streets shift. Danger remains. The bill sits in committee. Cyclists wait.

Int 1287-2025, now in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, was introduced May 28, 2025. The bill would require the Department of Transportation to set a discounted bike share rate for public school students aged 16 or older. The matter title reads: "A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to a discounted bike share rate for public school students aged 16 or older." Council Member Christopher Marte leads as primary sponsor, joined by Louis, Stevens, Brooks-Powers, Ossé, Restler, Powers, Lee, Nurse, Hanif, Brewer, and Banks. The bill was referred to committee and awaits further action. No safety analysis has been provided.

• File Int 1287-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-05-28

May 27 - A police cruiser swerved from a taxi and slammed into two people eating outside. Sirens screamed. Metal struck flesh. Both diners and officers landed in the hospital. The street stayed open. The city kept moving. The system failed the vulnerable.

According to the New York Post (May 27, 2025), an NYPD squad car struck two people seated at an outdoor dining area on Broadway and West 112th Street. The crash happened when a taxi made a left turn, prompting the police car to swerve. The article states, “The 37-year-old cab driver was given a summons for failure to yield to oncoming traffic.” Both diners and police vehicle occupants were hospitalized in stable condition. The report notes, “It was not immediately clear if authorities were responding to a call when the incident unfolded.” The incident highlights risks at curbside dining areas and ongoing dangers from driver error and street design. The investigation continues.

• Police Car Hits Diners In Manhattan Crash, New York Post, Published 2025-05-27

May 21 - A car passed too close on Henry Street. The right front bumper hit a woman working in the road. She suffered back injuries and shock. The street saw danger. The system failed to protect her.

A 33-year-old woman was injured on Henry Street in Manhattan when a vehicle passed too closely and struck her with its right front bumper. According to the police report, the contributing factor was 'Passing Too Closely.' The pedestrian was working in the roadway and suffered back injuries and shock. No other contributing factors were listed. The crash highlights the danger faced by people working on city streets when drivers fail to maintain safe distance.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4817104 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

May 20 - City targets 34th Street. Buses get priority. Cars must turn off. Goal: faster rides, fewer crashes. Officials cite 14th Street’s gains—speed up, crashes down. Change comes for Midtown. Riders wait for relief.

amNY reported on May 20, 2025, that New York City’s Department of Transportation proposed a dedicated busway for 34th Street between 3rd and 9th Avenues. The plan aims to boost bus speeds by 15% for tens of thousands of daily riders. Private cars and taxis could enter but must turn off at the first legal opportunity. DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez said, 'After seeing tremendous success on 14th Street where buses have sped up, traffic has virtually disappeared, and far fewer New Yorkers are getting hurt in crashes we are excited to propose a similar design on 34th Street.' The 14th Street busway, launched in 2019, increased bus speeds by up to 24% and reduced crashes. The 34th Street plan seeks similar safety and efficiency gains, with community input shaping the final design.

• City Plans 34th Street Busway Overhaul, amny, Published 2025-05-20

May 19 - Police handcuff cyclists. Judges toss tickets. Lawmakers protest. NYPD issues criminal summonses for minor bike infractions. Riders face court for actions once legal. Anger grows. The city’s crackdown targets the vulnerable, not the dangerous.

West Side Spirit reported on May 19, 2025, that opposition is mounting against the NYPD’s new policy of issuing criminal court summonses to cyclists for minor traffic violations. Council Member Gale Brewer criticized the move, stating, "A civil summons is a more appropriate response and thrusting people into the criminal justice system unnecessarily is bad public policy." The article notes that some officers issued summonses for actions legalized in 2019, such as cyclists proceeding with a pedestrian walk signal. Many tickets were dismissed in court due to errors by police. A class action lawsuit has been filed by a cyclist ticketed for a legal maneuver. The crackdown raises questions about enforcement priorities and the risk of criminalizing vulnerable road users instead of addressing systemic dangers.

• NYPD Faces Backlash Over Bike Summonses, West Side Spirit, Published 2025-05-19

May 17 - A driver turned right on Canal. An in-line skater, crossing with the signal, was struck and bruised. The skater was conscious, hurt in the arm. No vehicle damage. Danger at the intersection remains.

A 20-year-old woman, in-line skating and crossing Canal Street with the signal, was struck by a southbound vehicle making a right turn onto Baxter Street. According to the police report, she suffered a contusion to her arm but remained conscious. The report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' No vehicle damage was recorded. The skater was in the intersection, following the signal, when the crash occurred.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4814024 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

May 14 - Two SUVs struck on Canal and Allen. One driver hurt, shoulder and arm. Others shaken. Metal and glass. No clear cause. Streets stay dangerous.

Two SUVs collided at Canal Street and Allen Street in Manhattan. One driver, age 47, suffered a shoulder and upper arm injury and reported whiplash. Others in both vehicles were listed as occupants or passengers, with unspecified injuries. According to the police report, the crash involved a parked SUV and another making a right turn. No contributing factors or driver errors were specified in the report. The data lists no pedestrian or cyclist involvement. The report notes lap belts for some occupants, but does not cite safety equipment as a factor.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4813845 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

May 13 - Police ticket cyclists for obeying walk signals. Law says cyclists can cross with pedestrians. NYPD ignores it. Tickets pile up. One rider fights back in court. The city’s policy stands, unmoved by the law.

According to the New York Post (May 13, 2025), cyclist Oliver Casey Esparza filed a federal lawsuit against the NYPD, alleging officers wrongfully ticket cyclists for running red lights even when they follow pedestrian crossing signals, as permitted by a 2019 City Council law. The suit claims, 'the city maintains a policy and practice of detaining, ticketing, and prosecuting cyclists who lawfully ride through an intersection when the pedestrian control signal indicates white/walk.' Esparza received a $190 summons at Third Avenue and East 42nd Street, Manhattan, despite acting within the law. The lawsuit names current and former NYPD commissioners, accusing them of knowingly violating civil rights. The article notes a sharp rise in tickets for cyclists in early 2025. The NYPD declined to comment. The case highlights a gap between city law and police enforcement, raising questions about policy compliance and systemic accountability.

• Cyclist Sues NYPD Over Red Light Tickets, New York Post, Published 2025-05-13

May 8 - Two SUVs crashed on the Manhattan Bridge Lower. Driver distraction led to impact. Two men injured. Metal twisted. Sirens echoed. Pain and shock followed in the night.

Two station wagons collided on the Manhattan Bridge Lower level. According to the police report, both vehicles were traveling west when the crash occurred. Two men, ages 38 and 75, suffered injuries. The 38-year-old driver reported arm pain and shock. The 75-year-old, riding outside a vehicle, was semiconscious with fractures and dislocations. Police cited 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Outside Car Distraction' as contributing factors. No other causes were listed in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4811799 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

May 7 - Six died when a sightseeing helicopter shattered midair over the Hudson. The fuselage, rotor, and tail tore loose. Loud bangs echoed. The craft plunged. No black box. No warning. Only fragments and silence left behind.

NY Daily News reported on May 7, 2025, that federal officials released images showing a sightseeing helicopter breaking apart in midair before crashing into the Hudson River, killing six. The National Transportation Safety Board’s preliminary report details how the Bell 206L-4 split into three pieces: 'the fuselage, the main rotor system, and the tail boom.' Witnesses heard 'several loud 'bangs'' before the breakup. The helicopter had flown eight tours that day, all with the same pilot, who had less than 50 hours in this model. The aircraft had a prior maintenance issue with its transmission assembly and lacked flight data recorders. The NTSB noted the pilot wore video-capable sunglasses, but they remain missing. The crash highlights gaps in oversight and the risks of repeated tour flights without robust recording or inspection requirements.

• Helicopter Breaks Apart Over Hudson River, NY Daily News, Published 2025-05-07

May 6 - Senate backs S 4804. The bill sets first responder safety zones and lowers speed limits. Lawmakers move to shield workers on chaotic streets. The vote is swift. The intent is clear. Danger zones get new rules.

Senate bill S 4804, titled 'Relates to establishing first responder safety zones and setting speed limits in such safety zones,' passed committee on April 29, 2025, and cleared the full Senate on May 6, 2025. Sponsored by Senator Christopher Ryan (District 50) with co-sponsors Joseph P. Addabbo Jr., Pamela Helming, Robert Rolison, and William Weber, the bill aims to carve out protected zones for first responders and enforce lower speed limits in those areas. The measure won broad support, with nearly all senators voting yes. The bill targets the chaos and risk drivers pose to workers and bystanders at emergency scenes. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File S 4804, Open States, Published 2025-05-06

May 5 - Four vehicles jammed up on Manhattan Bridge. Two drivers suffered neck injuries. Metal crumpled. Traffic stopped. No clear cause. The city’s danger, laid bare in steel and pain.

A crash involving four vehicles—three SUVs and a sedan—occurred on the Manhattan Bridge upper roadway. According to the police report, two drivers, a 33-year-old man and a 22-year-old woman, sustained neck injuries and whiplash. Several other occupants, including a passenger and a child, were listed with unspecified injuries. The report lists all contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' Multiple vehicles were stopped in traffic when the collision happened. No driver errors were identified in the data. The incident highlights the risk and violence of multi-car pileups on city bridges.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4810643 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

May 3 - Taxi and sedan collided on FDR Drive. Improper lane use sent two men and a woman to the hospital. Passenger suffered neck and internal injuries. Crash cut through the morning calm.

A taxi and a sedan crashed on FDR Drive in Manhattan. According to the police report, the collision was caused by 'Passing or Lane Usage Improper.' A 30-year-old female passenger in the taxi suffered neck and internal injuries. Two men, ages 42, were also injured. Both vehicles were traveling north and going straight ahead when the crash occurred. The report lists improper lane usage as the primary contributing factor. No other causes are cited.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4810794 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

May 3 - A van door swung open. The e-biker hit it, thrown into the street. A truck rolled over him. He died in the gutter, Broome and Centre. The city lost a musician. The street stayed the same.

NY Daily News reported on May 3, 2025, that George Smaragdis, known as synthwave artist Starcadian, died after being doored by a Mercedes van while riding his e-bike westbound on Broome Street in Manhattan. The impact threw him into the path of a red delivery truck, which ran him over. Police said Smaragdis suffered severe head trauma and died at Bellevue Hospital. The article notes, 'The man who died after being doored while riding an e-bike and then run over by a passing truck...was a popular and influential synthwave artist.' The crash highlights the ongoing danger of dooring and the lethal consequences when street design and driver actions fail to protect cyclists. No mention of charges or policy changes followed.

• E-Biker Doored, Killed in Soho Crash, NY Daily News, Published 2025-05-03

May 2 - A sedan hit a 17-year-old cyclist on Bowery at Grand. The teen suffered a leg injury. Police cite driver distraction. The street stayed open. Metal met flesh. The city moved on.

A sedan traveling north on Bowery collided with a 17-year-old cyclist heading east at Grand Street. The cyclist, a teenage girl, was injured in her knee and lower leg. According to the police report, 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' was listed as a contributing factor. The driver of the sedan was a 68-year-old man. No other injuries were reported. The crash highlights the risk faced by cyclists when drivers lose focus, as documented in the official report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4809914 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

May 1 - SUV and limo collided on Bowery at Canal. Two drivers hurt. Police cite driver distraction. Metal and glass, pain and blood. The city’s danger, again laid bare.

Two vehicles, a station wagon SUV and a limo, collided at Bowery and Canal Street in Manhattan. According to the police report, both drivers were injured—one suffered head wounds with minor bleeding, the other reported chest pain and nausea. Police list 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved. The crash underscores the risks faced by vehicle occupants when drivers lose focus.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4809913 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

May 1 - Council passes law. Taxis and for-hire cars must post bold warnings on rear doors. Riders face the message: look for cyclists before swinging the door. A move to cut dooring. City acts. Cyclists stay in the crosshairs.

Int 0193-2024, now law, cleared the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and passed City Council on May 1, 2025. The bill, titled 'A Local Law...requiring taxis and for-hire vehicles to display a decal warning passengers to look for cyclists when opening the door,' demands clear warning signs on all rear passenger doors. Lincoln Restler led as primary sponsor, joined by Gutiérrez, Hudson, Rivera, Won, and others. The Taxi and Limousine Commission must provide decals at no cost. The law aims to fight dooring, a threat to cyclists citywide. Enacted May 31, 2025, it takes effect in 120 days.

• File Int 0193-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-05-01