Gramercy Bleeds While Leaders Stall: Demand 20 MPH Now

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 30 - A Nissan struck a 65-year-old e-biker on Second Ave. The rider fell, hit his head, and lay critical as the red light blinked. The unlicensed driver fled. Police arrested him two hours later.

West Side Spirit (2025-07-30) reports a 21-year-old unlicensed driver hit a 65-year-old e-biker on Second Ave. near 14th St., leaving the rider with serious head trauma. The driver fled, but police arrested him two hours later, charging him with "leaving the scene of an accident that caused serious injury and driving without a license." The crash shut down Second Ave. between 14th and 15th Streets. NYPD's Collision Investigation Squad continues to investigate. The article highlights the dangers posed by unlicensed drivers and the consequences of fleeing crash scenes.

• Unlicensed Driver Hits E-Biker, Flees Scene, West Side Spirit, Published 2025-07-30

Jul 29 - Driver in an SUV heading south on 2 Avenue hit a 65-year-old e-bike rider at East 15 Street in Manhattan. The cyclist was ejected and left unconscious with head injuries. Police recorded traffic control disregarded by the driver.

A driver in a 2024 Nissan SUV, traveling south on 2 Avenue, hit a 65-year-old man riding an e-bike at East 15 Street in Manhattan. The impact threw the cyclist. He was left unconscious with head injuries and reported crush injuries. According to the police report, police recorded 'Traffic Control Disregarded' for the driver. After noting the driver error, police also recorded 'Traffic Control Disregarded' for the cyclist. Vehicle damage and point of impact were listed at the SUV’s center front end. Injuries for the SUV occupants were not specified in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4831391 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-04

Jul 29 - City, BIDs, and agencies plan a $3 million study to reshape 14th Street. The goal: safer space for walkers, cyclists, and buses. The busway may become permanent. Cars lose ground. Change moves slow.

New York Magazine - Curbed (2025-07-29) reports city officials and business groups will fund a $3 million, two-year study to redesign 14th Street. The plan aims for a 'complete street'—space for pedestrians, cyclists, transit, and limited cars. The article notes, 'Their (mostly) shared goal is to make 14th into what's often called a complete street.' The study will assess traffic flow and street dynamics. The busway, which restricts cars, may become permanent. No crash or injury data is cited, but the focus is on systemic street changes, not individual driver actions.

• City Eyes Overhaul For 14th Street, New York Magazine - Curbed, 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 25 - A taxi driver disregarded traffic control and struck an 18-year-old bicyclist at 2nd Ave and E 17th St. The rider was ejected and injured, reporting pain and shock. Police cited Traffic Control Disregarded and Failure to Yield.

The driver of a taxi disregarded a traffic control and hit an 18-year-old bicyclist at 2nd Avenue and East 17th Street. The rider was ejected and suffered injuries to the knee, lower leg and foot, with complaint of pain or nausea and reported shock. According to the police report, the crash was caused by "Traffic Control Disregarded" and "Failure to Yield Right-of-Way." Police recorded failure to yield by the driver. The collision involved center-front impacts between the taxi and the bicycle. The report lists those two contributing factors; no other contributing factors are recorded.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4830922 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-04

Jul 24 - Two buses collided on a ramp. Thirty people hurt. Metal and glass scattered. Sirens wailed. Another crash this month. The ramp remains a danger.

Gothamist (2025-07-24) reports about 30 people were injured when two buses collided on the Port Authority Bus Terminal ramp near West 41st Street and Dyer Avenue. The FDNY said, 'only minor injuries' were reported. This marks the second bus crash at the terminal approach this month, highlighting ongoing risks for passengers. NJ Transit delays followed. The article notes, 'A collision involving multiple buses July 2 shut down all NJ Transit service.' The repeated crashes raise questions about ramp safety and traffic management.

• Thirty Hurt In Port Authority Bus Crash, Gothamist, Published 2025-07-24

Jul 22 - A stolen car tore through Bowery and Canal. Two lives ended in seconds. Blood, wreckage, tequila, guns left behind. The driver ran. Bystanders paid the price.

According to the New York Post (2025-07-22), a stolen rental car struck and killed May Kwok, 63, and Kevin Scott Cruickshank, 55, at Bowery and Canal. Prosecutors said the driver, Autumn Donna Ascencio Romero, fled the scene, leaving 'an open bottle of tequila and two 9mm guns in the wreck.' Surveillance video captured the car plowing into a woman on a bench and a passing cyclist. Romero faces murder, manslaughter, and vehicular homicide charges. Passenger Kennedy Lecraft faces charges for possession of stolen property. The crash highlights the lethal risk of unchecked speeding and stolen vehicles on city streets.

• Stolen Car Kills Cyclist, Pedestrian in Chinatown, New York Post, Published 2025-07-22

Jul 21 - A stolen Chevy sped off the Manhattan Bridge, jumped a curb, and struck two people in Chinatown. Both died on scene. Guns found in the wreck. Driver faces murder and other charges.

According to NY Daily News (2025-07-21), a blue Chevy Malibu, reported stolen, crashed at Bowery and Canal after the driver lost control and jumped a curb. The crash killed May Kwok, 63, and Kevin Cruickshank, 55. Police said, "The out-of-control driver accused of jumping a curb in Chinatown and killing two people has been charged with murder along with weapon possession after guns were found in the wrecked stolen rental car." The driver, Autumn Donna Ascension Romero, faces murder, manslaughter, and other charges. Her passenger faces weapon and stolen property charges. The article highlights prior incidents involving the driver and raises questions about rental car oversight and street safety.

• Stolen Car Jumps Curb, Kills Two, NY Daily News, Published 2025-07-21

Jul 20 - A stolen car tore through Chinatown. Two dead. The driver, unlicensed, had fled a Brooklyn crash months before. System failed. Streets stayed deadly.

NY Daily News (2025-07-20) reports a 23-year-old, unlicensed driver killed two people in Chinatown while driving a stolen rental. Three months earlier, she allegedly 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, "The out-of-control driver... had been freed without bail in April after she was arrested for leaving the scene of a crash that badly injured a pedestrian." The case highlights gaps in bail policy and enforcement for unlicensed, repeat dangerous driving.

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

Jul 19 - A Chevy Malibu sped off the Manhattan Bridge, struck a cyclist and a woman on the sidewalk. Both died. The car hit an NYPD van. Two drivers tried to flee but were caught. No officers hurt. No charges yet.

Gothamist (2025-07-19) reports a Chevy Malibu exiting the Manhattan Bridge at Canal Street and Bowery struck and killed a cyclist and a pedestrian at 7:30 a.m. Police say two women in their 20s drove the car and 'initially tried to leave on foot,' but were taken into custody. The crash also damaged an NYPD van. No officers were injured. As of Saturday afternoon, 'the NYPD said it had not filed charges.' The deaths follow a city report of record-low traffic fatalities, highlighting ongoing risks for vulnerable road users.

• Cyclist, Pedestrian Killed Near Manhattan Bridge, Gothamist, Published 2025-07-19

Jul 18 - A van crashed in Midtown. Police found 76 propane tanks and 15 fuel canisters inside. The driver faces reckless endangerment charges. Firefighters removed the fuel. Streets held danger in plain sight.

CBS New York reported on July 18, 2025, that after a van crashed at 42nd Street and 10th Avenue, FDNY found 'a strong smell of gas and propane tanks in the back of the van.' Firefighters removed 76 propane cylinders and 15 fuel canisters, totaling 75 gallons of gas and 10 gallons of diesel. The driver was charged with reckless endangerment and cited for multiple fire code violations. The Manhattan district attorney's office is handling the case. The incident highlights risks when hazardous materials travel city streets without oversight.

• Van Crash Reveals Propane Stockpile Midtown, CBS New York, Published 2025-07-18

Jul 14 - Two parked sedans collided on E 23rd in Manhattan. Both drivers, men aged 54 and 34, were injured — one to the neck, the other to the shoulder and upper arm. Police list no contributing factors. Cars struck center-to-center late at night.

Two sedans that police recorded as parked collided on E 23rd in Manhattan. Both drivers were injured: a 54-year-old man with a neck injury and a 34-year-old man with a shoulder and upper-arm injury. According to the police report, both vehicles were parked before the crash and the points of impact were the center back end of one sedan and the center front end of the other. The report lists no contributing factors or driver errors; several contributing-factor fields are marked “Unspecified.” No pedestrians or cyclists were involved. Both drivers were reported conscious and wearing lap belts and harnesses.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4827678 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-04

Jul 14 - 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

Jul 14 - Council bill lets ambulettes drive and double-park in bus lanes. More vehicles in bus lanes mean more risk for people walking, biking, and waiting at curbs. Danger grows where curb chaos reigns.

Bill Int 1339-2025 sits with the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure since July 14, 2025. The bill, titled 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code...exempting ambulettes from certain bus lane restrictions and allowing them to double park to assist passengers,' would let ambulettes drive, stop, and double-park in bus lanes to help passengers. Council Member Julie Menin sponsors, joined by Linda Lee, Frank Morano, Eric Dinowitz, Lynn C. Schulman, Kamillah Hanks, Carlina Rivera, and Chris Banks. Allowing more vehicles to double-park and block bus lanes increases risk for pedestrians and cyclists at the curb. The city’s most vulnerable will face more conflict and less safe space.

• File Int 1339-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-07-14

Jul 6 - A fast electric unicycle struck a cyclist on Central Park’s crowded West Drive. The unicycle rider landed in the hospital. The cyclist, bruised, faced wrongful charges. Chaos thrives where speed meets congestion.

West Side Spirit (2025-07-06) reports a crash on Central Park’s West Drive, near West 60th Street. An illegal electric unicycle hit a cyclist, sending its operator to the hospital in critical but stable condition. The cyclist, Carolyn Backus, was wrongly charged with leaving the scene, though she "remained on scene for about 45 minutes after the crash and waited for paramedics." The Manhattan D.A. dismissed the charge, noting Backus rode a non-motorized bike. The article highlights the risk of high-speed e-vehicles in crowded park zones, where "unpredictable congestion makes it the last place...anyone should be speeding."

• Electric Unicycle Slams Cyclist In Park, West Side Spirit, Published 2025-07-06

• Fatally Injured Teenager Is Discovered on Top of a N.Y.C. Subway Car, The New York Times, Published 2025-07-04

Jun 30 - Council orders swift removal of abandoned, derelict cars. Streets clear in 72 hours. No plates, no stickers, no excuses. Police and sanitation must act. Safer crossings for all who walk, ride, or wait.

Bill Int 0857-2024, now at the Mayor's desk, passed the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and full Council on June 30, 2025. The bill, titled "A Local Law to amend the administrative code...in relation to vehicles reported as abandoned to the department of sanitation," requires the Department of Sanitation to remove derelict vehicles within 72 hours of report. The NYPD must tow cars lacking valid plates or stickers. Prime sponsor Selvena N. Brooks-Powers led, joined by Crystal Hudson, Amanda Farías, Lincoln Restler, and others. The law targets street hazards, clearing blocked sightlines and crosswalks. It aims to cut risks for pedestrians and cyclists by removing abandoned vehicles fast.

• File Int 0857-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-06-30

Jun 30 - Council orders swift removal of abandoned, derelict cars. Streets clear in 72 hours. No plates, no stickers, no excuses. Police and sanitation must act. Safer crossings for all who walk, ride, or wait.

Bill Int 0857-2024, now at the Mayor's desk, passed the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and full Council on June 30, 2025. The bill, titled "A Local Law to amend the administrative code...in relation to vehicles reported as abandoned to the department of sanitation," requires the Department of Sanitation to remove derelict vehicles within 72 hours of report. The NYPD must tow cars lacking valid plates or stickers. Prime sponsor Selvena N. Brooks-Powers led, joined by Crystal Hudson, Amanda Farías, Lincoln Restler, and others. The law targets street hazards, clearing blocked sightlines and crosswalks. It aims to cut risks for pedestrians and cyclists by removing abandoned vehicles fast.

• File Int 0857-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-06-30

Jun 28 - A taxi struck a limo in Manhattan. One driver suffered neck injuries. Police cite driver inattention. Metal twisted. Streets stayed dangerous.

A taxi and a limo collided on East 18th Street in Manhattan. One driver, age 27, was injured with neck pain. According to the police report, 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' was listed as a contributing factor. Both vehicles were traveling east and struck at the center front and back ends. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved. The crash left one person hurt and exposed the risks of driver distraction on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4825016 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-04