Murray Hill–Kips Bay: The Bodies Keep Coming

Sep 4 - Tunnel-exit crash at E 41 St. A driver in a bus left a 78-year-old woman hurt. Head injury. Bruise. Conscious. 7:05 p.m. Police recorded no driver contributing factor.

A driver in a bus was involved in a crash that injured a 78-year-old woman at the Queens Midtown Tunnel exit and E 41 St in Manhattan at 7:05 p.m. She suffered a head injury and reported a bruise; she was conscious. According to the police report, the vehicle was a bus traveling west and was listed as "Parked" pre-crash, and officers recorded the pedestrian at an intersection. Police did not record a driver contributing factor or a specific cause. The driver was a 48-year-old man with a valid license. The report listed no damage to the bus.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4839762 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-12

Sep 2 - In Manhattan at E 30 St and 2 Ave, a driver making a left turn hit a 79-year-old woman in the crosswalk. Police recorded driver inattention and failure to yield. She had the signal. Her leg was injured.

An eastbound sedan driver turned left at E 30 St and 2 Ave and hit a 79-year-old woman in the crosswalk. She suffered a lower-leg injury and reported a fracture. According to the police report, the driver was distracted and failed to yield. Police recorded driver inattention/distraction and failure to yield by the driver. She was crossing with the signal. The impact was to the car’s right front bumper. The crash happened in Manhattan at 4:45 p.m. The driver was licensed. No vehicle damage was noted. The woman was conscious at the scene.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4840531 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-12

Aug 30 - The driver of a southbound sedan on FDR injured a 24-year-old front passenger. She suffered severe facial lacerations. Police cited "Driver Inattention/Distraction" and "Unsafe Speed." The driver was unlicensed.

A driver traveling south on Franklin D. Roosevelt Drive near East 36th Street crashed a 2013 sedan. The left front bumper was the point of impact and the vehicle sustained center front damage. A 24-year-old female front passenger suffered severe facial lacerations and is listed as injured. According to the police report, the crash involved "Driver Inattention/Distraction" and "Unsafe Speed," and the driver was recorded as unlicensed. Police noted the driver's pre-crash action as going straight ahead. Driver errors cited are distraction and unsafe speed, compounded by an unlicensed driver behind the wheel.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4838455 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-12

Aug 26 - An SUV struck the center rear of a stopped pickup on East 42nd. A 49-year-old front-seat passenger in the truck suffered a neck injury and complained of whiplash. Police listed contributing factors as 'Unspecified.'

A 2023 Toyota SUV traveling east on East 42nd struck the center back end of a stopped 2016 Dodge pickup. One front-seat passenger in the pickup, a 49-year-old man, suffered a neck injury and complained of whiplash. According to the police report, contributing factors were listed as 'Unspecified.' The report records the SUV's point of impact as center front end and the pickup's damage at its center back end. Police did not name specific driver errors in the report. The passenger was conscious, not ejected, and reported using a lap belt and harness. No pedestrians or cyclists were reported injured.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4837665 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-12

Aug 25 - A driver turned an SUV right onto E 28 St and hit a 3-year-old girl in a marked crosswalk. She suffered leg injuries and remained conscious. Police cited driver inattention and failure to yield.

A driver in an SUV turned right from southbound 2 Avenue onto E 28 Street and struck a 3-year-old girl in a marked crosswalk. The child suffered knee, lower-leg and foot injuries and remained conscious. According to the police report, contributing factors were "Driver Inattention/Distraction" and "Failure to Yield Right-of-Way." Police recorded the driver as licensed in CT, making the right turn; point of impact was the right front bumper and center front end damage was noted. The child was crossing with the signal. A rear passenger was listed and not reported injured.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4837570 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-12

Aug 23 - Two cyclists collided on 1st Ave at E 35th. Northbound. Close pass turns to crash. One rider hurt, arm bruised. The other listed with unspecified injury. Police cite passing too closely and alcohol involvement for both.

Two northbound cyclists crashed at 1 Avenue and E 35 Street in Manhattan. One rider, 31, suffered an arm contusion; the other, 45, had an unspecified injury. According to the police report, both cyclists were “Passing Too Closely,” and “Alcohol Involvement” was listed for each. These driver errors—close passing compounded by alcohol—put both riders in harm’s way. No pedestrians or passengers were reported injured. The data show bikes were going straight ahead, with impacts noted on opposite sides, consistent with a sideswipe between the two bicycles.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4837299 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-12

Aug 22 - Eastbound taxi swung a U-turn on East 34th. It clipped an 18-year-old on an e-bike. The rider bled from the arm and shook. The cab’s front end told the story. Police logged improper lane use.

An eastbound taxi attempted a U-turn near 225 E 34th Street in Manhattan and hit an 18-year-old e-bike rider traveling west. The cyclist was injured with bleeding to the arm. According to the police report, contributing factors included “Passing or Lane Usage Improper.” The taxi showed impact at the left front bumper with center front-end damage. The data lists the e-bike rider’s safety equipment as unknown. Driver actions preceded the crash; the teen on the bike bore the harm.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4836863 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-12

Aug 18 - A driver in an SUV turned left into a southbound cyclist on 2nd Avenue at East 37th. The 32-year-old rider was ejected and injured, recorded with abrasions and conscious at the scene. Police list contributing factors as unspecified.

A driver in an SUV made a left turn and struck a southbound bicyclist at 2nd Avenue and East 37th Street. The bicyclist, a 32-year-old woman, was ejected and recorded as injured with abrasions; she was conscious at the scene. The SUV driver had no reported injury. According to the police report, contributing factors were "Unspecified." Police records list the bicyclist as going straight and the SUV as making a left turn. Point of impact is listed as the SUV's left front bumper and the bike's right front bumper. No specific driver error is itemized in the report. Vehicles listed: Bike and a 2012 NISS SUV.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4836126 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-12

Aug 14 - An eastbound SUV hit a woman in the 42nd Street crosswalk at Lexington. The right front bumper took her down. She stayed conscious, bruised and hurt. Midtown traffic rolled on. Steel won. Flesh paid.

A 2020 Cadillac SUV, traveling east on E 42 St and going straight, struck a 31-year-old woman crossing in a marked crosswalk at Lexington Avenue. She suffered an arm contusion and remained conscious. According to the police report, contributing factors are listed as “Unspecified.” The vehicle’s right front bumper was the point of impact, consistent with a driver failing to see and yield to a person in the crosswalk. No specific driver errors were recorded in the dataset beyond the unspecified factors. The driver, a licensed man from New Jersey, was uninjured. The crash underscores the peril for people on foot in Midtown’s fast, multilane corridors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4836357 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-12

Aug 13 - Two runaway horses crashed into pedicabs. A cab driver’s wrist broke. The Conservancy calls for a ban. Heavy carriages scar pavement. Manure stains the drives. Safety for all hangs in the balance.

West Side Spirit (2025-08-13) reports the Central Park Conservancy urged city leaders to ban horse-drawn carriages, citing public safety. Their letter referenced two May incidents: a bolting horse and a crash injuring a pedicab driver. CEO Elizabeth W. Smith wrote, 'Banning horse carriages has become a matter of public health and safety for Park visitors.' The Conservancy also noted damage to park infrastructure and daily manure left behind. The push supports Ryder’s Law, a City Council bill named after a collapsed horse. The article highlights ongoing debate and recent injuries, underscoring risks to vulnerable park users.

• Central Park Group Backs Carriage Ban, West Side Spirit, Published 2025-08-13

Aug 8 - DOT will install protected bike lanes and traffic calming on 31st Street in Astoria. Business owners sued to stop it. The corridor has 190 injuries, 12 severe, 2 deaths since 2020. DOT vows to defend the redesign.

"DOT Stands By Astoria Safety Project Despite Foes’ Anti-Bike Lawsuit." No bill number; not before the City Council or any committee. DOT reaffirmed the redesign on August 8, 2025 after business owners sued following a heated June community board meeting. The plan adds protected bike lanes on both sides of 31st Street and painted pedestrian islands. DOT spokesman Will Livingston said, "We stand firmly behind this project and will defend our work in court." Council Member Tiffany Caban, Sen. Kristen Gonzalez, and Assembly Member Jessica González-Rojas signed a letter supporting the project in June. Implementing protected bike lanes and traffic calming measures is proven to reduce injuries for all road users, encourage mode shift, and improve street equity in this high-crash corridor.

• DOT Stands By Astoria Safety Project Despite Foes’ Anti-Bike Lawsuit, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-08-08

Aug 8 - Officials raced the M34 on Aug. 7. Walkers beat the bus by seven minutes. The M34 averages 5.5 mph for 28,000 daily riders. Sponsors push a car-free 34th Street busway and pedestrianized Broadway to speed service and cut congestion.

""It's time to get buses moving faster, and the busway will do just that,"" -- Keith Powers

Bill/file number: none listed. Status: SPONSORSHIP. Committees: NYC Council subcommittees on Zoning and Franchises, and Land Use approved the Midtown South Mixed-Use Plan one day earlier. Key dates: race on Aug. 7, 2025; article published Aug. 8, 2025. Matter titled "Victory on 34th Street: Transit groups, Manhattan pols, leave bus in the dust in bustling Midtown" centers a proposed car-free 34th Street busway. Zohran Mamdani joined the Aug. 7 stunt and said, "These are the slowest buses in the United States of America." CM Erik Bottcher and CM Keith Powers backed the plan. DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez and Mayor Eric Adams also voiced support. Transportation Alternatives' Ben Furnas praised the busway. No formal safety impact note was provided.

• Victory on 34th Street: Transit groups, Manhattan pols, leave bus in the dust in bustling Midtown, amny.com, Published 2025-08-08

Aug 8 - A rush-hour race on Aug 8, 2025 showed walkers beat the M34. City leaders pushed a 34th Street busway to cut cars, speed buses and free crosstown trips. Prioritizing buses and pedestrians should reduce traffic violence and boost equity.

"Council Member Keith Powers also supported the busway, stating it would speed up bus service." -- Keith Powers

Bill number: none. Status: demonstration and momentum for the Midtown South Mixed-Use Plan after subcommittees approved it the day before. Committee: NYC Council subcommittees. Key dates: Aug 7, 2025 (subcommittee approval), Aug 8, 2025 (bus-versus-walk race). Matter quoted: "The Midtown South Mixed-Use Plan... includes a busway limiting cars on a major segment of 34th Street." Council Member Barbara Russo-Lennon joined the demonstration. Zohran Mamdani raced and called buses the slowest in the nation. Council Members Erik Bottcher and Keith Powers publicly backed the busway; Mayor Eric Adams and DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez also voiced support. Limiting car access and prioritizing buses and pedestrians is likely to reduce traffic violence, improve equity, and help vulnerable road users.

• Victory on 34th Street: Transit groups, Manhattan pols leave bus in the dust in bustling Midtown, AMNY, Published 2025-08-08

Aug 8 - Mayor approved a car-free busway on 34th Street after walkers beat the crosstown bus in a 1.2‑mile race. The move targets faster, more reliable service for nearly 30,000 daily riders and to clear jams caused by congestion and illegal parking.

"If you look around us right now, we're in a pretty tough jam here... I don't see a lot of officials getting on the bus, and if they did, they would experience this. They would live with buses that don't show up in the morning and get jammed by the cars." -- Keith Powers

Bill number: none listed. Status: approval announced; stage: SPONSORSHIP. Committee: not listed. Key date: 2025-08-08, the day the crosstown race and public approval were reported. The matter is the "construction of a car-free busway on 34th Street between Third and Ninth avenues." Mayor Adams abandoned opposition and approved construction. Council member Zohran Mamdani celebrated, calling the buses "the slowest buses in the United States of America." Comptroller Brad Lander, Council Members Keith Powers and Erik Bottcher, and state Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal backed the plan. Advocates say the busway will speed service for almost 30,000 daily riders. No formal safety impact analysis was provided.

• Team Pedestrian Trounces Team Bus in Annual 'Crosstown Bus Challenge', streetsblog.org, Published 2025-08-08

Aug 7 - A stolen car tore through Canal and Bowery. Two lives ended. One sat on a bench. One rode a bike. The city now promises changes. Steel and speed met flesh. The street stays dangerous.

NY1 reported on August 7, 2025, that after a deadly crash at Canal Street and Bowery, the city will upgrade the intersection. On July 19, a stolen car, allegedly driven over 100 mph, killed Kevin Cruickshank and May Kwok. Kwok was sitting on a bench. Cruickshank rode his bike on the sidewalk. The article quotes authorities: 'A stolen vehicle, allegedly driven at more than 100 miles per hour...crashed into them.' The crash highlights risks from reckless driving and exposes gaps in street design. The Department of Transportation now plans safety improvements.

• Deadly Crash Spurs Chinatown Upgrades, NY1, Published 2025-08-07

Aug 6 - City revives 34th Street busway. Cars lose ground. Buses and trucks get priority. Council pushes for safer, faster travel. Public input next. Streets shift for people, not traffic.

Streetsblog NYC (2025-08-06) reports the Adams administration will restart the 34th Street busway as part of a Midtown rezoning deal. The city promises a 'car-free 34th Street Busway' after public engagement. The plan restricts cars, giving buses and trucks priority, aiming to cut congestion and improve safety. Council Members Keith Powers and Erik Bottcher secured the commitment, linking it to 10,000 new homes. The article notes, 'Busways grant buses and trucks priority by restricting through movement for other vehicles.' Advocates welcome the move but warn other bus projects remain stalled by City Hall.

• 34th Street Busway Returns With Rezoning, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-08-06

Aug 6 - Officials revived a 34th Street busway as part of the Midtown South rezoning. The corridor (3rd–9th Ave) would prioritize buses, boost speeds up to 15%, and curb private traffic. Council subcommittees approved the plan; full council approval still required.

"We are transforming Midtown South into a vibrant live-work neighborhood, alongside historic community investments in schools, transit, parks, and more." -- Keith Powers

File number: none listed. Status: SPONSORSHIP. Committees: NYC Council’s Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises and Committee on Land Use approved the Midtown South Mixed-Use Plan (MSMX) on Aug. 6, 2025. Matter quoted: "34th Street busway gets another go as part of larger Midtown rezoning plan." Council Member Erik Bottcher, representing the area, backed the rezoning and the busway. Council Member Keith Powers urged full council approval. Mayor Eric Adams confirmed the busway will continue. DOT said it did not suspend the project. The proposal would create a busway from 3rd to 9th Avenues, serve about 24 routes and aim to speed buses by up to 15%. No safety impact assessment was provided in the record.

• 34th Street busway gets another go as part of larger Midtown rezoning plan, amny.com, Published 2025-08-06

Aug 6 - Committees cleared the Midtown South rezoning. 9,535 homes allowed across 42 blocks. City won a car-free 34th Street busway and a $325M Broadway rebuild. Streets shift from cars to people. Pedestrians and cyclists gain safer space.

Bill: Midtown South Mixed-Use Plan (file number not listed). Status: Approved by the City Council Land Use Committee and Zoning Subcommittee on August 6, 2025. The matter, titled "42-block Midtown South housing plan clears hurdle as Council trims some units," permits about 9,535 homes across 42 blocks. Council Members Keith Powers and Erik D. Bottcher led negotiations; Bottcher called it "bold, balanced and long overdue." Committees trimmed some bulk and protected mid-block manufacturing in the Garment District. The plan secures a car-free busway on 34th Street and a $325 million pedestrian-oriented Broadway rebuild. These measures prioritize vulnerable road users and reclaim public space, likely increasing safety and encouraging mode shift toward walking and cycling.

• 42-block Midtown South housing plan clears hurdle as Council trims some units, Crain's New York Business, Published 2025-08-06

Aug 6 - Land Use committee cleared the Midtown South Mixed-Use rezoning on Aug 6. The plan unlocks over 9,500 homes, creates a car-free 34th Street busway and pedestrianized Broadway, and directs funds to the Garment District and street upgrades.

Bill: Midtown South Mixed-Use (MSMX) plan. File number: none provided. Status: Approved by the City Council Committee on Land Use on 2025-08-06; advances to a full Council vote. Committee: City Council Committee on Land Use. The matter, quoted in the record, calls to "redesignate 42 blocks between West 23rd and 40th Streets and Fifth and Eighth Avenues for housing development." Councilmembers Erik Bottcher and Keith Powers backed the plan; Speaker Adrienne Adams and Mayor Eric Adams issued supportive statements. The plan includes a car-free 34th Street busway, a fully pedestrianized Broadway, $122M for Garment District support and $340M for streets and transit. No safety impact assessment or safety note was provided in the record.

• Midtown South rezoning proposal passes council land-use committee alongside community investment, amny.com, Published 2025-08-06

Aug 6 - Committees approved a 34th Street busway and Midtown rezoning. The plan pairs faster buses with wide sidewalks and car-free blocks. It heads to a full Council vote Aug. 14. Riders and advocates remain wary after past reversals.

""It was one of the big priorities and commitments that we were able to land,"" -- Keith Powers

Bill/file: none provided. Status: sponsorship; cleared the City Council Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises and the Committee on Land Use. Key date: full Council vote set for Aug. 14. Matter quoted: "Plans for a 34th Street busway move ahead and Mayor Adams says he's on board." Councilmember Keith Powers pushed back to DOT, said he "breathed a sigh of relief" after committee approval. Mayor Eric Adams issued a statement of approval, calling the plan a "down payment" on housing and infrastructure. The rezoning includes $325 million for pedestrian upgrades and two more car-free blocks. No formal safety impact note was provided; transit advocates remain wary after prior project reversals.

• Plans for 34th Street busway move ahead, and Mayor Adams says he's on board, gothamist.com, Published 2025-08-06