Murray Hill–Kips Bay: The Bodies Keep Coming

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 2025-10-02

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 2025-10-02

Aug 11 - Astoria shopkeepers fight a protected bike lane on 31st Street. They claim city plans threaten their business and public safety. The lawsuit lands in Queens Supreme Court. The city faces pushback, progress stalls.

NY1 reported on August 11, 2025, that over a dozen Astoria business owners filed suit to block a protected bike lane on 31st Street. The petition, lodged in Queens Supreme Court, claims the redesign from 36th Avenue to Newton Avenue would 'hurt their day-to-day operations and jeopardize public safety.' Owners accuse the city of acting in an 'arbitrary and capricious' way, moving forward despite objections. The case highlights ongoing tension between street safety projects and local business concerns. The outcome could shape future protected bike lane installations citywide.

• Astoria Businesses Sue Over Bike Lane, NY1, Published 2025-08-11

Aug 8 - A driver sped at 109 mph. Concrete barriers now ring the crash site. DOT will shrink lanes and cut speed limits. Change comes slow. Pedestrians and cyclists paid the price.

Streetsblog NYC (2025-08-08) reports DOT will install concrete barriers and narrow lanes at Manhattan Bridge's Canal Street exit after a driver killed a cyclist and pedestrian at 109 mph. DOT plans to lower the speed limit from 35 to 20 mph, pending public comment. The article notes, 'the bridge currently functions like a Mario Kart-style speed boost.' DOT will also 'fast-track community engagement on a full redesign.' The crash highlights the danger of wide lanes and high speeds at a busy pedestrian crossing. Policy changes lagged until tragedy forced action.

• DOT Lowers Speed, Adds Barriers On Canal, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-08-08

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 - 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 - A man lay on Harlem tracks. The northbound 5 train struck him. He died at the scene. Police found no crime. His name remains unknown. Subway lines stalled. The system moved on.

NY Daily News (2025-08-06) reports a 47-year-old man was killed by a northbound 5 train at 125th St. station in Harlem. Police said, "The man was unconscious and unresponsive on the tracks." No arrests were made. The cause of his presence on the tracks is unclear. Police stated, "There was no criminality." The incident halted 4 and 5 trains. The case highlights ongoing dangers for people in subway spaces and the lack of platform barriers.

• Man Killed By Train At Harlem Station, NY Daily News, 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

Aug 6 - City unpauses the 34th Street busway. Cars lose through access. Buses get priority. Streets open up for walking and cycling. Pedestrians and cyclists gain safer space tied to Midtown South rezoning.

"I'm glad that we were able to secure a commitment on the 34th Street busway move ahead to invest in one of our busiest corridors," -- Keith Powers

Action: policy commitment to restore the 34th Street busway. Date: August 6, 2025. File number: none listed. Status: the Adams administration agreed to revive the busway as part of the Midtown South rezoning deal. Committee: a key Council committee was poised to vote on the rezoning when the promise was revealed. The matter states: "The Administration commits to establishing a car-free 34th Street Busway." Council Members Keith Powers and Erik Bottcher secured the commitment; Powers shared the language and praised the move. Public engagement is slated for 2025. Safety analysts say restoring the busway will cut car traffic, lower crash risk, and improve conditions for pedestrians and cyclists through mode shift and street reallocation.

• It’s Back! 34th Street Busway Revived In Midtown Rezoning Deal, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-08-06

Aug 3 - A driver struck a cyclist at West 181st and Cabrini. The driver fled. The cyclist went to the hospital. The street stayed open. The danger stayed real.

CBS New York (2025-08-03) reports a bicyclist was hospitalized after a hit-and-run at West 181st Street and Cabrini Boulevard in Washington Heights. The crash happened just after noon. The driver left the scene, leaving the cyclist injured. The article states, "A bicyclist was hospitalized after being injured in a hit and run." No details on the driver or vehicle were released. The incident highlights ongoing risks for cyclists and the persistent issue of drivers fleeing crash scenes in New York City.

• Cyclist Hospitalized After Hit-And-Run Uptown, CBS New York, Published 2025-08-03

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 28 - An SUV driver hit a taxi's right side at E 42nd Street and 1st Avenue. A passenger suffered a knee and lower leg injury. Others were listed with unspecified injuries. Police recorded outside car distraction and limited view.

A taxi driver traveling north on 1st Avenue and an SUV driver heading west on E 42nd Street collided at the intersection in Manhattan. The SUV driver hit the taxi's right side. According to the police report, a 42-year-old male passenger suffered a knee and lower leg injury, and other occupants were listed with unspecified injuries. The report records Outside Car Distraction and View Obstructed/Limited as contributing factors and notes Reaction to Uninvolved Vehicle. Both drivers were licensed and going straight.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4831856 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-10-02

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 24 - A bus struck a cyclist on 3rd Ave. The cyclist suffered arm fractures. Police cite driver inattention. The bus rolled north. The bike rider wore a helmet. Steel met flesh. The street stayed dangerous.

A bus and a bicycle collided on 3rd Ave at E 42nd St in Manhattan. The 53-year-old male cyclist was injured, suffering fractures to his arm. According to the police report, both the bus driver and the cyclist were traveling north when the crash occurred. Police list 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the contributing factor. The cyclist was partially ejected and wore a helmet. No injuries were reported for the bus driver. The crash highlights the risk faced by cyclists when large vehicles and distraction share the road.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4830412 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-10-02