Madison Avenue Bleeds: How Many More Must Fall?

Jan 26 - A southbound bicyclist was ejected and injured in a collision with a right-turning SUV on Park Avenue near East 77th Street. The cyclist suffered head abrasions. Both vehicles sustained right front bumper damage. The driver errors remain unspecified.

According to the police report, a 30-year-old female bicyclist traveling south on Park Avenue was struck by a 2008 Ford SUV making a right turn. The impact occurred at the right front bumper of both vehicles. The bicyclist was ejected and sustained head injuries classified as abrasions, with injury severity rated at level 3. The SUV driver was licensed and traveling southbound. The report lists no specific contributing factors or driver errors such as failure to yield or improper turn. The bicyclist's safety equipment status is unknown. Both vehicles suffered damage to their right front bumpers. The incident highlights the dangers posed by turning vehicles to cyclists in Manhattan.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4497554 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Jan 26 - A 34-year-old male bicyclist was ejected and injured at East 78 Street and Park Avenue. The SUV was parked and sustained no damage. The cyclist suffered abrasions and lower leg injuries. No driver errors were specified in the report.

According to the police report, a 34-year-old male bicyclist traveling south collided with a parked SUV on East 78 Street near Park Avenue in Manhattan. The bicyclist was ejected from his bike and sustained abrasions and injuries to his knee, lower leg, and foot. The SUV, a 2019 RAM, was stationary and showed no damage. The report lists no contributing driver errors or factors for either party. The bicyclist was not wearing safety equipment. The collision point was the left front bumper of the bike impacting the left side doors of the SUV. The bicyclist remained conscious after the crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4497388 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Jan 25 - Park Avenue faces a reckoning. The city plans to slice car lanes, double medians, and open space for people. Advocates demand bike lanes, car-free stretches, and green space. Council Member Keith Powers backs the shift. The street’s future hangs in the balance.

On January 25, 2022, Council Member Keith Powers (District 4) spotlighted a city plan to reclaim car space on Park Avenue. The Department of Transportation aims to cut vehicle lanes and expand the median between East 46th and 57th streets. The proposal, discussed in the council and supported by Powers, seeks to create more open, accessible public space. The matter summary calls it a 'shift toward a more pedestrian-friendly experience.' Advocates like Jon Orcutt (Bike New York) and Danny Harris (Transportation Alternatives) urge the city to add a median-side bikeway and maximize pedestrian and green space. The project aligns with the NYC 25x25 plan to convert 25 percent of car space for people by 2025. Private interests, including the local Business Improvement District and Fisher Brothers, are helping fund the effort. The plan’s final shape remains undecided, but the push for safer, people-first streets is clear.

• Park Avenue Plan Will Reclaim Car Space — But How Much … and for What?, streetsblog.org, Published 2022-01-25

Jan 25 - DOT will cut a car lane on Park Avenue. The median will grow, swallowing asphalt. Advocates want bike lanes and car-free stretches. Council Member Powers calls it a shift in city priorities. Private money backs the plan. Final design still unknown.

On January 25, 2022, the city Department of Transportation advanced a proposal to reclaim car space on Park Avenue. The plan, discussed in committee and supported by Council Member Keith Powers, aims to expand the median from 20 to 48 feet by removing one of three vehicle lanes. The project, described as a 'once-in-a-lifetime opportunity' by Alfred Cerullo of the Grand Central Partnership, seeks to create more open, accessible public space for people and businesses in East Midtown. Advocates like Jon Orcutt (Bike New York) and Danny Harris (Transportation Alternatives) urge the city to maximize space for people, calling for fully car-free stretches and a bike lane, since Park Avenue has no bus routes. The plan aligns with the NYC 25x25 initiative to convert 25% of car space to people space by 2025. Private commercial interests, including the local Business Improvement District and Fisher Brothers, are supporting and funding the project. The final design will be set by a landscape architect’s master plan.

• Park Avenue Plan Will Reclaim Car Space — But How Much … and for What?, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2022-01-25

Jan 24 - A woman crossed 3rd Avenue with the light. An Audi SUV turned left. The bumper hit her. She died on the cold street. The driver failed to yield. The SUV showed no damage. Silence followed. The city lost another pedestrian.

A 51-year-old woman was killed at the corner of East 76th Street and 3rd Avenue in Manhattan. According to the police report, she was crossing with the signal when an Audi SUV, making a left turn, struck her with its front bumper. The report states, 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the contributing factor. The driver, a 59-year-old woman, was licensed in New Jersey. The SUV showed no damage. The pedestrian suffered fatal injuries to her entire body and died at the scene. No other injuries were reported. The crash highlights the lethal consequences when drivers fail to yield to people in the crosswalk.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4497268 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Jan 19 - A young cyclist tore down Park Avenue. He struck the right-side doors of a parked Ford. Blood streaked his arm. Deep cuts marked the crash. The car never moved. The street stayed hard. The bike did not stop.

A 21-year-old cyclist was injured after crashing into the right-side doors of a parked Ford sedan near East 88th Street and Park Avenue in Manhattan. According to the police report, 'A 21-year-old cyclist, no helmet, slammed into the right-side doors of a parked Ford. Blood streaked his arm. Deep cuts.' The report lists 'Following Too Closely' as a contributing factor. The Ford was stationary at the time of the crash and sustained no damage. The cyclist suffered severe lacerations to his arm. No injuries were reported for the vehicle occupants. The police report notes the cyclist was not wearing a helmet, but this is mentioned only after the driver error.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4496107 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Jan 10 - Fifth Avenue stays dangerous. DOT stalls on promised redesign. Bike lane, busway, and pedestrian fixes remain on paper. Local business pressure blocks progress. Community Board 5 approved. Crashes and injuries mount. Council Member Powers urges action. Vulnerable road users wait.

The Fifth Avenue redesign, announced in 2020 under former Mayor de Blasio, remains stalled as of January 10, 2022. The project, once a bold car-free busway, was scaled back to a protected bike lane and minor pedestrian upgrades. No new bus lane. Community Board 5 approved the plan, but DOT has not started work. Council Member Keith Powers supports the full plan and calls for immediate action on the bike lane, urging the Adams administration and DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez to move forward. Local business interests, led by the Fifth Avenue Association, oppose the project, citing pandemic recovery concerns. Transportation Alternatives’ Cory Epstein says, 'Busways and bike lanes are good for the economy, good for our climate, and good for our Vision Zero goals.' Since the project’s announcement, crashes and injuries continue on the corridor. Vulnerable road users remain at risk as the city delays.

• Despite End of Holiday Season, DOT Has No Update on Long-Stalled Fifth Ave. Project, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2022-01-10