Morningside Heights: Drivers Keep Hitting. Officials Keep Waiting.

May 26 - A sedan hit two pedestrians outside the crosswalk on Broadway. Four car occupants suffered whiplash. The pedestrians, aged 63 and 74, were left with abrasions and head injuries. The crash left pain and confusion on the street.

A Ford sedan traveling north on Broadway struck two pedestrians who were not at an intersection. According to the police report, both pedestrians—a 63-year-old man and a 74-year-old woman—were injured, suffering abrasions and, in one case, a head injury. Four people inside the sedan, including the driver, sustained whiplash. The police report lists no contributing factors or driver errors. The incident highlights the danger faced by pedestrians outside marked crossings. No mention of helmet use or signaling appears in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4815730 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-03

May 26 - A cyclist struck a pedestrian at W 125th and Broadway. The teenager on the bike suffered a head injury. Police cite confusion and following too closely as factors.

A crash at W 125th Street and Broadway in Manhattan left a 17-year-old cyclist injured in the head after colliding with a pedestrian. According to the police report, both 'Pedestrian/Bicyclist/Other Pedestrian Error/Confusion' and 'Following Too Closely' contributed to the crash. The cyclist was not wearing safety equipment and suffered severe bleeding. The pedestrian was crossing against the signal and was listed as having unspecified injuries. No vehicles other than the bike were involved.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4817937 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-03

May 24 - A Jeep SUV hit a young woman in the crosswalk on La Salle Street. She crossed with the signal. The driver failed to yield and was distracted. The pedestrian suffered injuries to her entire body. The street stayed busy. The danger stayed real.

A 23-year-old woman was struck by a Jeep SUV while crossing La Salle Street at Amsterdam Avenue in Manhattan. According to the police report, the pedestrian was 'Crossing With Signal' at the intersection when the SUV, driven by a 34-year-old woman, made a left turn and hit her. The pedestrian suffered injuries to her entire body and was reported conscious with internal complaints. The police report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as contributing factors. The driver was licensed in Connecticut. The crash left the pedestrian hurt, underscoring the persistent risk faced by those on foot in New York City.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4816140 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-03

May 23 - Tolls still hang over Third Avenue. Deadlines pass. Courts hold the answer. Fewer cars enter Manhattan. Millions flow to transit. The fight is bureaucratic, not on the street. Riders wait. The city’s pulse slows, but the outcome is uncertain.

West Side Spirit reported on May 23, 2025, that New York’s congestion pricing tolls remain in place despite three missed federal deadlines to remove them. The article details a standoff between the MTA, New York State, and U.S. DOT Secretary Sean Duffy, who demands the tolls be taken down, threatening to withhold highway funds. The MTA argues the legality of the tolls and seeks a court injunction, stating, 'congestion pricing is legal and proper.' The system, operational since January 2025, has reduced daily vehicle entries into Manhattan’s core by 76,000 in April and raised $159 million in the first quarter. The dispute highlights tensions over funding priorities and the impact on lower-income drivers, but the courts, not drivers or pedestrians, will decide the fate of the tolls.

• Congestion Pricing Tolls Face Legal Showdown, West Side Spirit, Published 2025-05-23

May 21 - City will rip up Fifth Avenue. Sidewalks will double. Lanes for cars will shrink. Trees, benches, and light will fill the space. Pedestrians, long squeezed, will finally get room to breathe. The city bets big on feet, not fenders.

amNY reported on May 21, 2025, that New York City will begin a $400 million redesign of Fifth Avenue in 2028, stretching from Bryant Park to Central Park. Mayor Eric Adams said, 'Fifth Avenue is a bustling boulevard... with more people walking down the street every hour than fill Madison Square Garden during a sold-out Knicks game.' The plan nearly doubles sidewalk widths and expands pedestrian zones, cutting space for vehicles. The redesign adds tree buffers, benches, and stormwater upgrades. Pedestrians make up 70% of avenue traffic but have less than half the space. The overhaul shifts priority from cars to people, aiming to reduce systemic danger and reclaim the street for those on foot.

• Fifth Avenue Set For Pedestrian Overhaul, amny, Published 2025-05-21

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 14 - A father mourns his daughter, killed by an SUV on the Upper West Side. Advocates gather in Albany. They press lawmakers for action. Speeders roam. Streets stay deadly. The call is clear: fix the system, stop the pain.

Streetsblog NYC (2025-05-14) reports on Families for Safe Streets and other advocates lobbying in Albany after a 13-year-old girl was killed by an SUV. The coalition pushes for the SAFE Streets Package, including speed-limiting devices for repeat offenders and the 'Idaho stop' for cyclists. The article quotes Darnell Sealy-McCrorey: 'This epidemic is preventable. It doesn't have to be this way.' Lawmakers show mixed support. Some cite privacy fears or question the seriousness of multiple speeding violations. Jackson Chabot notes, 'A lot of people have understood the bill because of the tragic and fatal crashes recently.' The piece highlights the urgent need for policy change to address reckless driving and systemic danger on city streets.

• Grieving Families Demand Safer Streets, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-05-14

May 12 - A driver ran a red, struck a cyclist, reversed hard, nearly hit him again. The victim lay bleeding, bones shattered, memory gone. Witnesses screamed. The driver sped off, blowing another light. Police search. The street remains dangerous.

ABC7 reported on May 12, 2025, that a hit-and-run driver seriously injured cyclist Myung Jin Chung at 5th Avenue and West 13th Street. The driver "blew through a red light," struck Chung, then reversed, nearly hitting him again, and fled after running another red. Chung suffered broken bones, a concussion, and needed 16 hours of surgery. Witnesses described the scene as 'petrifying.' Police have video evidence but no arrests. The incident highlights ongoing risks for cyclists and the consequences of reckless driving in New York City.

• Cyclist Crushed In West Village Hit-And-Run, ABC7, Published 2025-05-12

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 4 - A cyclist died in Manhattan. Two vehicles struck. Both drivers stayed. Police have not charged anyone. The street claimed another life. Metal and speed met flesh and bone. The city keeps moving. The loss remains.

Patch reported on May 4, 2025, that a bicyclist was killed in Manhattan after a collision involving two vehicles. According to the NYPD, 'Both drivers remained at the scene.' The article notes that 'it is not yet clear if either of the drivers will be charged in connection to the incident.' No further details on the crash circumstances or contributing factors were provided. The case highlights ongoing risks for cyclists in New York City streets, where multi-vehicle collisions can have fatal consequences. The incident underscores the persistent dangers faced by vulnerable road users and the need for continued scrutiny of street design and traffic enforcement.

• Bicyclist Dies In Manhattan Collision, Patch, Published 2025-05-04

May 3 - A van door swung open. The cyclist struck it. He fell. A truck crushed him. Medics rushed him to Bellevue. He died. The street stayed busy. The drivers waited. The city moved on.

According to NY Daily News (May 3, 2025), Georgios Smaragdis, 44, was killed while riding his e-bike west on Broome Street in Soho. The article states, "he slammed into the door of a Mercedes van that its driver had just flung open," sending him into the path of a red delivery truck that ran him over. Both drivers remained at the scene. The van driver told the outlet, "I opened the door. I didn’t even see the guy." Police have not announced charges. The crash highlights the persistent danger of dooring and the lethal consequences for cyclists when drivers fail to check for oncoming traffic before opening doors. The incident underscores ongoing risks for vulnerable road users in Manhattan’s dense traffic.

• E-Bike Rider Killed After Dooring in Soho, NY Daily News, Published 2025-05-03

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

May 1 - A cyclist hit a van’s open door on Broome Street. He fell. A truck rolled over him. First responders tried to save him. He died at Bellevue. The truck driver stayed. Police questioned the van driver. The street stayed dangerous.

amNY reported on May 1, 2025, that a male cyclist died after colliding with a van’s open door and falling under a commercial truck at Broome and Centre Streets. Eyewitnesses described first responders’ desperate efforts: “I saw a body on the ground, and then the fire people were trying to revive him.” The truck driver remained at the scene; no charges were filed. Police tested the van driver for sobriety. The NYPD Collision Investigation Squad is reviewing the case. The crash highlights the risks posed by double-parked vehicles and large trucks on narrow city streets, underscoring ongoing systemic dangers for cyclists.

• Cyclist Killed By Truck In Soho Crash, amny, Published 2025-05-01

Apr 29 - Two SUVs slammed together on Broadway. One driver suffered a fractured arm. Police cite unsafe speed and traffic control ignored. Passengers hurt. Metal twisted. Sirens followed.

Two sport utility vehicles crashed on Broadway at West 125th Street in Manhattan. One driver, age 25, suffered a shoulder fracture and dislocation. Two passengers, including an infant, were also hurt. According to the police report, the crash was caused by unsafe speed and drivers disregarding traffic control. Both vehicles were traveling north. The impact struck the left side doors of one SUV. No mention of helmet or signal use as contributing factors. The crash left injuries and damage in its wake.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4808984 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-03

Apr 27 - Francisco Guzman Parra died in a burning car after a police chase in Inwood. Officers left the scene unreported. Family demands answers. Two investigations run. Streets stay dangerous. System failed to protect. The dead remain silent.

CBS New York reported on April 27, 2025, that Francisco Andres Guzman Parra, 31, died after crashing a stolen vehicle on Dyckman Street in Manhattan following an NYPD pursuit. The article states, "NYPD sources said the two officers in pursuit returned to their stationhouse without reporting the crash." The FDNY later found Guzman Parra dead in the burning car. Patrick Hendry of the Police Benevolent Association claimed officers "lost sight of the car and did not know it crashed," but the family's attorney, Jeremy Feigenbaum, said their investigation "has not corroborated the officers' claim." The officers remain on leave as both the NYPD and the New York attorney general's office investigate. The case raises questions about police pursuit protocols and reporting failures.

• NYPD Pursuit Ends In Fatal Crash, CBS New York, Published 2025-04-27

Apr 26 - A young woman crossing Riverside Drive in a marked crosswalk was hit and left bleeding from the head. Shock followed. The crash left her hurt at the intersection, danger plain as day.

A 23-year-old woman was injured while crossing Riverside Drive at Tiemann Place in Manhattan. According to the police report, she was in a marked crosswalk with no signal when a vehicle struck her, causing head injuries and minor bleeding. The report lists no driver errors or contributing factors. The victim was left in shock. No details about the vehicle or driver were provided in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4808800 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-03

Apr 25 - SUV veered on Morningside Ave. Struck 18-year-old crossing in marked crosswalk. Pedestrian bruised arm. Unsafe lane change and driver distraction listed. System failed to protect the walker.

An SUV traveling south on Morningside Avenue hit an 18-year-old pedestrian who was crossing in a marked crosswalk. According to the police report, the crash involved 'Unsafe Lane Changing' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction.' The pedestrian suffered a contusion to the arm but remained conscious. The report lists no injuries for the vehicle occupant. The data shows driver error as the primary cause. No mention of pedestrian error or safety equipment is made.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4808832 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-03

Apr 23 - A distracted sedan driver hit a pedestrian and a cyclist on Riverside Drive. Both women, age 65, suffered shoulder injuries. Police cite driver inattention and failure to yield.

A sedan traveling north on Riverside Drive struck a pedestrian and a cyclist, both women aged 65. According to the police report, both victims suffered shoulder and upper arm injuries and were in shock. The cyclist was wearing a helmet. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as contributing factors. The sedan showed no damage, but the bike was hit on its left side. The crash happened as the victims moved along the street, not at an intersection. The police report makes clear: driver error led to these injuries.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4807703 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-03

Apr 13 - A sedan passed too close on Old Broadway. The impact left a 24-year-old e-bike rider with an eye abrasion. Streets stayed silent. Metal moved on. Flesh paid.

A sedan and an e-bike collided on Old Broadway at West 125th Street in Manhattan. The crash injured a 24-year-old male e-bike rider, who suffered an abrasion to his eye. According to the police report, 'Passing Too Closely' was listed as the contributing factor for both vehicles. The sedan struck with its right front bumper. No vehicle damage was reported. The data does not mention any helmet use or other cyclist actions as contributing factors. The crash highlights the danger when drivers fail to leave safe space for vulnerable road users.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4805291 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-03