Blood on Broadway: Slow the Cars, Save the Living

May 15 - NYPD cracked down on cyclists, issuing over 900 criminal summonses in two weeks. DOT was left in the dark. Critics slammed the move as harsh, unfair, and out of step with actual danger. Delivery workers, mostly immigrants, bore the brunt.

On April 28, 2025, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch launched a new policy targeting cyclists with criminal summonses for minor traffic violations. In just two weeks, police issued more than 900 summonses—far surpassing the 553 issued in all of 2024. The Department of Transportation (DOT), led by Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez, was not informed. The matter drew sharp criticism from former DOT Commissioner Hank Gutman, who questioned why cyclists face harsher penalties than drivers: 'A car that runs a red light doesn't get a criminal violation, so why would a bike?' Government watchdogs and advocates, including Ben Furnas and Jon Orcutt, condemned the lack of coordination and the disproportionate enforcement. Many tickets targeted delivery workers, a group largely made up of immigrants. Critics argue the crackdown is excessive and fails to address the real dangers on city streets.

• Quiet Desperation: NYPD’s Tisch Didn’t Tell DOT About Her Crackdown on Cycling, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-05-15

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 13 - Cyclists and walkers get space at last. Years of crowding end. The bridge’s narrow lane forced conflict. Now, riders and pedestrians move apart. The city takes a lane from cars. The danger shrinks. The span breathes easier.

amNY reported on May 13, 2025, that New York City will separate cyclists and pedestrians on the Ed Koch-Queensboro Bridge. Starting May 18, the north outer roadway becomes bike-only, while the south outer roadway, once for vehicles, opens to pedestrians. The article notes, “Advocates have fought to open a separate pedestrian path, citing dangerous overcrowding that has led to conflicts among cyclists, pedestrians and micromobility users.” The bridge was the last city-owned East River crossing without split paths. Manhattan Community Board 6 urged the city to act, pressing DOT to open the path despite construction delays. The change doubles space for non-drivers and removes a vehicle lane, addressing years of systemic risk from forced mixing of vulnerable users.

• Queensboro Bridge Splits Paths For Safety, amny, Published 2025-05-13

May 13 - Five dead. Forty badly hurt. The Conduit slices through Queens and Brooklyn, fast and wide. DOT will study a fix. Borough presidents called for urgent change. The city will listen to neighbors. The old highway’s days are numbered. Lives hang in the balance.

""Brooklyn and Queens deserve a Conduit Boulevard that improves daily life, not a roadway that puts pedestrians and drivers at risk and physically divides entire neighborhoods."" -- Ydanis A. Rodriguez

On May 13, 2025, the Department of Transportation (DOT) announced a city-funded public engagement process for a major safety redesign of Conduit Boulevard, a three-mile corridor linking Atlantic Avenue to the Belt Parkway and JFK Airport. The project follows urgent requests in 2023 from Queens Borough President Donovan Richards and Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso. DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez said, "Brooklyn and Queens deserve a Conduit Boulevard that improves daily life, not a roadway that puts pedestrians and drivers at risk and physically divides entire neighborhoods." The corridor has seen five deaths and 40 severe injuries in five years. The median’s dirt paths show heavy pedestrian use, but only 15 crosswalks span the stretch. The public process begins in June and may run into 2026. The redesign aims to end decades of danger for vulnerable road users.

• Can New York City Fix Its Deadly ‘Conduit’ to JFK Airport?, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-05-13

May 11 - SUV slammed into a parked sedan on Amsterdam. Seven people hurt. Head and neck injuries. Police list no clear cause. Unlicensed driver behind the wheel.

A station wagon/SUV making a U-turn hit a parked sedan on Amsterdam Avenue at West 156th Street. According to the police report, seven people were injured, including a 12-year-old boy, a 72-year-old woman, and a 37-year-old woman with head and neck injuries. Both drivers were hurt. The SUV driver was unlicensed. The police report lists all contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' No other causes are given. The sedan was struck at the center back end by the SUV's front. No helmet or signal issues are noted in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4812695 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-09

May 7 - Two women hurt in SUV crash at Fort Washington Ave. Both suffered whiplash. Impact struck left front and rear bumpers. Police cite other vehicular factors. Streets remain unforgiving.

Two women, both 20, were injured when two SUVs collided at Fort Washington Avenue in Manhattan. According to the police report, the crash involved a Honda SUV making a right turn and a parked Toyota SUV. Both injured women, a driver and a front passenger, suffered whiplash and injuries to their entire bodies. The report lists 'Other Vehicular' as a contributing factor. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved. No helmet or signal use was cited as a factor. The crash underscores the persistent dangers for vehicle occupants on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4811054 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-09

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 taxi and SUV collided on Henry Hudson Parkway. Alcohol played a role. Two men suffered back and arm injuries. The crash left pain and whiplash. Metal and bodies took the hit.

A taxi and an SUV crashed on Henry Hudson Parkway in Manhattan. According to the police report, alcohol involvement was a contributing factor. A 32-year-old male taxi passenger suffered back injuries and whiplash. A 29-year-old male driver sustained shoulder and upper arm injuries. Both vehicles were traveling north. The police report lists 'Alcohol Involvement' as a cause. No other contributing factors were specified. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved. The crash left two people hurt and exposed the danger of impaired driving.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4811076 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-09

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 2 - Council rallied for delivery workers. Many stayed home, fearing deportation. Instacart workers, mostly immigrants, remain excluded from wage protections. Council Member De La Rosa demanded equity. The law’s loophole leaves workers exposed, underpaid, and afraid. The fight for fair pay continues.

On May 2, 2025, the City Council, led by Council Member Carmen De La Rosa, rallied for two bills: Intro 1133 and Intro 1135. Both aim to expand minimum wage protections to all delivery workers, including those for third-party grocery services like Instacart. The rally, held on May Day, highlighted the vulnerability of immigrant delivery workers, many of whom stayed home due to heightened deportation fears. De La Rosa declared, 'These workers are already being discriminated against and marginalized in our city. Let’s not make their lives harder by allowing a loophole in the law to take money out of their pockets.' The bills seek to close the 'Instacart loophole' and ensure equity for all delivery workers. The Council also passed a bill raising the cap on fees delivery apps can charge restaurants, which will result in Relay workers receiving the $21.44 minimum wage. The current law’s confusion and gaps leave many workers unprotected and at risk.

• Supporters Rally, But Delivery Workers Stay Home Amid Deportation Fears, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-05-02

May 2 - May Day. Streets empty. Delivery workers vanish, scared of deportation. Supporters shout for fair pay. Instacart loophole leaves many unprotected. City’s most vulnerable stay home. Their silence deepens danger. Systemic risks linger. Equity denied. Safety lost.

On May 2, 2025, Council Member Carmen De La Rosa and advocates rallied for Intro 1133 and Intro 1135, bills to expand minimum wage protections to all delivery workers, including those for Instacart. The rally, covered by Streetsblog NYC, saw few delivery workers attend. The matter summary reads: 'Advocates for delivery workers rallied on May Day in support of two pro-delivery worker bills, but many workers stayed home due to fears of deportation.' De La Rosa called for closing the Instacart loophole and ending discrimination. The chilling effect of immigration enforcement left the most at-risk workers absent. Safety analysts warn: when vulnerable workers avoid advocacy, their ability to demand safer streets and fair conditions shrinks. Systemic risks and inequities for pedestrians and cyclists persist.

• Supporters Rally, But Delivery Workers Stay Home Amid Deportation Fears, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-05-02

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

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 - 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

Apr 30 - A sedan hit a 64-year-old woman crossing St Nicholas Ave. She suffered deep leg cuts. Alcohol was involved. The driver was unhurt. The street stayed loud. The blood stayed bright.

A 64-year-old woman was struck by a sedan while crossing St Nicholas Ave at W 174 St in Manhattan. She suffered severe lacerations to her lower leg and foot. According to the police report, alcohol involvement was noted as a contributing factor for both the pedestrian and the driver. The driver, a 34-year-old man, was not injured. The report lists 'Unspecified' and 'Alcohol Involvement' as contributing factors. No driver errors beyond alcohol involvement were documented.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4809500 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-09

Apr 30 - A Ford sedan hit a 14-year-old boy playing in the street on Edgecombe Ave. The car’s right front quarter struck the teen’s leg. He was conscious, hurt, and bleeding. Police list all factors as unspecified.

A Ford sedan traveling south on Edgecombe Avenue struck a 14-year-old pedestrian who was playing in the roadway, away from an intersection. According to the police report, the car’s right front quarter panel hit the boy, injuring his knee and lower leg and causing abrasions. The teen was conscious at the scene. The report lists all contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' No driver errors are cited in the data. No mention of helmet or signal use appears in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4809501 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-09

Apr 29 - A woman crossed Amsterdam Avenue. An ambulance turned left. Metal struck flesh. Bones broke. Blood spilled. She died in the hospital. The driver stayed, but charges followed. The street remains wide, busy, and dangerous.

NY Daily News reported on April 29, 2025, that Juan Santana, an ambulance driver, was arrested months after fatally striking Miriam Reinharth, 69, in Manhattan. Police said Santana failed to yield as Reinharth crossed Amsterdam Avenue at West 96th Street. The NYPD Collision Investigation Squad found Santana turned left into her path. He was charged with failure to yield and failure to exercise due care. Reinharth died from severe injuries, including a broken leg and pelvis fractures. The article notes, 'The police officer said the accident was not Miriam's fault at all.' The crash occurred on a double-wide, truck route artery, highlighting ongoing risks for pedestrians at busy intersections.

• Ambulance Driver Charged After Fatal Turn, NY Daily News, Published 2025-04-29

Apr 28 - A tractor truck passed too close on Broadway, striking a sedan. One driver suffered neck injuries. Police cite passing too closely and driver distraction as causes.

A tractor truck and a sedan collided on Broadway at West 180th Street in Manhattan. According to the police report, the truck passed too closely and struck the sedan, injuring the 62-year-old sedan driver, who suffered neck pain. Police list 'Passing Too Closely' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as contributing factors. Both vehicles were traveling south. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved. The crash highlights the danger when large vehicles fail to maintain safe distance.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4810015 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-09

Apr 28 - A 16-year-old crossing with the signal on Amsterdam Avenue suffered a bruised leg. The crash left him in shock. The driver’s actions remain unlisted. The street turned violent in an instant.

A 16-year-old male pedestrian was injured while crossing Amsterdam Avenue at West 159th Street in Manhattan. According to the police report, he was crossing with the signal at the intersection when he was struck and suffered a contusion to his lower leg and foot, leaving him in shock. The report does not specify the vehicle type or list any contributing factors or driver errors. No helmet or signal use is mentioned as a factor. The crash highlights the vulnerability of pedestrians at city intersections.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4809037 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-09