Blood on Broadway: Slow the Cars, Save the Living

Apr 24 - SUV hit a 78-year-old man crossing with the signal on Broadway. He suffered leg injuries. Police cite driver inattention and traffic control disregard. The street stayed dangerous. The impact was real.

A 78-year-old pedestrian was struck and injured by an SUV while crossing Broadway at West 178th Street in Manhattan. According to the police report, the pedestrian was crossing with the signal when the vehicle hit him, causing injuries to his knee, lower leg, and foot. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as contributing factors. Two vehicle occupants were also involved but their injuries were unspecified. The crash highlights the danger faced by pedestrians even when following traffic signals.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4809082 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-09

Apr 22 - Three new microhubs now stand on Upper West Side streets. Trucks unload cargo. E-cargo bikes and hand carts finish the job. Fewer trucks double-park. Streets clear. Council Member Gale Brewer backs the move. The city tests safer, cleaner delivery.

On April 22, 2025, the NYC Department of Transportation launched a microhub pilot on the Upper West Side. The program opened three delivery hubs at Amsterdam Avenue at 85th Street, Amsterdam at 73rd Street, and Broadway at 77th Street. According to the DOT, these hubs are part of a three-year pilot under the Curb Management Action Plan. The official matter summary states: 'The DOT unveiled three new microhubs to promote cleaner, greener, last-mile deliveries.' Council Member Gale A. Brewer, representing District 6, applauded the initiative, saying, 'It is incredibly important to have these hubs where we can pull the trucks off the streets and get the delivery via bicycle.' The pilot aims to cut truck congestion, reduce double parking, and shift deliveries to low-emission modes. Delivery giants like Amazon and UPS will use the hubs. The city hopes to make streets safer for everyone.

• Three new microhubs now allocated for delivery drop off on Upper West Side streets, amny.com, Published 2025-04-22

Apr 21 - A truck struck a sedan’s rear on Broadway. One driver suffered head injuries. Both vehicles damaged. No clear cause named. The street bore the brunt.

A tractor truck hit the back of a sedan on Broadway at West 165th Street in Manhattan. According to the police report, the truck’s front end struck the sedan’s rear while both traveled south. One driver, age 51, sustained head injuries and whiplash. The other driver, age 53, was not reported injured. Both vehicles showed damage at the points of impact. The police report lists all contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' No pedestrians or cyclists were involved. No driver errors were identified in the data.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4807868 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-09

Apr 20 - A sedan hit a woman crossing with the signal at W 165 St and Fort Washington Ave. Her leg broke. The car’s left front bumper struck her. The driver’s actions are listed as unspecified.

A sedan making a right turn at W 165 St and Fort Washington Ave in Manhattan struck a 37-year-old woman crossing with the signal. According to the police report, the impact came from the car’s left front bumper, fracturing her lower leg. The driver was the only occupant. The police report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' No driver errors are specified in the data.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4809080 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-09

Apr 19 - A speeding Lexus hit a 64-year-old man at Audubon and West 170th. The crash broke his leg. Police cite unsafe speed. The street bears the mark of impact. No room for error.

A 64-year-old pedestrian was struck and injured by a Lexus SUV at the intersection of Audubon Avenue and West 170th Street in Manhattan. According to the police report, the crash was caused by 'Unsafe Speed.' The pedestrian suffered a fractured and dislocated lower leg. The vehicle’s left front bumper took the impact. The report lists 'Unsafe Speed' as the sole contributing factor. No other errors or circumstances are noted in the data.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4809061 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-09

Apr 17 - A moped rider suffered leg injuries on Audubon Avenue after a vehicle changed lanes unsafely. The crash left the rider in shock, pain sharp as the street. Danger moved fast. The city did not slow.

A moped rider, age 24, was injured on Audubon Avenue at West 170th Street in Manhattan. According to the police report, the crash involved unsafe lane changing. The rider suffered knee and lower leg injuries and was in shock. The report lists 'Unsafe Lane Changing' as a contributing factor. The second vehicle struck the moped on the right side while changing lanes. No helmet or signal use is mentioned as a factor. The crash highlights the risks faced by vulnerable road users when drivers make unsafe moves.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4809071 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-09

Apr 12 - A stolen car slammed into a Manhattan building. Flames followed. The driver, Francisco Guzman Parra, died on impact. His family waited days for answers. Police actions now face scrutiny. The city counts another life lost to speed and steel.

The New York Times (April 12, 2025) reports on the death of Francisco Guzman Parra after a stolen Honda CRV crashed into a building in Inwood, Manhattan. The crash followed a police chase; two officers involved were suspended pending investigation. The article notes, "The police are investigating whether the officers left the scene without reporting the crash." The medical examiner found Guzman Parra died from blunt impact and thermal injuries. The NYPD force investigation unit and state attorney general are reviewing the incident. The police have not disclosed why the chase began or details about the pursuit. The case highlights ongoing questions about police pursuit policies and the dangers that follow high-speed chases through city streets.

• Police Chase Ends Inwood Crash Death, The New York Times, Published 2025-04-12

Apr 11 - Including Thursday's deadly crash, 25 people have been killed in New York City sightseeing helicopter accidents in the last 40 years.

• Lawmakers aim to make changes after New York City sightseeing helicopter crash, ABC7, Published 2025-04-11

Apr 11 - Council passed two bills forcing DOT to show its work. Lawmakers demand public trackers for street safety projects. DOT resists, citing complexity. Advocates want more than data—they want action. Transparency is a start, but not the finish.

"[DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez] knows very well that no Council Member votes on where a bike lane is placed or where a rapid bus lane is going to be placed... it is [the DOT's] responsibility to take their capital plan and implement it." -- Ydanis A. Rodriguez

On April 11, 2025, the City Council passed Intro 1105 and Intro 1114. Both bills require the Department of Transportation (DOT) to create public trackers for capital projects tied to the Streets Master Plan. Intro 1105, sponsored by Transportation Committee Chair Selvena Brooks-Powers, mandates a tracker for projects that count toward safety benchmarks. Intro 1114, sponsored by Council Member Julie Won, calls for a broader capital projects tracker. The bills respond to the Adams administration's failure to meet legal targets for bus and bike lanes. Council Speaker Adrienne Adams said, 'Today’s legislation will advance greater transparency.' DOT officials pushed back, arguing project work is not linear and trackers have limited use. Won countered, 'It is [the DOT's] responsibility to take their capital plan and implement it.' Advocates and council members agree: tracking is only a first step. Without real follow-through, data alone will not save lives.

• Council To DOT: Do Better At Tracking Projects (So We Can See When You Fail), Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-04-11

Apr 10 - Council passed a law forcing DOT to post sharp, regular updates on street safety projects. Progress on bike lanes, bus lanes, and signals must go public. No more hiding delays or cost overruns. The city must show its work.

Bill Int 1105-2024, now enacted, came through the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Introduced November 13, 2024, it passed Council on April 10, 2025, and became law May 10, 2025. The bill's title: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code...in relation to tracking progress made towards the requirements of the streets master plan.' Council Member Julie Won led sponsorship, joined by Brooks-Powers, Hanif, Ayala, and others. The law demands DOT post annual and monthly updates on every project tied to the master plan—listing details, timelines, funding, and setbacks. This law brings sunlight to street safety work, making the city answer for every mile and missed deadline.

• File Int 1105-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-04-10

Apr 10 - Council passed a law forcing DOT to post sharp, regular updates on street safety projects. Progress on bike lanes, bus lanes, and signals must go public. No more hiding delays or cost overruns. The city must show its work.

Bill Int 1105-2024, now enacted, came through the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Introduced November 13, 2024, it passed Council on April 10, 2025, and became law May 10, 2025. The bill's title: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code...in relation to tracking progress made towards the requirements of the streets master plan.' Council Member Julie Won led sponsorship, joined by Brooks-Powers, Hanif, Ayala, and others. The law demands DOT post annual and monthly updates on every project tied to the master plan—listing details, timelines, funding, and setbacks. This law brings sunlight to street safety work, making the city answer for every mile and missed deadline.

• File Int 1105-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-04-10

Apr 7 - Ambulance struck SUV at Audubon and West 173. One driver bruised. Police cite failure to yield. Metal, glass, pain. Manhattan night, sirens cut the dark.

An ambulance and an SUV crashed at Audubon Avenue and West 173 Street in Manhattan. One driver, a 40-year-old man, suffered bruises to his entire body. According to the police report, the crash involved 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way.' Four other occupants were involved but injuries were unspecified. The ambulance hit the SUV's left side. No pedestrians or cyclists were listed. The report does not mention helmet or signal use as contributing factors. The crash highlights the danger when drivers fail to yield.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4804865 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-09

Apr 7 - A box truck struck a man sitting in the street at West 40th and 9th. The man died at the scene. The driver stayed. Police are investigating. No arrests. The victim’s name is not known.

Patch reported on April 7, 2025, that a man was killed by a box truck at West 40th Street and 9th Avenue in Manhattan. The article states, “Police determined that a box truck, operated by a 75-year-old man, was traveling southbound on 9 Avenue when the vehicle collided with the victim, who was sitting in the roadway.” The driver remained at the scene and was not injured. No arrests have been made. The victim’s identity has not been released. The incident highlights the persistent risk to people in city streets and the need for scrutiny of how large vehicles interact with vulnerable road users. The investigation is ongoing.

• Box Truck Kills Man In Hell's Kitchen, Patch, Published 2025-04-07

Apr 3 - A stolen SUV crashed and burned in Inwood. Two NYPD officers chased it, then left the wreck. The driver died in the flames. The officers returned to their Bronx precinct. They did not report the crash. Both are now suspended.

According to the NY Daily News (April 3, 2025), two NYPD officers pursued a stolen Honda CR-V from the Bronx into Manhattan. The chase ended when the SUV crashed into a building near Dyckman St and burst into flames. The officers 'fled the scene,' leaving the driver, who died in the fire. Surveillance footage showed their patrol car leaving. The officers did not report the incident and finished their shift. Both were suspended as the NYPD Force Investigation Division launched a probe. This crash comes after the NYPD tightened pursuit policies, now allowing chases only for felonies or violent misdemeanors. The department aims to avoid pursuits that 'lead to crashes and injure other motorists and pedestrians.' NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said police would instead use 'advanced tools of modern-day policing' to track suspects.

• Officers Flee Scene After Fatal Crash, NY Daily News, Published 2025-04-03

Apr 3 - Brooklyn’s Ashland Place stays deadly. DOT delays a promised bike lane. Elected officials and residents demand action. Private interests block progress. Cyclists face crashes and fear. The city shrugs. The gap remains. Lives hang in the balance.

On April 3, 2025, a coalition of Brooklyn officials—including Council Members Crystal Hudson, Shahana Hanif, Lincoln Restler, Assembly Members Andrew Gounardes, Jo Anne Simon, Phara Souffrant Forrest, Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, and Borough President Antonio Reynoso—sent a letter urging DOT to finish the protected bike lane on Ashland Place. The letter called the block a 'missing link in Brooklyn’s protected bike lane network.' Brooklyn Community Board 2 backed the demand. DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez and Borough Commissioner Keith Bray offered only vague replies. The block’s exclusion traces to a mayoral advisor’s intervention for developer Two Trees. Advocates like Kathy Park Price slammed the city: 'Private interests are able to redesign our streets, prioritizing vehicles over safety at a critical corridor.' Despite unanimous support, DOT keeps the street dangerous. The city’s inaction leaves cyclists exposed and the community frustrated.

• ‘Crashland’: As Demand Grows, DOT Still Won’t Finish Bike Lane on Dangerous Brooklyn Road, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-04-03

Apr 1 - SUV struck a woman on West 175th. Driver inattention listed. Pedestrian suffered leg injuries. Streets remain perilous for those on foot.

A station wagon SUV hit a 37-year-old woman on West 175th Street in Manhattan. According to the police report, the pedestrian was not at an intersection when she was struck. She suffered injuries to her knee, lower leg, and foot, with a contusion noted. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor. The SUV was traveling west and showed no damage. No driver injuries were reported. The crash highlights the persistent risk faced by pedestrians in city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4804403 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-09

Apr 1 - After a crash killed a mother and two daughters in Gravesend, advocates and Council Member Shahana Hanif rallied for the Stop Super Speeders bill. The law would force repeat reckless drivers to use speed-limiting tech. Survivors demand action. Lawmakers promise change.

On April 1, 2025, Council Member Shahana Hanif joined a rally at Brooklyn Borough Hall demanding passage of the Stop Super Speeders bill. The bill, sponsored in Albany by State Sen. Andrew Gounardes and Assemblymember Emily Gallagher, would require drivers with repeated violations to install intelligent speed assistance (ISA) devices. These devices cap speed at 5 mph over the limit for those with 11 or more license points in 24 months or six camera tickets in a year. The rally followed a fatal Gravesend crash that killed a mother and her two daughters. Hanif and other lawmakers called current enforcement—ticketing, suspensions, fines, jail—ineffective. Assembly Member Jo Anne Simon said, 'The speed limiter technology is available to us. Let’s use it. It will save lives.' The bill is modeled on EU and Virginia laws. Some opposition remains, but supporters say the measure is urgent and practical.

• ‘Enough is enough’: Street safety advocates demand passage of ‘Stop Super Speeders’ bill after tragic Gravesend crash, brooklynpaper.com, Published 2025-04-01

Mar 27 - Cuomo backs e-bike registration. Critics say it targets families, seniors, and delivery workers. DOT calls it costly, unproven. Advocates demand safer streets, not new hurdles. Motor vehicles, not e-bikes, remain the real threat. The fight over who belongs on city roads rages on.

On March 27, 2025, mayoral candidate Andrew Cuomo supported a Republican-backed proposal to require registration and license plates for all e-bikes in New York City. The plan, not yet introduced as a formal bill, would cost $20 million, according to the Department of Transportation. The proposal has drawn sharp criticism from e-bike users, advocates, and DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. The matter centers on Cuomo's claim that registration will address 'chaos and promote safety.' Critics, including Queens cycling advocate Jim Burke and safe streets organizer Noel Hidalgo, argue the measure 'demonizes' e-bike users and ignores the real danger: reckless driving by motorists. Advocates say the plan would harm families, seniors, and delivery workers who rely on e-bikes, especially in transit deserts. They urge lawmakers to focus on street design and car enforcement, not new restrictions. The proposal has not advanced to committee or vote.

• Candidate Cuomo’s E-Bike Restrictions ‘Demonize’ Those Who Need Them, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-03-27

Mar 24 - Council Transportation Chair Brooks-Powers wants the Beach 20th Street protected bike lane gone. She blames illegal parking, not enforcement. Cyclists lose space. The city risks more danger. DOT says it will look at hardening the lane and boosting enforcement.

On March 24, 2025, Council Member Selvena Brooks-Powers, chair of the Transportation Committee, called for the removal of the protected bike lane on Beach 20th Street in Arverne, Queens. At a community meeting, Brooks-Powers said, "We’ve been trying to get [the bike lane] removed for three years. It wasn’t supported by the community. ... In effect it’s not a bike lane quite honestly; no one uses it, they [drivers] park there. We would like to see the hard infrastructure removed." Instead of demanding enforcement against illegal parking, she wants the lane ripped out, returning the street to a more dangerous state for cyclists and pedestrians. DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez replied that building safe bike lanes requires support from local leaders. DOT spokesperson Will Livingston said the agency remains committed to safety and will explore hardening the lane and increasing enforcement.

• Council Transportation Chair Asks DOT To Rip Up a Bike Lane, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-03-24

Mar 22 - A black Mercedes slammed into a Ford on the Major Deegan. Both cars spun out. The Mercedes driver ran. The Ford driver died at St. Barnabas. Police closed the highway for hours. No arrests. The city counts another loss.

NY Daily News reported on March 22, 2025, that a 39-year-old driver was killed in a hit-and-run crash on the Major Deegan Expressway near West Fordham Road in the Bronx. According to police, a black Mercedes-Benz rear-ended the victim’s Ford Crown Victoria around 3:45 a.m., causing both vehicles to lose control and crash. The Mercedes driver fled the scene on foot. The article states, 'EMS rushed the victim to St. Barnabas Hospital, where he died.' The southbound lanes were closed for several hours during the investigation. No arrests have been made. The incident highlights the dangers of high-speed impacts and the ongoing problem of drivers fleeing crash scenes.

• Bronx Highway Hit-And-Run Kills Driver, NY Daily News, Published 2025-03-22