Central Park Bleeds While City Hall Sleeps

A 38-year-old man crossing Central Park West was struck by a northbound cyclist. The pedestrian suffered a neck contusion and bruising. The crash involved driver inattention and obstruction. The cyclist showed no vehicle damage after impact.

According to the police report, a cyclist traveling north on Central Park West struck a 38-year-old male pedestrian who was crossing with the signal. The pedestrian sustained a neck injury classified as a contusion and bruise and remained conscious. The report lists driver inattention and distraction as contributing factors, along with obstruction or debris at the scene. The cyclist was going straight ahead and impacted the pedestrian at the center front end of the bike. No damage was reported to the bicycle. The pedestrian was not at fault and was following the crossing signal when the collision occurred.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4512586 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-09

A 25-year-old male cyclist hit debris on Central Park West late at night. He was thrown forward, suffering abrasions and injuries to his elbow and lower arm. The bike’s front right quarter panel was damaged. The rider wore a helmet and remained conscious.

According to the police report, a 25-year-old male bicyclist traveling north on Central Park West collided with obstruction or debris on the roadway. The impact occurred at the bike’s center front end, damaging the right front quarter panel. The cyclist was not ejected but sustained abrasions and injuries to his elbow, lower arm, and hand. The report lists 'Obstruction/Debris' as the contributing factor twice, indicating the presence of hazardous material on the road caused the crash. The rider was wearing a helmet and remained conscious after the collision. No other vehicles or pedestrians were involved. The driver error identified is failure to avoid the obstruction, leading to the injury.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4511183 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-09

City wants to loosen idling rules. Community Board 4 says no. Advocates warn of dirtier air, sicker kids. DEP claims clarity, but enforcement already weak. Spectrum wants a break. No one supports it. Drivers idle near playgrounds, hospitals. Danger grows.

On March 4, 2022, the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) held a public hearing on a proposed rule change to New York City's vehicle idling law. The change would broaden the definition of 'processing device,' letting more vehicles idle legally. Manhattan Community Board 4 voted unanimously to reject the change, warning, 'These exemptions... would create an argument that just about any activity that requires power in a vehicle is an idling defense.' State Sen. Brad Hoylman testified, 'Drivers most often idle in front of highly trafficked pedestrian areas... those that live near large roadways face serious health repercussions.' Advocates, residents, and Dr. Patrick Schnell all opposed the proposal, citing health and environmental harm. Spectrum requested a variance, but all testimony opposed it. The DEP claims the change clarifies the law, but enforcement is already weak and large companies are frequent violators. No safety analyst assessment was provided.

• AIRBORNE ASSAULT: City Considers Weakening Idling Law that Will Lead to More Pollution, Advocates Say, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2022-03-04

Senate passed S 5130. The bill pushes complete street design. It aims for safe access for all. Pedestrians and cyclists get a shot at safer roads. The vote was split, but the bill moved forward.

Senate bill S 5130, titled 'Enables safe access to public roads for all users by utilizing complete street design principles,' passed committee votes on March 2 and May 16, 2022. Senator Kennedy sponsored the bill. Support came from members like Jeremy Cooney, Anna Kaplan, and John Liu. Dissent came from Patrick Gallivan and Susan Serino. The bill pushes cities to design roads for everyone—pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers. It marks a shift from car-first planning. The measure aims to cut risk for people outside cars. Full vote details and text are at the New York Senate website.

• File S 5130, Open States, Published 2022-03-02

Senate passed S 5130. The bill pushes complete street design. It aims for safe access for all. Pedestrians and cyclists get a shot at safer roads. The vote was split, but the bill moved forward.

Senate bill S 5130, titled 'Enables safe access to public roads for all users by utilizing complete street design principles,' passed committee votes on March 2 and May 16, 2022. Senator Kennedy sponsored the bill. Support came from members like Jeremy Cooney, Anna Kaplan, and John Liu. Dissent came from Patrick Gallivan and Susan Serino. The bill pushes cities to design roads for everyone—pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers. It marks a shift from car-first planning. The measure aims to cut risk for people outside cars. Full vote details and text are at the New York Senate website.

• File S 5130, Open States, Published 2022-03-02

Senate passed S 3897. More state cash flows to cities that build complete streets. Lawmakers push for safer roads. Pedestrians and cyclists get a shot at survival.

Bill S 3897 cleared the Senate committee on March 2, 2022, with a final vote on May 25, 2022. The bill, titled 'Relates to complete street design features and funding of construction and improvements at a municipalities' expense,' boosts state funding for transportation projects when cities add complete street features. Senator Kennedy sponsored the bill. Senators including Cooney, Gallivan, Kaminsky, Kaplan, Liu, and others voted yes. The measure aims to tie state money to safer street design, pushing municipalities to build roads that protect people outside cars.

• File S 3897, Open States, Published 2022-03-02

Senate passed S 5130. The bill pushes complete street design. It aims for safe access for all. Pedestrians and cyclists get a shot at safer roads. The vote was split, but the bill moved forward.

Senate bill S 5130, titled 'Enables safe access to public roads for all users by utilizing complete street design principles,' passed committee votes on March 2 and May 16, 2022. Senator Kennedy sponsored the bill. Support came from members like Jeremy Cooney, Anna Kaplan, and John Liu. Dissent came from Patrick Gallivan and Susan Serino. The bill pushes cities to design roads for everyone—pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers. It marks a shift from car-first planning. The measure aims to cut risk for people outside cars. Full vote details and text are at the New York Senate website.

• File S 5130, Open States, Published 2022-03-02

Council members move to ban delivery apps from touting fast times. They say speed promises push riders to risk lives. Brewer slams dark stores for skirting zoning. Gorillas drops its 10-minute pledge, adds store pickup. Riders and pedestrians remain in danger.

On February 25, 2022, Council Member Gale A. Brewer (District 6) joined calls to rein in grocery delivery apps. The bill, still in early stages, aims to ban advertising of rapid delivery times. The matter summary reads: 'ban apps from advertising quick delivery times, arguing they encourage delivery workers to break traffic laws and endanger themselves and pedestrians.' Brewer also pressed for enforcement against 'dark stores' operating in retail zones. She criticized Gorillas' changes as cosmetic, saying, 'They're doing this just to conform [to zoning rules] but it's not really their model.' Councilman Christopher Marte is leading the bill. No safety analyst has formally assessed the impact, but the council’s focus is clear: speed kills, and zoning violations breed chaos.

• Grocery app Gorillas drops 10-minute delivery pledge, adds store pick-up option, nypost.com, Published 2022-02-25

Kwok Kwan, an e-cyclist, died after a taxi passenger doored him on 11th Avenue. No summons issued. The strip is notorious for crashes. Council Member Bottcher and Senator Hoylman rallied for protected bike lanes. The city’s deadly streets claim more lives.

On February 16, 2022, e-bike rider Kwok Kwan died after being doored by a taxi passenger on Manhattan’s 11th Avenue near 37th Street. No summons was issued to the driver or passenger for the illegal act. The area, plagued by 913 crashes in three years, has injured dozens of cyclists and pedestrians. Council Member Erik Bottcher and State Senator Brad Hoylman responded by rallying with advocacy groups, demanding protected bike lanes on 10th and 11th avenues. Hoylman tweeted, 'The City must make the streets of the West Side safer!' The Hudson River Greenway, a nearby bike path, bans legal e-bikes, forcing riders like Kwan onto dangerous streets. This was the city’s first cyclist death of 2022, amid a rising toll of road fatalities.

• E-Cyclist Dies After Being Doored On Deadly West Side Strip, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2022-02-16

Speed cameras do not target Black or Brown neighborhoods. Data shows crashes drop where cameras go. But unsafe roads remain. Leaders demand more cameras and street redesigns. Council Member Adrienne Adams backs calls for action. Cameras alone cannot stop traffic violence.

""I want all the red light cameras I can get."" -- Gale A. Brewer

On February 14, 2022, Council Member Adrienne Adams (District 28) was mentioned in a Streetsblog analysis titled, "New York’s Speed Cameras Aren’t Racist — But the City’s Road Design Is." The report, not tied to a specific bill, reviewed automated enforcement and street design. It found speed cameras are evenly distributed and reduce crashes, but dangerous road design still puts lives at risk. Adams and other leaders called for more cameras and urgent street redesigns, echoing the article’s summary: 'Cameras have led to fewer crashes, injuries, and fatalities, but high numbers of tickets in some neighborhoods are attributed to unsafe road design, not camera placement.' Community voices stressed that automated enforcement helps, but cannot replace permanent fixes to deadly streets. The Department of Transportation’s lack of transparency on camera locations remains a concern. Adams and others demand systemic change to protect vulnerable New Yorkers.

• Analysis: New York’s Speed Cameras Aren’t Racist — But the City’s Road Design Is, streetsblog.org, Published 2022-02-14

Speed cameras do not target Black or Brown neighborhoods. City data proves it. But wide, dangerous roads run through these communities. Tickets pile up. So do injuries. Cameras catch speeders, but bad design breeds violence. Leaders demand street fixes, not just enforcement.

""I want all the red light cameras I can get."" -- Gale A. Brewer

This Streetsblog NYC analysis, published February 14, 2022, reviews New York’s speed and red light camera programs. The report finds, “New York City's speed cameras are evenly distributed and not disproportionately concentrated in low-income communities of color.” Queens Borough President Donovan Richards says, “Cameras don't discriminate.” Marco Conner DiAquoi of Transportation Alternatives adds, “We don’t see any correlation between the demographics of a zip code and the number of speeding violations there.” Council Member Gale Brewer calls for more red light cameras. Wilfredo Florentino, Brooklyn Community Board 5, says, “Just placing cameras ain't gonna cut it.” The analysis shows that dangerous, wide arterials in communities of color drive up traffic violence. Advocates and officials agree: automated enforcement helps, but only street redesigns will end the bloodshed. The Department of Transportation still withholds exact camera locations.

• Analysis: New York’s Speed Cameras Aren’t Racist — But the City’s Road Design Is, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2022-02-14

Manhattan lawmakers call for seats at Moynihan Train Hall. Passengers sit on floors. Seniors left standing. Officials say exclusionary design punishes transit users. They demand benches for all, not just ticketed riders. Amtrak stays silent. The hall remains bare.

On February 4, 2022, a group of Manhattan elected officials, including State Senator Brad Hoylman, sent a letter demanding public seating at Moynihan Train Hall. The matter, titled 'Legislators Demand Public Seating at the Moynihan Train Hall,' highlights the lack of benches in the busy transit hub. The letter states, 'To ensure everyone can enjoy this public good, we request the installation of additional seating.' Lawmakers Hoylman, Nadler, Jackson, Gottfried, Levine, and Bottcher signed the letter. They note that the small waiting area for ticketed passengers is not enough, forcing travelers—especially seniors—to sit on the floor or wander in search of a seat. The officials reject exclusionary design that targets unhoused people, urging services and outreach instead. Amtrak has not responded. The push for seating centers the needs of all passengers, especially the vulnerable.

• STANDING ORDER: Legislators Demand Public Seating at the Moynihan Train Hall, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2022-02-04

State lawmakers push to end mandatory parking in new buildings. The bill targets car dominance, aims to cut congestion, and free space for homes. Sen. Hoylman leads the charge. The move could shift city streets, making room for people, not just cars.

Senate Bill, introduced by Sen. Brad Hoylman (D-Manhattan), would ban cities from forcing developers to build off-street parking in new projects. The bill, considered as of January 31, 2022, is under review by the state legislature. The measure, described as aiming to 'encourage public transit use, reduce car ownership, and address climate change,' would give New York City 180 days to update zoning if passed. Sen. Hoylman, the sponsor, calls parking minimums 'backwards' and a barrier to affordable housing. Sen. Alessandra Biaggi (D-Bronx) has shown support for similar efforts. The Department of City Planning and the governor's office will review the legislation if it advances. The bill does not ban parking outright, but removes the mandate, letting developers decide. Advocates say this could lower costs and open space for housing or community needs.

• State Bill Would Eliminate Parking Minimums in the City, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2022-01-31

A 25-year-old male e-bike rider was ejected and injured in a crash on Transverse Road Number Three in Manhattan. The rider suffered a fractured shoulder and upper arm. The collision involved a sedan and improper lane usage by the e-bike driver.

According to the police report, a collision occurred on Transverse Road Number Three in Manhattan involving a sedan and an e-bike. The 25-year-old male e-bike rider was ejected and sustained a fractured shoulder and upper arm. The report lists "Passing or Lane Usage Improper" as a contributing factor. The e-bike driver was unlicensed and traveling westbound, as was the sedan driver. The point of impact was the left front bumper of the e-bike and the right rear quarter panel of the sedan. The e-bike rider was conscious but seriously injured. No helmet use was reported. The crash highlights dangers from improper lane use and unlicensed operation.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4497100 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-09