Blood on the Asphalt, Silence in City Hall

Sep 8 - On Forest Ave at Metropolitan, a pickup driver hit the back of a westbound bus. Eight passengers were hurt; teens and a 71-year-old woman among them. Police recorded Following Too Closely.

According to the police report, a westbound pickup driver rear-ended a westbound bus on Forest Avenue near Metropolitan Avenue in Staten Island. The crash injured eight bus passengers and a 64-year-old driver. Injured passengers include several teenagers and a 71-year-old woman with a head injury; others reported neck and back injuries, including whiplash. Police recorded Following Too Closely by the pickup driver. The bus had damage to the center back end; the pickup had front-end damage, consistent with a rear impact. No pedestrians or cyclists were listed.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4841268 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Sep 5 - On Broadway at Delafield in Staten Island, a sedan driver hit a taxi's side. A front passenger suffered a head injury. A 27-year-old driver hurt his chest. Police recorded "Driver Inattention/Distraction."

On Broadway at Delafield Ave in Staten Island at about 3:28 p.m., the driver of a sedan hit a taxi's left-side doors. A front-seat passenger, 27, sustained a head injury and complained of whiplash. A 27-year-old driver suffered a chest injury and was reported semiconscious. According to the police report, contributing factors included "Driver Inattention/Distraction." The sedan showed center-front damage, and the taxi had damage to the left-side doors. Vehicles were identified as a 2018 Kia sedan and a 2011 Toyota taxi. No other injuries were specified.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4841247 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Sep 3 - Two drivers collided during a left turn at Cebra and Catlin on Staten Island. A 26-year-old driver suffered a shoulder injury and whiplash. Police cited "Brakes Defective" and "Driver Inexperience." Routine corner. Sudden harm.

Two drivers collided during a left turn at Cebra Avenue and Catlin Avenue on Staten Island. The 26-year-old male driver of a 2015 Chrysler, traveling east and turning left, was injured with a shoulder and upper-arm injury and whiplash. The 21-year-old female driver of a 2012 Honda, traveling south and going straight, had no reported injuries. According to the police report, contributing factors included "Brakes Defective" and "Driver Inexperience." Police recorded driver inexperience for both drivers and listed a brake defect in the crash record.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4841246 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Aug 21 - Two Toyotas met at Broadway and East Raleigh. A left turn crossed a northbound line. Metal hit doors. Neck pain followed. Three people hurt. Staten Island felt the jolt.

Two sedans collided at Broadway and East Raleigh Avenue on Staten Island. A southbound Toyota making a left turn was struck by a northbound Toyota going straight. Three occupants were injured: a 67-year-old woman driver and her 63-year-old passenger reported neck pain, and an 80-year-old male driver reported whole-body pain. According to the police report, the turning vehicle was “Making Left Turn” and the through vehicle was “Going Straight Ahead.” The right-side damage to the turning car and front-end damage to the through car point to a turn across oncoming traffic. The data lists contributing factors as “Unspecified,” but the pattern indicates classic left-turn conflict. No pedestrian or cyclist injuries were reported.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4839070 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Aug 19 - Two high-profile office dining spots — Lodi at Rockefeller Center and Three Eighty Ate at Citigroup’s Tribeca headquarters — will close this fall. Workers lose desk-side restaurants. Buildings lose a perk. Streets lose foot traffic tied to those lunchtime crowds.

Bill/Bureau: Not a bill — a business closure report. Date: 2025-08-19. Source: Crain’s New York Business. Matter title quoted: "Two restaurants-as-amenities in Midtown and Tribeca to shutter this fall." No council bill number or committee applies. Assembly Member Charles Fall is mentioned noting Midtown restaurant amenity closures affecting tenants. The report records layoff filings and shuttering this fall. Safety impact: none recorded; no safety analyst note provided. The coverage centers on tenant amenities, employee layoffs, and commercial turnover rather than traffic-safety measures.

• Two restaurants-as-amenities in Midtown and Tribeca to shutter this fall, Crain's New York Business, Published 2025-08-19

Aug 18 - A sedan turned left from Forest Ave at Bement Ave and hit a northbound motorcycle. The 33-year-old rider suffered a leg fracture and was injured. Police recorded Failure to Yield Right-of-Way and Passing or Lane Usage Improper by the drivers.

A Ford sedan turned left from Forest Ave onto Bement Ave and struck a northbound Yamaha motorcycle. The motorcyclist, a 33-year-old man, suffered a leg injury described as a fracture and was treated as injured. According to the police report, contributing factors were "Failure to Yield Right-of-Way" and "Passing or Lane Usage Improper." Police recorded failure to yield by the driver of the sedan. The report also codes failure to yield for the motorcyclist. The sedan's center-front struck the motorcycle's center front, with front-end damage to both vehicles. No ejection is listed.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4836636 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Aug 18 - A westbound sedan slammed its front end near 519 Forest Ave. The driver was distracted, police say. A 26-year-old woman driver was hurt in the crash. Metal buckled. Sirens followed. Another occupant was listed with unspecified injury.

A westbound Toyota sedan going straight struck something with its right front bumper near 519 Forest Ave in Staten Island, injuring the 26-year-old woman driving and leaving another occupant with an unspecified injury. According to the police report, the contributing factor was “Driver Inattention/Distraction.” The report lists driver inattention and distraction for both the vehicle and the involved persons. The damage was centered on the front end, indicating a forceful impact. These findings point to driver error as the central cause. No other contributing factors were cited in the data.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4836044 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Aug 9 - Coney Island casino plan means thousands more cars. Roads will clog. Parking will vanish. Environmental review shows danger for anyone not behind the wheel.

On August 9, 2025, an environmental impact assessment flagged the proposed Coney Island casino as a threat to street safety. The report, filed with the casino’s license bid, warns: 'The proposed Coney Island casino would likely clog local roads with heavy traffic and overwhelm public parking.' Reporter Kirstyn Brendlen covered the findings. No council members sponsored or voted, but the review shows the casino could bring thousands of cars daily. The safety analyst notes: increased car traffic and parking demand will heighten risks for pedestrians and cyclists, discourage active transportation, and undermine street safety and equity. The system tips toward drivers. The vulnerable pay the price.

• Proposed Coney Island casino could bring heavy traffic, overwhelm parking, according to environmental impact study, Brooklyn Paper, Published 2025-08-09

Aug 8 - DOT drops speed limit, narrows lanes, and adds barriers at Canal Street after deadly crash. Pedestrians and cyclists get overdue protection. Full redesign still lags.

On August 8, 2025, the NYC DOT announced new safety measures at the Manhattan Bridge's Canal Street terminus. The agency will lower the speed limit from 35 to 20 mph, narrow two travel lanes, and install concrete barriers after a driver killed a cyclist and pedestrian. David Meyer reported the announcement. No council member sponsored or voted. DOT says it will fast-track community engagement for a full redesign. Lowering speed limits reduces crash severity and likelihood, especially for pedestrians and cyclists near busy bridge exits, and follows best safety practices.

• Friday’s Headlines: Fixing Canal Street Edition, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-08-08

Aug 7 - Kea Wilson spotlights Canada’s safer roads. U.S. deaths climb. Canada cuts bloodshed. Enforcement works there. Politics block change here. Vulnerable users pay the price.

On August 7, 2025, Kea Wilson published a policy analysis in Streetsblog NYC. The piece, 'Northern Disclosure: Canada’s Road Laws Could Help Save U.S. Lives,' reviews a study showing Canada’s enforcement—like speed cameras and seat belt laws—cuts road deaths. Wilson urges the U.S. to learn from Canada but notes political barriers. No council bill or vote is attached. The statement is too vague to assess specific safety impacts, as it does not identify which Canadian roadway laws would be implemented or how they would affect pedestrians and cyclists. Vulnerable road users remain exposed while proven fixes stall.

• Northern Disclosure: Canada’s Road Laws Could Help Save U.S. Lives, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-08-07

Jul 23 - Police flood cyclists with criminal summonses. Nearly 6,000 tickets in months. Riders face courts for minor moves. Cars escape harsher scrutiny. Streets stay dangerous. Frustration mounts.

ABC7 reported on July 23, 2025, that NYPD issued nearly 6,000 tickets to cyclists in recent months, up from 561 earlier in the year. These are not simple fines but criminal summonses, forcing court appearances for violations like riding the wrong way or in bus lanes. NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said, "New Yorkers are telling us that even as crime falls, that they still don't feel safe." Critics, including Transportation Alternatives, argue that cyclists face harsher penalties than drivers, with Charlie Baker noting, "A 50-pound bike gets a criminal court date, a 6,000-pound car gets a ticket." The crackdown highlights enforcement gaps and calls for more protected bike lanes and better regulation of delivery vehicles.

• NYPD Targets Cyclists With Ticket Surge, ABC7, Published 2025-07-23

Jul 22 - E-bike slammed center front on Broadway. Two riders, both hurt in the head. Blood on the street. Distraction and confusion marked the crash. Staten Island night, sharp and unforgiving.

Two people riding an e-bike were injured in a crash at 221 Broadway, Staten Island. Both suffered head injuries—one with severe lacerations, the other with abrasions. According to the police report, 'Pedestrian/Bicyclist/Other Pedestrian Error/Confusion' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' contributed to the collision. The e-bike struck with its center front end. No safety equipment was reported. The crash left both the driver and passenger conscious but wounded.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4829670 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Jul 17 - Mayor Adams stalled Third Avenue’s redesign. He once called it urgent. Now, cyclists and walkers face the same deadly street. Cars dominate. Promises break. Blood stains linger.

On July 17, 2025, Mayor Eric Adams delayed Brooklyn’s Third Avenue safety redesign. The project, once 'at the top of our list,' now sits idle. Streetsblog NYC reported the mayor’s reversal. No council vote or committee action is recorded. Adams’s move keeps pedestrians and cyclists exposed to known hazards. A safety analyst notes: Delaying redesign postpones critical improvements, keeps dangers in place, and discourages walking and biking. The city’s inaction leaves Third Avenue deadly for all outside a car.

• Fixing Third Ave. Was Once ‘Top of List’ For Eric Adams — But as Mayor He Backed Off, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-07-17

Jul 17 - A DOT worker fixing a sign near a bike lane was slashed by an e-bike rider with a box cutter. Blood on Broadway. The rider fled. The worker survived. No arrests. The city keeps moving.

According to amny (2025-07-17), a DOT worker was attacked by an e-bike rider at Broadway and Cedar Street while repairing a street sign. Police said the worker backed up his truck, nearly causing a crash with the cyclist. The rider then "whipped out a box cutter and slashed the worker in his left arm and back." The assailant fled. DOT condemned the attack, calling it "abhorrent." No arrests have been made. The incident highlights tensions at work sites near bike lanes and underscores the need for safe conditions for street workers.

• DOT Worker Slashed By E-Biker Downtown, amny, Published 2025-07-17

Jul 16 - Ex-Commissioner Tom Donlon says Adams insiders fueled deadly NYPD chases. Cyclists, kids, and bystanders paid. Streets turned chaotic. Policy ignored. Trust shattered. Vulnerable road users left exposed.

""The NYPD is led by the best, brightest and most honorable professionals in the nation — and their results speak for themselves: crime continues to fall across the city, with shootings at the lowest level in recorded history. We will respond in court, where we are confident these absurd claims will be disproven."" -- Charles Fall

On July 16, 2025, former NYPD Commissioner Tom Donlon filed a civil racketeering suit, alleging 'deadly and unconstitutional high-speed vehicle chases' under Mayor Adams. The complaint, reported by Streetsblog NYC, claims the NYPD's Community Response Team operated as a rogue unit, answerable only to City Hall, with Deputy Mayor Kaz Daughtry allowing reckless pursuits. Donlon cites deaths and injuries, including cyclist Amanda Servedio. The suit alleges 398 crashes and 315 injuries in 2024—a 47% jump. Donlon's allegations highlight how high-speed chases increase risk to pedestrians and cyclists, introducing unpredictable, dangerous driving and eroding public trust in safe, equitable enforcement. No council bill or committee action is tied to this event.

• Former NYPD Boss Says Deadly High Speed Chases Were Result Of ‘Rogue’ Adams Insiders, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-07-16

Jul 14 - Council bill lets ambulettes drive and double-park in bus lanes. More vehicles in bus lanes mean more risk for people walking, biking, and waiting at curbs. Danger grows where curb chaos reigns.

Bill Int 1339-2025 sits with the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure since July 14, 2025. The bill, titled 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code...exempting ambulettes from certain bus lane restrictions and allowing them to double park to assist passengers,' would let ambulettes drive, stop, and double-park in bus lanes to help passengers. Council Member Julie Menin sponsors, joined by Linda Lee, Frank Morano, Eric Dinowitz, Lynn C. Schulman, Kamillah Hanks, Carlina Rivera, and Chris Banks. Allowing more vehicles to double-park and block bus lanes increases risk for pedestrians and cyclists at the curb. The city’s most vulnerable will face more conflict and less safe space.

• File Int 1339-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-07-14

Jul 11 - Years pass. Bus speeds crawl. City dodges real bus rapid transit. Riders wait. Streets choke. Vulnerable users stuck with slow, crowded, unsafe options. Nothing changes. Safety stands still.

On July 11, 2025, Dave Colon spotlighted two reports slamming New York City’s failure to deliver real bus rapid transit. The reports state, 'Years of bus priority projects have barely improved speeds because New York City leaders have not implemented real bus rapid transit (BRT).' Colon, reporting for Streetsblog NYC, supports comprehensive BRT and opposes the city’s piecemeal fixes. Mayor Adams and city agencies have not acted on key recommendations. The safety analyst notes: the lack of real BRT means missed chances for mode shift and street equity, but does not directly worsen conditions for pedestrians and cyclists; the status quo remains unchanged.

• Why No BRT For NYC? Two New Reports Tackle Why Your Bus Service Sucks, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-07-11

Jul 6 - A car turned across Bay Street. The motorcycle struck the door. Jeremy Claudio died. The driver stayed. No arrests. The street stayed open. The city counted another loss.

According to amny (2025-07-06), Jeremy Claudio, 34, died after his motorcycle hit the driver-side door of a Toyota Rav 4 making a K-turn on Bay Street, Staten Island. Police said the driver was "making a K-turn from the northbound lane... into its southbound lane when the collision occurred." The driver remained at the scene and was uninjured. No arrests were made. The NYPD Collision Investigation Squad is investigating. The crash highlights risks when drivers turn across traffic, especially on busy city streets.

• Motorcyclist Dies In Staten Island K-Turn Crash, amny, Published 2025-07-06

Jul 3 - Two SUVs slammed together on Castleton Avenue. Four women injured. Police cite traffic control disregarded. Metal twisted. Airbags burst. Streets failed the people inside.

Two sport utility vehicles crashed at Castleton Avenue and North Burgher Avenue in Staten Island. Four women, including both drivers and two passengers, were injured. According to the police report, the crash was caused by 'Traffic Control Disregarded.' One driver suffered a fracture and dislocation. Air bags deployed in both vehicles. The report lists no other contributing factors. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved. The system failed to protect the people inside.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4826027 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Jul 3 - A distracted SUV driver crashed near Bard Ave. He suffered a fractured arm. Police cite driver inattention as the cause. Streets remain unforgiving to the unfocused.

A crash occurred near 355 Bard Ave in Staten Island involving a GMC SUV. The driver, a 45-year-old man, was injured with a fractured upper arm. According to the police report, 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' was the contributing factor. The SUV was parked before the incident and sustained damage to the center front end. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved. The report lists no other contributing factors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4826120 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18