Bedford Avenue’s promised protected bike lane sits stalled. Local riders and businesses back it. The city delays. Crashes climb. Pedestrians and cyclists bleed. One dies. The street stays dangerous. The mayor’s inaction leaves Bed-Stuy exposed. The toll mounts. The need is urgent.

This report details the delayed installation of a protected bike lane on Bedford Avenue, a project planned by the Department of Transportation for late 2023 but stalled with no updates as of March 2024. The proposal, supported by 41 local businesses, aims to protect cyclists and pedestrians between Dean Street and Flushing Avenue. As the article states, 'the majority of cyclists using Bedford Avenue... are traveling to homes and businesses in Bedford-Stuyvesant or Clinton Hill,' countering claims that safety projects don’t benefit locals. McKendree Key, founder of Artshack, and Replica analyst Arthur Getman both highlight the urgent need for safer infrastructure. Crash data shows injuries and fatalities rising during the delay: 97 crashes in the first half of 2024, injuring six cyclists, twelve pedestrians, and killing one pedestrian. The Adams administration faces criticism for its pattern of transportation project delays, leaving vulnerable road users at risk.

• Bedford Ave. Protected Bike Lane Would Benefit Residents, Businesses: Data, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-07-16

A moped rider lay dead at East 79th and 2nd. An SUV, eastbound, struck him. Both drivers unlicensed. The helmet shattered. Head wounds fatal. The moped, crushed in the dark, marked another night of violence on Manhattan streets.

At the corner of East 79th Street and 2nd Avenue in Manhattan, a fatal collision claimed the life of a moped rider. According to the police report, a southbound moped was struck by an eastbound SUV. Both the moped rider and the SUV driver were unlicensed at the time of the crash. The report states the moped rider was ejected, his helmet crushed, and he suffered fatal head wounds. The contributing factor listed is 'Traffic Control Disregarded.' The SUV's front end struck the moped, which was left demolished at the scene. The police report makes clear that both drivers operated vehicles without licenses, and the disregard for traffic control directly contributed to the deadly outcome. The focus remains on the systemic danger posed by unlicensed drivers and ignored traffic controls.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4740845, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-18

A Hyundai sedan hit a 55-year-old man walking outside the crosswalk on Givan Avenue. The impact drove him to the pavement. His head struck the street. He died beneath the car, alone in the dark, as the engine cooled above him.

According to the police report, a 55-year-old man was walking on Givan Avenue at 22:45 when he was struck by a westbound Hyundai sedan. The narrative states he was not at a crosswalk and was walking in the dark. The sedan hit him low, causing his head to hit the street. The report notes the pedestrian died at the scene, beneath the vehicle. Police data lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified' for both the driver and the pedestrian. The driver was traveling straight ahead at the time of the crash. The point of impact and vehicle damage were both to the undercarriage, consistent with a pedestrian strike. No driver errors are specifically cited in the report, and no mention is made of pedestrian behavior as a contributing factor beyond location in the roadway.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4740209, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-18

A three-year-old girl died. Her mother and two brothers were hurt. An SUV driver turned left and struck them in Harlem. They had the walk sign. The driver was not arrested. The intersection is wide, fast, and deadly. Seventeen pedestrians have died this year.

On July 11, 2024, an SUV driver killed a three-year-old girl and injured her mother and two brothers in Harlem. The family crossed with the walk sign when the driver made a left turn and hit them. The driver was not arrested. The intersection, with two wide four-lane roads and little pedestrian infrastructure, has seen 14 crashes in the past year. Advocates, including Elizabeth Adams of Transportation Alternatives, condemned city officials for blaming pedestrians and resisting jaywalking reform. Adams said, "Harlem deserves better from its leaders, and Harlem residents deserve truly safe streets." This tragedy highlights a citywide crisis: pedestrian deaths are up 55% this year. The corner’s design encourages dangerous driving and fails to protect people on foot.

• SUV Driver Kills Girl, 3, in Harlem, Wounds Mom And Young Brothers, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-07-12

A three-year-old girl crossing with the signal on Lenox Avenue was struck in the head by a turning SUV. She died at the scene. The SUV’s front end bore the impact, marking the fatal collision.

At Lenox Avenue and West 135th Street in Manhattan, a three-year-old girl was fatally struck by an eastbound SUV making a left turn. According to the police report, the child was 'crossing with the signal' when the 2020 Nissan SUV hit her in the head at the 'center front end' of the vehicle, which sustained damage there. The driver was licensed and operating the vehicle legally. The report lists contributing factors as 'Unspecified' but highlights the driver’s action of making a left turn into a crosswalk occupied by a pedestrian. The narrative states, 'She died there on the street. The front end bore the mark of her final moment.' No victim error is cited, focusing attention on the lethal consequences of the driver’s maneuver.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4739974, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-18

DOT hardened the Vernon Boulevard bike lane by Rainey Park. Concrete barriers and flexi-posts now shield cyclists from cars. Riders once dodged traffic and blocked lanes. The new defenses cut risk. The city plans more bike upgrades in Astoria soon.

On July 9, 2024, the NYC Department of Transportation (DOT) completed upgrades to the Vernon Boulevard protected bike lane near Rainey Park in Astoria. The project added concrete barriers and flexi-posts between 33rd Road and 35th Avenue, closing gaps that left cyclists exposed to traffic. DOT’s summary states, 'The Vernon Boulevard protected bike lane is safer than ever outside Rainey Park thanks to new barriers and flexi-posts.' Cyclists had long complained about cars blocking the lane and weak separation. The city has installed similar barriers elsewhere on Vernon Boulevard and plans a new bike boulevard on 31st Avenue later this summer. No council members are named in this action. The upgrades follow incidents of vehicle blockages and a recent NYPD chase that left a cyclist critically injured.

• DOT Upgrades Vernon Blvd. Protected Bike Lane by Astoria’s Rainey Park, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-07-09

A 17-year-old rider on a westbound Honda motorcycle struck something hard on Belt Parkway. His helmet could not save him. The crash ended his life in the night, leaving only silence and broken metal behind.

According to the police report, a 17-year-old operating a 2007 Honda motorcycle westbound on Belt Parkway was killed after striking an unidentified hard object. The report notes the rider was wearing a helmet, but suffered fatal head injuries. The crash occurred at 21:55 and involved no other vehicles or persons. The police narrative states: 'A 17-year-old on a 2007 Honda hit something hard. His helmet held, but his head didn’t. The night took him. One rider. One crash. No second chance.' Contributing factors are listed as 'Unspecified' in the report, and the only vehicle involved was the motorcycle. The rider held a permit. The report does not cite any victim behavior as a contributing factor. The focus remains on the fatal impact and the systemic dangers faced by young riders on city highways.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4738842, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-18

Three SUVs slam together in Bronx darkness. Steel crushes a 34-year-old man behind the wheel. His belt holds him, but the force is absolute. The night stays silent. One life ends, pinned by metal and momentum.

According to the police report, three SUVs collided near Major Deegan Expressway and West 230th Street in the Bronx at 2:01 a.m. A 34-year-old male driver, strapped in with a lap belt and harness, died from crush injuries to the head. The report states, 'Three SUVs collide in the dark. A man, 34, strapped in the driver's seat, dies from crush wounds to the head. The belt held him. The steel closed in.' The police report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified' for all involved drivers, providing no further detail on the precise errors that led to the crash. No evidence in the report points to victim behavior as a contributing factor. The collision underscores the lethal consequences when multiple large vehicles converge at speed, leaving a driver dead and the cause unresolved.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4738193, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-18

A 2008 Toyota SUV turned left on Weiher Court in the dark. Its bumper struck a 34-year-old man in the roadway. His body broke. He died there. The SUV showed no damage. The street fell silent.

A fatal crash unfolded on Weiher Court when, according to the police report, a 2008 Toyota SUV 'turned left in the dark.' The vehicle's right front bumper struck a 34-year-old man who was in the roadway. The report states, 'His body broke. He died there. The SUV did not. No marks. No dents. Just silence.' The pedestrian suffered fatal injuries to his entire body and was pronounced dead at the scene. The SUV, registered in Pennsylvania, was driven by a licensed woman and sustained no visible damage. Police list the pre-crash action as 'Making Left Turn.' The contributing factors are marked as 'Unspecified.' The report does not cite any victim behavior as a contributing factor. The impact and aftermath highlight the lethal consequences of vehicle movement in dark conditions and the vulnerability of people on foot.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4749755, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-18

A Ford pickup truck surged onto Jackson Street, crushing four people not in the roadway. Three women and a man, ages 30 to 59, died beneath the truck’s front end. The street ran red. Metal and bone. No warning. No escape.

According to the police report, a Ford pickup truck traveling north on Jackson Street near Water Street struck four pedestrians who were not in the roadway. The report states the victims—three women and one man, ages 30 to 59—were hit head-on and suffered fatal crush injuries to the chest and skull. All four died at the scene, pinned beneath the truck’s front end. The police narrative describes the collision as occurring off-street, with the pedestrians explicitly listed as 'not in roadway.' The report lists the contributing factor for the driver as 'Unspecified.' No pedestrian behavior was cited as contributing. The crash highlights the lethal danger when a large vehicle leaves the roadway and enters spaces where people walk or gather.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4738033, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-18

A sedan drifted west on Meridian Road near Pacific Avenue. The right front struck hard. A 52-year-old man in the passenger seat died at the scene. The car reeked of alcohol. The crash left silence and broken glass.

According to the police report, a sedan traveling west on Meridian Road near Pacific Avenue 'drifted west.' The right front of the vehicle struck, resulting in fatal head trauma to a 52-year-old man seated in the front passenger seat. The report notes the man was unbelted and died at the scene. 'The car smelled of alcohol,' the narrative states, and 'Alcohol Involvement' is listed as a contributing factor. The data highlights the systemic danger posed by impaired driving. No evidence in the police report cites any passenger behavior as a contributing factor prior to the crash. The focus remains on the sedan's movement and the presence of alcohol, underscoring the lethal consequences of driver impairment.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4738034, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-18

Governor Hochul’s pause on congestion pricing keeps Manhattan streets deadly. A new map shows daily crashes, injuries, and deaths in the toll zone. Vulnerable people—kids, seniors, disabled—face relentless danger. The city loses a proven fix. The carnage rolls on.

On July 2, 2024, Streetsblog NYC reported on the fallout from Governor Kathy Hochul’s decision to halt New York’s congestion pricing plan. The article, titled 'New Map Shows The Traffic Violence Toll Of Hochul’s Congestion Pricing Cowardice,' highlights a new interactive map by Transpo Maps. The map tracks crashes, injuries, and fatalities in lower Manhattan’s would-be tolling zone. Stephen Braitsch, a map creator, said, 'It's really unfair to have those folks be under constant siege by all this unnecessary vehicle traffic.' The federal government expected congestion pricing to cut vehicle numbers by 17 percent. London saw crashes drop 40 percent after similar measures. Hochul’s move, announced in June, blocks these safety gains. Vulnerable residents—many without cars—remain exposed to daily harm.

• New Map Shows The Traffic Violence Toll Of Hochul’s Congestion Pricing Cowardice, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-07-02

A 15-year-old boy, unlicensed and bareheaded, collided with a bus at 19th Avenue and 43rd Street. He flew from his motorscooter, struck the pavement, and died from head injuries. The street fell silent. No helmet. No chance.

A 15-year-old boy driving a motorscooter was killed in a violent crash with a bus at the corner of 19th Avenue and 43rd Street in Queens, according to the police report. The report states the teen was 'unlicensed and bareheaded' when he struck the bus and was ejected from his motorscooter, suffering fatal head injuries. The bus, registered in New Jersey, was traveling west and was struck on its right front bumper. The police report lists the boy as unlicensed and not wearing any safety equipment. Contributing factors are marked as 'Unspecified' in the report. The narrative emphasizes the severity of the impact and the absence of a helmet, but does not cite any victim behavior as a contributing factor before listing the lack of helmet use. The focus remains on the systemic dangers present when young, unlicensed individuals operate motor vehicles on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4737138, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-18

An unlicensed SUV driver slammed forward on Throgs Neck Expressway. Metal folded. The man, alone, belted, died behind the wheel. Head crushed. No other lives touched. The road swallowed another in the dark.

A 31-year-old man driving a 2018 SUV died in a violent solo crash on Throgs Neck Expressway near Lawton Avenue. According to the police report, the SUV 'slammed forward in the dark,' with the 'metal folded at the front.' The driver, who was alone in the vehicle and wearing a lap belt and harness, suffered fatal head crush injuries and was found dead behind the wheel. The report notes the driver was 'unlicensed,' a critical systemic failure. No other people were involved or injured in the crash. The police report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified,' but the absence of a valid license stands out as a key driver error. No mention is made of any victim behavior contributing to the crash. The impact and aftermath underscore the persistent dangers on city roads when unlicensed drivers operate vehicles.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4736689, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-18

A 31-year-old woman died beneath the city’s hush, struck by a northbound SUV on FDR Drive. The driver’s inattention cut her down, leaving her alone in the dark, far from any crosswalk, her life ended by steel and neglect.

A 31-year-old woman was killed when a 2003 Ford SUV, heading north on FDR Drive, struck her with its left front bumper. According to the police report, the collision occurred far from any crosswalk, with the victim crossing the roadway. The report explicitly cites 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor in the crash. The woman suffered fatal head injuries and died at the scene. The narrative notes she was alone, in the dark, and not at an intersection. The data does not list any victim behavior as a contributing factor. The deadly impact and the cited driver inattention underscore the persistent systemic dangers faced by pedestrians on New York City’s high-speed corridors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4736690, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-18

Seven states plan for more pedestrian deaths this year. They set higher fatality targets. No real penalty if they fail. Advocates call it a deadly loophole. Vulnerable people pay the price. Officials dodge blame. The crisis deepens.

On June 27, 2024, advocacy group Smart Growth America revealed that Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Hawaii, New Jersey, Oklahoma, and Tennessee have set formal federal goals to increase pedestrian fatalities in 2024. These states, already among the deadliest for walkers, set these targets under federal law, which mandates reporting but not ambition. The report states: 'Seven states have set formal federal goals to increase pedestrian fatalities in 2024.' Heidi Simon of Smart Growth America denounced the move, saying, 'I don't think there's any defensible reason to set targets that show an increase in fatalities.' Simon urges Congress to close the loophole and require states to set declining fatality targets. She highlights that regressive targets send a chilling message and fail to address racial disparities in pedestrian deaths. No council members are named; this is a policy critique and advocacy call.

• These States Are Actually Aiming for More Pedestrians to Die On Their Roads This Year, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-06-27

A Ford carry-all turned left at 47th Avenue and 46th Street. The truck struck a 16-year-old girl in the center of the crosswalk. She suffered fatal head wounds. The driver’s view was obstructed. The truck showed no damage. The license remained.

A deadly collision unfolded at the corner of 47th Avenue and 46th Street in Queens when, according to the police report, a Ford carry-all making a left turn struck a 16-year-old pedestrian in the center of the crosswalk. The report states the girl was crushed and suffered fatal head wounds. The driver’s actions are underscored by the police report’s citation of 'View Obstructed/Limited' as a contributing factor. The truck sustained no damage, and the driver kept his license, according to the police report. No contributing factors were attributed to the victim. The report details the systemic danger faced by pedestrians at intersections, especially when drivers proceed with limited visibility.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4735938, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-18

A dump truck turned right on Bond and Butler. Steel met flesh. An 83-year-old woman, crossing without a signal, was struck and killed. The truck showed no damage. The street absorbed another silent, brutal loss.

According to the police report, an 83-year-old woman was crossing at the corner of Bond Street and Butler Street in Brooklyn when a northbound dump truck, registered in New Jersey, made a right turn and struck her. The report states the pedestrian was 'crossing without a signal.' The truck, described as a 2018 KW-TRUCK/BUS, showed 'no damage' after the crash. The victim suffered fatal injuries to her entire body and was pronounced dead at the scene. Police list the contributing factors as 'Unspecified' for both the driver and the pedestrian. The report notes the truck's point of impact was the 'right front quarter panel.' The narrative describes the moment as one where 'her body bore the weight of steel, silence, and final breath.' No driver errors are explicitly cited in the data, and no victim behaviors are listed as contributing factors beyond the absence of a crossing signal.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4735930, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-18

A car moving east on West 58th Street struck a 29-year-old woman head-on before sunrise. Her body was crushed. She died alone in the street, unnamed, as the city slept. The impact left silence and loss in its wake.

According to the police report, a woman was walking in the roadway near West 58th Street and Ninth Avenue in Manhattan at 3:41 a.m. when an eastbound car struck her head-on. The report states her body was crushed and she died at the scene, 29 years old, alone in the dark. The vehicle's point of impact was the center front end, and the car was traveling straight ahead. The police report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified' for both the driver and the pedestrian. No information is provided about the vehicle type or the driver. The victim's actions are described as 'Other Actions in Roadway,' but the report does not cite any pedestrian behavior as a contributing factor. The deadly force of the car and the lack of identified driver error in the report highlight the systemic dangers faced by pedestrians on city streets, especially in the early hours.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4735641, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-18

A taxi struck a 61-year-old man crossing East 149th Street. The driver, distracted, kept his hands on the wheel. The man’s head hit the pavement. He lay still. He died there, another life ended by inattention behind the wheel.

A 61-year-old pedestrian was killed on East 149th Street when a taxi hit him with its right front quarter panel, according to the police report. The crash occurred at 1:46 a.m. The report states the man was crossing the street when the taxi, traveling east, struck him. The impact caused the pedestrian’s head to hit the pavement, leaving him unconscious and fatally injured. According to the police report, 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' was cited as the primary contributing factor. The driver remained at the wheel after the collision. No evidence in the report suggests any pedestrian error contributed to the crash. The data underscores the lethal consequences of driver distraction for people on foot.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4735638, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-18