Who Dies Next on Krueger’s Watch?

Governor Hochul yanked support for congestion pricing weeks before launch. Senator Liz Krueger called it reckless. The move leaves a $15 billion hole in MTA funding. No clear replacement plan. Riders and streets hang in the balance. Gridlock wins.

On June 6, 2024, Senator Liz Krueger (District 28) condemned Governor Hochul’s last-minute reversal on congestion pricing. The policy, approved by the MTA Board and set for June 30, now faces indefinite delay. Krueger called the decision 'a staggering error' that creates a financial crisis for the MTA. The matter at hand: 'Gov. Hochul revoked her support for congestion pricing less than a month before it was supposed to start.' Assembly Member Robert Carroll also criticized the governor, rejecting her proposal to hike the payroll mobility tax on city businesses. The MTA’s capital plan now faces a $15 billion shortfall, with no replacement funding in sight. The delay leaves vulnerable road users exposed, as congestion pricing aimed to cut traffic and fund safer transit. The council’s response is clear: the city needs congestion pricing, now.

• Two Huge Questions About 'Gridlock Gov.' Hochul's Congestion Pricing Delay, streetsblog.org, Published 2024-06-06

Governor Hochul scrapped congestion pricing. The MTA lost a billion a year. Lawmakers scrambled. Senator Liz Krueger rejected a payroll tax hike. The MTA faces a funding cliff. Subway upgrades, elevators, and clean buses now hang in the balance.

On June 6, 2024, Governor Hochul’s sudden reversal on Manhattan congestion pricing sparked chaos in Albany. The plan, set to start June 30, would have charged drivers $15 to enter below 60th Street, raising $1 billion yearly for transit. Hochul proposed a payroll tax hike instead, but State Senator Liz Krueger opposed it, saying, "I do not think we have an appetite for that in the Senate." The bill’s fate is uncertain as the legislative session ends. The MTA board, city officials, and business groups all voiced concern. Projects like the Second Avenue Subway, subway accessibility, and zero-emission buses now face cancellation. No alternative funding plan exists. Vulnerable riders—those who rely on transit—stand to lose the most.

• Gov. Hochul’s congestion toll flip-flop spurs mad scramble at NY Capitol, gothamist.com, Published 2024-06-06

Senate Bill S 9718 passed. It pushes for complete street design. The aim: safer roads for everyone. Pedestrians, cyclists, and passengers stand to gain. The vote split. Some senators said no. But the bill moved forward. Streets may change.

Senate Bill S 9718, titled "Enables safe access to public roads for all users by utilizing complete street design principles," advanced through the Senate with committee votes on May 28 and June 3, 2024. The bill, sponsored by Sean Ryan (District 61) and co-sponsored by Liz Krueger, Monica Martinez, Jack M. Martins, Anthony H. Palumbo, and Julia Salazar, passed both votes despite opposition. The measure calls for redesigning streets to protect all users, not just drivers. The vote was not unanimous—several senators voted no, but the majority carried it through. The bill’s focus is clear: safer streets for people on foot, on bikes, and in vehicles. No safety analyst note was provided, but the intent is to cut danger at the curb and crosswalk.

• File S 9718, Open States, Published 2024-06-03

An 80-year-old man crossing Park Avenue with the light was struck head-on by a northbound Citi Bike. Blood pooled on the pavement. The rider did not yield. The man lay semiconscious, bleeding from the head. The bike showed no damage.

According to the police report, an 80-year-old pedestrian was crossing Park Avenue at the intersection, moving with the signal, when he was struck head-on by a northbound Citi Bike e-bike at 10:50 a.m. The report states the pedestrian was left semiconscious and bleeding from the head, with severe injuries. The Citi Bike rider failed to yield the right-of-way and disregarded traffic control, as cited in both the narrative and the contributing factors. The report notes the bike bore no damage after the collision. The pedestrian’s action—crossing with the signal—is listed in the report, but only after the rider’s failure to yield and disregard for traffic controls. The crash underscores the danger posed when drivers or riders ignore basic right-of-way rules on New York City streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4729504, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A man crossed West 36th near Seventh. A Toyota SUV, its driver distracted, struck him head-on. He died on the pavement. The SUV showed no scars. The man bore them all. The city’s streets demand attention. Distraction delivers death.

A 34-year-old man was killed while crossing West 36th Street near Seventh Avenue in Manhattan, according to the police report. At 11:31 p.m., a 2023 Toyota SUV, described as 'going straight ahead,' struck the pedestrian with its center front end. The police report identifies 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the primary contributing factor in the crash. The narrative states, 'A man crossed the street. A 2023 Toyota SUV drove straight. Its front end struck him. He died there on the pavement. The driver was distracted.' The SUV sustained no visible damage, while the pedestrian suffered fatal injuries to his entire body. No contributing factors were attributed to the victim. The report underscores the lethal consequences of driver distraction on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4728673, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A taxi’s left front bumper crushed near Park Avenue. A 52-year-old woman in the rear seat bled from a head wound. The lap belt restrained her, but shattered glass caused injury. She remained conscious amid the blood-slicked seat.

According to the police report, a taxi traveling north on East 47th Street near Park Avenue sustained damage to its left front bumper. The collision caused the front left quarter panel to crumple. A 52-year-old female passenger seated in the left rear suffered head injuries, bleeding heavily inside the vehicle. The report states, 'The lap belt held her. The glass did not. She stayed conscious. The seat was slick with her blood.' No driver errors such as failure to yield or speeding are cited; contributing factors are listed as 'Unspecified.' The incident highlights the systemic danger of rear seat injuries even when occupants are restrained. The taxi driver was licensed and traveling straight ahead at the time of impact.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4729848, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A 78-year-old man crossing with the signal was struck by a southbound Chevy sedan turning left at 7th Avenue and Broadway. His head split open. Blood pooled on white paint. The driver remained in her seat. The car showed no scars.

At the intersection of 7th Avenue and Broadway in Manhattan, a 78-year-old man was struck by a southbound Chevy sedan making a left turn, according to the police report. The incident occurred at 8:30 a.m. The report states the pedestrian was 'crossing with the signal' when the collision happened. The man suffered a severe head injury, with 'severe bleeding' noted at the scene. The police report lists 'Turning Improperly' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as contributing factors. The sedan, registered in New York and driven by a licensed driver from New Jersey, showed no visible damage. The driver remained in her seat after the crash. The report makes clear that the pedestrian was lawfully crossing at the intersection when the driver failed to execute a proper turn and struck him.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4726604, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

Steel met flesh at Madison and East 29th. A bus rolled north. An e-scooter crossed west. Metal shrieked. A man, forty-five, lay trapped, pelvis shattered, blood pooling. The scooter was crushed. The street fell silent, danger written in the wreckage.

A violent collision unfolded at the corner of Madison Avenue and East 29th Street in Manhattan. According to the police report, a bus traveling north struck a westbound e-scooter. The report details, 'A 45-year-old man lay trapped, bleeding from the pelvis. The scooter was crushed.' The injured man, operating the e-scooter, suffered severe bleeding and abdominal trauma, with the report noting he was 'trapped.' Police cite 'View Obstructed/Limited' and 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as contributing factors, underscoring driver error and systemic hazards at this intersection. The bus's right rear quarter panel and the scooter's front end bore the brunt of the impact. No mention is made of victim behavior as a contributing factor. The crash exposes the lethal consequences when drivers disregard traffic controls and sightlines fail.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4721318, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A 39-year-old taxi driver died behind the wheel on West 47th Street. No crash, no screech, just silence and a worn seat. The police report cites driver inexperience. The city’s streets claim another life, quietly, in the evening rush.

According to the police report, a taxi was parked on West 47th Street near Sixth Avenue when its 39-year-old driver died behind the wheel at 17:10. The report states, "No crash, no screech, no struggle. Just a lap belt, a worn seat, and the quiet failure of inexperience." The only contributing factor listed is "Driver Inexperience." The driver was found in the parked vehicle, wearing a lap belt, and was pronounced dead at the scene. There were no other vehicles, pedestrians, or cyclists involved in the incident. The report does not cite any victim behavior as a contributing factor. The focus remains on the systemic risks and challenges faced by drivers on New York City streets, as underscored by the official attribution of inexperience.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4719883, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A taxi turned left at Avenue of the Americas and West 25th. Steel struck skull. A 26-year-old cyclist flew, hit pavement, bled from the head. Conscious, blood pooled. The night split open by driver distraction.

According to the police report, a taxi making a left turn at the corner of Avenue of the Americas and West 25th Street collided with a northbound cyclist at 11:44 p.m. The report states, 'A taxi turned left. A cyclist rode north. Steel met skull. He flew, struck pavement. Blood pooled on the street.' The 26-year-old male cyclist was ejected from his bike, sustained a head injury, and was conscious but bleeding severely from the head. The police report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor. The cyclist was not wearing a helmet, but this detail appears only after the driver error is cited. The impact point was the taxi’s left front bumper and the bike’s right front. The crash underscores the lethal consequences of driver distraction for vulnerable road users.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4716943, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A 26-year-old cyclist’s skull split open under the streetlights. Blood pooled on West 28th near Broadway. The cab rolled on, undamaged. The cyclist stayed conscious. The city held its breath. Nothing else moved.

According to the police report, a 26-year-old male cyclist was struck by a southbound taxi on West 28th Street near Broadway in Manhattan at 23:32. The report states the cyclist suffered severe head lacerations, with his 'skull split' and blood pooling on the pavement. Despite the violence of the crash, the taxi showed 'no damage.' The cyclist remained conscious at the scene. The police report lists 'Unspecified' as the contributing factor for both involved parties, offering no explicit driver error, but the narrative centers the impact and injury to the cyclist. The report notes the cyclist was not wearing a helmet, but only after describing the driver actions and crash impact. The stark details highlight the vulnerability of cyclists and the unforgiving nature of city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4722272, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

Two sedans collided on York Avenue. A woman crossing the street was struck down. Blood pooled on the asphalt. Head trauma ended her life beneath the streetlight. Engines ticked. Sirens wailed too late. The city claimed another pedestrian.

A deadly crash unfolded on York Avenue near East 87th Street in Manhattan, where, according to the police report, two sedans collided and a 30-year-old woman crossing the street was struck. The report states she suffered head trauma and severe bleeding, dying at the scene. The narrative describes, 'Blood pooled on the asphalt. She died beneath the streetlight. The cars sat still. Engines ticking. Sirens too late.' Police data lists 'Unsafe Speed' as a contributing factor for one of the sedan drivers. The woman was at the intersection when struck. The report does not cite any victim behaviors as contributing factors. The tragedy centers on driver actions and the lethal consequences of speed on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4714580, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A 25-year-old woman stepped into the crosswalk with the light. An e-scooter rider, inattentive and inexperienced, struck her head-on. Blood pooled on East 78th Street. The rider fled. The woman’s leg split open, pain pulsing through the city’s grid.

A 25-year-old woman was seriously injured on East 78th Street when an e-scooter rider struck her head-on as she crossed with the signal, according to the police report. The impact left her with severe lacerations to her lower leg, and blood pooled at the scene. The report states the e-scooter’s front end was damaged and the rider did not stop. Police cite 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Driver Inexperience' as contributing factors. The pedestrian’s actions—crossing with the light in the marked crosswalk—are noted in the report, but only after the driver’s failures. The collision underscores the consequences of inattentive and unskilled operation of motorized vehicles in city crosswalks.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4713969, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A box truck rolled north outside 1251 Avenue of the Americas. A baby boy, not in the street, was crushed beneath its front. His back broken. The driver was distracted. Midtown lights blinked on as sirens came.

According to the police report, a box truck traveling north outside 1251 Avenue of the Americas struck a baby boy who was not in the roadway. The report states the child was 'crushed beneath its front,' suffering severe back injuries but remaining conscious. The only contributing factor listed in the police report is 'Driver Inattention/Distraction.' The driver, operating a GMC box truck registered in South Carolina, was licensed. The report does not cite any victim behavior as contributing to the crash. The impact occurred at the center front end of the truck, underscoring the direct role of driver distraction in this Midtown collision. No other vehicles or factors are cited in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4709842, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A One Wheel slammed into a man crossing Avenue of the Americas. The impact split his head. Blood pooled on the cold street. He stayed conscious, wounded and exposed, as the city moved around him.

According to the police report, a man was crossing Avenue of the Americas at West 42nd Street when a One Wheel traveling north struck him head-on. The collision caused severe lacerations to the pedestrian's head, leaving him conscious but bleeding on the roadway. The report notes the pedestrian was crossing without a signal or crosswalk, listing 'Pedestrian/Bicyclist/Other Pedestrian Error/Confusion' as a contributing factor. The One Wheel's point of impact was the center front end, and the vehicle sustained no damage. The incident highlights the vulnerability of pedestrians at busy intersections and the dangers present when vehicles and people intersect outside of designated crossing signals.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4693093, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A Lexus turned left. An e-bike kept straight. Metal struck flesh. The rider, 23, flew and hit the street. Blood pooled. He died under the cold Manhattan sky. The driver disregarded traffic control. The city swallowed another cyclist.

A deadly crash unfolded at Park Avenue South and East 27th Street in Manhattan. According to the police report, a Lexus sedan made a left turn while an e-bike rider, 23, continued straight. The sedan struck the cyclist, ejecting him from the bike. He suffered severe bleeding and injuries to his entire body. He died at the scene. The police report lists 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as a contributing factor. The data shows the cyclist was not wearing a helmet, but this is noted only after the primary driver error. The crash highlights the lethal consequences when drivers ignore traffic controls and vulnerable road users pay the price.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4691254, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A woman crossed East 90th at 3rd. An e-scooter slammed her in the crosswalk. The front end crushed her shoulder. She stayed down, conscious. The rider vanished. The street roared on. She lay hurt, alone.

A 32-year-old woman was struck by a northbound e-scooter while crossing at the corner of East 90th Street and 3rd Avenue in Manhattan. According to the police report, 'A woman in the crosswalk, her shoulder crushed beneath the front of a northbound e-scooter. She stayed down, conscious. The rider fled.' The pedestrian suffered crush injuries to her shoulder and upper arm. The e-scooter rider left the scene without stopping. The police report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' No specific driver errors were documented in the data. The crash left the pedestrian injured and the rider unaccounted for.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4693430, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A Ford sedan, moving too fast, struck a 22-year-old man on Avenue of the Americas. His body broke between parked SUVs. He died in the street, under cold city lights. Unsafe speed left no room for mercy. The city kept moving.

A 22-year-old man was killed when a Ford sedan, traveling at unsafe speed, struck him on Avenue of the Americas near West 39th Street. According to the police report, the sedan hit the pedestrian as he crossed the road, pinning his body between parked SUVs. The crash left him dead at the scene. The report lists 'Unsafe Speed' as the contributing factor. The data shows the sedan was going straight ahead when it struck the man. No errors or contributing factors are listed for the victim beyond his location and action. The deadly impact and speed of the vehicle defined the outcome.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4690315, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A man on a bike hit the doors of a parked sedan. He flew, landed face-first. Blood pooled on East 48th Street. No helmet. Severe cuts marked his face. He stayed conscious. The pain did not leave him. The street stayed quiet.

A 38-year-old man riding a bike struck the right-side doors of a parked sedan on East 48th Street near Third Avenue in Manhattan. According to the police report, 'A man on a bike struck the doors of a parked sedan. He flew. Landed face-first. Blood pooled on the quiet street. No helmet. Severe cuts. He was conscious.' The cyclist suffered severe lacerations to his face and was ejected from his bike. The report lists no specific driver errors or contributing factors beyond 'Unspecified.' The cyclist was not wearing a helmet, as noted in the police narrative. The sedan was parked at the time of the crash. No other injuries were reported.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4684731, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A Ford flat rack turned left at West 47th and 7th. Its bumper struck a 59-year-old man crossing with the signal. He died on the street. The driver failed to yield. The city kept moving. The man did not.

A 59-year-old man was killed at the corner of West 47th Street and 7th Avenue in Manhattan. According to the police report, he was crossing with the signal when a Ford flat rack truck turned left and struck him with its front bumper. The man died at the scene from head injuries. The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Turning Improperly' as contributing factors. The driver was licensed and making a left turn at the time. The victim was in the crosswalk, following the signal. No other injuries were reported.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4680206, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15