Mayor de Blasio Must Open His Eyes To The Rising Number of Traffic Deaths on His Watch: Statement in Response to Cyclist Killed in South Bronx

Of the eighteen cyclists killed in the Bronx since Mayor de Blasio took office, half were killed in the last eight months

THE BRONX - In the early hours of Thursday morning, a cyclist on an ebike was killed on East 149th Street at Brook Avenue in the South Bronx. Initial reports have not identified the victim. This is at least the fifth person, and first cyclist, to be killed in traffic violence in the very first week of 2021.

Statement of Transportation Alternatives Executive Director Danny Harris:

“More and more cyclists are dying in the Bronx, and Mayor de Blasio has not stepped up to save lives.”

“Today, a cyclist died on a stretch of road with four lanes of traffic and zero bike lanes. This death was the predictable and preventable result of the inequitable distribution of lifesaving cycling infrastructure.”

“In 2020, eight cyclists were killed in the Bronx, the most of any borough. Of the eighteen cyclists killed in the Bronx since Mayor de Blasio took office, half were killed in the last eight months. Meanwhile, the Bronx has only three percent of the protected bike lanes in the city, compared to Manhattan, which has fifty percent.”

“Cyclists are dying where the Mayor has done the least, and Mayor de Blasio must take concrete action to stop the carnage on our streets now. This includes restoring funding for life-saving programs like Vision Zero, the Dangerous Vehicle Abatement Program, the Green Wave plan, and the Streets Master Plan.” 

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