Statement from Council Member Richardson Jordan and TA After Curb-Jumping Driver Kills Mother in Harlem
NEW YORK — On March 28, a driver jumped the curb on 145th Street in Harlem, striking Jennifer Tolliver and her six-year-old son. Both were rushed to the hospital with critical injuries. This week, Tolliver died, and she is at least the 60th person to be killed in a traffic crash this year — a 40 percent increase compared to this point in 2021. In Manhattan, twice as many people have been killed in 2022 than at this point last year. Half of traffic fatalities citywide have been pedestrians. So far in 2022, curb-jumping drivers have already killed six people, significantly outpacing previous years.
Statement from Council Member Kristin Richardson Jordan:
"As we mourn the loss of another Harlemite, we call on Mayor Adams to make a greater investment in Harlem’s infrastructure. 145th street has been in the top 10% of highest injury Manhattan intersections for years now, and the community has constantly asked for safety measures to be put into place. Harlem must have bike lanes, curb adjustments and retimed traffic lights. The senseless traffic deaths along 145th could have been prevented with a few safety adjustments. The people of Harlem should not be too afraid to walk down the street. The Streets Plan must have proper funding and it must happen now."
Statement from Transportation Alternatives Executive Director Danny Harris:
“Parents should not have to fear death as they walk down the sidewalk with their children. Another out-of-control driver jumped the curb and killed a mother and injured her child. We are heartbroken over the death of Jennifer Tolliver, wish her son a quick and full recovery, and offer our deepest condolences to her family.”
“Since 2011, crashes have killed five people within one block of this crash on 145th Street. This crash occurred at the exact same spot where a driver killed a New Yorker riding a bicycle in 2015. Dangerous conditions on 145th Street have been documented for nearly a decade, yet the street has not been redesigned for safety. This is unacceptable”
“The NYC Streets Plan will make streets safer in Harlem and citywide, and the bold benchmarks for car-free pedestrian space, protected bike lanes, and more will ensure no neighborhoods are overlooked for safe streets investment. The NYC Council just took a big step by committing $3.1 billion to the Streets Plan in its budget response. Mayor Adams must include this funding in his final budget.
“With traffic violence rising for an unprecedented fourth year in a row, funding the NYC Streets Plan is a matter of life or death. We need our leaders to scale proven tools that save lives now.”