East Harlem

Melanie Canon, a doctor based in East Harlem, was the first person to aid 6-year-old Amar Diarrassouba after he has fatally struck by a tractor-trailer driver Thursday morning. The New York Times' City Room blog published her wrenching account today.

NYPD and Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance are reportedly targeting a crossing guard for her supposed role in the death of 6-year-old Amar Diarrassouba, who was killed by a truck driver in East Harlem Thursday morning. Meanwhile, a local businessman and community board member who waged a campaign against pedestrian refuges and protected bike lanes on First and Second Avenues has publicly pinned the blame on the victim's 9-year-old brother.

A 7-year-old boy was killed by a truck driver this morning while walking to school in East Harlem. While no charges were filed against the driver, police and media are focused on the actions of a crossing guard, who was reportedly on a break when the crash occurred.

Every day, 32,000 bus riders traverse Manhattan on 125th Street, crossing Harlem at a glacial pace. Improvements are on the way as part of the next round of Select Bus Service improvements, with DOT and the MTA recently holding a second public workshop (PDF) for the project, though the precise changes that bus riders can expect remain to be determined.

Because of its proximity to Central Park, you might be forgiven for assuming East Harlem has plenty of open space. But a new report from New Yorkers for Parks argues that the neighborhood is isolated from many of its parks by busy roads and other barriers. Streets and sidewalks, the group says, can play a crucial role in encouraging physical activity as part of the neighborhood's fight against above-average asthma and obesity problems.

Streetfilms' Elizabeth Press was uptown today working on a piece about East Harlem's long-awaited protected bike lanes. She passes along this view of the almost-rideable green lane on Second Avenue. Waiting for paint to dry has never been so thrilling.

Streetsblog regular @J_uptown snapped these shots of developing infrastructure on First and Second Avenues in East Harlem, where DOT is installing a protected bike lane, shortening crossing distances for pedestrians, and speeding bus travel. Writes Jacob:

The cyclist struck and killed by a yellow cab driver in East Harlem late last month has been identified by NYPD as Shaquille Cochrane.