As of Oct. 26, jaywalking is legal in New York City, according to the Associated Press.
The New York City Council’s Commission on Transportation and Infrastructure introduced a bill to amend the law that makes jaywalking a criminal offense.
Since Mayor Eric Adams did not approve or sign the bill, it became law after 30 days, so now New Yorkers can “legally cross a roadway at any point, including outside of a marked or unmarked crosswalk, and allow for crossing against traffic signals.”
Mercedes Narcisse, a New York City council member, believes people who violate jaywalking laws do not deserve a fine. In a city of millions, “people are simply trying to get where they need to go.”
Narcisse also contends jaywalking laws disproportionately affects communities of color. Black and Latino people, she said, made up 90% of New York’s jaywalking tickets in 2023.
The new law will put the responsibility of safety squarely on pedestrians’ shoulders as they will no longer have the right of way. Street signs, crosswalks, and cross signals will still be active. Residents and visitors can now decide whether or not to use the safety measures.
“We continue to encourage pedestrians to take advantage of safety mechanisms in place—such as daylighting, pedestrian islands, and leading pedestrian intervals—by crossing in a crosswalk with the walk signal,” said Liz Garcia, a spokeswoman for Adams.
New York City is not the only American city coming to terms with the implications of criminalizing jaywalking.
A new report by the Transportation Choices Coalition shows how marginalized communities are affected in Seattle, Washington:
- Black pedestrians are stopped by police for jaywalking 4.7 times more frequently than their share of the population.
- Unhoused residents represent at least 41% of those impacted by jaywalking stops.
- Warrant checks are conducted in 77% of jaywalking stops.
No definitive conclusion can be drawn from these numbers, but it appears the effects of jaywalking are similar to New York’s abandoned “Stop and Frisk” policy.
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