A new Lexington pedestrian and traffic safety law goes into effect Monday.
Community officials will be watching to see if it affects the amount of panhandling at busy street corners.
The ordinance prohibits walking into many major streets to solicit cash from motorists. It makes it illegal to stand in medians for longer than it takes to cross a road.
The pedestrian safety law also expands jaywalking restrictions to all Lexington streets.
Police Commander Brad Ingram says the ordinance may reduce panhandling, but that’s not the sole intent of the statute.
“It’s not just panhandlers that enter the roadway. It’s children. It’s other adults trying to cross heavy intersections not at the crosswalks,” noted Ingram.
Ingram anticipates that early on warnings and not citations will be issued when officers observe violators.
"We will have information cards that we can pass out to the individuals that we see violating that ordinance and say, ‘look, here’s the ordinance, you can read over it. What you just did was in violation. We’re concerned for your safety. It’s dangerous to enter the roadway in non-designated areas,” explained Ingram.
While it could reduce panhandling activity, Commander Ingram says the ordinance doesn’t target panhandlers.
