AUDIO TRANSCRIPT: New York City legalizes jaywalking: how it could affect Syracuse
Landon Stilz: This past week, New York City legalized jaywalking. NCC News’ Dan Papillo joins us live to explain how this move could be coming to Syracuse.
Dan Papillo: When you see a red hand on the street corner, that means no walking. But in New York City, that’s no longer true. Jaywalking is officially legal in the five boroughs, and Syracuse resident Milo Hoffman, who’s formerly from Manhattan, is on board with the move.
Milo Hoffman: New York City, everyone jaywalks in New York City. Like the walking signs, the red hand signs, it’s disregarded.
Papillo: The move comes with controversy, but what about in an area like Syracuse? Over 15,000 pedestrians are injured on the road each year in the state, but jaywalking is rarely enforced. For Hoffman, it makes sense to spread out the decision.
Hoffman: If you’re taking it away in the busiest area of New York State, you might as well just take it away everywhere, because there’s no point in waiting for a red hand when there’s no cars coming.
Papillo: With the city holding a strong population in the state legislature, it wouldn’t be shocking to see the move spread. Reporting live, Dan Papillo, NCC News.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) — In a surprising move back in September, the New York City Council passed a proposal allowing pedestrians to cross the street at any time without adhering to traffic signals, a practice known as jaywalking. This past weekend, the proposal became official after Mayor Eric Adams neither signed nor vetoed the bill within a 30-day window. With the law being passed in a popular urban center like New York City, what about in a city like Syracuse?
According to the New York State Department Of Health, over 15,000 pedestrians are injured and 300 are killed by motor vehicle accidents each year. That figure makes up about 34% of pedestrian fatalities in the past five years, according to the New York City Department Of Transportation. The passing of the law has come with its share of controversy, but some New Yorkers are on board.
“I think it’s a good move,” said Milo Hoffman, a Syracuse University student who resides in lower Manhattan. “Everyone jaywalks in New York City. Like the walking signs, the red hand signs, it’s disregarded.”
Time will tell if the legalization is successful, but it begs the question of whether this could become a statewide mandate. New York City holds 11 of the 26 Congressional districts in New York State and also has a strong population in the state legislature.
“If you’re taking it away in the busiest area of New York State, you might as well just take it away everywhere,” said Hoffman. “There’s no point in waiting for a red hand when there’s no cars coming.”
Despite the changes, the New York Police Department suggests to everyone to continue using caution and to look both ways when crossing any roadway.