NEW YORK — When it comes to crossing the street, New York City pedestrians may soon be able to legally do something they’re been doing for years — jaywalking.
On the bustling streets of the Big Apple, it is a normal occurrence.
“I never knew it was illegal. I do it all the time,” one man in Harlem said.
“The city is very, very congested, so we sometimes jaywalk. It’s almost normalized,” another said.
Soon, that status may change. The City Council passed legislation recently that will make jaywalking legal .
It’s up to Mayor Eric Adams to give the final OK. CBS News New York reached out to see if it will become a reality. A spokesperson did not say if the mayor plans to sign the bill, but said pedestrians are encouraged to use the crosswalk.
Various groups call current policy outdated
The Legal Aid Society is applauding the City Council’s decision and hopes the mayor puts pen to paper, saying in a statement, “Jaywalking enforcement has long served as a pretext for over-policing that has disproportionately impacted Black and Latinx communities, ensnaring New Yorkers of color in the criminal legal system.”