Jaywalking Is Now Completely Legal In New York City

Jaywalking — or crossing the street outside of the crosswalk or against the traffic light — is now legal in New York City.

Legislation passed by the City Council last month officially became law over the weekend.

Proponents of the measure say that permitting jaywalking under the law will end racial disparities in enforcement of prior jaywalking codes.

Council Member Mercedes Narcisse of Brooklyn noted that more than 90 percent of jaywalking tickets issued last year were to Black and Latino people.

The new law permits pedestrians to cross a roadway at any point, including outside of a crosswalk. It also allows for crossing against traffic signals and specifically states that doing so is no longer a violation of the city’s administrative code.