A Scottsdale city ordinance going into effect Thursday will make it illegal to stand on traffic medians in some streets.
The law will prohibit staying on medians on streets with speed limits above 30 mph for more than two traffic rotations at intersections.
Violations are considered to be Class 3 misdemeanors, the lowest tier in the state. Those found guilty could face fines up to $500 and jail time up to 30 days.
The ordinance has been criticized as a method to criminalize homelessness.
But Scottsdale police Public Information Officer Aaron Bolin says the ordinance applies to everyone as a method to improve traffic safety.
"You can briefly use the median as a refuge while crossing in a signalized intersection, but remaining there through two consecutive crossing opportunities would be considered a violation," Bolin said.
He added that police try to connect unsheltered people with services
“It's very hot here and trying to solicit people for money that way. There are other resources that are in the city. We have a food bank. have some other city resources. Not necessarily through the PD, but we have other resources through the city that we can connect people with,” Bolin said,
Bolin said there was no data immediately available about how many collisions have been caused by pedestrians in medians.
