Des Moines city leaders voted unanimously Monday to put the brakes on panhandling at nearly 200 intersections after the city dropped its longstanding panhandling ordinance last year. The ordinance bans any pedestrian from idling in the median regardless of purpose. It applies at intersections with speed limits of more than 30 mph with medians less than 6 feet wide. City officials were quick to say the ordinance is not about panhandling. “Our ultimate goal is to improve safety,” said City Engineer Steve Naber, citing national statistics showing an uptick in deadly pedestrian crashes. VIEW LOCATIONS HERE“According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety,” he said, “pedestrian fatalities have increased 46% from 2009 to 2016.” Since the ordinance isn’t specifically about panhandling, it may be able to pass legal muster. The American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa challenged Des Moines’ panhandling ban last year, forcing the city to scrap the rule in October. The group said it will monitor how the ordinance is implemented. ACLU of Iowa spokeswoman Veronica Fowler said the organization can’t comment on the specific ordinance, but “if the ordinance being passed is about public safety, that’s one thing.” “If it’s just a thinly veiled guise to restrict the ability of people to ask for help, that’s another thing,” she said. “And that’s something we would have a problem with.”The ACLU is challenging a similar Oklahoma City ordinance banning median activity. The Des Moines ordinance takes effect May 9. “Seventeen days?” Des Moines Ward 1 Councilman Bill Gray said. “I know everybody wants this to start tomorrow, but I want to set expectations.” Many people panhandling at intersections did not comment on the change.

Des Moines city leaders voted unanimously Monday to put the brakes on panhandling at nearly 200 intersections after the city dropped its longstanding panhandling ordinance last year.

The ordinance bans any pedestrian from idling in the median regardless of purpose. It applies at intersections with speed limits of more than 30 mph with medians less than 6 feet wide.


City officials were quick to say the ordinance is not about panhandling. “Our ultimate goal is to improve safety,” said City Engineer Steve Naber, citing national statistics showing an uptick in deadly pedestrian crashes.

VIEW LOCATIONS HERE

“According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety,” he said, “pedestrian fatalities have increased 46% from 2009 to 2016.”

Since the ordinance isn’t specifically about panhandling, it may be able to pass legal muster. The American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa challenged Des Moines’ panhandling ban last year, forcing the city to scrap the rule in October.

The group said it will monitor how the ordinance is implemented.

ACLU of Iowa spokeswoman Veronica Fowler said the organization can’t comment on the specific ordinance, but “if the ordinance being passed is about public safety, that’s one thing.”

“If it’s just a thinly veiled guise to restrict the ability of people to ask for help, that’s another thing,” she said. “And that’s something we would have a problem with.”

The ACLU is challenging a similar Oklahoma City ordinance banning median activity. The Des Moines ordinance takes effect May 9.

“Seventeen days?” Des Moines Ward 1 Councilman Bill Gray said. “I know everybody wants this to start tomorrow, but I want to set expectations.”

Many people panhandling at intersections did not comment on the change.