A new pedestrian safety ordinance takes effect today in Columbia, restricting where pedestrians can stand and interact with drivers in high-traffic areas.
The rules prohibit standing on narrow medians for extended periods, approaching moving vehicles and exchanging items with drivers in the roadway.
Columbia police say the ordinance is designed to improve safety and will focus on where the behavior occurs, not why.
Critics argue the measure unfairly targets people experiencing homelessness, and a peaceful protest is planned today along Business Loop 70 and Stadium Boulevard.