Dover leaders move forward with new pedestrian safety ordinance

DOVER, Del. — City leaders in Dover are moving ahead with a proposed pedestrian safety ordinance that would limit how long people can stand on roadway medians and bar them from approaching moving vehicles — a measure officials say is needed amid rising concerns over panhandling and traffic safety.

City officials argue the ordinance is designed to curb dangerous interactions between pedestrians and drivers. “We’re seeing a lot more people in the medians where they’re not supposed to be, interfering in the intersections,” Anderson, a city representative, said during a recent meeting. He added that several accidents tied to these interactions have raised alarms. “There have been accidents, and it’s time to reel it in,” he said.

Under the proposal, individuals would be prohibited from lingering on medians beyond a brief period. Police would be required to issue warnings before any citations. “We’re not trying to fine people,” Anderson said. “We’re trying to give people a chance to be safe.”

Drivers could also face penalties for stopping or slowing down to engage with someone standing in a median — a behavior officials say contributes to traffic delays and potential road rage. “If they’re suddenly stopping, holding up traffic… they’re just as dangerous,” Anderson said.

But civil rights advocates contend the measure is less about safety and more about curbing visible poverty. “We do see it as a targeting of panhandling and a criminalizing of homelessness,” a representative from the ACLU of Delaware said. The organization argues that similar laws have been struck down on First Amendment grounds. “We’ve seen similar ordinances struck down under the First Amendment,” the spokesperson said.

Advocates have launched rallies and petitions urging the council to reject the proposal, calling it an unnecessary restriction on constitutionally protected activity. “Whether it be signing petitions or rallying at City Hall… that sort of civic engagement is important,” the ACLU representative said.

City officials insist the measure does not infringe on free speech or target vulnerable communities. “If we were trying to hide homelessness, we’d do something very different,” Anderson said. “This is 100% about safety.”

The ordinance is expected to move to a first reading early this month as revisions continue based on public feedback.