Does Columbia’s new ordinance ban pedestrians from standing on all traffic medians?

Columbia’s median safety ordinance only bans pedestrians from standing on certain traffic medians.

Beginning July 1, 2026, pedestrians waiting to cross the street cannot stand at medians narrower than 6 feet, where traffic volumes are greater than 15,000 vehicles per day, or where speed limits are 35 mph or higher. Remaining on those medians for more than two consecutive crossing periods is prohibited unless an individual has a disability that affects mobility. 

Columbia Public Works Department provided a map showing the affected medians, including some along Stadium Boulevard, Broadway and Providence Road, among others.

The city does not have a total number of medians within city limits, but 206 medians are affected under the ordinance. 

The ordinance also requires pedestrians to use crosswalks when crossing the road and allows them to approach vehicles on high-traffic roadways only if they are legally parked.