Topeka City Council bans panhandling in some busy intersections

TOPEKA, Kan. (KSNT) – The Topeka City Council voted 8-1 to ban panhandling at some busy intersections.

The council met Tuesday evening to vote on this matter.

This ordinance would also impact drivers who hand out money as well.

Discussions for the ordinance started about a year ago to stop some of the panhandling in the city. While city leaders say they can’t ban panhandling altogether because of free speech issues, they are looking to prevent it at the intersections with the most crashes.

This law would also apply to people who stop their cars to hand out money.

The fine for breaking the law would be up to $500 or up to 30 days in jail.

The city said it only applies to the busy intersections, so it wouldn’t prevent people from panhandling in other parts of town.

The city conducted a study to find out where the crashes were happening and found that distracted driving led to 20% of the crashes in Topeka.

The following 23 intersections now have “restricted pedestrian activity”:

• S 5th Street and SW Topeka Boulevard  
• SW 12th Street and SW Jackson Street  ​
• SW 6th Avenue and Orchard Street  ​
• SW 8th Avenue and SW Topeka Boulevard
• SW 10th Avenue and SW Topeka Boulevard ​ ​
• SW Huntoon Street and SW Gage Boulevard ​
• SW 21st Street and SW Fairlawn Road  ​
• SW 6th Avenue and SW Topeka Boulevard  ​
• SW 10th Avenue and SW Lane Street  
• ​SE 21st Street and SE Adams Street​ ​
• SW 29th Street and SW Fairlawn Road  ​
• SW 21st Street and SW Gage Boulevard  
• ​SW 6th Avenue and SW Gage Boulevard   
• ​SW 21st Street and SW Wanamaker Road   ​
• SW 17th Street and SW Wanamaker Road  ​
• SW Huntoon Street and SW Fairlawn Road  
• ​SE 15th Street and SE Adams ​
• SW 29th Street and SW Gage Boulevard ​
• SW 29th Street and SW Topeka Boulevard  ​
• SW 21st Street and SW Washburn Avenue   ​
• SW 29th Street and SW Wanamaker Road  ​
• SW 21st Street and SW Topeka Boulevard  ​
• SW 17th Street and SW Westover Road and SW Oakley Street