UNSAFE USE OF PUBLIC HIGHWAYS & MEDIANS

This bill, known as the Unsafe Use of Public Highways and Medians Act, aims to improve road safety by restricting where pedestrians can walk in New Mexico. It prohibits people from walking in vehicle travel lanes or on exit and entrance ramps, and it bans congregating on highway medians that have speed limits of 30 mph or higher and lack a flat area at least 36 inches wide. The law defines pedestrians to include people on foot, those using human-powered conveyances, and users of electric personal assistive mobility devices, while allowing exceptions for legally crossing streets, construction work, law enforcement duties, and public transit stops. Violations of these rules are classified as petty misdemeanors, and the bill also amends existing statutes to clarify pedestrian walking requirements on roadways without sidewalks.