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Holiday patrols underway to help pedestrians

By David Ham

Throughout December and January officers will be targeting three sections of downtown Seattle where collisions and pedestrian accidents are most likely to occur.

By David Ham
Seattle police said it's not only a busy time for holiday shopping but it's also a dangerous time for pedestrians in holiday traffic.

SEATTLE — "During the holiday season we have a little bit heavier vehicle traffic and a lot of pedestrians coming in from the outlying areas to do their shopping," said Officer Eric Smith with the Seattle Police Department.

Throughout December and January officers will be targeting three sections of downtown Seattle where collisions and pedestrian accidents are most likely to occur.

The areas are:

  • Columbia to Battery streets between First and Sixth avenues
  • King Street, Yesler Way, Second Avenue and Interstate 5
  • I-5, Ninth Avenue and Denny Way.

Part of the enforcement effort is to make sure people are crossing the street properly.

"One of the people we stopped mentioned he had been struck down here last year by a car that was turning," said Smith.

KIRO 7 was at Sixth and Pike Street when an officer gave Alan Bunge a warning for jaywalking.

"At least now i know what the law is," said Bunge.

Officers can also slap violators with a $56 citation if they think someone didn't learn their lesson.

Officers said even after the enforcement operation ends on Jan. 17, they will continue to ticket jaywalkers, just not as often as they do during the holiday season.

KIRO

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