In an effort to combat illegal street vending that has been plaguing the Chinatown-International District (CID), the Seattle Police Department (SPD) has joined forces with the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) for a comprehensive community improvement project. This partnership comes as a response to mounting concerns from business owners, residents, pedestrians, and public transit users in the vicinity of 12th Avenue South and South Jackson Street.
It’s been an ongoing issue—the sidewalks are crowded with vendors selling mostly stolen goods. To communicate the message effectively, 19 signs will be installed on City utility poles along 12th Avenue South. These signs will clearly state “No Buying or Selling Merchandise” and will be displayed in English, Vietnamese, and Chinese.
The SPD and SDOT said they will also engage with the community and enforce these rules to ensure that the sidewalks are safe and easily accessible for everyone, and they want to guarantee that everyone can continue to use public transportation without any hiccups.