Poll:
Do you think Seattle should have found a way to use the umbrella campaign money on snow plows?
SEATTLE – A Seattle Department of Transportation safety campaign is costing thousands of dollars – money some critics say would have been better spent plowing streets after last week's snow storm.
A marketing firm hired by SDOT is delivering 500 umbrellas and posters to downtown merchants. The city says there's an increase of pedestrians being hit by cars in crosswalks during the winter months. The brightly colored umbrellas are safety tools you can't miss.
"Very, very fine umbrellas and some very trendy designer colors. And they can't seem to plow the roads around here," said book merchant Phil Bevis. His store is located on steep Madison Street. He says it didn't get plowed last week.
"You could hear as a truck or a car lose traction on that hill and start to go sideways," said Bevis. He says the slippery slope cost him three days of business.
Now, he complains SDOT is spending $47,000 on the umbrella campaign, which is funded by the "Bridging the Gap" levy passed by voters four years ago.
"We're spending $47,000 for this pedestrian campaign, which is actually a small amount of money if we can avoid just one collision or save one life," said Rick Sheridan with SDOT.
The idea is that shoppers take an umbrella from one merchant, walk around with it and then drop it off at the next store.
The campaign slogan, "See You in the Crosswalk," has a catchy spin. But Bevis would prefer the city focus on the snowy weather and help his book business.
This is the second year of the umbrella campaign and the city plans to do the program for another three years.
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