PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — PennDOT is working to remove graffiti on some unusual spaces that can be problematic for drivers.
Anyone who has recently driven southbound on I-95 near the Sports Complex, or eastbound on I-76 near the Grays Ferry exit, might have noticed that the signage looks different. That’s because an increasing number of road signs have fallen victim to graffiti artists.
That graffiti is a big problem, according to PennDOT’s Brad Rudolph. “It’s hindering a motorist’s ability to drive and find wayward points or find locations,” he said. “It’s certainly an ongoing issue that the department has to deal with on a yearly basis.”
That ongoing issue, Rudolph says, is also a costly one.
“Some of these large signs cost upwards of $10,000,” he said. “That really doesn’t count the man hours and the traffic control … roughly 2,000-4,000 man hours on average a year.”
Most of the graffiti, he says, is in Philadelphia. That can cost up to $300,000 a year to deal with.
As for who is responsible, a graffiti artist going by the name of William Bonnie has posted photos and videos on Instagram, of what appears to be him tagging the signs.
KYW Newsradio reached out to Bonnie for an interview. He has not responded.