I-5, a bustling interstate in Washington State, has been plagued with graffiti vandals for years. As an artist myself, I can appreciate the beauty of graffiti, but not when it ruins the aesthetic appeal of a public space. In my dreams, I envision a sky filled with drones descending upon I-5 with their paint nozzles ready to erase the scribbles on bridges and overpasses.
The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) has been fighting this battle for years, spending $815,000 on graffiti removal in 2023 alone. Despite their efforts, new graffiti would sometimes appear just days or hours after an area was cleaned. It’s a never-ending battle against vandals who seem to be one step ahead of them.
To combat this problem, WSDOT is testing out drones that use spray nozzles connected to paint supplies on the ground. Operators can position the drone anywhere the tethered hose can reach, allowing for quick removal of graffiti on tall structures like retaining walls and bridges. While the first drone failed during initial testing, the newest drone is now operational and being tested in Olympia and Tacoma under licensed drone operators in the Pierce County regional maintenance division.
The Washington legislature passed House Bill 1989 in 2024, providing WSDOT with $1 million to research traffic camera technology for monitoring graffiti removal. A report on the findings of the program will be submitted to the legislature in December for further evaluation. However, it’s clear that it will be a while before this technology is potentially implemented in the long term.
As an artist and journalist who appreciates both beauty and functionality, I can see how these drones could revolutionize graffiti removal by allowing for quicker and more efficient cleaning without disrupting traffic flow or putting workers at risk from climbing tall structures.
In conclusion, while we may not always agree with vandals ruining public spaces with their scribbles, there are ways to combat this problem through innovative technology and collaborative efforts between government agencies and private companies alike.