Jane Byrne Interchange is a hot spot for graffiti
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Highway graffiti near the Jane Byrne Interchange. Photo: Monica Eng/Axios
Jane Byrne Interchange construction is finally over, but the graffiti that exploded along big sections of highway during the yearslong project keeps reappearing.
What's happening: Axios readers have written in asking why this spot attracts so much graffiti and what is being done.
- To find out, we talked to state officials and to folks who've been part of the graffiti world.
Why it matters: Tagging in this high-traffic area can be dangerous.
- Plus, it costs taxpayers "hundreds of thousands of dollars a year" to clean it, Illinois Department of Transportation spokesperson Maria Castaneda tells Axios.
State of play: The agency is working hard to address the ongoing graffiti problem in the area, Castaneda says.
- "Unfortunately, we have seen that shortly after graffiti is removed, it almost immediately returns. In some instances, the graffiti is back up the same night."
- IDOT prioritizes zapping graffiti that covers highway signs or contains offensive language "as quickly as possible," Castaneda says.
Zoom in: For other graffiti, the department typically schedules removal for warmer months.
- Castaneda says that construction sometimes makes it tough to get crews in to do removal.
- Plus, she notes, some graffiti visible from the highway is not technically the state's responsibility, because it's on private property.
Between the lines: Axios reached out to a couple of former graffiti writers to understand why this area was such a magnet. They asked to remain anonymous out of fear of repercussions in their current jobs. They told us the area was a hot spot for several reasons:
- The construction sites offered easy access to the walls.
- They offer high visibility for the work with a lesser likelihood of getting caught, given that most passersby are driving around 55 mph.
- And, ultimately, once the first person tagged the spot it piqued others' competitive instincts.
The remedy: Our sources were torn on this question but offered two main suggestions to reduce graffiti:
- Install cameras near the most-tagged sites.
- Punish the practice with escalating tickets rather than arrests.
What they're saying: One source told us they've been arrested several times, but that it never resulted in any fines.
- "If I had to start paying $250 tickets, I would have been mad and thought twice about doing it again — or at least getting caught."