WSDOT becomes first transportation agency to use drones for graffiti removal
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Washington transportation leaders are enlisting drones to help with the state’s graffiti problem — and Oregon is considering following suit.
On Monday, the Washington State Department of Transportation marked the beginning of the drone pilot program that will target graffiti throughout Tacoma and Olympia.
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The agency explained the state has six of the specialized trucks needed to remove graffiti in hard-to-reach areas, but they’re mostly used for critical bridge maintenance and inspections.
Although WSDOT prioritizes the removal of graffiti that displays profanity or offensive images because they distract drivers, officials said it is “frustrating” to divert workers from maintenance projects.
In some cases, the agency said crews see new graffiti mere hours after they removed it. And in 2023, the transportation department allocated nearly 10,300 working hours and over $815,000 toward covering graffiti.
According to the agency, Tacoma maintenance crew leader Mike Gauger was inspired to start the drone pilot program about two years ago — when he sent his team to cover graffiti on Capital Boulevard Bridge twice in one week.
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“[Gauger] was working with the Tacoma Narrows Bridge team using drones for bridge inspections,” WSDOT explained in a blog post. “The drones, equipped with high resolution cameras, were decreasing the number of times crews had to physically inspect underneath the girders. That meant improved employee safety, less time on the inspection and overall cost savings.”
As a result, the maintenance crew leader collaborated with manufacturers to develop a graffiti-removing drone prototype — the first of which arrived earlier this spring.
House Bill 1989, which was approved in March, will provide WSDOT with $1 million for the program. The funding will help cover the cost of labor and paint, and help officials research the camera technology used for locating graffiti.
Washington’s transportation department said it is the first in the world to implement such a program.
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Oregon Department of Transportation spokesperson Don Hamilton told KOIN 6 the agency is “looking into” enlisting drones as well. ODOT has connected with the Washington officials spearheading their own program.
Portland has also recently worked to address graffiti, with City Council approving an emergency ordinance to expedite removal in February.
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