Articles Archives - Traffic Wrapz

Helpful Tips to Prevent Graffiti

February 22, 2016

If it seems you can see graffiti everywhere, you are not imagining things. It’s the most common kind of vandalism, after all. The Bureau of Justice Statistics reports that graffiti is the cause of at least 35% of all vandalism in the United States. The best way to deal with it is remove is as soon as possible. “Immediate” removal is considered to be between 24 and 48 hours of it appearing anywhere, a process that can be expensive. It can cost between $200 and $500 to remove graffiti from just one street sign. Considering the fact that at least 75% of all traffic signs in the United States need to be replaced because of vandalism, the cost of removing graffiti can really add up. Luckily, there are more cost effective options available. One way to go is to apply an anti graffiti laminate to surfaces that you think might be the target for graffiti. Prevent Graffiti: Anti Graffiti Laminate
Continue Reading

3 Things You Can Do About Graffiti

February 2, 2016

According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, graffiti makes up about 35% of total vandalism, making it the most common type of property vandalism in the nation. It’s now becoming a serious issue in major cities across the nation, as it is not always “harmless spray painting.” Some graffiti includes curse words and derogatory slurs that should not be painted across building where children — or really anyone — needs to see them every day. Luckily, there are ways that you can help eliminate graffiti. Here are just a few things you should know if you want to enrich your surroundings. Prevention There are so many ways to prevent this vandalism sweeping the nation. There’s anti graffiti laminate, anti graffiti spray, anti-graffiti film, and more. Each and every one of these products can be used to deter people from putting graffiti on buildings. Additionally, there are concentrated areas in most cities where graffiti is more common. Neighborhood watch groups, and/or
Continue Reading

Florida Police Arrest Teens Who Signed Graffiti With Their Own Names

December 14, 2015

December began with a bit of lighter news about graffiti from Florida. The website the Daily Commercial reports from a small town outside Orlando, where “officials discovered Sunday morning that someone had broken into the Kenny Dixon Sports Complex in Bushnell and spray painted the walls with graphic body parts, nicknames and last names.” Because the youths had helpfully signed their handiwork with their last names, police made fast work of arresting them. Lt. Bobby Caruthers, a spokesman for the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office, summarized the incident perfectly. “They are not the smartest criminals,” Caruthers said. One day, science may discover why young men are so determined to sneak around in the dead of night to spray paint their names and “graphic body parts” all over town. But already, as part of city beautification projects around North America, cities, non-profit organizations, and schools are looking for more positive ways to direct that energy. A Tale of Two Cities: Stop Graffiti
Continue Reading

Solutions for Removing Graffiti Exist, Why Aren’t Cities Using Them?

November 2, 2015

In the 21st century, big-name street artists like Banksy and Shepard Fairey have made many people sympathetic to graffiti as an art form. But city planners know that the overwhelming majority of graffiti is petty vandalism, or worse, gang-related. And it really is overwhelming to thousands of municipal budgets all over North America. Not only are 75% of street signs replaced because of vandalism, but tagger and gang-related graffiti cost $1 to $3 for every taxpayer in America. That might seem like pocket change to some, but to city planners with shrinking budgets, it’s a $319 million-dollar problem that needs solving. Not Just a Graffiti Solution, Affordable Graffiti Prevention If there’s ever been a time for the public to take a stand against graffiti, it’s now: in October 2015, noted public nuisance Justin Bieber promoted his upcoming album by teaming up with “a slew of graffiti artists to install colorful, creative murals that detailed all his remaining, previously unknown titles,
Continue Reading

Anti-Police Graffiti is Appearing All Over the Country

October 7, 2015

In the 90s, the hip-hop movement and a generation of rebellious teens popularized an offensive saying about the police. The “Blank” the Police expression has unfortunately taken on a new significance in recent years, as protests against both police brutality and slain officers dominate the headlines. And that’s why cities around the country are on edge after a wave of anti-police graffiti has started appearing on buildings, streets, and public property. From coast to coast, local police departments have received calls of structures defaced by taggers with threats. In extreme cases, memorials to slain police officers have even been vandalized. In and around Rochester, NY, police have been forced to respond to a number of incidents. Two men were arrested for allegedly setting fire to a wooden cross honoring a police officer tragically killed in the line of duty last year. Outside Baltimore in Anne Arundel County, MD, a white man was arrested this September for allegedly spray painting “Kill
Continue Reading

Anti-Graffiti Film: One Easy Trick for Stopping Taggers and Graffiti

September 22, 2015

A traffic sign can easily last up to 10 years, weather permitting. But in reality, at least 75% of traffic signs are replaced years early because of graffiti and vandalism. Despite this, graffiti in the guise of “street art” has its admirers. These graffiti fans love to say that if British street artist Banksy tagged your building, your property value would actually go up. Of course, less than 5% of graffiti actually includes such large visual art “pieces.” For reference, that’s less than half the 10% of graffiti made by gangs. The other 80%? So-called “tagger” graffiti, those hastily drawn initials that can cost taxpayers $200 to $500 for every sign or wall taggers deface. That’s why cities and towns all over the world are looking for anti-graffiti films that can protect public property of all kinds. Not only that, but new patent-pending anti-graffiti film can also double as city beautification projects. Products like TW 360 film function as both
Continue Reading

TrafficWrapz Installation in Renton, Washington

July 22, 2015

After completing his design, Jason’s artwork was produced as a film applied to a city utility box that controls the adjacent traffic signal at S. 3rd Street and Burnett Avenue South. The project is funded by the Renton Community Marketing Campaign. In 1997, the City of Renton, in conjunction with the Renton Chamber of Commerce, Renton Technical College, Valley Medical Center, Renton School District and the Renton Visitor’s Connection, launched the campaign. Its mission is to collectively market the Renton community to recruit quality companies and diversify Renton's employment base. For this project, the campaign members are helping to improve the downtown area as a destination for the arts.
Continue Reading