VicRoads’ managers donned overalls and armed themselves with rollers and paintbrushes on Monday to start cleaning graffiti from a 30-kilometre stretch of the Princes Freeway.
Starting at Altona Meadows, structures acting manager Luay Butrus led the clean up at the Fitzroy Street/Cameron Avenue pedestrian overpass.
“Graffiti and tagging are a major blight on the Princes Freeway corridor, so I am excited to manage a works program which will make a positive difference to tens of thousands of residents and motorists,” Mr Butrus said.
Metropolitan north west regional director Adam Maguire said painting, graffiti removal, landscaping and noise-wall repairs would be carried out along the Princes Freeway corridor, between the M80 Ring Road and Little River Road.
“The Princes Freeway carries tens of thousands of drivers to their homes and workplaces in Hobsons Bay and Wyndham each day, but it’s also a magnet for unsightly and illegal graffiti and it’s in need of additional vegetation.”
The project is part of VicRoads’ 2014-15 graffiti removal strategy, following on from graffiti removal on the West Gate Freeway last year. Hobsons Bay and Wyndham councils will be consulted to determine the best type of landscaping and planting, which will happen in autumn when the vegetation has the best chance of flourishing.
Hobsons Bay mayor Colleen Gates said the council last year spent $343,397 removing graffiti.
“We’ve held many discussions with VicRoads over the years relating to the unsightly state of the land along Princes Highway corridor in Hobsons Bay,” she said.
“There is a lot of work to be done particularly along the Newland and High streets exits in Laverton, upgrading of all the soundwalls along the highway – in particular the perspex at the McCormack Park/Laverton Creek crossing – and cleaning up the land adjacent to the Fitzgerald Road city bound on and off ramps in Laverton.
“We encourage people to report graffiti to council either through our customer service or using the smart phone app Snap Send Solve.”
VicRoads has a policy of removing offensive graffiti within 24 hours. It can be reported on 131170.
