San Jose City Hall, 801 North First Street, Room 500, San Jose, CA 95110 (408)277-5800

San Jose Removes Graffiti Eyesore at
Rail Bridges over Highway 101

San José, CA -- 10/30/00: Extensive graffiti vandalism at the site of the Union Pacific railroad bridge over Highway 101 near 11th Street in San Jose is now being painted over as the result of the City’s successful anti-graffiti program and cooperative efforts led by the City, CalTrans, and Union Pacific, announced Mayor Ron Gonzales today.

Two Union Pacific Railroad bridges over Highway 101 have long been favorite targets for graffiti vandals and have been serious eyesores for freeway drivers and the public. Through the efforts of the Mayor’s Office and the San Jose Anti-Graffiti Program, the City recently reached an agreement with UP to paint out the graffiti on both bridges.

"I am pleased that we are finally able to clean up two of the worst graffiti eyesores in our community with the help of Union Pacific," said Gonzales. "This is one more success in our overall efforts to beat back graffiti throughout San Jose with aggressive prevention, enforcement, and volunteer efforts."

Under the agreement with Union Pacific, the City has contributed $30,000 to the painting project that includes two rail bridges over Highway 101. The painting of the UP bridge near 11th Street began last night (Sunday, October 29) and is scheduled to be completed this week. The second bridge is near Julian and McKee streets, and it will be painted after the first one is completed.

CalTrans is assisting in the City’s removal of graffiti on the UP bridges by closing traffic lanes at night to allow the painting and by installing physical barriers to limit access to the bridge and freeway right of way to discourage future tagging.

In addition, the San Jose Police Department will step up its enforcement and install surveillance equipment at the railroad bridges to help prevent further vandalism.

"Graffiti is a crime committed by vandals that affects the quality of life in our community," said Mayor Gonzales. "We working together to make sure that we can prevent graffiti, clean it up quickly, and arrest vandals who deface property."

Since Gonzales became mayor last year, he has made anti-graffiti a high priority in neighborhoods. San Jose has achieved a response time of removing graffiti in parks within 24 hours, and in the community within 72 hours of notification. The number of graffiti tags has fallen 50 percent since mid-1999, and San Jose police have arrested or cited 364 graffiti criminals.

More than 1200 community volunteers have also helped clean up graffiti in San Jose parks and neighborhoods using equipment, supplies and training provided by the City’s Anti-Graffiti Program.

Valley Transportation Authority is cooperating with the City of San Jose and law enforcement agencies in Santa Clara County by with additional public outreach for the "Tag You Lose" program by placing more signs in VTA buses and light rail cars. Through the "Tag You Lose" program, graffiti vandals can lose their drivers licenses for a year, be fined, and be required to spend community service time cleaning up graffiti tags.

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