Philly Plain Dealer

Written by Martin Sakansong and Kevin Penn

The Mayor’s investment into the Anti-Graffiti & Beautification Project during one of Philadelphia’s most eventful summers to date is an attempt to appease. The city is currently on the global stage but the mayor’s clean up project is in part so focused on the city’s visitors, that it takes attention away from the allocation of funds that yet again could contribute to Philadelphian residents well-being. From a historical standpoint for the city,  the project erases part of  Philadelphia history, its graffiti. Hundreds of tags, names and handles over the years, painted over for this brief moment of the summer. With a budget of $11.5 dollars, it’s hard not to think about how the city could not have focused on longstanding issues that its longtime Philadelphians will still have to deal with once the national eye on Philadelphia is over. To the public eye or city officials this may not seem like a big deal, but on the wall that borders the tracks from 30th street are historic pieces of graffiti.   

“The Gateways to Philadelphia project is an opportunity to set the gold standard for comprehensive highway beautification and landscape improvement – all in time for 2026 and the celebration of America’s 250th birthday,” said Mayor Cherelle Parker.

In collaboration with the Mural Arts Philadelphia and the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society “the Anti-Graffiti & Beautification Project,” was aimed at transportation gateways, erasing graffiti and delivering landscape enhancements. But with an $11.5 million budget, it’s hard to not think about many of the current ongoing issues at hand the city has been facing. Schools and classrooms without adequate needs such as heating and cooling, simple resources for teachers to have for the school year. Lack of affordable renting units, the need for more city programs for youth, basic safety for cyclists in the city, and the list goes on. 

Most of the publicized coverage of this beautification project has shown the wrap-around mural on the I-76 corridor entering Philadelphia, between Girard Avenue and Spring Garden streets. The “From Philly with Love” mural sits on the wall bordering the tracks from 30th Street Station, and was commissioned for Carlos “Calo” Rosa.

Experiencing Philadelphia as a visitor from another country, you may not be so focused on the beautification process, the scrubbed walls and added shrubbery, as you are sitting in gridlock traffic on I-76 trying to dodge cars speeding on the shoulder, eventually cutting into your lane. 

This painting was done in time for the Summer, while the spotlight is on Philadelphia. However, it’s not hard to assume that in time graffiti will be right back on the wall structure. Interestingly, with the technique of the paint applied, painting masonry would trap the moisture of the paint within the brick walls and actually deteriorate the building over time.

Does it truly make sense to be investing in highway paint and landscaping projects, just for the few events this summer, when we have much broader issues with traffic and environmental issues that have been plaguing this city for years?

Once the national eye is off Philadelphia for the summer,  it is unclear if the mayor intends for the “beautification” to continue. 

We spoke with graffiti enthusiasts Jeff Hamby and Devin Fitchwell on their perspectives on beautification:

“I don’t disagree that driving on Philly’s highways isn’t a particularly pleasant experience. I would, however, attribute that more to the perpetual gridlock and road conditions than the presence of graffiti or the lack of scenic landscaping. The project is framed around good first impressions for the influx of tourists visiting the City for FIFA games and the U.S,” said Jeff Hamby.

History repeats itself, there’s always been efforts on a city attempting to address its graffiti “problem,” some cities have adopted it as part of its identity, maybe not willingly but, every municipality sees what’s important for its city to focus on. 

“The vision is to create a consistent landscape, most of the budget going into horticulture window dressing for FIFA, the 250th anniversary and MLB All Star Game, this project will increase civic pride and economic development. They’re still trying to figure out how to use Market East and the empty commercial spaces, temporary pop up stuff. Are we actually improving SEPTA services or is it just the highway stuff? We could celebrate the railways. You can invite someone from a state transit system. Why isn’t SEPTA always overnight? They’re missing the mark with the focus on the highway. It seems to be that cleaning graffiti is always in the government’s psyche,” said Jeff.

“Philly Graffiti is undeniably a living American folk art- kept alive in an almost completely grassroots fashion. American Graffiti was born here. You can’t fake a Tall Hand, Stiff Hand, Wicked- you gotta get taught,”  said Devin Fitchwell.

According to Jeff and Devin the first and second generation of graffiti history has been covered on this wall years ago, so it doesn’t hurt as much as the erasure of Philly’s wall writing lineage along the BSL, MFL, and trolley walls. But the Sisyphean task of maintaining a buff on arguably the most high profile wall in the City. 

“That wall has been an important spot for decades. Beyond that wall- you can see the infrequency with which the local government keeps up with aesthetic pursuits,” said Devin.

Additionally, once Philadelphia is off this global stage, there is no telling and has been no mention of general upkeep for, specifically that mural along the highway. 

This is all to say the promise of tourism stimulation and economic development from both highways and high profile sporting events is mostly a mirage. Both residents of the City and visitors would be better served through investments into the transit system, pedestrian safety improvements, and streetscapes which support people over cars. As was the case with other buffing campaigns, graffiti removal is an easy target to throw money at. For the City and PennDOT this is ultimately a vanity campaign built around unrealistic tourism expectations.

Chaser

On June 26th, 2026 towards the tail end of the FIFA World Cup, the Parker Administration announced that they’d be slashing the Mural Arts Fund from $5.1 million to $3.7 million, per the Inquirer. The Philadelphia Cultural Fund will face similar slashes from $5 million to $3.5 million. Appearing to prove that “beautification” wasn’t for Philadelphians, but rather the tourists advertised for Summer 2026.