MIAMI – Vandals spray-painted graffiti on two road signs along Interstate 395 in Miami in a way that completely obscures traffic directons, making a difficult drive even harder to navigate.
Miami Art Week might be over, but those behind the illicit highway art made sure the unsanctioned creations got some attention from motorists.
The signs were defaced Tuesday on I-395 westbound where the road forks into State Road 836 west and I-95 north and south.
“That’s creating so much congestion, especially now,” said a driver.
“That road is always packed,” said Arvind Kumar, the owner of Dhaba Indian Kitchen in downtown Miami.
The paint completely covers the directions on the signs, causing trouble and confusion for drivers.
”It’s going to drive us crazy when we get to that area,” said a man who works nearby.
Besides driving people crazy, it’s obviously illegal.
A Florida Department of Transportation spokesperson issued a statement on Tuesday that reads in part, “Graffiti vandalism of roadway signage is a crime that compromises safety. It obscures important mesages that can lead to driver confusion. Vandals put their lives and the lives of others at risk.”
Back in September, the interchange saw some major changes, as a more than $800 million construction project on the interstate system continues.
Christian Roman, a ride-hailing service driver, said people are just starting to get used to it.
“It’s already a headache, and it’s going to create even more headaches now,” he said.
It’s an even bigger headache for people visiting Miami who aren’t familiar with the roads.
7News showed video of the vandalized road signs to a man visiting South Florida.
“I gotta see my maps or something. That’s not going to help at all. That’s insane,” he said.
Many who work near the I-395 on-ramp in downtown Miami say the construction alone has created enough issues.
“Even if you have to drive, like, two or three miles in this area, it can take around 20, 30 minutes,” said Kumar.
Now they fear the graffiti will just make things worse.
“This definitely should not happen, because people, they get confused,” said Kumar.
“On rainy days, it will be crazy,” said the man who works nearby.
Crews have started cleaning up the signs late Tuesday night. The FDOT spokesperson said the process could take several days.
