By Kolby LaMarche

Vandals tagged nearly every street lamp along a two-mile stretch of Burlington’s newly opened Champlain Parkway during one of the roadway’s first weeks of operation, marring the $80 million project’s debut with identical graffiti marks.

City crews had washed away earlier vandalism, according to residents, from the site just days before the grand opening late last month, which was attended by Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak, former Mayor Miro Weinberger, and other officials. However, the fresh tagging appeared rapidly once the public gained access.

The incident was not the first time the parkway faced such problems. An individual familiar with the construction reported multiple instances of vandalism throughout the building process, requiring repeated cleanups. 

The Burlington Department of Public Works did not respond to a request for comment on the lamppost vandalism submitted last week by Burlington Daily News. 

The Champlain Parkway, more than six decades in the making, finally opened its final segments to traffic at the end of June. The outbound lanes toward Interstate 189 began service on June 29, followed by inbound lanes the next day. The project connects I-189 to Lakeside Avenue, aiming to reduce congestion in South End neighborhoods while providing improved vehicle and bicycle access.

Residents quickly noticed and shared photos of the tagging in online forums, highlighting the uniform tag that appeared across dozens of new lampposts. 

As of today, much of the graffiti had again been removed by city crews, though the episode has raised concerns about ongoing maintenance costs and security for the long-awaited infrastructure.

This latest vandalism fits into Burlington’s broader, years-long struggle with graffiti – particularly downtown, a few minutes away from the new street. 

The issue intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic, when reduced street activity and policing resources allowed tagging to spread. Burlington police logged 174 graffiti-related complaints between January 2020 and February 2021 alone, with Chittenden County authorities reporting complaints roughly doubling in some winter periods compared to prior years.

In response, the city formed a dedicated graffiti removal team in 2021 to handle incidents on public and private property. Officials also explored providing legal outlets for street artists, including discussions about designating a specific wall—possibly at the former Midtown Motel site—where tagging could occur without immediate consequences.

Under Mayor Mulvaney-Stanak’s administration, the city has leaned toward accountability measures, such as holding property owners responsible for repeated tagging on their buildings, inspired by approaches in Portland. Neighborhood mural projects have also received support as a way to reclaim spaces, though these efforts have sometimes been short-lived. A community mural on Main Street was defaced within a day of its unveiling in fall 2025.

Not all graffiti issues have been purely aesthetic. Last year, city officials considered an ordinance enabling residents to sue over hateful messages and stickers, particularly after repeated transphobic incidents on public property. The proposal drew criticism from civil liberties groups concerned about free-speech implications.

For the Champlain Parkway, the rapid return of graffiti echoes the site’s pre-opening history. 

Before full completion, the unfinished corridor attracted informal use by local youth, turning it into a spot for skateboarding and socializing amid the construction barriers. Graffiti on the rock walls was commonplace during those periods and still is there today.

Costing approximately $80 million, the 2.8-mile connector has been a focal point of city planning for generations. Legal disputes, environmental reviews, and design changes contributed to the lengthy timeline, with earlier segments opening in phases, including a portion between Home Avenue and Lakeside Avenue in 2024.

Community reactions have been mixed for decades. Many residents welcome the new roadway for its traffic relief and connectivity benefits, but the tagging has frustrated those who hoped the opening would signal a fresh start for the area.