Fake ivy installed along U.S. 101 in downtown Los Angeles to deter graffiti

In a bid to foil graffiti vandals, Caltrans has installed artificial ivy along U.S. 101 in downtown Los Angeles ahead of the FIFA World Cup in June and the 2028 Summer Olympics.

Video posted to Instagram recently showed Caltrans crews bolting the fake foliage to retaining walls along a stretch of the Santa Ana Freeway known as “The Slot” — a section of depressed highway that cuts through downtown Los Angeles and once featured historic murals from the 1984 Olympics that are now covered with spray paint.

“Due to a mural and related agreements at this location and several walls along U.S. 101 in downtown Los Angeles, Caltrans is not legally allowed to paint over or remove graffiti,” Caltrans said in a statement to ABC7. “As a temporary measure, to protect the mural artworks, Caltrans has been installing artificial ivy, which has aesthetic benefits and acts as a graffiti deterrent and is a more environmentally friendly solution to graffiti removal.”

Caltrans didn’t immediately respond to a request for more information.