Tag-X Takes On “Satan’s Bridge”

The Route 880 bridge connecting North Carolina and Virginia is known by a more sinister name to local residents – “Satan’s Bridge.”

The structure, which spans the Dan River, is covered from parapet to deck with more than a decade of graffiti, said Danny Torrence, Lynchburg District bridge maintenance manager for the Virginia Department of Transportation. Everything from favorite four-letter words to satanic messages adorns the structure, and urban legends abound of its use as a site for rituals and other sordid activities.

“The bridge is way out in the country, away from the beaten path,” Torrence said. “It’s a hard one to deal with.”

Eager to rise to a new challenge, Nox-Crete saw the bridge as a perfect opportunity to demonstrate the effectiveness of Tag-X graffiti remover. Using a combination of biodegradable and environmentally friendly solvents and surfactants, Tag-X quickly penetrates, softens and lifts graffiti from porous surfaces.

Using an Excel 130 sprayer specifically fitted for Tag-X, crews applied the product to a small portion of the bridge last November and allowed it to penetrate far enough into the surface to reach deep stains.  After half an hour passed, crews sprayed the area with hot water from a pressure washer and watched as the graffiti rinsed away.

Seeing Tag-X in action proved the product’s high performance – and earned it a spot on the Virginia DoT’s approved special products list. The list helps state maintenance professionals discover new products without having to worry about their effectiveness.

Tag-X’s quick results make it great for regular maintenance, Torrence said. “We would use it in spots that are more visible to the public and need quick graffiti removal.”

Though the graffiti on ‘Satan’s Bridge’ is a unique circumstance beyond regular maintenance, seeing how the Tag-X handled the sheer amount of paint on ‘Satan’s Bridge’ impressed Torrence.

“That was the toughest test it could go through,” he said.