Shots of Graffiti during the highways being covered in back-fill.
CENTRALIA, Columbia County – Located halfway between Hazelton and Hershey, Pennsylvania Graffiti Highway attracts trespassers from all over the United States and Canada. Ignoring a mandatory stay-at-home order due to Corona virus (COVID-19), hundreds of people from New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, and Maryland have all visited the deserted highway on a daily basis.
In 1962 an underground mine fire started at the Centralia Dump. Over the years this fire burned under the town and highway causing the ground to become unstable in areas. In 1993 PaDot abandoned this section of highway. Unwilling to deal with the upkeep and issues caused by trespassers on the closed highway Pennsylvania Department of Transportation then returned the now closed highway to its original owner Pagnotti Enterprises in recent years
While Graffiti Highway has existed since 2000, an increase in illegal activity during the lockdown has led the landowner to finally bury this section of land due to liability issues.
Bonfires, ATV accidents, trespassing, vandalism of a nearby cemetery, multiple rescues and massive drug use on the property contributed to the decision.
While crowds are kept to a minimum while crews work, it does not stop many from graffiti the highway after they leave.

Permission was provided for the attached video and photographs to be taken.