Florida cities are beginning to remove colorful street art installations including rainbow crosswalks, Black Lives Matter murals, and Back the Blue displays following a new state mandate that bans political and social messaging on public roadways. The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) issued a memo requiring the removal of all art from travel lanes, paved shoulders, intersections, crosswalks, and sidewalks, citing road safety concerns for drivers and pedestrians.
The crackdown stems from Senate Bill 1662, which Governor Ron DeSantis signed into law in mid-June. The legislation mandates that all public roads in Florida comply with national guidelines established by the Federal Highway Administration in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). The law requires FDOT to ensure compliance with state guidelines in the 2025 FDOT Design Manual for all traffic control devices, adding "more stringent" requirements to existing national standards.
FDOT Secretary Jared Perdue posted the enforcement memo in early July, emphasizing the state's efforts to keep "transportation facilities free and clear of political ideologies." He praised both Governor DeSantis and U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy for their leadership on the issue. Around the same time, Secretary Duffy sent a letter to all state governors giving them 60 days to identify similar safety improvements, posting on social media: "Taxpayers expect their dollars to fund safe streets, not rainbow crosswalks. Political banners have no place on public roads."
One of the most prominent installations at risk is St. Petersburg's Progressive Pride Street Mural, an iconic LGBTQ art piece located at the intersection of Central Avenue and 25th Street. The rainbow crosswalk was installed in 2020 with permission from both FDOT and the city, marking the birthplace of St. Pete Pride, which began in 2003 and has grown into one of the largest Pride celebrations in the Southeast, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors annually.
Byron Green-Calisch, president of the organization behind the mural, emphasized its year-round significance beyond Pride Month. "It is a part of our history. It is a part of our current. It is a part of our future," Green-Calisch said. "It's a reminder that queer people are here all year long." He stressed that no taxpayer funds were used for the installation, explaining that "from soup to nuts," the project was entirely funded through community donations, including the paint, volunteer labor, and costs for road closures during installation and maintenance.
Green-Calisch vowed to fight for all street art, not just LGBTQ installations, stating: "Because when you come for one, you are coming for all, and it is disingenuous for us to fight for inclusion if we only fight for queer inclusion, this liberation has to be for all of us." He acknowledged the difficult balance communities face between preserving inclusive art and avoiding the loss of state funding that could impact essential services. "How do we both navigate the pushback of the erasure of marginalized communities while also fighting knowing that those communities are also going to be the most impacted?" he questioned.
Local residents have expressed strong support for maintaining the street art. Carlos Rodriguez, who lives near the mural, said it "shows you how people feel, it makes the community happy, and it turns all of us into one." Scott Neff argued that removing the art would increase distrust in government, saying: "The mural represents people's identity, and it's a free country. Everybody should have the chance to express who they are without fear of being judged or criticized for it."
The new guidelines have created uncertainty for temporary art projects like the Global Love Project, created by chalk artist Justin Lucci. For the past four years, Lucci has gathered with community members almost every Sunday morning at Central Avenue and 11th Street to create temporary messages of love, hope, and unity using chalk. The project has grown significantly, expanding to Vinoy Park and involving more than 10,000 community participants. The original location has even become a designated tourist attraction on Google Maps.
Lucci expressed concern about the memo's impact but remained determined to continue his work. "I felt more inspired to lean in more to chalk and just the permission for people to openly express together," he said. "You can't stop artists from creating. It's part of who we are as beings." However, FDOT's memo language remains unclear about whether temporary chalk art falls under the new restrictions.
Cities across Florida are responding differently to the mandate. St. Petersburg officials are currently discussing whether any local art qualifies for exemptions and have not yet removed any installations. However, other municipalities have already begun compliance efforts. Boynton Beach covered its rainbow street mural in July, while Tampa announced it will soon start removing all street art, including the Back the Blue mural located outside the downtown police station.
Sarasota has committed to removing multiple installations, including the LGBTQ-focused PrideWalk. When contacted about their Pride street murals, Delray Beach declined to comment, while Miami and Orlando did not respond to inquiries. The enforcement extends statewide, affecting communities from the Panhandle to the Keys that have installed rainbow crosswalks, Black Lives Matter displays, or other politically or socially themed street art.
FDOT has warned that non-compliance will result in enforcement action and the withholding of state funds from public agencies found in violation. These funds are crucial for essential infrastructure projects including pothole repairs, road construction, and bridge maintenance, creating a significant financial incentive for local governments to comply with the new restrictions despite community opposition to removing the artistic installations.
