Rainbow crosswalks could be removed under FDOT and USDOT memos

Possible removal of rainbow crosswalks

FOX 13's Ariel Plasencia shares what the future holds for decorative crosswalks.

FLORIDA - Last month, Governor Ron DeSantis signed Senate Bill 1662 into law. Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) Secretary Jared Perdue described the bill on social media as keeping "our transportation facilities free & clear of political ideologies."

According to a written statement by an FDOT spokesperson to FOX 13, Senate Bill 1662 directs FDOT "to ensure compliance with FDOT’s uniform system for traffic control devices. To follow the provisions of the law, FDOT is currently performing an evaluation on facilities across the state."

What we know:

To answer the question of why, the FDOT spokesperson directed FOX 13 to a June 30th FDOT letter, which reads in part:

"Non-standard surface markings, signage, and signals that do not directly contribute to traffic safety or control can lead to distractions or misunderstandings, jeopardizing both driver and pedestrian safety. Furthermore, uniform and consistent application of pavement surface markings is critical for the overall effectiveness of automated vehicle operation, as automated vehicle technologies rely heavily on consistent traffic control devices."

Earlier this month, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy sent out his own letter, noting that intersections and crosswalks need to be kept "free from distractions," which "includes political messages of any nature, artwork, or anything else that detracts from the core mission of driver and pedestrian safety."

On July 1, Duffy wrote on social media, "Taxpayers expect their dollars to fund safe streets, not rainbow crosswalks."

What we don't know:

It remains to be seen what these directives mean for existing murals, or who will be in charge of potentially removing them, and what the timeline is. But FDOT said non-compliance could result in the withholding of state funds.

Local perspective:

"I think it's disappointing. It's infuriating. It's sad," Rob Hall said of the potential removal of the rainbow street mural on Central Ave. in St. Petersburg.

RELATED: St. Pete rainbow street mural defaced about a week before Pride Month

Hall is the executive director of Winter Pride St. Pete, an annual Pride festival in February.

"It had never been a problem before," Hall said of the rainbow street mural. "I've never heard people say, ‘I wasn't able to visibly see the lines in the street.’ I've never heard that it has caused an accident or caused disruption in the streets."

 Local Pride leaders argue rainbow crosswalks do not pose a safety threat but instead serve as a public display of acceptance.

 "What it does, is it celebrates our community in a way that's viewable to anybody driving up and down the street," Hall added.

Dig deeper:

In 2011 under the Obama administration, the U.S. Department of Transportation ruled in a Buffalo, New York case that decorative crosswalks shouldn’t be used because the bright colors would conflict with white crosswalk lines and therefore had the potential to distract road users and reduce safety.

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