Trump Administration’s Program Urges States to Eliminate “Non-safety” Road Art,
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy issued a bizarre order for intersections to be cleared of any design elements not strictly tied to traffic or pedestrian safety. The move is part of the Trump administration’s SAFE ROADS initiative, which seeks to standardize roadway surfaces and remove what it calls unnecessary “distractions.”
The letter calls for officials to remove rainbow crosswalks honoring LGBTQ people and could affect the crosswalk installed to honor the dead of the Pulse nightclub massacre in Florida.
Installed in 2017 on Orange Avenue, the rainbow-painted crosswalk honors the 49 lives lost in 2016 and stands as a symbol of LGBTQ pride and inclusion. It also features in the planned design of the forthcoming permanent memorial, which recently received $400,000 in state funding.
“Roads are for safety, not political messages or artwork,” Duffy wrote, suggesting decorative crosswalks could pose a hazard, though no specific data was cited to support that claim. His comments have sparked alarm among local officials and community advocates, who argue the crosswalk offers comfort, not confusion.
Orlando city leaders confirmed they are reviewing the directive, along with a memo issued by the Florida Department of Transportation warning that failure to comply could result in reduced state transportation funding. The state document reinforces that surface markings must serve a functional traffic purpose.
