ORLANDO, Fla. — The City of Orlando it’s preparing to take legal action after the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) painted over the rainbow-colored crosswalk outside the Pulse Memorial without warning, city hall said Thursday.
City officials say the work happened in the middle of the night and without any prior notice. By Thursday morning, what had once been a symbol of remembrance and resilience was covered in black-and-white stripes.
Dozens of people gathered at the corner of Orange Avenue and Esther Street throughout the day to protest the decision. “We are Orlando Strong, and this city does not take anything lying down,” one demonstrator vowed.
Protesters used chalk to redraw the rainbow colors across the crosswalk, but rain quickly washed it away. Still, they said the fight isn’t over. “To try and erase 49 people all over the state is insane,” said Diana Myers, a demonstrator.
The controversy stems from a federal initiative called SAFE ROADS, which stands for Safe Arterials for Everyone through Reliable Operations and Distraction-Reducing Strategies. The program pushes states to remove crosswalk designs that could be considered distracting to drivers. Back in July, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy sent a letter to Gov. Ron DeSantis asking the state to comply.
City leaders argue the rainbow design made the area safer. “We followed all the FDOT regulations and rules when we installed this crosswalk,” said Orlando City Commissioner Patty Sheehan.
But not everyone agrees. “Taxpayer money should never be used for a woke agenda and I’m grateful for the administration to clean up our streets,” said Congressman Randy Fine.
For survivors of the Pulse tragedy, the issue goes far beyond transportation guidelines. “It’s so much more than colors on the pavement,” said Pulse survivor Brandon Wolf. “It’s a memorial to 49 people who had their lives stolen and the countless others who had their lives turned upside down. It’s a message of solidarity from the community—and that’s why it cuts so deeply.”
The city said it was not informed ahead of time about the removal, and its team is now exploring all options to bring the rainbow crosswalk back.
FDOT has provided Channel 9 with the following statement:
As the state highway department, it is the duty of the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) to ensure the safety and consistency of public roadways and transportation systems. That means ensuring our roadways are not utilized for social, political, or ideological interests.
Earlier this year, the Department completed a months-long process of updating the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) with input from representatives of state and local governments. This update included a prohibition on non-uniform traffic control devices, such as pavement markings on state and local roads.
In June, FDOT notified all local governments of these updates and revised provisions of Florida Statutes that give the Department authority to withhold state funds for noncompliance. This was followed by similar policy updates from USDOT Secretary Duffy.
Last week, local governments not in compliance for local roads began receiving notifications to bring their roadways up to state standards to ensure locals govern themselves accordingly.
In addition to ensuring all local governments comply, FDOT completed a review of all state-maintained roadways and is now correcting pavement markings not in compliance. That includes street art previously installed on state right of way, such as the intersection of Orange Avenue in question.
Transportation infrastructure is for the movement of people and goods. In this case, while the crosswalk has been restored to its proper form, local efforts are underway to construct a permanent memorial on adjacent properties funded by the State of Florida. Any attempt to suggest otherwise is false.
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