On a sun-drenched Sunday in early October 2025, the iconic rainbow crosswalk on Miami Beach’s Ocean Drive—long a symbol of inclusion and pride for the LGBTQ+ community—was abruptly removed by order of the Florida Department of Transportation. By Monday morning, what had once been a vibrant, Art Deco-inspired stretch of multicolored terrazzo pavers was replaced with a stark swath of black asphalt. The removal, which followed the city’s failed appeal against a state directive, marks the latest flashpoint in Florida’s escalating battle over public displays of identity, politics, and local autonomy.
The crosswalk, designed by Savino & Miller Design Studio and installed in 2018, was more than just a traffic feature. For locals and tourists alike, it was a must-see attraction, celebrated in travel guides and woven into the fabric of Miami Beach’s famed Art Deco district. But its significance ran deeper. As Miami Beach Commissioner Alex Fernandez told the Associated Press, “This represented decades of people who endured housing discrimination, expulsion from the military, workplace discrimination, the stigma of HIV and AIDS, the fight for marriage equality, all the hard-won battles that took the LGBTQ community from being marginalized to now being a visible, celebrated part of the community.”
Yet, despite its cultural import and even its safety record—the intersection reportedly had half as many crashes as the closest intersection to the south since 2018, according to city data—the crosswalk fell afoul of a statewide push to remove what Florida officials have labeled as "political street art." The crackdown, spearheaded by Governor Ron DeSantis and enforced by the Department of Transportation, has targeted not just rainbow crosswalks but also other murals, such as the "Back the Blue" tribute outside Tampa’s police headquarters. All were ordered erased, with the threat of withheld state transportation funding hanging over noncompliant municipalities.
The directive’s rationale, at least on its face, is rooted in safety and standardization. In a July 2025 memo, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy called on states to participate in the SAFE ROADS national initiative, emphasizing the need for "consistent and recognizable traffic control devices including crosswalk and intersection markings, and orderly use of the right‑of‑way that is kept free from distractions." Duffy’s letter went on: "We are getting back to the basics—using data to guide decision-making and prioritize investments that reduce distraction while improving mobility and safety for all road users." The memo requested state DOTs to identify and address arterial segments with the highest safety or operational concerns by the end of Fiscal Year 2026.
Governor DeSantis, for his part, has been clear about drawing a line between what he sees as appropriate use of public space and political messaging. "We will not allow our state roads to be commandeered for political purposes," he said in August, responding to mounting backlash. DeSantis has also argued, “I think the street art got out of hand. I think it’s much better that we use crosswalks and streets for their intended purpose.”
But for many in Miami Beach and beyond, the removal of the rainbow crosswalks is about more than road safety or visual distractions. Critics, including city officials and LGBTQ+ advocates, see the move as part of a broader campaign by the DeSantis administration and the Republican-controlled Legislature to restrict LGBTQ+ visibility and rights. This campaign, they argue, includes controversial measures such as the so-called "Don’t Say Gay" law, bans on gender-affirming care, and prohibitions on diversity, equity, and inclusion programs in public institutions.
The Miami Beach crosswalk was not the first to go. In August, a rainbow crosswalk honoring the victims of the 2016 Pulse Nightclub massacre in Orlando was painted over in the dead of night, only to be briefly restored by community members before being repainted black and white by state crews. Such actions have sparked outrage and grief among those who see these symbols as vital reminders of hard-fought progress and ongoing struggles.
Miami Beach Commissioner Fernandez, reflecting on the crosswalk’s removal, told the Miami Herald Editorial Board that the city was given less than 15 minutes’ notice before the state began shutting down Ocean Drive to allow the work to proceed. "This crosswalk represented so much to so many—people who over the decades experienced expulsion from the military, workplace discrimination, the stigma of HIV and AIDS, housing inequality and the fight for marriage equality," Fernandez wrote in a text message. "These were hard-won battles that took us from being marginalized to being visible." Fernandez also noted that city public works employees had collected all the removed paving stones, with hopes that they might be repurposed in the future.
Supporters of the state’s actions argue that public infrastructure should remain neutral and that allowing political or social messages on roadways opens the door to controversy, distraction, and even potential safety concerns. They point to the SAFE ROADS initiative and the need for uniformity in traffic control devices as legitimate reasons for the crackdown. As Transportation Secretary Duffy emphasized, the national effort is about "reducing distraction while improving mobility and safety for all road users."
Opponents, however, see a different motivation. Editorials in the Miami Herald and statements from local officials frame the removals as part of a broader "culture war"—an attempt to erase the visibility of historically marginalized groups and to override local decision-making in favor of state authority. The editorial board of the Miami Herald was particularly blunt, writing, "This is about culture wars, not safety. This is not happening in a vacuum." The board further criticized the state for preempting local governments and stripping power from officials closest to the communities they serve.
The clash has also reignited debates over home rule and the rights of cities to shape their own public spaces. In Miami Beach, where the crosswalk had become a symbol of the city’s inclusive spirit, many residents and officials are now left wondering what comes next. Will the city find new ways to make its commitment to diversity visible? Or will the state’s actions set a precedent for further rollbacks of local autonomy and LGBTQ+ representation?
For now, the intersection at Ocean Drive stands as a stark reminder of the ongoing tensions between state policy and local identity. The palm trees and the beach remain, but the rainbow crosswalk—once a beacon for residents and visitors alike—has been paved over, its future uncertain. What’s clear is that the debate over who controls the colors of Miami Beach’s streets is far from over.
