Probably not, as it’s not on a state road. But others like it may be gone soon — at least one already is.
By Kylee Worth
Original Air Date: July 18, 2025
Host: The U.S. government threatened, and now the Florida government is following up: Paint over those rainbow crosswalks, or else. Kylee Worth checked whether this will affect Sarasota’s downtown rainbow crosswalk.
The rainbow crosswalk in downtown Sarasota features the colors of the progress pride flag, which celebrates diversity by highlighting marginalized communities under the wider LGBTQ+ umbrella.
Kylee Worth: The Florida Department of Transportation recently issued an ultimatum asking cities to remove pavement art from their roads or potentially lose state funding.
The Florida Department of Transportation issued a memo on June 30 informing cities and counties about a ban on pavement markings that do not comply with their Design Manual and Florida Greenbook. The memo says this includes “pavement surface art that is associated with social, political, or ideological messages or images and does not serve the purpose of traffic control.”
The Florida Department of Transportation cites safety concerns for drivers and pedestrians, noting that “automated vehicle technologies rely heavily on consistent traffic control devices.”
A study conducted by Bloomberg Philanthropies says otherwise. The study found a 17% decrease in total crash rates at intersections after pavement art was installed. The study, to be sure, does not specify research about impacts on automated vehicles.
The memo, on behalf of Florida Secretary of Transportation Jared Purdue, came after the Trump administration’s Secretary of Transportation threatened on social media that cities displaying rainbow crosswalks stand to lose federal funding.
A city in Palm Beach County is among the first to begin complying with the new state rules. Last Wednesday, Boynton Beach painted over an intersection that displayed a pride flag. The symbol of the LGBTQ+ community is displayed in many cities. The most notable rainbow crosswalk in Florida is in Orlando, painted in front of the former Pulse nightclub where 49 people were massacred.
Sarasota also has a rainbow crosswalk at the downtown intersection of Cocoanut Avenue and Second Street. But Sarasota City Commissioner Ahearn-Koch says that Sarasota will not be affected by the ban.
Jen Ahearn-Koch. Photo courtesy of City of Sarasota
Jen Ahearn-Koch: It’s my understanding that it is just state roads. FDOT also controls the Ringling bridge, so we have other state roads in the city of Sarasota, but it’s my understanding that it’s just the state roads.
KW: The Florida Department of Transportation said the same. Communications said that the ban applies to state roads. For local roads, the city must be contacted.
In the past, Sarasota has navigated policy changes from the FDOT. This includes changes to the Ringling Bridge lighting.
JA: The bridge is completely controlled by the state, and the way we worked with the state before was organizations and groups would come to us and say, “We wanna have orange for cancer awareness” or “We wanna have purple for children with disabilities” or whatever they wanted to bring awareness to. Then we would put together a list and we would present it to the state and they would accept it or not, and we did that every year. That was the process before, and then the state changed the rules to just red, white and blue, so we conform with that. We have to. It’s the law, and that’s what we have to do.
KW: The longstanding Sarasota International Chalk Festival has also produced pavement art. The organizers have only used streets under city jurisdiction. While we were unable to receive communication from the Chalk Festival, Ahearn-Koch says that they will not be affected.
JA: It would be able to continue. It does not impact the Chalk Festival at all.
KW: Reporting for WSLR News, this has been Kylee Worth.
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