Questions raised over how much FDOT is spending to paint over crosswalks

Questions raised over FDOT costs to cover up crosswalks

The state has painted over a rainbow crosswalk for the third time this week, raising questions about cost and legality as residents continue to decorate it with chalk. Seminole County crews are now repainting green nature trail crosswalks after receiving a letter from the Florida Department of Transportation setting a Sept. 4 compliance deadline.

ORLANDO, Fla. - A rainbow crosswalk outside the Pulse memorial has become the center of a tug-of-war between state officials and residents, with crews repainting the street black-and-white three times in less than a week and community members returning to color it in chalk.

What we know:

The rainbow-colored crosswalk outside the Pulse memorial has been repeatedly repainted by state crews in black-and-white while community members have returned to recolor it with chalk. 

The Florida Department of Transportation has ordered all crosswalks across the state to conform to standard markings, a directive that has already prompted Seminole County to begin removing its green-painted trail crossings.

What we don't know:

It remains unclear how much the repeated repainting outside the Pulse memorial is costing taxpayers, a point of frustration for residents. Questions also linger over whether cities will challenge FDOT’s authority to mandate repainting or if further conflicts will emerge as local governments comply with the order.

FOX 35 News has submitted request to the state for the total costs spent thus far, but we have not heard back.

The backstory:

The Pulse memorial crosswalk was painted rainbow as a symbol of remembrance for the 49 people killed in the 2016 nightclub shooting. State officials, however, maintain that colorful crosswalks amount to political messaging. Gov. Ron DeSantis reinforced the policy last week, declaring on social media that state roads would not be "commandeered for political purposes."

Timeline:

FDOT first painted over the rainbow colors last week, in the early morning hours of Thursday. Residents repainted the crosswalk on Friday, only to see it covered in black again by Saturday morning. They returned with chalk on Sunday, and by Sunday night state crews had repainted it black-and-white for a third time. By Monday morning, residents had again restored the rainbow pattern with chalk.

What they're saying:

Florida Highway Patrol troopers monitored the site to ensure people did not obstruct traffic while coloring the crosswalk.

"If we come out as a community and put it back every day, in some ways, that’s even more powerful," one Orlando resident said while coloring the crosswalk. 

Others questioned the expense, with one person saying, "They’re wasting our money." 

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Another added, "The officers that are just sitting here babysitting us with chalk can be serving in the city elsewhere." 

In Seminole County, officials said they are repainting more than a dozen green-painted crosswalks after receiving a letter from FDOT that set a Sept. 4 deadline. The letter warned that if the county did not comply, the state would remove the paint itself and charge the county for the work.

The county has used local penny sales tax revenue to paint the crosswalks green, citing improved safety for bicyclists and pedestrians near trails.

"We understand this change may cause frustration in the community, given the resources that were invested in installing the crosswalks," Seminole County officials said in a statement. "Seminole County is committed to maintaining safe, accessible, and compliant roadways, and we will continue working with FDOT to identify appropriate safety measures for trail crossings."

The other side:

FDOT has directed cities across Florida to repaint crosswalks in standard white to avoid political messaging. Gov. Ron DeSantis said last week on X, formerly known as Twitter, "We will not allow our state roads to be commandeered for political purposes."

"People are breaking the law. We don't blame FDOT for cleaning up their messes. That is their job. The responsibility for this are the people who don't respect our laws and think our streets should be turned into political memorials," said Republican Congressman Randy Fine.

Big picture view:

The dispute highlights growing friction between state leaders and local communities over public symbols, safety improvements, and what constitutes political expression. For many in Orlando, the rainbow crosswalk is a tribute to the victims of Pulse. For state leaders, it is a violation of uniform traffic standards and a potential precedent for politicized roadways.

What's next:

Back at the Pulse site on Monday, residents were told they could use chalk but not paint and could not block traffic, or they risked arrest.

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