FDOT Covers Rainbow Crosswalks in Delray Beach and Key West

Crosswalks Painted Over

• 🎨 Rainbow crosswalks in Key West have been painted over with black paint, and a similar attempt was made in Delray Beach by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT).
• 🌃 The painting in Key West occurred overnight, covering rainbows that had been present since 2015 at Duval and Petronia Streets.
• ⚠️ Both municipalities received a final order from FDOT on Monday night regarding the crosswalks.

Concerns Over Paint Job and Legality

• 🗣️ Residents and officials in Delray Beach expressed dissatisfaction with the quality of the paint job, noting that the black paint is already rubbing off.
• ⚖️ A Delray Beach city commissioner questioned the legality of FDOT's actions and plans to contact the department about the paint job.
• 🚗 Concerns were raised about the high gloss paint being slippery in the rain and potentially transferring to car tires.

State's Stance on Crosswalks

• 🚫 State officials, including the DeSantis administration, have been cracking down on colorful crosswalks, including rainbows and other decorations.
• 🚦 The state's justification is that these crosswalks are considered distractions and unsafe for drivers.
• 💰 A Delray Beach resident criticized the city's spending of $5,000 to repaint the crosswalks, especially when budgets are being cut.

Community and Political Response

• ✊ Demonstrators argue that these crosswalks are a means of community expression.
• 🏛️ The Delray Beach City Commission held an emergency meeting to discuss the next steps following the FDOT's action.
• 🏳️ A city commissioner expressed disagreement with the decision to cover the rainbows, stating the need to find permissible ways to display rainbows.