Rainbow crosswalk in 5 Points area could be in jeopardy after federal initiative calls for removal of ‘political’ roads

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A rainbow crosswalk in Jacksonville’s 5 Points area may very well be in jeopardy after a brand new federal initiative is looking for all roads with political messages or paintings to be eliminated, citing security considerations.

In a letter to every governor, U.S Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy requested that their states take part within the Federal Freeway Administration’s (FHWA) Protected Arterials for Everybody by way of Dependable Operations and Distraction-Decreasing Methods—SAFE ROADS—initiative.

This system targets non-freeway arterial roads the place greater than half of U.S. roadway deaths happen.

Duffy mentioned in his letter that intersections and crosswalks have to be stored “free from distractions.” This contains political messages of any nature, paintings, or anything that “detracts from the core mission of driver and pedestrian security,” based on a launch.

“Roads are for security, not political messages or paintings,” Duffy mentioned.

The initiative might imply the rainbow crosswalk in 5 Factors may very well be eliminated.

The crosswalk made its debut in August 2024 on Lomax Road and was painted by Danielle Cleary of Heartspace Art, paid for by Riverside Avondale Preservation (RAP), and was supported by Councilmember Jimmy Peluso and The Aids Memorial Mission of Northeast Florida, RAP said.

“The rainbow crosswalks purpose to safe this place in our neighborhood to welcome and uplift anybody who wants it,” a blog post from the Riverside Avondale Preservation mentioned final yr.

As a part of the federal initiative, governors throughout the nation have 60 days to direct their departments of transportation, in working with their metropolitan companions, to:

• Use obtainable security information, evaluation and assessments to establish a listing of arterial segments, together with intersections, with potential or documented security or operational considerations that will probably be addressed.

• Submit listing of those segments to the Federal Freeway Administration.