The resistance: Florida cities challenging MAGA guidance on LGBTQ crosswalk treatments: Update to "Attacks on American civil society to the most picayunish"

Hundreds of people turned out in a show of support for the LGBTQ+ rainbow pride intersection of Duval and Petronia streets in Key West on July 26, 2025. (Nick Doll Photography via Key West Business Guild/courtesy)

The City of Del Rey Florida, after pressure from the State DOT in response to US DOT guidance, agreed to remove "LGBTQ" painted crosswalks, which technically are not considered appropriate road treatments according to the Manual of Uniform Controlled Traffic Devices.

But they changed their minds.  From the Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel, "Delray Beach changes course, will defy state and keep its LGBTQ+ pride intersection":

Delray Beach has decided to defy the state and keep its LGBTQ+ pride intersection downtown, a move that could draw scrutiny from Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration. The decision to keep the intersection, at least for the time being, was made this week by a majority of city commissioners. 

It came three weeks after City Manager Terrence Moore ordered removal of the intersection. Moore, like officials in Boynton Beach and West Palm Beach, acted in response to a pronouncement from DeSantis’ secretary of transportation.

They are taking a big risk, considering how MAGA Florida is, and it's a definite positive sign of resistance.  The article is worth reading in full, as it describes the issues and the responses within a number of Florida's cities.

Delray Beach is not alone in resisting the early-July directive posted on social media by Florida Transportation Secretary Jared Perdue, who attached a memorandum warning non-compliant communities that they could lose state funding. Key West city commissioners voted last week to keep their rainbow intersection and fight efforts to remove it. In late July, hundreds of people gathered to show support for the city’s LGBTQ+ rainbow intersection.

In Fort Lauderdale, the fate of a segment of a road painted the colors of the rainbow progress pride flag is unresolved, with several factors complicating the issue. Mayor Dean Trantalis said he wants to preserve that section of Sebastian Street. Any decision about changing its status should be made by the City Commission, not the city staff, the mayor said.

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This entry was published July 18th:

A file photo, above, shows the “Pride Progress Flag” mural on East Ocean Avenue and First Street in Boynton Beach. Now, it's no longer there. A woman, below, walks her dog at the newly painted intersection on Wednesday, July 16, 2025. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel) 

Besides post-hospital demotivation, another reason for not writing has been the overwhelmingly anti-progressive acts by the Trump Administration, too much to grapple with.  I wrote about this in March ("Federal government cuts target civil society").  

From the Sun-Sentinel:

The instructions came via a July 1 social media post, press release and “Dear Governor” letter from Trump Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and a July 2 social media post from Florida Transportation Secretary Jared Perdue, who attached a detailed memorandum from one of his assistant secretaries. 

 Duffy was direct about his intentions. “Taxpayers expect their dollars to fund safe streets, not rainbow crosswalks. Political banners have no place on public roads. I’m reminding recipients of @USDOT roadway funding that it’s limited to features advancing safety, and nothing else. It’s that simple.”

So much for placemaking, traffic calming, and sustainable mobility.

This is further illustrated by proposals to cut federal funding to PBS and NPR ("Senate approves cuts to NPR, PBS and foreign aid programs," NPR).  Since the Senate agreed, it's all but a done deal.  Advocacy and action groups in all categories, such as agriculture and sustainable mobility, the arts and humanities and other areas are all losing funding.

In "Florida city removes LGBTQ+ rainbow intersection, quickly complying with state, federal mandate," the Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel reports on how the US DOT and Florida DOT--both hard right Republican, have advised local governments to remove gay pride rainbow crosswalks because they are not authorized "traffic control devices."