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The Florida Department of Transportation asked St. Petersburg officials for a list of painted crosswalks, roads and other traffic infrastructure, according to a city email obtained by Axios. Why it matters: The request, sent Monday morning via email, stems from new state and federal guidance restricting pavement markings and art on public roads. - FDOT "is currently performing an evaluation on facilities across the state," spokesperson Michael Williams told Axios.
- The policy puts in jeopardy installations such as the Progress Pride flag on Central Avenue and the "Black History Matters" mural in front of the Woodson African American Museum of Florida.
Catch up quick: The guidance, laid out in a June 30 memo from FDOT assistant secretary Will Watts, bans pavement art "that is associated with social, political or ideological messages or images." - Instead, such markings must comply with state and federal traffic rules. Noncompliant governments stand to lose state transportation funding.
- "Non-standard surface markings, signage and signals … can lead to distractions or misunderstandings, jeopardizing both driver and pedestrian safety," the memo says.
The "Black History Matters" street mural outside the Woodson. Photo: Courtesy of the City of St. Petersburg The big picture: The Trump Administration has also adopted this position. Federal transportation secretary Sean Duffy sent letters July 1 to the governors of all 50 states emphasizing "consistent and recognizable traffic control devices" and requesting lists of noncompliant roads. - "Taxpayers expect their dollars to fund safe streets, not rainbow crosswalks," Duffy posted on X.
- While both memos emphasize that the goal is to improve safety, neither cites evidence or data indicating that pavement art makes roads more dangerous.
Reality check: "I just don't think there's any evidence of that kind," said Whit Blanton, executive director of transportation planning agency Forward Pinellas. - While research on the topic is limited, Blanton said, a 2022 Bloomberg Philanthropies study analyzing 17 locations where asphalt art was installed found that crash rates decreased or didn't change at 15 locations.
Between the lines: Pavement art in the right location — typically a slower-speed road in a neighborhood or business district with a lot of pedestrians — signals to drivers "that they're entering a place where they're not necessarily primary," Blanton said. - Similar logic applies to the green-painted bike lanes that can be found at some intersections along Gulf Boulevard.
Asphalt art like the Pride flag and "Black History Matters" murals has another benefit, St. Pete Pride board president Byron Green-Calisch said: making residents and visitors feel welcome and seen. - "This is not making Floridians' lives better," he said of the new guidance.
Zoom in: St. Petersburg "intends to comply with federal and state requirements," city spokesperson Samantha Bequer told Axios on Monday. Keep reading: Officials meet today
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