Now Florida officials have ordered the colorful, trendy piece of infrastructure — Miami Beach’s rainbow crosswalk — removed. This rainbow crosswalk was created in recognition of the LGBTQ+ community. Located in the heart of the city’s renowned Ocean Drive entertainment district, the crosswalk was a colorful representation of inclusivity and pride. Its recent removal has sparked conversations about the continued LGBTQ+ rights battles still headlining the state.
Savino & Miller Design Studio created the crosswalk, which was painted in 2018. It features multicolor terrazzo pavers that were laid out in a unique Art Deco pattern. This design decision honored Miami Beach’s almost one-hundred-year-old Art Deco history. The crosswalk soon turned into a hot tourist spot, written up in all the major travel books as an attraction you have to see.
The crosswalk literally dropped off at the curb. This was just two months after state officials issued an edict to remove all street art throughout the state of Florida. In August, work crews painted over the vibrant colors with black and white asphalt during the night. Community members immediately rushed to the rescue and repainted the mural its original vibrant colors just days later. Their victory was temporary as state transportation department crews came and re-repainted it just days later, underscoring the contentiousness surrounding the unpopular decision.
Many critics replied that the removal was a deliberate attack on the LGBTQ+ community. They say the DeSantis administration and Republican controlled Legislature are responsible for this maneuver. Miami Beach Commissioner Alex Fernandez expressed this sentiment, stating that the crosswalk symbolized decades of struggles faced by the LGBTQ+ community, including discrimination and the fight for equality.
“This represented decades of people who endured housing discrimination, expulsion from the military, workplace discrimination, the stigma of HIV and AIDS, the fight for marriage equality, all the hard-won battles that took the LGBTQ community from being marginalized to now being a visible, celebrated part of the community,” – Alex Fernandez.
The intersection on which the crosswalk stood was even known as one of the safest in Miami Beach. Since its installation, it has had half as many crashes as a comparable intersection just to the south. This data shines a light on the power of well designed, pedestrian-first crossings to make neighborhoods safer for both the folks that live there and visitors.
Saved and surfacing streets After the paving removal, city public works employees collected all the paving stones. Second, they have every intent to repurpose them for future projects. In addition to the specific public art issues, the recent decision has brought to light wider concerns about public expression and art in Florida.
“I think it’s much better that we use crosswalks and streets for their intended purpose.” – Ron DeSantis.
