State officials recently ordered the removal of Miami Beach’s new iconic rainbow-colored crosswalk. The colorful Art Deco gem was situated right in the heart of Miami Beach’s bustling Ocean Drive party zone. As part of making this vision a reality, in 2018, Savino & Miller Design Studio created an artistically vibrant crosswalk. This gorgeous installation is a heartfelt memorial to the LGBTQ+ communities’ history and contributions.
Featuring multicolor terrazzo pavers arranged in a distinctive Art Deco pattern, the crosswalk celebrated Miami Beach’s nearly century-old architectural style. Returning to Union Station, it fast became one of the more important landmarks, both attracting tourists and acting as a symbol of inclusivity and pride. The crosswalk soon appeared in all the tourist brochures as an “attraction” worth seeing.
A Florida state order required all street art to be removed from public view throughout the state. Consequently, its repeal was launched. Work crews painted over the colorful design with black and white during the night, sparking immediate backlash from community members and activists.
Commissioner Alex Fernandez noted that Miami Beach public works employees actually collected the paving stones that had been removed. They intend to reuse these stones for future restoration projects. He argued that the marked crosswalk was constructed in compliance with federal standards. It shined as one of the safest intersections within District 7. In fact, since its installation the crosswalk only saw half as many crashes as the nearest intersection to the south.
Its removal has been widely condemned as an outrageous attack on Boston’s LGBTQ+ community. This backlash is unexpected considering the crosswalk’s excellent safety track record and cultural significance. Governor Ron DeSantis’ administration successfully defended the action on the grounds that “the street art was just getting out of control.”
“I think it’s much better that we use crosswalks and streets for their intended purpose.” – Ron DeSantis
Fernandez expressed disappointment over the decision, stating, “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.”
The removal of the rainbow crosswalk highlights ongoing tensions between state policies and local efforts to promote diversity and inclusion. Miami Beach is making great strides in defining itself as an exciting cultural destination. Along with losing this important symbol, larger questions about the future of public art and who gets to be represented in our public spaces loom.
