The city of Jacksonville says it will comply with the law to avoid losing state transportation funding, but leaders are exploring ways to preserve public art.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Several of Jacksonville’s decorated crosswalks are gone after city crews painted over them Friday to comply with a new state mandate.
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) directed cities across the state to remove street art and non-standard crosswalk markings, citing uniformity and road safety. Jacksonville covered up six intersections in one day — including a student-designed mural at R.L. Brown Elementary and a popular geometric design at Pearl and 9th.
Local muralist David Nackashi, who led both projects, says the removals are painful and unnecessary.
“I comply with all the rules. Flat geometry only, nothing to confuse drivers,” he said. “I told these kids the paint would last their whole time in school. It didn’t even make it through the summer, because of politics.”
At R.L. Brown, a custodian described the removal as erasing memories.
“That’s a shame. They’re taking away kids’ handprints from something they did,” she said. “When they grow up, they can’t tell their kids, ‘I did this,’ because the city took it away.”
Supporters of the new directive, including Florida’s Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia, argue that decorated crosswalks can be distracting and should not carry political messages. “There should not be political signs or messages on any of these crosswalks — we should have one uniform code,” Ingoglia said.
But critics point to studies showing decorated crosswalks can actually improve pedestrian safety. Nackashi said replacing them is not only misguided but costly.
“It’s not fiscally responsible, it’s not safer for kids,” says Nackashi. “It’s just big government imposing its will on small communities. It makes no sense to me.”
The city of Jacksonville says it will comply with the law to avoid losing state transportation funding, but leaders are exploring ways to preserve public art by moving future projects onto walls or private property.
Florida cities have until next Thursday to meet FDOT’s deadline to strip away decorated crosswalks, as the debate over safety, symbolism, and community identity continues statewide. As of Friday, Aug. 29 half are painted over.