Rainbow-painted crosswalks, a visible celebration of LGBTQ+ identity and inclusion, have become a flashpoint in debates over public art, traffic safety, and political power. In two Southern cities, the outcomes could not look more different. Atlanta’s rainbow crosswalks are here to stay. In Delray Beach, Florida, the designs have been erased, but the community is looking for new ways to show Pride.
Atlanta officials announced this summer that the brightly painted intersections in Midtown would remain untouched despite a federal recommendation urging municipalities to remove non-standard markings. The Federal Highway Administration has pushed for uniformity in traffic signals and crosswalks, but the agency’s guidance does not apply to city-owned roads. That means Atlanta has the authority to preserve its Pride crosswalks. For residents, the decision represents more than a technical exemption. It is an affirmation that one of the city’s most recognizable LGBTQ+ landmarks will not be sacrificed to outside pressure.
The story has unfolded differently in Florida, where Gov. Ron DeSantis’s administration has aggressively targeted rainbow crosswalks across the state. In Delray Beach, the Florida Department of Transportation ordered the city’s Pride crosswalk painted over, insisting it violated safety standards. City officials initially resisted, arguing the colorful design functioned as community art rather than a traffic control device. The dispute quickly became a high-profile test of local authority. Hearings were held, residents rallied in support, and the city painted and repainted the intersection in an attempt to hold its ground.
But after months of back and forth, Delray Beach commissioners voted in early September to drop their legal challenge, citing the mounting cost of litigation. For many, the decision felt like a painful defeat. At the same time, city leaders pledged to create a new Pride display, signaling that while the rainbow crosswalk itself has been lost, the community’s visibility will not disappear. Plans are underway for a re-imagined installation that cannot be as easily erased.
Other Florida cities have faced similar clashes. In Orlando, a rainbow crosswalk near the Pulse nightclub memorial site was painted over by state workers, prompting outrage from city leaders and grief from survivors. Protesters attempted to restore the colors with chalk, only to face arrest. In Key West, residents responded to the removal of their crosswalks with both protest rallies and creative symbolism, showing up in brightly colored clothing to form a “human crosswalk.” Each episode underscores the emotional weight these installations carry.
Together, the examples of Atlanta and Delray Beach illustrate a cycle of resistance and return. One city has secured its rainbow crosswalks as a permanent landmark. Another has been forced to concede to state power but is determined to reinvent how Pride is displayed in public space. In both places, the message is clear: rainbow crosswalks may be temporary paint, but the fight for LGBTQ+ presence and visibility on the streets is ongoing.