This Florida City Found A New Way To Keep Pride On The Streets Amid The War On Rainbow Crosswalks
After state officials ordered the removal of Pride street murals, St. Petersburg installed rainbow and Trans Pride bike racks as a visible show of inclusion.
Featured image courtesy of St. Petersburg/Instagram
When the rainbow street art at Central Avenue and 25th Street was scrubbed away earlier this year, many residents in St. Petersburg, Florida felt the loss deeply.
This month, the city answered that erasure with something new. Eleven Pride-themed bike racks now line Central Avenue in the Grand Central District, installed near the same intersection where one of the most visible Pride street murals once stood.
“Pride on the streets!” the City of St. Petersburg announced in a social media post shared by the city and Mayor Ken Welch. Welch described the racks as “a vibrant way to honor the Pride street murals that were removed earlier this year due to state requirements.”
Some of the racks are painted in the familiar rainbow of the Pride flag, while others feature the blue, pink, and white of the Trans Pride flag. A short video released by the city shows workers bolting the colorful metal frames into place.
For many residents, the gesture landed exactly as intended. Comments on the city’s post poured in, calling the racks “amazing,” “clever,” “awesome,” and “beautiful.” One commenter wrote, “Love our little inclusive, Sunshine City.” Another added, “Now that’s what I’m talking about!”
The racks arrive after months of tension between local governments and the state. Florida has become ground zero for a Republican-led push to eliminate rainbow crosswalks and other street art. Gov. Ron DeSantis signed legislation directing the Florida Department of Transportation to enforce a uniform system for traffic control devices, effectively banning all pavement art.
Related: “A Cowardly Abuse Of Power”: Florida’s War On Rainbow Crosswalks
State and federal officials have framed the issue as one of safety. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has claimed that Pride art distracts drivers, writing that “Taxpayers expect their dollars to fund safe streets, not rainbow crosswalks.” Florida officials echoed that argument, ordering cities to remove what they called “non-standard surface markings.”
St. Petersburg complied only after facing the threat of losing state funding. FDOT removed the murals overnight, including the Progressive Pride mural in Grand Central and the Black History Matters mural on 9th Avenue South. The removals sparked protests, arrests, and sharp criticism from local leaders.
Mayor Welch did not mince words when the order came down. At an August press conference, he said the state was attempting “to usurp local values and priorities and instead mandate what our values should be.”
“We’ve seen the attempts to stifle our ability to express and celebrate our community values,” Welch said. “Yet time and time again, our community has risen to the occasion. And this latest challenge will be no exception.”
Related: Miami Beach’s Pride Crosswalk Torn Up As Florida Expands Crackdown On Street Art
The city’s official account struck a similar note after the murals were removed, writing that they “reflect the soul of our community.”
“That message can’t be erased. This is our city, our voice, and our story… Together, we’ll continue building a community that is resilient, inclusive, and united.”
According to city officials, the bike racks were funded through St. Pete’s existing public bike rack program and installed as one step in a broader response to the loss of the murals. In an email to City Council members, Welch’s Chief of Staff Jordan Doyle Walsh said that the effort is ongoing.
“We were excited that there was consensus around one of the Administration’s proposed actions discussed during the previous (Committee of the Whole) meeting and other forums regarding City and community response,” Walsh wrote.
“We intend that this small gesture of inclusion and celebration will be a symbol of our resolve to not be silenced,” he continued. “We thank City Council for supporting and collaborating on this effort and we look forward to working with you and the community as we move forward together.”
