The city of Alexandria has not received a federal letter that transportation officials say could be used to pressure jurisdictions to remove rainbow crosswalks, a city spokesman said Friday.
Acting Communications Director Justin Thompson told ALXnow that Alexandria has not received the July 1 letter from Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy launching a nationwide roadway safety initiative.
While Duffy’s letter does not specifically mention rainbow crosswalks, the secretary posted on social media the same day: “Taxpayers expect their dollars to fund safe streets, not rainbow crosswalks. Political banners have no place on public roads.”
Taxpayers expect their dollars to fund safe streets, not rainbow crosswalks.
Political banners have no place on public roads. I’m reminding recipients of @USDOT roadway funding that it’s limited to features advancing safety, and nothing else. It’s that simple. https://t.co/hA5FBsVFXO
— Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) July 1, 2025
The federal initiative has already prompted action in other jurisdictions. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis ordered removal of a rainbow crosswalk near Orlando’s Pulse nightclub Thursday, where 49 people were killed in a 2016 mass shooting. Local residents used chalk to recreate the memorial display after it was paved over.
Alexandria’s rainbow crosswalks, installed at Royal and King streets in June 2024, remain in place. The city debuted the crosswalks during its seventh annual Pride celebration as “a symbol of inclusivity, showing support for all residents in the heart of Alexandria, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity,” according to city documents.
Duffy’s “Safe Arterials for Everyone through Reliable Operations and Distraction-Reducing Strategies” initiative asks governors to keep intersections “free from distractions,” including “political messages of any nature, artwork, or anything else that detracts from the core mission of driver and pedestrian safety.” Governors have 60 days to submit lists of problematic arterial road segments to federal highway officials.
South Florida cities West Palm Beach and Boynton Beach announced plans to remove rainbow crosswalks following the federal directive, while Washington, D.C., and Arlington have not taken action regarding their displays.
Alexandria installed its crosswalks with support from the city’s LGBTQIA+ Task Force and simultaneously unveiled its first Pride-wrapped bus. In September 2024, the City Council declared Alexandria “a Safe Haven for the LGBTQ+ Community.” The city earned a perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign’s Municipal Equality Index.
