Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy has moved to have states remove distractions from roads and crosswalks, including political messaging such as rainbow crosswalks. The move comes at the end of Pride Month, when many activists paint rainbow murals on sidewalks and roads.
In a letter first reported on by The Daily Signal, Duffy wrote that states should keep intersections "free from distractions." He told the outlet, “Roads are for safety, not political messages or artwork. Today I am calling on governors in every state to ensure that roadways, intersections, and crosswalks are kept free of distractions.”
“Far too many Americans die each year to traffic fatalities to take our eye off the ball,” the Duffy added, saying that the Transportation Department “stands ready to help communities across the country make their roads safer and easier to navigate.”
The letter asks that all states participate in the Safe Arterials for Everyone through Reliable Operations and Distraction-Reducing Strategies, or SAFE ROADS, initiative. It was delivered to all state governors as well as the mayor of Washington, DDC and the governor of Puerto Rico.
“The SAFE ROADS national initiative will focus on the non-freeway arterials within your state, including safety and operation at intersections and along segments, consistent and recognizable traffic control devices including crosswalk and intersection markings, and orderly use of the right-of-way that is kept free from distractions," the letter said. “These routes are where more than half of roadway fatalities in America occur and deserve enhanced attention.”
In the letter, Duffy asked for government officials to develop within 60 days "a list of arterial segments, including intersections, with the highest safety, operational, or compliance concerns that will be addressed by the end of Fiscal Year 2026" with their state-level department of transportation.
He concluded, “With our shared goals of moving people and goods safely and efficiently, we can make the expectation that all Americans make it home safely and on-time a reality."
There have been a number of rainbows pained on roads in cities around the country, like in Washington, DC, New York City, and others.
The Federal Highway Administration previously ruled in 2011 that art displays inside a crosswalk are “contrary to the goal of increased safety and most likely could be a contributing factor to a false sense of security for both motorists and pedestrians."
