FDOT removes online post advertising crosswalks near Pulse.
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) removed a rainbow crosswalk adjacent to the former Pulse nightclub on the night of August 20 and later deleted social media posts that had praised the installation as a safety improvement. The crosswalk, first painted in 2017 with FDOT approval, had been removed after the agency cited a June 30 memo that identified “non‑standard” road markings as a potential safety risk.
FDOT’s Central Florida division had posted on Facebook and Instagram on July 8 highlighting the crosswalk and new lighting on South Orange Avenue as part of a project to improve traffic flow near the Pulse memorial. Those posts were deleted from the agency’s pages after the records request was revealed.
The deleted posts appeared after the Orlando Sentinel filed a lawsuit on December 23 seeking all FDOT records on the crosswalk’s removal. FDOT responded to the public‑records request on August 21 but said it had no documents related to studies, meeting minutes, or procurement records regarding the crosswalk.
At the August 26 press conference, FDOT Secretary Jared Perdue explained that a new state law now bars pavement art, and that all existing installations are being removed under that standard. FDOT stated that previous approvals or installations are no longer applicable under the new rule.