The Trump Administration’s Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is working to get LGBTQ branding materials off of American streets with the SAFE ROADS initiative that requests clear and consistent “crosswalk and intersection markings,” targeting pride-themed street markings.
“Roads are for safety, not political messages or artwork,” said Duffy in comments provided to the Daily Signal.
“Today I am calling on governors in every state to ensure that roadways, intersections, and crosswalks are kept free of distractions,” he added.
Duffy sent out a letter on Tuesday informing all the nation’s governors of the new Safe Arterials for Everyone through Reliable Operations and Distraction-Reducing Strategies (SAFE ROADS) initiative, and asking them to participate.
“The goal of the SAFE ROADS national initiative is to partner with state and local governments to make the entire roadway right‑of‑way easier to interpret and navigate for all users, including pedestrians, vehicle operators, and automated vehicles alike. We ask that you ensure compliance with Federal statutes and regulations and accelerate the deployment of proven safety and operational solutions to make roads safer across America,” the letter reads.
Under the initiative, the Department of Transportation (DOT) will prioritize making safe intersections and reducing distractions on the road by removing things like rainbow-colored crosswalks and street murals made in honor of LGBTQ pride month.
Duffy pointed out that uniform street markings will make roads easier to interpret for drivers and automated self-driving vehicles.
The letter requests that each state DOT submit a list within 60 days of the road arterial segments with the most safety and compliance concerns, to be addressed by the end of the 2026 fiscal year.
Duffy’s letter took the form of a request as opposed to a mandate, and did not include any references to consequences for states that fail to comply. Though he did not mention pride murals specifically, his statement that roads are not intended to make political statements makes it clear that they are at least part of what he hopes to address.
In recent years, it has become common practice for liberal cities to paint pride flags or other LGBTQ themed murals on roads, including replacing safety and directional street markings with rainbow colors.
Those murals have even led to hate-crime investigations and prosecutions for people who “deface” them by leaving tire marks on them.
