🌈🎨 Save Our Crosswalks: A Stand for Art, Visibility, and Inclusion

Across the nation, vibrant crosswalks and street murals—designed to reflect local identity, creativity, and pride—are under federal threat.

On July 10, 2025, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy issued a sweeping directive under the Trump administration’s SAFE ROADS program. He instructed governors and city officials to remove any nonstandard road markings—including artistic installations—that aren’t strictly for traffic or pedestrian safety Essex News Daily

🚨 What’s At Risk? Everything from Pride to Protest

This isn’t just about rainbow crosswalks:

The Pulse nightclub memorial crosswalk in Orlando—a solemn tribute to 49 lives lost—is flagged for removal Must Read

Rainbow intersections in cities like Seattle, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Atlanta—many tied to LGBTQ+ identity—are targeted .

And it's not limited to Pride art—Black Lives Matter, Indigenous memorials, guerilla safety crossings, and other community-driven artworks painted across streets are all classified as “non‑standard” and at risk Wikipedia

A 2022 Bloomberg study even found that colorful crosswalk art reduces crashes by up to 50% Facebook—yet federal guidelines still demand “uniformity” and warn these artworks could “distract” or obscure traffic markings LGBTQ Nation

This isn't safety—it’s censorship.

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🎨 Artists & Communities: A Shared Fight

Public artists and tactical urbanists across the U.S. have installed playful zebra stripes, piano-key crosswalks, Pan‑African murals, and more—to celebrate culture, slow traffic, and build stronger neighborhoods Metro Weekly. Now, those efforts may be erased under a directive that says:

“Roads are for safety, not political messages or artwork.”
— Secretary Sean Duffy Must Read 

Whether it's a shrine to victims of violence, a cultural mosaic, or a joyful community collaboration—it all falls under the federal hammer.

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🛍️ Save Our Crosswalks Collection—Wear Your Support

At Heartspace Art, we’ve seen firsthand how powerful street art can be. We helped create Jacksonville’s rainbow crosswalks, collaborating with Riverside Avondale Preservation (RAP), The AIDS Memorial Project, and local artists. These aren’t just crosswalks—they’re statements of belonging, pride, and safety.

To stand in solidarity with artists and communities nationwide, we launched our Save Our Crosswalks line—offerings that allow you to take your activism into everyday life:

T-Shirts – Soft, lightweight, and activist-approved.

Tote Bags – Spacious statement pieces built to last.

Posters – Museum-quality prints with a message of inclusion.

Stickers – Small, powerful reminders that public art matters.

Every purchase supports RAP—the nonprofit that originally funded our rainbow crosswalks and continues the fight for artistic, inclusive public spaces.

🛒 Shop the Collection →

Your voice matters. Your art matters. Let's keep it in the streets.

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📣 What You Can Do Now

Buy & wear—let your support be visible.

Share this story with friends and local leaders.

Sign upcoming petitions to protect street art.

Contact officials—urge them to oppose the removal of creative crosswalks.

Stay informed—watch how your city and state respond in the next 60 days WIRED.

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💬 Final Word

This isn’t a fight about paint.
It’s a fight about who gets to be seen in our public spaces—about protecting identity, creativity, and history in our neighborhoods.

Erase a crosswalk, erase a voice.
Together, we say: Not on our watch.

Let’s Save Our Crosswalks—for artists, for communities, for all of us.