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FDOT Finishes Erasing Delray Beach Pride Intersection as Cities Escalate Legal Fight

Municipalities argue the state's June 30 directive functions as an unadopted rule and are moving to halt enforcement through administrative challenges.

The City of Delray Beach said the Florida Department of Transportation removed the Delray Beach Pride Intersection before dawn on Tuesday.
The Delray Beach pride intersection is seen on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025. (Scott Travis/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
People cross the street Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025, as workers wrap up the removal of a rainbow-colored pride display at Northeast First Street and Northeast Second Avenue in Delray Beach. (Amy Beth Bennett / South Florida Sun Sentinel)
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Overview

  • After a botched overnight repaint that left slick black smears, FDOT crews returned Wednesday to sandblast Delray Beach’s rainbow intersection and fully remove the display, city officials said.
  • Delray Beach said it received an order less than 12 hours before the initial repainting and criticized the state for acting before the city commission could respond.
  • FDOT has begun broader removals, with officials in Key West reporting their rainbow crosswalks were blacked out before dawn and CBS Miami reporting Miami Beach was included in the overnight operations.
  • Fort Lauderdale filed a challenge Monday contending FDOT’s June 30 memorandum and follow-up letters amount to rules that required formal rulemaking; hearings are scheduled Sept. 15 for Fort Lauderdale and Sept. 19 for Miami Beach.
  • Delray Beach has moved to disqualify the FDOT presiding officer over alleged bias and plans its own petition, while FDOT maintains the markings violate safety standards and cites authority to withhold funds or remove noncompliant installations.