At the Gainesville City Commission meeting Thursday, commissioners unanimously voted to comply with a Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) memorandum that will ban the Pride rainbow-colored sidewalks installed by the city.
The memo “explicitly prohibits the application of pavement or surface art on travel lanes, paved shoulders, intersections, crosswalks, or sidewalks. It defines pavement or surface art as surface markings that are not in direct support of traffic control or public safety.”
The commission heard from over a dozen public commenters; all were saddened by the decision. Some criticized the city for caving to the state, while others told the commission they understood their decision, as FDOT could potentially cut millions in transportation funds for non-compliance…