Thrive
Street art removals: St. Pete will ‘build back stronger’
Although it “may not be as emotionally satisfying as a street brawl,” Mayor Ken Welch said the city will create new “powerful expressions of who we are – expressions that cannot be erased by the state.”
While the City of St. Petersburg will not challenge the state’s ban on street murals in court, Mayor Ken Welch has pledged that “this is not the end of the story.”
Welch addressed what he called yet another attempt by state or federal officials to “usurp our local values” Monday morning at City Hall. The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) rejected his administration’s bid to keep five pavement art installations in a letter sent Friday.
The city had 14 days to request an administrative hearing. However, FDOT wrote that it would no longer consider any exceptions or waivers and repeated its threat to withhold state funding.
“As mayor of our city, I will not risk these essential investments in a fight that I don’t believe we can win,” Welch said. “That would be irresponsible leadership and detrimental to our city in the long run. Our response will be strategic, not reactionary.”
Although it “may not be as emotionally satisfying as a street brawl,” Welch said the city will “build back stronger” and create new “powerful expressions of who we are – expressions that cannot be erased by the state.”
FDOT gave the city until Sept. 4 to remove the artwork. Those include the Black History Matters mural at 9th Avenue and 22nd Lane South; the Common Ground (colored prism) mural at Central Avenue and 5th Street North; the Fluid Structures mural at 6th Avenue and 2nd Street South (University of South Florida); and the Crossway Crux mural at 11th Avenue and 46th Street South (Childs Park).
“These works were born from collaboration and a shared belief that art can transform spaces and spark dialogue,” Welch said. “They represent us. They will continue to represent us in new and resilient forms.”
He said the Common Ground intersection mural, St. Petersburg’s first, reduced traffic accidents by 70% and became a “model for art-driven safety.” The city provided that data to FDOT and emphasized that the installations are “more than paint on pavement.”
The saga began with a June 30 internal FDOT memo that cited safety concerns and potential interference with automated vehicles. Assistant Secretary Will Watts wrote that social, political and ideological messaging are examples of non-compliant street art.
Watts noted that the department may grant exemptions if local governments “demonstrate good cause for doing so.” However, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said taxpayers “expect their dollars to fund safe streets, not rainbow crosswalks,” in a subsequent social media post.
Welch said Monday that FDOT, with support from Gov. Ron DeSantis and the USDOT, could jeopardize “millions of dollars in state transportation funding and potentially tens of millions more in broader state funding.” After consulting with city attorneys, his administration “did not see a pathway” to keeping the installations through litigation.
The onus to erase the pavement art is now on FDOT, which has not provided a removal date. “It’s not our decision – we disagree with it,” Welch said.
“So, FDOT should be the ones to remove it.”
The “Black History Matters” mural, adjacent to the Woodson African American Museum of Florida. Photo: City of St. Petersburg.
The state painted over a rainbow crosswalk in Orlando last week that honored the 49 people killed at Pulse nightclub in 2016. Residents then began redecorating the area with chalk.
State leadership stationed Florida Highway Patrol troopers at the intersection Sunday to deter any would-be artists. Welch encouraged people to visit St. Petersburg’s mural sites and post photos with captions like “we are St. Pete,” but noted it is illegal to block roadways.
“We want folks to protest and exercise their First Amendment rights, but do not break the law,” he said. “Do not block the intersection.”
City Council Chair Copley Gerdes pledged that St. Petersburg will “rise above” and find “new and innovative ways” to highlight the city’s inclusivity. St. Pete Pride president Byron Green-Calisch said stakeholders have discussed “what does that fight look like after this.”
“We’ve been in conversations with the mayor’s office and the city council, both with ideas that are coming to us from individual community members and from organizations across the state,” Green-Calisch added. “We have so many people excited to join our fight here, recognizing that Florida is the playbook for what will happen across the country.”
Welch said the erased artwork will live on through murals on city-owned buildings, private property and banners and flags. “To those who think they can silence St. Petersburg, all you have done is amplify our voice.”
Pamela OConnor
August 27, 2025at11:39 am
I am sorry that the joyful expression of identity is so distasteful to a few very negative and ill-informed people here. I will be sad to see these street art displays disappear under threat. So many things are being done by threatening communities these days. They threaten to withhold the tax dollars we pay. In many cases, they threaten physical violence by masked enforcers who deny innocent people their inalienable rights. The same folks outraged by a colorful expression of unity on the street find this kind of threat perfectly fine. One might think we are living in a fascist country.
Steve Sullivan
August 26, 2025at10:38 pm
Richard Courson you are being disingenuous and willfully ignorant. Of course blacks and non-blacks during those times would have had different experiences. Blacks were subjected to discrimination, racism and violence on a weekly if not daily basis so lose me with thatcomparison basis. You’ll never know what it felt like or feels like to ba a black man in America. And I I do not appreciate your dismissal of that dynamic and experience. Being around and knowing people doesn’t make you a friend. So typical to say that when confronted with one’s own perspective on race relations. People painting rainbows and and dressing up is expressive. You may not like it but it is freedom of speech unless deemed otherwise by our laws around decency which goes for everyone. I would no more support indecency in public by straight or way persons. You can legislate till the cows come home but racism doesn’t heed to those guidelines. It’s only been about 60 years since the Civil rights act was passed and school segregation didn’t officially end in Florida and Pinellas County until the 1970’s. Bank redlining continued well past that time. Get your head out of your butt because even today black folk and others can’t sell or buy a home at fair market value or get a loan at the same interest rate as their white counterparts all things being equal. This has been documented time and time again. Racial profiling is a real thing by our law enforcement authorities even though whites are more likely to be transporting drugs. Again everything I am stating is documented. And what we don’t have is the privilege of assumed innocence and intelligence. This was recently demonstrated by President Trump and his irresponsible and factually untrue statements about the competence of black people. Black women are the most educated group in America today. Nigerians are some of the smartest people on the planet that is versus the so called Asian Intellect as well. The rest of the world knows this but American whites are clueless. You lack empathy and logic based on your statements
Jane Vawter
August 26, 2025at6:05 pm
I’d love for city council and mayor would concern itself with difficult issues affordability, infrastructure, property taxes, and other things that concern and impact ALL of us. Enough with the intersection rainbows.
Richard Courson
August 26, 2025at2:09 pm
Steven Sullivan, I experienced none of that growing up in St. Pete, sorry you did. I had many Black and Gay friends and co-workers and none of them had to paint rainbows or dress up in drag to be accepted. Can you tell me what rights or privileges have been taken away from Blacks or Gays today? I didn’t think so. If anything, Blacks, Gays, Trannys, and any other minority group you can think of, are privileged classes today. Also, I’m not talking about your “Black History Matters” painting, in fact all history and lives matter, it looks pretty cool but would look better and be more visible on the side of a building and wouldn’t get worn out as fast. My morals and values come from God and the Bible, and I was fortunate enough to grow up going to Azalea Baptist and was part of Royal Ambassadors and we weren’t raised to be bigots, we accepted everyone for who they were. I will pray for you that you are able to get past your resentment and anger over past experiences, and be able to find some peace and serenity in your heart. By the way, I’ve got you by 6 years.
Steve Sullivan
August 26, 2025at11:10 am
Linda Marr no such law existed at the time get your facts straight. And biased laws shouldn’t exist
Steven Sullivan
August 26, 2025at11:06 am
Right hard Courson, I pray that it’s not the St.Pete you grew up in. I also grew up in the area, born in 1959 experienced our local Sundown towns and discrimination. The display of art that adorns our streets are not about morality but a protest against bigotry and discrimination reminding us to be better as people. Those same individuals that you say are displaying g moral degradation have greatly impacted how St.Pete has developed today and why it has grown. They are a significant part of the culture through their artistry and community work. You think about that before you put your judgements on public display. And let’s not be a hypocrite. You probably had no problem voting for the nasty dumb felon occupying the White House right now telling private businesses how to run their companies.
Linda Marr
August 26, 2025at10:44 am
It’s nice that there are people in St Petersburg who can afford to pay for projects that break the law..
and now the taxpayers have to pay to clean it up.
“ When civilians or private entities pay for a project on public property, taxpayers are later forced to pay for its removal,”
Maybe those that broke the law in the first place would do the honorable thing and raise money to remove what was done illegally. I know they won’t because their only concern is themselves.
People are struggling with the high taxes already in St Petersburg.
Richard Courson
August 26, 2025at9:09 am
I couldn’t agree more, Ryan Todd. What people do in their private lives is just that, private and why must they insist on forcing us to see it and shove it in our faces. I grew up in St. Pete from the 50s, to 2006 and I am sad to see the embracing of the degradation of morals and public displays that have taken place. It’s not the St. Pete I grew up in any more.
Gina Marie
August 25, 2025at4:23 pm
Brawls are not emotionally satisfying… i’m assuming the Mayor meant it in a different context and not insinuating violence is satisfying. As far as art messages.. Cuba for decades, used Art, murals and Politics and it was very effective. Thats how powerful these types of messages are. When goverment merges message and art, it’s all ok when we agree with a message but when we see a big mural of Welch with the words “Obey”, paid for by you… we may say wait a minute…. (Just kidding Mayor) but joking all aside. Thats why we separate it…. Nice thing is, there’s lots of private money floating around here for people to pay for these projects, (private funding) and there’s lots of buildings walls and art opportunities on private property. Not city funds or city buildings…
Ryan Todd
August 25, 2025at3:40 pm
I’m sick to death of seeing murals, flags, and or crosswalks celebrating sexual orientation in the public realm. Parading sexuality in public is not a “…local value…” or worth celebrating. You’re here and you’re queer. We get it. Enough already.
Dan Collins
August 25, 2025at3:39 pm
Thank you FDOT, for clarifying that special interest groups should express their views and values on private property, instead of our public roadways.