Neighbors in Northeast Tallahassee are standing their ground after halting the removal of a colorful crosswalk. Now, county leaders are working to find a compromise.
Crews began removing colorful crosswalks earlier than expected this week, sparking protests that brought the work to a stop. FDOT has ordered the removal, saying the painted designs dont meet state safety standards. Watch the video to see how neighbors and leaders addressed the issue at the site.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Neighbors in Leon County are not backing down after stopping crews from removing a colorful crosswalk earlier this week. County leaders met with residents at the site of that standoff to discuss what will happen next.
The fight over Leon county’s colorful crosswalks is far from over. Just days after crews began work to remove the painted designs, community members banded together to stop it.
That includes a protest Wednesday where neighbors laid on the pavement to protect it.
Thursday, county leaders organized a meeting with those neighbors.
Marjorie Turnbull, a local neighbor said, “This is a group of residents that think about solutions. We don’t just let things happen and say ‘Oh dear.’ We say ‘What can we do about it? and how can we be part of the solution?'”
The Florida Department of Transportation has ordered the removal, saying the crosswalks don’t meet state safety standards, and the removal work began earlier than neighbors expected this week.
Many neighbors argue the bright colors are not political and improve safety. Now county leaders say they are working on a potential compromise.
Vincent Long, county administrator for Leon County said, “We have to be legally compliant with the state of Florida. We strongly support our community, and we understand their desires and preferences. We worked with them to establish these colored crosswalks along with all the safety improvements that you see. So we knew that when the regulations changed and the new guidelines came out from FDOT, that certainly would get folks’ attention.”
County engineers say the colorful paint could be replaced with a textured pavement treatment that is approved by FDOT.
For now, the exact future of the crosswalks is still uncertain. Leaders say the goal is to find a solution that meets state guidelines while addressing local concerns.
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