PENSACOLA, Fla. — The Florida Department of Transportation has ordered the City of Pensacola to remove the “Black Lives Matter” mural on North A Street.
FDOT sent City Administrator Tim Kinsella a letter last Thursday, stating that the mural — which has been on North A Street since June 2020 — is “in violation of FDOT’s traffic control device standards.”
FDOT says the city must remove the mural by Sept. 4. If the city doesn’t remove the mural, FDOT will then remove it and assess all costs associated with the removal to the city.
“Please note that the Department will pursue withholding of state funds as permitted by the law should the City of Pensacola decide not to comply,” FDOT states in the letter.
FDOT said it previously sent a memo to jurisdictions across Florida about the need to comply with:
- 2025 FDOT Design Manual
- FHWA’s Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD)
- Manual of Uniform Minimum Standards for Design, Construction and Maintenance for Streets and Highways (2023 Greenbook)
“Many local jurisdictions received this Memorandum and immediately began undertaking actions to ensure compliance and we appreciate their cooperation,” FDOT states. “We have not heard from the City of Pensacola regarding whether you intend to comply.”
The city said Monday afternoon that Pensacola Mayor DC Reeves will address the topic at his press conference Tuesday morning. The city didn’t provide any further comment on the matter.
Local artists came together in 2020 to paint the “Black Lives Matter” mural on North A Street amid social justice movements across the country. The City of Pensacola gave the approval to paint the mural.
