This week, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy made a bold and necessary move—one that puts the safety of American drivers and pedestrians above political messaging. In a letter sent to every U.S. governor, Secretary Duffy launched the SAFE ROADS initiative and called for a return to purpose: roads designed for safe travel, not political expression.
“Roads are for safety, not political messages or artwork. Today I am calling on governors in every state to ensure that roadways, intersections, and crosswalks are kept free of distractions.”
— U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy
For too long, we’ve seen America’s streets and intersections used as platforms for activism, often funded and sanctioned by government officials pushing an agenda. Political messages painted on taxpayer-funded streets send a dangerous message: that ideology, not public safety, is the priority.
This is a great step in preserving our public infrastructure for its intended use: the safe, distraction-free movement of people and goods. Crosswalks and intersections are not canvases. When bright slogans, political symbols, and colorful murals appear where drivers and pedestrians need to focus, lives are at risk.
What Is the SAFE ROADS Initiative?
The new SAFE ROADS initiative (Safe Arterials for Everyone through Reliable Operations and Distraction-Reducing Strategies) is a nationwide effort to improve mobility and reduce the alarming number of fatalities on America’s non-freeway arterial roads—where more than half of U.S. roadway deaths occur. Governors have been given 60 days to identify dangerous segments of their road networks and submit them to the Federal Highway Administration for targeted improvements.
Key elements of the initiative:
- Clear roadways of distractions—including political statements and artwork.
- Data-driven safety assessments to identify high-risk areas.
- Technical assistance to implement safer traffic patterns and pedestrian accommodations.
- Federal oversight to ensure compliance with traffic safety standards.
This is about getting back to basics. As Secretary Duffy stated, “Far too many Americans die each year to traffic fatalities to take our eye off the ball.”
If you’ve been paying attention over the last few years, you’ve likely seen crosswalks painted in rainbow stripes, slogans like “Black Lives Matter” stretching across major intersections, and other symbols of political and cultural movements embedded into the infrastructure. And while some may see this as “expression,” it’s worth asking: at what cost?
We don’t decorate stop signs with slogans. We don’t modify traffic lights to fit political trends. Why? Because consistency saves lives. Drivers and pedestrians need clarity—not commentary—on our roadways. These ideological messages have proven to be a distraction and major point of contention for citizens.
This initiative doesn’t ban murals or public art elsewhere in our cities. It simply draws a line at the edge of the pavement: Our roads are for safety, not politics.
We fully support Secretary Duffy’s call to restore our roads to their core purpose. It’s time for state leaders to follow suit—scrub politics off the pavement and recommit to making our roads safe for all Americans, regardless of their political beliefs.
We’ll be watching how governors respond to this call over the next 60 days. Citizens should reach out to their own state leaders and ask: Will you keep our roads safe and distraction-free?
If you believe in the mission of restoring common sense and public safety to American infrastructure, please consider supporting our work.
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