PORT ST. LUCIE — The city of Port St. Lucie removed painted hearts from the roadway outside Jessica Clinton Park overnight Tuesday to comply with Florida Department of Transportation regulations.
FDOT has been removing crosswalk and street murals across the state in recent weeks, including painting over the Pulse memorial crosswalk in Orlando, which drew controversy online and among local residents.
The agency said the removals are part of an ongoing effort to eliminate political messaging from state roadways.
“Pavement art is not allowed. We’re removing everything that’s not compliant with state, federal standards,” FDOT Secretary Jared Perdue said at a recent press conference in Tampa.
The hearts outside the park honored Jessica Clinton, the park’s namesake, who died suddenly in 2003 at age 17 from an undiagnosed heart condition. The city’s website said the artwork was painted in her memory and to promote messages of inclusion and health.
In an email statement, Scott Samples, strategic communications manager for the city, said officials are looking for a way to restore the hearts in a different location.
“This week the city of Port St. Lucie removed the hearts that were in the roadway near Jessica Clinton Park to comply with Florida Department of Transportation requirements. We will be working with our Parks and Recreation Department to identify areas on city-owned property within the park to replace the hearts,” Samples wrote.