Yes, Florida’s DOT decided bridges will only display red, white and blue lights this summer

In May, multiple social posts on X claimed bridges in Florida would not display rainbow lights in June in honor of LGBTQ Pride Month.

Bridges across the state have been lit up with rainbow colors in observance of Pride for the past several years. They’ve also been illuminated to honor the Pulse nightclub shooting victims.

“For those that don’t know, Orlando has lit up with rainbows every June since the Pulse shooting as a memorial to the 49 lives lost. DeSantis wants to take that away,” one post said.

Recent online search trends show many people are wondering if this is true.

THE QUESTION

Did the Florida Department of Transportation decide bridges will only display red, white and blue lights this summer?

THE SOURCES

• Florida Department of Transportation 
• X post by Jared W. Perdue, secretary of the Florida Department of Transportation
• Bryan Griffin, communications director for Gov. Ron DeSantis
• Jacksonville Transportation Authority

THE ANSWER

Yes, the Florida Department of Transportation decided bridges will only display red, white and blue lights this summer.

WHAT WE FOUND

Rainbow colors will not illuminate Florida bridges during Pride Month in June this year. Instead,  the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) has decided to light all state-owned bridges red, white and blue from Memorial Day to Labor Day “to celebrate America,” an FDOT spokesperson told VERIFY.

On May 8, FDOT Secretary Jared W. Perdue announced in an X post that bridges throughout the state will be lit in patriotic colors this year in honor of Florida’s “Freedom Summer.” “Freedom Summer” is an annual sales tax holiday in the state.

“As Floridians prepare for Freedom Summer, Florida’s bridges will follow suit, illuminating in red, white, and blue from Memorial Day through Labor Day!” Perdue wrote. “Thanks to the leadership of @GovRonDeSantis, Florida continues to be the freest state in the nation.”

VERIFY contacted DeSantis’ office for comment but did not hear back by the time of publication. However, his communications director Bryan Griffin told VERIFY partner station WTSP that “red, white, and blue are the colors of the United States. Therefore, we are celebrating America.”

This means all state-owned bridges in Florida, including the Acosta Bridge in downtown Jacksonville and the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, which serves as a gateway to Tampa Bay, will not display rainbow colors during LGBTQ Pride Month in June as they have in the past.

The Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA) operates the lighting system on the Acosta Bridge and the bridge’s colors change based on FDOT guidelines. Over the years, the bridge has been lit up for several themed displays, including Pride, Mental Health Awareness Month and Juneteenth.

JTA officials told VERIFY partner station WTLV that they are not aware of any exceptions to FDOT’s decision and they are prepared for the bridge’s lights to be red, white and blue from Memorial Day through Labor Day.

FDOT’s decision will also affect other bridge light displays throughout the summer, including the dates below:

• Green for Mental Health Awareness (May 28-31) 
• Orange for National Gun Violence Awareness Day (June 7)
• Red for Sickle Cell Awareness Day (June 18)
• Red, black and green for Juneteenth (June 19)
• Teal for World Fragile X Day for Autism (July 22) 
• Teal for Ovarian Cancer Awareness (Sept. 1-7)