First crosswalks, now storm drains: Orlando commissioner blasts Florida for painting over artwork

ORLANDO, Fla. – An Orlando city commissioner is calling out the Florida Department of Transportation after storm drain artwork in the Thornton Park and Mills District neighborhoods was painted over with white paint.

Commissioner Patty Sheehan said the state painted over several drains Wednesday, covering designs that were part of the city’s “Only Rain Down the Drain” initiative, a long-running program to raise awareness about keeping storm drains clear.

“There are words I cannot repeat on air,” Sheehan said when asked about her reaction. “I was very upset because again, this is government overreach.”

Sheehan said the city received notification from FDOT that drains would be painted over at several intersections, including Church Street and Summerlin Avenue, Summerlin and Central Boulevard, Marks Avenue and Mills Avenue, and Church Street and Eola Drive.

This comes one month after the agency sparked a wave of protest by painting over a rainbow crosswalk near Pulse Orlando, and forcing crosswalk and intersection art across the city and the state to be painted over.

[WATCH: DeSantis says new Florida law allows removal of crosswalk art. What the law says]

“The problem that I have with this is, not only did they do away with all of our beautifications and crosswalks that we got their approval for, now they’ve gone after these storm drains,” Sheehan said.

The commissioner added she is also worried FDOT could target decorated traffic boxes in her district next.

That program allows neighborhood associations to bring in an artist to paint or wrap the traffic signal boxes with the help of a matching grant. Dozens of signal boxes have been painted or wrapped across the city.

“I’m very concerned about it,” Sheehan said. “If you want the FDOT boxes painted over, fine, but leave our boxes alone. Those are city-owned. Do not vandalize city property.”

[RELATED: Protesters at Pulse crosswalk carry on as DeSantis defends state’s actions]

Some residents expressed frustration after noticing the new paint jobs.

“First of all, it’s really patchy, but we are artists ourselves, so it’s kind of just like you just wasted someone’s time who already painted over it. It’s very sad,” said Tiara McMillan, who was walking in Thornton Park.

Sheehan said she plans to repaint the storm drains and restore the artwork.

“This is city property. There is no reason FDOT should have vandalized this property that the Thornton Park Main Street paid to help beautify,” she said.

FDOT has not yet publicly commented on the decision to paint over the storm drains.