Dallas' rainbow crosswalks in jeopardy
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Many of Dallas' rainbow-colored crossings have faded over the years and are maintained using donations. Screenshot: Google Earth
Oak Lawn's rainbow crosswalks may be at risk of removal after Gov. Greg Abbott threatened to withhold transportation funding from Texas cities that don't remove "any and all political ideologies" from streets.
Why it matters: Abbott's demand aligns with the Trump administration's push to ban such displays nationwide.
Flashback: The Dallas City Council approved 10 new rainbow crosswalks along Cedar Springs Road in 2019, as a symbol of Oak Lawn's role in Texas' gay rights movement.
State of play: Cities and counties have 30 days to remove "non-compliant installations" on streets or risk losing state and federal transportation funding and partnerships, according to a Wednesday letter to cities and counties from Texas Department of Transportation executive director Marc Williams.
- Decorative crosswalks, murals or markings conveying artwork or other messages are prohibited unless they serve a direct traffic control or safety function, the letter says.
- Abbott also weighed in on Wednesday, saying, "Texans expect their taxpayer dollars to be used wisely, not advance political agendas on Texas roadways."
Between the lines: The governor did not mention rainbow crosswalks like ones in Dallas, Houston, Austin and San Antonio, though they have long been targeted by anti-LGBTQ+ conservatives.
The latest: A city spokesperson told Axios Thursday that the city will review Williams' letter and update the City Council "on any necessary next steps."
- The Oak Lawn crosswalks were painted using community donations as a celebration of pride, inclusion and belonging, the North Texas LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce said in a statement.
- "What began as an act of love and civic pride is now being mischaracterized as a political controversy. That is disheartening," the chamber said.
Zoom out: Houston's transit authority restored a rainbow crosswalk last week, after it was removed during a repaving project. The authority said Wednesday that it will comply with Abbott's demands and remove the rainbow.
- "We recognize the significance this crosswalk has to the community ... We will comply with the order to preserve support that is essential to our mission of providing safe, clean, reliable, and accessible transit to all communities that depend on our services," the authority said.