Dallas officials will begin removing decorative crosswalks on Monday to comply with a state directive to remove “political ideologies” from public roadways.
City officials plan to remove 30 crosswalks by April 28, according to a joint memo by Assistant City Managers Dev Rastogi and Liz Cedillo-Pereira. These include rainbow-painted markings in Oak Lawn, a historically LGBTQ community, and intersections with “All Black Lives Matter” in South Dallas.
The dispute began in October when Gov. Greg Abbott ordered Texas cities to remove decorative crosswalks, specifically targeting rainbow designs — a mark of LGBTQ pride — calling them distracting, nontraffic messaging.
City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert asked for an exemption, arguing there was no evidence the artistic crosswalks compromised safety. The state denied the request in January and the city then had 90 days to comply.
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After the exemption request failed to pass muster, the memo said city officials plan to collaborate with neighborhoods to come up with public art that reflects their community’s values.
The city will host three public meetings in different locations from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.:
April 6: Uptown, at Theatre Three. 2688 Laclede St. #120, 75201.April 8: South Dallas, at South Dallas Cultural Center. 3400 S. Fitzhugh Ave., 75210.April 10: Cedar Springs, at Reverchon Recreation Center. 3505 Maple Ave., 75219.