AUSTIN, Texas — The removal of non-compliant pavement markings, including Austin’s rainbow crosswalks, has cost the city $27,959 in completed work, according to the Austin Transportation and Public Works Department.
An additional $13,339 is estimated for work that is planned or still incomplete, bringing the current total for the full program to $41,298, city officials said.
Part of the cost estimate for work on Joe Sayers Avenue is still pending, meaning the final total could rise.
The removals stem from a directive by Gov. Greg Abbott to the Texas Department of Transportation targeting street murals and pavement markings the state considers non-compliant. Austin covered several murals in July.
Some Austin officials and residents had raised concerns about the expense. Austin District 9 Council Member Zo Qadri called the removals “political theatrics” and said the added cost would strain an already tight city budget.