Six Points business owners, including the longtime Price’s Chef, say removing the colorful crosswalks could hurt visibility and foot traffic

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Colorful crosswalks at Corpus Christi’s historic Six Points intersection will be removed after the Texas Department of Transportation denied the city’s request to keep the non-standard roadway markings in place.

RELATED: State denies request to keep Corpus Christi’s colorful crosswalks

The decision follows a statewide directive from Gov. Greg Abbott requiring the removal of decorative crosswalks that do not meet TxDOT standards. The agency says artistic markings can distract drivers and pedestrians and create inconsistency across roadways.

The denial affects four brightly painted crosswalks installed at the six-way intersection, a project city leaders and nearby businesses have credited with improving visibility and revitalizing the historic area.

Local business owners say the state’s concerns do not match what they see on the ground.

Luis Guerrero and his son, Alexander, own Price’s Chef, the longest continuously operating restaurant in Corpus Christi. The diner has served customers at its Six Points location since 1940.

Guerrero said the colorful crosswalks have helped drivers identify where to stop, especially during rain or fog.

“It actually helps,” Guerrero said. “People stop before the color. If anything, it helps.”

The Guerrero family says businesses in the Six Points area are still recovering from years of disruption brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing inflation. They worry removing the crosswalks could reduce both foot traffic and vehicle traffic.

“We don’t have enough hands to count the businesses that aren’t around anymore,” Alexander Guerrero said, pointing to nearby shops that have relocated or closed.

Other business owners share similar concerns. Photographer Fonzie Muñoz moved his business to Six Points about a year and a half ago, citing neighborhood improvements that included the crosswalks.

“The colors really increase the presence of the neighborhood,” Muñoz said. “It’s nice and pretty out there.”

Because the decision came from the state, city officials say they have no authority to override TxDOT’s order. Removal of the crosswalks is expected to begin in January.

Corpus Christi police provided crash data for the intersection following the installation of the crosswalks. From February 2022 — the first full month after the markings were installed — through November 2025, officers recorded 23 vehicle crashes at Six Points. That compares with 19 crashes from February 2019 through November 2022, a slight increase.

Despite the data, business owners say the crosswalks have become part of the identity of Six Points and worry their removal could slow momentum in an area they say has only recently begun to rebound.