{"id":132588,"date":"2026-01-21T23:10:10","date_gmt":"2026-01-21T23:10:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/132588\/"},"modified":"2026-01-21T23:10:10","modified_gmt":"2026-01-21T23:10:10","slug":"san-antonio-moves-ahead-with-rainbow-sidewalk-project","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/132588\/","title":{"rendered":"San Antonio moves ahead with rainbow sidewalk project"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Work crews began painting the rainbow sidewalk over the weekend near the intersection of North Main Avenue and Evergreen Street. Credit: Michael Karlis<\/p>\n

Work on the rainbow colored sidewalk in San Antonio\u2019s Pride District is now underway, even though there\u2019s been no formal council vote on the project. <\/p>\n

City officials confirmed that work on the first phase of the sidewalk celebrating the city\u2019s LGBTQ+ nightlife district at the intersection of North Main Avenue and Evergreen Street began over the weekend. The project, which also included removing the rainbow-colored crosswalk banished by order of Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, is expected to cost taxpayers $170,000.<\/p>\n

Via email, city spokesman Brian Chasnoff said the funding for the project came from the Fiscal Year 2026 budget, as well as \u201cTask Order contracts approved by City Council in 2024 and 2025.\u201d<\/p>\n

Opponents of the sidewalk\u2019s installation, including Pride San Antonio and the Texas Conservative Liberty Forum (TCLF), argued in a lawsuit <\/a>that the project and its subsequent funding should have been put to a public discussion and city council vote.<\/p>\n

District 9 Councilwoman Misty Spears and District 10 Councilman Marc Whyte, the two conservatives on the dais, echoed those concerns in a joint statement earlier this month.<\/p>\n

However, District 1 Councilwoman Sukh Kaur \u2014\u00a0who spearheaded the project in conjunction with Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones, the city\u2019s first openly LGBTQ+ mayor \u2014\u00a0told the Texas Tribune<\/a> late last week that the upgrades didn\u2019t need council approval because of the area\u2019s designation as a cultural heritage district.<\/p>\n

The Express-News previously reported<\/a> that the decision whether to move forward with the sidewalk project rested with City Manager Erik Walsh.<\/p>\n

Even so, TCLF San Antonio President Joe Garza, in a Monday night statement eFacebook<\/a> declared that \u201cthe fight is not over\u201d and that his organization is planning to \u201cescalate this issue further.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis issue is not about opposition to any community,\u201d Garza wrote. \u201cIt is about government conduct. Public sidewalks are shared civic spaces, and decisions involving taxpayer dollars and political or ideological expression must be made openly and with public input.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stay tuned.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"San\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\tThe removal was ordered by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott. The city is saving circular pieces of the crosswalk for historical preservation.\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Ahead\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\tThe rainbow sidewalks are set to be installed immediately and also will include the trans flag. \t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Pride\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\tThe city filed an exemption request for the Rainbow Crosswalk in November with the Texas Department of Transportation. \t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

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