The Dallas City Council has voted to file for an exemption to keep the state from forcing the removal of rainbow crosswalks in the Oak Lawn Gayborhood.
Gov. Greg Abbott last month ordered that Texas cities remove all rainbow crosswalks by Nov. 8 or risk losing federal funds. Abbott claimed that rainbow crosswalks express a “political ideology” and that such crosswalks are a safety hazard. Studies have shown, however, that rainbow crosswalks in fact increase safety where are in use.
San Antonio city officials, citing a study that showed increased safety at that city’s one rainbow crosswalk since it had been installed, announced last month that they would be filing for an exemption from Abbott’s order based on that demonstrated increase in safety.
Dallas city officials will also base their exemption request on the safety statistics since the rainbow crosswalks — which were paid for by private donations — were first installed.
Stay tuned for more information.
— Team Coverage by Tammye Nash & Chad Mantooth,
with special thanks to Lee Daugherty
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