Dallas city crews began removing 30 decorative crosswalks Monday — including rainbow Pride crosswalks in the Oak Lawn neighborhood and Black Lives Matter crosswalks in South Dallas — after the Texas Department of Transportation ordered the city to comply with state roadway standards or risk losing state and federal funding.
Work started at the intersection of Cedar Springs Road and Oak Lawn Avenue in the heart of Oak Lawn, a historically LGBTQ+ neighborhood, where crews used power washers to strip painted crosswalks. Officials with the Transportation and Public Works Department chose that location deliberately, timing the start of removals to coincide with a planned resurfacing project in the area to minimize traffic disruptions.
The removals follow a directive from Gov. Greg Abbott, who issued an executive order in October 2025 ordering TxDOT to enforce the removal of decorative crosswalks, calling them a distraction and political. TxDOT denied Dallas's request for an exemption on January 15, warning the city it could lose state and federal project funding if it didn't comply.
Dallas submitted a compliance plan on January 30, committing to bring all 30 crosswalks into conformity with state standards within 90 days. City officials anticipate completing all removals by April 28, though they hope to finish within three weeks, weather permitting.
The crosswalks were not paid for by taxpayers. The North Texas LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce created a fundraiser for the rainbow crosswalks in 2019, with contributions from community members and organizations including the Cedar Springs Merchants Association. Many residents are frustrated that public dollars are now being used to remove them.
Dallas was one of the last major Texas cities to comply. Houston, Austin, and San Antonio had already begun removing their decorative crosswalks before Dallas moved forward.
In response to the mandate, Dallas's Office of Arts and Culture is developing alternative programs to help neighborhoods recognize their identities through public art that does not involve pavement markings. Community meetings are scheduled in April at Theater Three on Laclede Street, the South Dallas Cultural Center on Fitzhugh Avenue, and Reverchon Recreation Center on Maple Avenue.
LISTEN on the Audacy App
Tell your Smart Speaker to "PLAY 1080 KRLD"
Sign Up to receive our KRLD Insider Newsletter for more news
Follow us on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
Dallas was one of the last major Texas cities to comply
