After state officials prohibited political street markings like rainbow crosswalks, the City of San Antonio has unveiled rainbow-colored sidewalks.
San Antonio held a ribbon cutting ceremony opening for the city’s new “rainbow sidewalks” on Sunday, calling the event “A powerful celebration of unity, visibility, and community as we come together to create and honor safe, affirming spaces for all. This moment represents belonging, pride, and the strength of our community.”
According to a social media post from the City of San Antonio, special guests at the Sunday event included city council members, LGBTQ+ advisory board members, the San Antonio LGBTQ chamber of commerce, and community leaders.
The newly painted sidewalks are located in the same spot as the former rainbow crosswalk, at the intersection of North Main Avenue and Evergreen Street.
The San Antonio Current reports that the sidewalks cost the city around $170,000, which came from the 2026 budget and city council-approved contracts.
These actions follow Gov. Greg Abbott’s directive last fall for the Texas Department of Transportation to ensure compliance with a federal directive by removing political messages and artwork from city streets.
At the time of the directive, Abbott wrote that “Texans expect their taxpayer dollars to be used wisely, not advance political agendas on Texas roadways.” Abbott also said the changes are meant to ensure Texans continue to move “safely and free from distractions.”
Abbott’s directive was in response to a federal order by U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy as part of the SAFE ROADS initiative, which targets safety for non-freeway arterial roads.
Duffy sent a letter to all state governors requesting their participation in the program. In his letter, he specifically noted that crosswalks and intersections need to be kept free from distraction, which “includes political messages of any nature, artwork, or anything else that detracts from the core mission of driver and pedestrian safety.”
“Roads are for safety, not political messages or artwork,” wrote Duffey. “Today I am calling on governors in every state to ensure that roadways, intersections, and crosswalks are kept free of distractions.”
In Texas, sidewalks are typically city property, and so are not maintained by TxDOT.
