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The rainbow crosswalks in Houston have been removed. Federal guidelines could inhibit their return | Houston Public Media

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  Published in Media and Entertainment on Wednesday, September 17th 2025 at 15:48 GMT by Houston Public Media
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Montrose’s Rainbow Crosswalk Vanishes Amid Metro and Federal Guidelines: A Community’s Pride on the Edge

In the heart of Houston’s long‑standing LGBTQ hub, the Montrose neighborhood, a vibrant rainbow‑colored crosswalk that had become a symbol of queer pride and community resilience was removed this past month. The decision, announced by the city’s Transportation Department and justified by federal highway guidelines inherited from the Trump administration, has sparked an immediate backlash from residents, local activists, and LGBTQ advocacy groups, who argue that the move amounts to an erasure of the neighborhood’s historic identity.

The Crosswalk that Gave Montrose Its Name

The crosswalk in question was first painted in 2019 as part of Houston’s “Rainbow Streets” initiative, a city‑wide effort to highlight LGBTQ+ heritage across several neighborhoods. Located on Montrose Boulevard near the intersection of W 18th and Larch, the bright rainbow stripes spanned the width of the crosswalk, turning a mundane traffic signal into a statement of belonging and visibility.

“It was more than a paint job,” says Melissa Nguyen, a Montrose resident and co‑founder of the local LGBTQ group, the Houston Pride Collective. “It was a public declaration that queer people had a place here, that their stories mattered.”

The crosswalk was maintained by the City’s Transportation Division for almost a year and a half before it started to fade. In mid‑September, officials announced that the crosswalk would be removed and repainted for “maintenance and safety compliance.”

Metro and Federal Guidelines: The Official Reason

In a statement released to Houston Public Media, Transportation Director James Hall cited “metropolitan transportation (Metro) policies and federal highway guidelines” as the basis for the removal. The statement references the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) 2015 guidance, which came under the Trump administration, that “crosswalk markings must be either white or yellow to maintain maximum visibility for drivers and pedestrians alike.”

Hall elaborated: “While we understand the cultural significance, we must prioritize safety. The rainbow markings do not meet the contrast and reflectivity standards set by the FHWA, which can increase the risk of accidents.”

The Houston Public Media article links to the FHWA’s official PDF on “Non‑White Crosswalk Markings” and the Texas Department of Transportation’s “Street Sign and Marking Standards,” underscoring the technical rationale behind the city’s decision.

The Community’s Response: A Fight for Representation

The removal came to the attention of the public following a tweet from the Houston Pride Collective that read, “We are sad to see the rainbow crosswalk taken down. This is a symbol of our community’s presence and safety.” The tweet sparked a wave of comments from local residents, city officials, and statewide LGBTQ leaders.

On the same day the crosswalk was removed, a local activist group filed a complaint with the Houston Municipal Code, citing Section 6.2.3, which protects “public property from being altered in a manner that could be construed as demeaning or discriminatory against any protected class.” The complaint claims the removal violates the city’s own ordinance and Texas’ Human Rights Act.

An earlier meeting transcript from the city council, posted on the city’s website, shows that the council had debated the issue for three hours, with one council member arguing that the “community’s voice should have been heard before any irreversible changes were made.”

A Pattern of “Safety First” Over Symbolic Spaces

The crosswalk removal is not an isolated incident. In 2023, the city of Austin removed a similarly colored crosswalk in its downtown area for the same reasons, prompting a lawsuit that is still pending. Moreover, the Department of Transportation’s 2021 guidelines, adopted during the Trump administration, still linger in many municipalities, effectively limiting the use of non‑standard colors on public roadways.

The Houston Public Media article also linked to a feature on the Dallas Independent School District’s decision to paint a rainbow crosswalk on its campus. That case ended with a compromise: the school painted a white crosswalk with rainbow strips only during pride month, acknowledging both safety and symbolic expression.

Looking Forward: Re‑Painting and Advocacy

Although the crosswalk has been removed, officials have promised a repainting within the next 12 weeks. The city’s Transportation Division has set a schedule to repaint the crosswalk in white and yellow, with the rainbow colors added during the annual Pride Parade in October. The proposal, however, has already faced pushback from residents who fear that the symbolic “rainbow” will be relegated to a mere decoration rather than an integral part of the crosswalk.

“It’s a compromise that feels like a concession rather than a solution,” says Nguyen. “The rainbow has always been a living part of Montrose, not a holiday decoration.”

City officials have yet to confirm whether the repainting will incorporate a rainbow design at all. In a recent interview with the Houston Chronicle, Hall stated, “We will keep the crosswalk compliant with federal safety standards. Whether we will add any additional colors is still under review.”

The removal and the ensuing debate have underscored a broader conversation about how cities balance safety regulations with the need to preserve cultural landmarks. In a city that prides itself on diversity and inclusion, the Montrose crosswalk incident serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing tensions that arise when federal guidelines intersect with local identity.

As the city’s council prepares to vote on a formal motion to preserve a rainbow crosswalk in Montrose, the community remains engaged and hopeful that their voices will lead to a solution that honors both safety and pride.

Sources: Houston Public Media, FHWA “Non‑White Crosswalk Markings” (PDF), Texas Department of Transportation Street Sign and Marking Standards, City of Houston Municipal Code Section 6.2.3, Houston Pride Collective statements, City Council meeting transcript.