State Order of Crosswalk Removal Led to Creation of Pride Sidewalks
San Antonio city leaders and members of the LGBTQ community gathered Sunday to dedicate newly installed rainbow sidewalks along Main Avenue, marking a visible update to the city’s Pride Cultural Heritage District.
The installation comes months after the state required the removal of rainbow crosswalks originally painted in 2018, prompting local officials to pursue an alternative form of representation.
State transportation officials denied San Antonio’s request to keep the 2018 installation, citing a directive from Gov. Greg Abbott, which led the city to replace it with a standard design to avoid risking funding.
A lawsuit filed by Pride San Antonio and the Texas Conservative Liberty Forum temporarily paused the sidewalk plan earlier this year, arguing the decision should go through full City Council discussion, while disagreements among council members highlighted divisions over public funding and LGBTQ representation.
District 1 Councilwoman Sukh Kaur said the project reflects both persistence and local control.
“For the last few months, it’s really felt like sometimes the state comes down and can just tell us what we have to do. And to me, this was a low-key flex of ‘you might be able to control the streets, but you can’t control our sidewalks,’” Kaur said.
New Design Expands Visibility Along Main Avenue
The sidewalks stretch along Main Avenue from Laurel Avenue to Park Avenue and incorporate all six traditional rainbow colors, along with elements of the progress Pride flag that include transgender, nonbinary, and people of color representation.
The updated sidewalks are also more visible than the previous crosswalks, creating a continuous presence through one of the city’s central LGBTQ corridors.
City Investment and Council Support
The project cost approximately $170,000 and was funded by the city.
While most council members supported the effort, District 9 Councilwoman Misty Spears and District 10 Councilman Marc Whyte opposed the project.
Kaur was joined at the ceremony by District 7 Councilwoman Marina Alderete Gavito and District 8 Councilwoman Ivalis Meza Gonzalez, who highlighted continued support from the majority of the council.
Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones did not attend the ribbon-cutting due to travel, though a statement from her office was delivered at the event
Legal Dispute and Community Tensions
Construction began in January but was briefly paused due to a lawsuit filed by Pride San Antonio and the Texas Conservative Liberty Forum.
Pride San Antonio board member James Poindexter clarified that the organization did not oppose the sidewalks themselves but objected to the removal of the original crosswalks, which the group had helped fund.
“We lost the crosswalks in an unfortunate situation, and we need to use the crosswalks message as a lesson for how strong we need to be moving forward,” Poindexter said.
The dispute also led to internal changes within Pride San Antonio, including leadership transitions and new board appointments announced earlier this month.
Future Plans for Public Art Installation
City officials are now considering a public art installation using pieces of the removed crosswalks.
Michael Rendon, chair of the city’s LGBTQIA+ Advisory Board, said the city plans to invite artists to propose ideas for preserving and displaying those materials within the district.
“The idea is to kind of create something and then display it somewhere here on the Strip,” Rendon said.
