On October 8, 2025, the executive director of the Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT) sent a letter to San Antonio officials regarding "Compliance with Pavement Marking Standards" on roads.

The letter told local officials "pavement markings such as decorative crosswalks, murals, or markings conveying artwork or other messages are prohibited on travel lanes, shoulders, intersections, and crosswalks unless they serve a direct traffic control or safety function."

In short, TXDOT is telling cities they must remove our hard-fought, privately-funded and maintained rainbow crosswalk in the heart of San Antonio's LGBT community. If they don't, TXDOT has threated to withhold or deny state and federal funds, terminate existing agreements, and require removal of "non-compliant" markings on roads.

The City of San Antonio has indicated it will seek an exemption, citing the reduction in accidents since the crosswalk's installation eight years ago. But, it's unlikely the state will grant an exemption, since rainbow crosswalks appear to be the direct target of this initiative.

With our city facing a budget deficit, citizens staring at the drastic reduction in services due to the ongoing government shutdown, and removal of the crosswalk would require the expenditure of significant public funds that have already been allocated to address urgent local needs, Pride San Antonio, Inc. is encouraging members of our community - far and wide - to subscribe to the following resolution, urging the city to challenge this effort. The resolution is as follows:

___________________________________

A RESOLUTION: UNITY IN OUR COMMUNITY

WHEREAS, the intersection of Main Avenue and Evergreen Street is the center of the LGBT community of San Antonio, recently designated as a cultural historic district; and

WHEREAS, the crosswalk at this intersection, bearing the colors of the rainbow, was installed in 2018, funded by an overwhelming majority of private funds, as a symbol of community identity, unity, and celebration; and

WHEREAS, the crosswalk has been privately maintained for more than six years, during which there has been a significant reduction in pedestrian and traffic accidents; and

WHEREAS, elements of state government have or are implementing policies which compel the destruction or removal of the crosswalk; and

WHEREAS, removal of the crosswalk does not serve a legitimate public or traffic safety purpose, but causes a deep sense of loss and disregard for the LGBT community in San Antonio; now therefore:

BE IT RESOLVED, we call on the City of San Antonio to challenge any effort to remove or destroy the crosswalk using any means allowed by law.

____________________________________

Please consider adding your name in support of this resolution. You're also invited to attend Unity in the Community, an event celebrating the crosswalk, calling for the city to peaceably defend it, and inviting local leaders and organizations to join this resolution, too!

Thursday, October 30, 2025

6:00 p.m.

Intersection of Main Avenue & Evergreen Street; for directions, input:

1500 N Main Ave, San Antonio, TX 78212

Thank you for your support, and we hope you will join us!

In unity,

James Poindexter, Secretary

Pride San Antonio, Inc.