Texas Governor Greg Abbott has given Dallas until the end of the month to remove pavement markings the state deems “political” or face losing millions in critical funding.
The markings included in the removal order include a rainbow crosswalk in Oak Lawn, and a “Black Lives Matter” mural on MLK Boulevard.
Abbott gave the order to remove the markings in October, 2025, arguing that the designs violate the state’s uniformity standards and could post a safety threat by distracting drivers. His directive is part of a broader push at the federal level to standardize road markings due to safety concerns.
The move came after Florida took similar steps and removed rainbow crosswalks – often in communities that support LGBTQ residents – as part of Donald Trump’s push to end diversity, equity and inclusion efforts across the nation.
Supporters of the Texas measure have argued that the order was about maintaining consistency across the state, rather than Abbott stamping out ideological markets that run contrary to his beliefs, according to the Dallas News.
Critics have not bought the state’s justifications for the removal.
“The forced removal of the rainbow crosswalks is an intentional act of erasure, plain and simple,” LGBTQ Chamber CEO Tony Vedda said in a statement to the Dallas Voice. “These crosswalks were never a safety issue. They were 100 percent privately funded and used NO tax dollars for the installation. The crosswalks are being targeted because they represent LGBTQ+ visibility in a state that continues to politicize our existence.”
Some local business owners are also frustrated by the move.
“The crosswalks have become a recognizable feature of the Cedar Springs neighborhood and help reinforce the district’s identity as a welcoming destination for customers and visitors,” Cedar Springs Merchants Association President Kevin Miller told the outlet. Anything that diminishes that sense of place has a real impact on how people experience and support this neighborhood.”
Dallas officials request an exemption to the order in November, noting that the crosswalk designs in Oak Lawn were privately funded and pointing to data that highly visible crosswalks actually improve pedestrian visibility. They also argued that the crosswalk design is protected speech and that removing it could violate the First Amendment.
On Monday, the Texas Department of Transportation rejected the city’s exemption request.
According to a memo provided to Fox 4 News from Dallas’ city manager, Kimberly Bizor Tolbert, the state’s Department of Transportation said the pavement lacked proper certification and was out of compliance with state regulations. It also noted that the city failed to provide a document signed and sealed by a licensed traffic engineer that certified that the designs were safe for drivers and pedestrians.
“TxDOT did not clarify how our crosswalks impede pedestrian and vehicle safety as requested by our appeal letter,” Tolbert wrote in a memo on Friday, which was given to the Dallas City Council. “Staff will work with the City Attorney’s Office on our response.”
The agency further directed the city to end the practice of non-standard pavement markings in roadways, and warned that failure to remove the designs by January 31st could result in the loss of state funding or the suspension of existing agreements between the state and the city.
