San Antonio unveils pride-themed sidewalks as state order forces removal of rainbow crosswalk in Pride District

Pride District markings shift from roadway to sidewalk after state enforcement action

San Antonio has begun installing pride-themed rainbow sidewalk treatments near North Main Avenue and East Evergreen Street, a well-known intersection in the city’s Pride Cultural Heritage District, as the city moves to remove the rainbow crosswalk in the roadway under a state transportation directive.

The rainbow crosswalk at Main and Evergreen dates to 2018, when the City Council accepted nearly $20,000 in privately raised contributions tied to Pride San Antonio ahead of that year’s Pride events. The crosswalk became a prominent feature of the corridor, which includes nightlife and other businesses serving the LGBTQ+ community.

State directive tied compliance to transportation funding

In October 2025, the Texas Department of Transportation notified local governments that roadway markings viewed as political, social, or ideological would be considered non-compliant and would need to be removed. The directive warned that failure to comply could jeopardize transportation funding and agreements.

San Antonio sought an exemption to keep the rainbow crosswalk at Main and Evergreen, arguing that such markings could be treated as a safety-related installation. The exemption request was denied, and the city committed to replacing the rainbow roadway markings with a standard crosswalk and resurfacing work.

Rainbow sidewalks proposed as an off-road alternative

City plans shifted to placing rainbow-themed treatments off the roadway—on sidewalks near the intersection—positioning the project as a way to maintain a visible recognition of the area’s identity while meeting state roadway requirements. Work plans described rainbow-colored sidewalk segments along Main Avenue in the blocks surrounding the intersection.

City documents and public briefings during the process placed the cost of crosswalk removal and related work into city operations budgets. The transition also reflected a broader approach: keeping decorative elements on pedestrian infrastructure rather than in travel lanes subject to state oversight.

Lawsuit challenged process; judge declined to halt work

The removal and sidewalk-installation plan triggered a legal dispute. Pride San Antonio and the Texas Conservative Liberty Forum jointly sued the city, seeking to halt both the removal of the roadway crosswalk and the sidewalk treatments, while also challenging whether the spending and project decisions required a full City Council vote.

In January 2026, a Bexar County judge denied the request for a temporary restraining order, allowing the city to proceed with the crosswalk removal and the sidewalk work while the broader legal claims continued through the court process.

Key timeline

• June 2018: City Council accepted privately raised funds and the rainbow crosswalk was installed near Main and Evergreen.
• October 2025: State transportation directive warned that non-compliant roadway markings must be removed to avoid funding consequences.
• December 2025–January 2026: San Antonio’s exemption request was denied; the city advanced plans to remove the roadway crosswalk and add rainbow sidewalk treatments nearby.
• January 2026: A judge denied a bid to temporarily block the projects.

The shift from rainbow roadway markings to rainbow sidewalk treatments underscores how local public art and identity markers can be reshaped by state-level transportation rules that tie compliance to funding and roadway safety standards.