Governor orders Houston to erase Pride Crosswalk, or lose state funding

HOUSTON, (KIAH) — A vibrant symbol of inclusion in Houston’s Montrose neighborhood is being forced to fade away. The rainbow-painted crosswalk at Westheimer Road and Taft Street , known as the Pride Crosswalk, is being permanently removed following an order from Governor Greg Abbott’s office.

“There are more important things to worry about in Texas than art on public roadways. Pick on someone your own size,” said Davis Mendoza Darusman, University of Houston LGBTQ Alumni Network.

Officials said the governor called the design a “distraction for drivers” and warned that if the city doesn’t comply, Houston could lose millions in state and federal transportation funding.

Texans expect their taxpayer dollars to be used wisely, not advance political agendas on Texas roadways. “Today, I directed the Texas Department of Transportation to ensure Texas counties and cities remove any and all political ideologies from our streets. To keep Texans moving safely and free from distraction, we must maintain a safe and consistent transportation network across Texas. Any city that refuses to comply with the federal road standards will face consequences including the withholding or denial of state and federal road funding and suspension of agreements with TxDOT,” said Governor Greg Abbott.

The crosswalk became a familiar landmark in Montrose in 2017, first painted to celebrate the neighborhood’s LGBTQ+ heritage and to honor the victim of a fatal hit-and-run accident. A few years later, it was torn up for construction and repainted at the beginning of October by Metro. Metro has been ordered to get rid of the artwork within 30 days.

“We recognize the significance this crosswalk has to the community, which is why our project team restored the infrastructure to its pre-construction condition. However, given the recent directive, we will comply with the order to preserve support that is essential to our mission of providing safe, clean, reliable, and accessible transit to all communities that depend on our services,” said Metro Transit Authority of Harris County.

Darusman said he is willing to speak with local businesses in the area of the Pride Crosswalk to see if they would be willing to hang flags or posters to show solidarity in the crosswalk being removed.

No date has been announced for the crosswalk’s removal.