Rainbow crosswalks in Oak Lawn removed as Dallas complies with state safety mandate

DALLAS - Rainbow crosswalks in Oak Lawn were removed Monday morning as Dallas works to comply with a state safety mandate to remove political messaging from public roadways.

Decorative crosswalk removal begins

What we know:

Dallas city workers were seen removing rainbow crosswalks in Oak Lawn on Monday morning at the intersection of Throckmorton Street and Cedar Springs Drive. 

It was the first of 30 crosswalks planned for removal by the city.

A Black Lives Matter crosswalk in Fair Park was also scheduled for removal on Monday. When Sky 4 flew over the crosswalk Monday afternoon, crews had not yet begun working to remove it.

Officials anticipate all 30 crosswalks will be brought into state conformity by April 28, though they hope to complete the project within three weeks.

The backstory:

Last year, Texas governor Greg Abbott called for the removal of political messaging on city crosswalks, calling them a distraction to drivers. He threatened to withhold state funding from cities that did not comply with the state mandate. 

The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) notified city officials in October 2025 that decorative designs on public roadways do not meet the standards set by the Texas Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. 

Dallas sought an exception to preserve the neighborhood-specific designs, but TxDOT issued a final denial on Jan. 15, 2026.

What they're saying:

Residents gathered on the sidewalks to watch the workers remove the crosswalks. Many felt targeted by Texas governor Greg Abbott's mandate.

"My personal emotions are grief," Valerie Jackson, Chair of the LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce Foundation, told FOX 4's Steven Dial.

"It is interesting that it would take tax dollars to remove these right now. They didn't want to use tax dollars, and now they are using them to remove these," Jackson continued.

The North Texas LGBTQ Chamber Foundation says more than $100,000 in donations paid for the Oak Lawn crosswalks.

Despite public outcry, Constitutional lawyer David Coale told Dial the action is legal since the state dictates funding standards, but only if it is a uniform rule.

"If, however, they have a rule that purports to be about anything in a crosswalk, but they only enforce it against certain kinds of crosswalks, there might be some argument there," Coale said. "But generally speaking, when the state spends money, it gets to put conditions on it and what the city may get done. Or what nearby businesses may have done to encourage the crosswalk in the meantime doesn't really affect that power."

What's next:

In response to the mandate, the Office of Arts and Culture is developing alternative programs to recognize neighborhood identities through public art that does not involve pavement markings. The city has scheduled three community engagement sessions in April to gather resident input:

• Uptown: April 6, 5:30 p.m. at Theater Three, 2688 Laclede St.
• South Dallas: April 8, 5:30 p.m. at the South Dallas Cultural Center, 3400 S. Fitzhugh
• Cedar Springs: April 10, 5:30 p.m. at the Reverchon Recreation Center, 3505 Maple Ave.

Assistant City Manager Dev Rastogi stated in a memorandum to the City Council that the city is reviewing how peer cities handle similar requirements while maintaining community character.