The City of Dallas announced it would follow orders to remove distracting pavement markings, such as rainbow crosswalks.
Dallas officials told Texas Department of Transportation officials they would comply with the order to remove road markings with “social, political, or ideological messages.” As The Dallas Express reported, this was one day before the state deadline to submit a removal plan or risk funding loss.
The request from TxDOT covers 30 “decorative crosswalks” across Dallas, according to a press release. City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert signed a letter to TxDOT Director of Traffic Safety George Villarreal, promising to comply with the order in 90 days.
“The city appreciates TxDOT’s partnership in sustaining safe multimodal transportation in Dallas,” Tolbert said in the release. “The city will work with affected communities on ways to recognize their neighborhoods.”
Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy directed governors on July 1 to begin planning the removal of political messages and artwork from crosswalks and intersections.
“Roads are for safety, not political messages or artwork,” Duffy said at the time.
Republican Gov. Greg Abbott ordered TxDOT on October 8, 2025, to enforce federal and state safety standards and “remove any and all political ideologies from our streets.” As The Dallas Express reported, crews in Houston soon began removing a prominent rainbow crosswalk.
However, in November, Tolbert asked state officials to exempt 30 Dallas crosswalks from the order as a form of “government speech,” as The Dallas Express reported. Meanwhile, Oak Lawn United Methodist Church – which would go on to defile the nativity by putting the Holy Family in a cage – painted its steps rainbow in protest.
In early January, TxDOT replied to the request and ordered Dallas to remove political crosswalks, or risk losing state road funding. According to the release, the intersections failed to meet requirements in the Texas Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. The agency reportedly emphasized the importance of complying with the manual, Duffy’s order, and Abbott’s order.
San Antonio has already begun removing rainbow crosswalks – but is planning to replace them with rainbow sidewalks, according to KSAT. Austin also pledged to comply with the safety standards.
