Politics
Dallas Council Member Asks City to Seek Restoration of Decorative Crosswalks Under Governor-Elect Hinojosa
Dallas City Council Member Chad West is urging City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert to formally ask Governor-elect Hinojosa to reconsider a 2025 TxDOT directive that forced the removal of decorative crosswalks, including the rainbow crosswalks on Cedar Springs. The request comes after TxDOT denied the city's exception and Dallas agreed to bring 30 crosswalks into compliance within 90 days.
Dallas City Council Member Chad West has formally requested that City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert ask Governor-elect Hinojosa to reconsider a 2025 Texas Department of Transportation directive that led to the removal of decorative crosswalks across the city, including the rainbow crosswalks on Cedar Springs Road.
In a memorandum dated November 10, 2026, West asked the city to contact the governor-elect and seek reconsideration of the directive, which he said forced Dallas to remove its decorative crosswalks. West argued that the crosswalks provide safety benefits, drive economic activity in commercial areas like Oak Lawn and Uptown, and carry deep community meaning.
"Like many members of our LGBT community, I felt welcome the very first time I saw these rainbow crosswalks on Cedar Springs," West wrote. "While a little bit of paint might feel insignificant to some, I believe it can have a huge impact on telling everyone they are welcome and included here in Dallas."
The dispute traces back to October 2025, when TxDOT Executive Director Marc Williams issued a directive prioritizing uniformity and predictability in traffic control devices statewide. Dallas submitted a request for an exception on November 6, 2025, covering 30 crosswalks, but TxDOT denied it on January 15, 2026. The agency said the intersections did not meet current Texas Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices requirements and that the request lacked certification from a licensed traffic engineer.
In response, the city submitted a compliance plan on January 30, 2026, confirming that the 30 crosswalks would be brought into compliance within 90 days. City Manager Tolbert wrote that while Dallas maintained the existing designs presented no measurable public safety issues, the city appreciated TxDOT's partnership. She also said staff were connecting with community leaders to explore creative approaches that reflect neighborhood identity through community art initiatives while meeting state standards.
West's memo argues that many of the decorative crosswalks were privately funded and that evidence shows they can be safer than traditional crosswalks. He framed the request as a chance for the incoming governor to reverse a policy that he says stripped Dallas neighborhoods of a visible symbol of inclusion and local character.
The request now rests with the city manager's office, which has not publicly indicated whether it will formally petition the governor-elect.