In a memo sent to City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert, West formally requested that Tolbert contact Hinojosa's office and seek reconsideration of the statewide order, which required the removal of what state officials described as "political ideologies" from state-maintained streets. The crosswalks were removed after the Texas Department of Transportation told Dallas in October 2025 that the markings did not comply with state guidelines. The city had requested an exemption to preserve the community-designed crosswalks but was denied.

The removals affected 30 crosswalks in total: 10 multicolored crosswalks along Cedar Springs Road in Oak Lawn, including the neighborhood's rainbow crosswalks; 16 crosswalks featuring lettering at four intersections along Al Lipscomb Way and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard; and four individually designed crosswalks at three locations along Mahon Street and at Lemmon and McKinney avenues. According to the city, every one of the crosswalks with non-standard pavement markings was privately funded.

West argued in the memo that the crosswalks serve a purpose beyond street markings, pointing to their role in supporting local businesses and making neighborhoods feel welcoming.

"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 removal of the rainbow crosswalks drew a community response. After the markings were stripped from Cedar Springs Road, residents raised additional funds to decorate the steps outside the Oak Lawn Library, turning the staircase into a colorful symbol of resilience.

It remains unclear whether the city plans to make another formal request to the state, or whether the incoming Hinojosa administration would reconsider the directive. Hinojosa, a Democrat, won the governor's race in this month's election and will take office in January.

For Oak Lawn residents and business owners, the crosswalks have been a visible marker of the neighborhood's identity for years, and their removal has become a flashpoint in the broader debate over how much authority the state should have over local community decisions. West's memo signals that at least one council member wants the city to test whether the new governor will take a different approach than her predecessor.

The city manager's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether Tolbert intends to act on West's request.