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Workers were on The Strip today (Wednesday, June 18) removing the dull and damaged rainbow crosswalks so they can be replaced with new, more durable options. (Photos and video by Chad Mantooth)

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As of this morning (Wednesday, June 18) work to replace the rainbow crosswalks on Cedar Springs Road is underway. The crosswalks began deteriorating soon after they were installed.

The city hopes to have the existing crosswalks removed today and the new crosswalks installed by some time tomorrow, according to one of the city employees working on the project. When the work is actually completed is dependent on the weather.

Getting our rainbows took years of the Mayor’s LGBTQ Task Force working with the city.

After years of petitioning the city to paint rainbow crosswalks in the Gayborhood and news stories about every other major city marking their gayborhoods with rainbows, work began on our crosswalks in February 2020. What distinguished the crosswalks in Dallas was that we’d have 10 rainbows up and down Cedar Springs Road. Most other cities had just two or four.

For a short time, the new crosswalks on The Cedar Springs were brightly colored, but within months — during the pandemic when the bars were still closed and traffic was at a minimum — the stripes began to deteriorate.

According to Dallas Voice reporting at the time, the crosswalks were to be made of thermoplastic. The stripes would be glued to the pavement or asphalt, and then heat would be applied to make the strips permanently adhere.

Thermoplastic, we were told, would last longer than paint. Maintenance would be needed to patch and repair the crosswalks from time to time.

But shortly after the crosswalks were installed, it became obvious that painted crosswalks in the same neighborhood last much longer than the thermoplastic rainbows.

The cost of the crosswalks was covered by private donations. The committee that raised the money presented the city with a check for $128,250 in February 2020.

In less than a year, it was obvious that the community hadn’t gotten what it paid for. And in the last couple of years, for some reason, the crosswalks at Oak Lawn Avenue have deteriorated the most. The crosswalks at Kroger are still in reasonable shape.

The LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce took the job of replacing the crosswalks under its umbrella. Chamber CEO Tony Vedda learned that the difference between the one end of the street and the other is the type of pavement the stripes were laid on.

The city hoped to complete work on Cedar Springs Road in time for Pride. Because of heavy rain last week, the project was delayed.

And in addition to the weather, Vedda said, “I’m told the crosswalk vendor is still waiting for materials to be delivered.”

“The refresh of the iconic Cedar Springs crosswalks is more than a beautification project — it’s a bold, visible reminder of the strength and resilience of our LGBTQ+ community,” Vedda said. “We are incredibly grateful to the past and current donors whose generosity helped bring this vision to life, and we sincerely thank the city of Dallas for its ongoing commitment to investing in this neighborhood. Their partnership on this and future projects ensures that Cedar Springs remains a vibrant, welcoming destination for all.”

“We’re thrilled to see the new crosswalks coming to Cedar Springs,” The Cedar Springs Merchants Association said in a statement. “This neighborhood has always been the heart of Dallas’ LGBTQ+ community, and these crosswalks are more than just paint on pavement — they’re a vibrant symbol of pride, visibility, and progress. We’re grateful to everyone who helped make this happen and can’t wait to see our streets shine even brighter.”

The LGBTQ Chamber Foundation is raising money to cover the cost of replacing the crosswalks.

Kay Wilkerson, a co-chair of the crosswalk committee, wants the community to help back the crosswalk repainting project and take pride in our neighborhood. She said she’s not looking for large donations as much as she’s looking for a large number of donations. She said she’s looking for donations from a broad range of people from across the community. Donations can be here.

— David Taffet