Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is calling for the removal of rainbow crosswalks and other symbols of pride from public roads across Texas, saying they pose safety concerns and misuse taxpayer dollars.
"Texans expect their taxpayer dollars to be used wisely, not advance political agendas on Texas roadways," Abbott said in a statement Wednesday.
He directed the Texas Department of Transportation to ensure all cities and counties “remove any and all political ideologies from our streets” within 30 days. Any city that does not comply, he said, could risk the “withholding or denial of state and federal road funding and suspension of agreements with TxDOT.”
“To keep Texans moving safely and free from distraction, we must maintain a safe and consistent transportation network across Texas,” Abbott said.
Advocates say the rainbow crosswalks in Dallas’ Oak Lawn neighborhood have always been privately funded.
“No taxpayer dollars were used. We didn’t want to access those funds, even if we were able to,” said Valerie Jackson, chair‑elect of the North Texas LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce.
Jackson said the project was funded through private donations and community events such as wine walks. She added that organizers worked with Texas Department of Transportation and the City of Dallas to ensure the designs met state safety standards.
“We agree with the governor and the administration that public safety is paramount, and we would not move forward with this project and the experience that we’ve had over the last five years by endangering people,” Jackson said.
Annise Parker, the former Houston mayor and one of the first openly LGBTQ mayors of a major American city, said she was "surprised that the governor has so little to do that erasing rainbow crosswalks has become his priority."
"I trust that businesses and individuals across Texas will proudly display rainbow flags in response and continue to focus on real issues," she told NBC News.
Parker is currently running for Harris County judge.
Jacob Reyes, a spokesperson for advocacy groups GLAAD and Texas Latino Pride, called the governor’s directive a “distraction, not the art.”
“The governor is providing distractions. That’s the problem here,” Reyes said. “It’s clearly a distraction from what he needs to be prioritizing, which is investment in public education, which is an actual investment in public infrastructure.”
Abbott’s message aligns with guidance from the U.S. Department of Transportation, issued in July under the SAFE ROADS Initiative, which aims to ensure Safe Arterials for Everyone through Reliable Operations and Distraction-Reducing Strategies.
The Texas Department of Transportation cited that initiative in a letter to cities and counties this week, stating, “Pavement markings such as decorative crosswalks, murals or markings conveying artwork or other messages are prohibited on travel lanes, shoulders, intersections and crosswalks unless they serve a direct traffic control or safety function. This prohibition includes the use of symbols, flags or other markings conveying any message or communications.”
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy responded to coverage of the governor's call for the removal of rainbow crosswalks, thanking Abbott and saying "roads are for safety, not political messages."
"I encourage the rest of America’s governors to do the same," he wrote in a post on X.
A spokesperson for the City of Dallas confirmed the city received the Texas Department of Transportation letter.
“We will review and evaluate it and provide an update to the City Council on any necessary next steps,” the spokesperson wrote in an email.
NBC Dallas-Fort Worth reached out to the governor’s office and the Texas Department of Transportation for clarification on how the directive will be monitored and enforced. Both referred back to the original statement and letter.
This story first appeared on the website of NBC Dallas-Fort Worth.