Austin Removes 3 Decorative Crosswalks After Feds Shut Down Safety Study

Austin city officials removed three decorative pavement markings on crosswalks identified as potentially subject to scrutiny under new federal regulations that prohibit “political messaging,” reports Nathan Bernier for KUT News.

According to Bernier, two of the crosswalks featured rainbow designs, while the third was painted to look like brick pavers. “All were installed in October 2024 as part of an FHWA study testing whether colorful or patterned pavement markings affect pedestrian safety.” The FHWA ended that study in November, citing safety concerns and ordering the city to restore standard markings. “Prematurely ending such federally funded carries real consequences, according to Stefanie Seskin with the National Association of City Transportation Officials.” Meanwhile, a city report found that, in some cases, aesthetic treatments improved how often drivers slowed down for people crossing. 

In response to the new federal guidelines, Texas tightened its own regulations for road marking to go above and beyond, adding a line that bans “political or advocacy messages of any nature.” Austin could be forced to remove additional crosswalk treatments.