Rainbow crossings in Seattle

A series of rainbow crossings have been painted in Seattle, in the U.S. state of Washington. According to The Seattle Times, the colorful pedestrian crossings "signal inclusiveness all year-round". Since the rainbow crossings were installed in 2015, more artistic crossings have appeared throughout the city.

History


In 2015, eleven rainbow crossings were painted at six intersections on Capitol Hill, on Pike and Pine streets between 11th Avenue and Broadway. According to Out, the colorful pedestrian crossings were created "as a bold symbol of the city's LGBT community" and "will act as a reminder of the city's ongoing commitment to LGBT awareness and acceptance". Costing approximately $6,000 each, the crosswalks were paid for by local developers. The crossings were part of Mayor Ed Murray's action plan to improve safety for the LGBT community. The crosswalks had been discussed "for some time" but were delayed by funding and logistics issues. At the unveiling ceremony, he said, "it says something about this neighborhood and it also says something about Seattle. This is a city of very diverse neighborhoods throughout with different character." The crosswalks were expected to last from three to five years, and inspired other colorful crossings throughout the city.

While the crosswalks were privately funded, talk show host Dori Monson argued that if the city was able to find funding for rainbow crossings, then there should also be funding for police body cameras and a gunshot recognition system.

The Federal Highway Administration and U.S. Department of Transportation said the crosswalks were potentially unsafe. Engineer Dongho Chang from the Seattle Department of Transportation said the crosswalks "are statistically far safer than the ones mandated by the federal government".