Rainbow Crosswalk Restored at East Lane and Waldeck Avenues in Columbus University District
A rainbow-colored crosswalk in Columbus’ University District has been restored following vandalism. The crosswalk, located at the intersection of East Lane and Waldeck avenues, was defaced with black paint, likely due to a mistaken assumption that it celebrated LGBTQ+ Pride. In reality, the colorful crosswalk is part of a federal safety study conducted by the Federal Highway Administration. The study evaluates the effectiveness of non-traditional crosswalk colors in reducing accidents at select intersections in Columbus, including areas near Ohio State University, as well as in Austin, Texas; Washington, D.C.; and Raleigh, North Carolina.
By September 1, city crews had removed most of the black paint. Officials received two 311 reports about the vandalism on August 25. The University District intersection, surrounded by student housing, has also seen remnants of weekend litter from OSU students on nearby lawns.
This incident comes shortly after a rainbow crosswalk in Orlando, Florida, was painted over. That crosswalk had been installed to honor the 49 victims of the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting. Studies, including one by Bloomberg Philanthropies in 2022, suggest that intersections with artistic crosswalks can reduce pedestrian and cyclist accidents by up to 50%.
Columbus officials, including Randy Borntrager, deputy director of the Department of Public Service, confirmed that city crews assessed options for graffiti removal. Residents have generally responded positively to the crosswalk, though its permanent status will depend on the results of the federal study.
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