Rainbow crossings in California

The crosswalk in San Francisco's Castro District, 2014

There are many rainbow crossings in the U.S. state of California.

2010s

In West Hollywood, two rainbow crosswalks were painted on San Vicente Boulevard in 2012. ^{[1] [2] [3]} The crosswalks were updated in 2022. ^{[4] [5] [6] [7]}

The crosswalk across Post Street at South Market Street, San Jose, 2022

Plans to paint rainbow crossings in San Francisco's Castro District emerged in 2014. ^{[8] [9] [10]}

Silicon Valley's first rainbow crossing was installed in San Jose in 2016. ^{[11] [12] [13] [14]}

The first rainbow crossing in Los Angeles was installed in Venice in 2019. ^{[15] [16]} A rainbow crossing was installed in downtown Ferndale in 2019. ^[17]

2020s

In San Diego, a rainbow crossing was installed in the Hillcrest neighborhood in 2020. ^{[18] [19] [20] [21]}

Santa Ana's city council was considering the installation of rainbow crossings, as of 2021. ^[22]

Cathedral City has a rainbow crossing at the intersection of Highway 111 and West Buddy Rogers Avenue. It was restored in 2021. ^[23]

Manhattan Beach's city council considered a rainbow crossing in 2021. ^[24] The crossing was installed in 2022. ^{[25] [26]}

Long Beach has a rainbow crossings along the Broadway Corridor. ^[27] The crossings were updated in 2022. ^[28]

A rainbow crossing was installed in Fairfax in May 2023. ^[29] In 2023, a rainbow crossing in Davis was painted and removed. ^{[30] [31]} More rainbow crossings in Davis were installed in 2025. ^[32] A rainbow crossing in Palm Springs was removed in 2023. ^{[33] [34]} A rainbow crossing was installed in Sausalito in 2023. ^{[29] [35]}

Plans to install rainbow crossings in Beverly Hills were announced in 2024. ^{[36] [37]}

In 2025, Monterey's openly gay mayor Tyller Williamson supported the installation of rainbow crossings. ^{[38] [39] [40] [41]} The proposal received some criticism, ^[42] but was painted at Alvarado Street in June 2025. ^{[43] [44]} It may face federal scrutiny. ^[45] As of 2025, Sacramento's Office of Arts and Culture was accepting applications to install crosswalks outside two elementary schools (Garden Valley Elementary and Smythe Academy). ^[46] Plans to paint a rainbow crossing in Santa Clara were announced in 2025. ^[47]

See also

• Rainbow crossings in Florida
• List of LGBTQ monuments and memorials

References

1. "Rainbow Crosswalk | Attractions in West Hollywood, Los Angeles". Time Out Los Angeles. Archived from the original on 2024-04-16. Retrieved 2025-08-22.
2. Gray, Stephen (2012-06-08). "LA: West Hollywood approves rainbow street crossings for June". PinkNews . Archived from the original on 2024-11-02. Retrieved 2025-08-22.
3. Block, Larry (2025-05-27). "Will the Rainbow Crosswalks be clean for PRIDE?". WEHOonline.com. Retrieved 2025-08-22.
4. "Removal of Rainbow Crosswalk Begins Later this Month for New Progressive Pride Crosswalk - WEHO TIMES West Hollywood News, Nightlife and Events". WeHo Times. 2022-02-07. Archived from the original on 2024-06-25. Retrieved 2025-08-22.
5. "City of West Hollywood installs new inclusive Pride crosswalks". Los Angeles Blade. 2022-03-15. Archived from the original on 2024-11-04. Retrieved 2025-08-22.
6. Folven, Edwin (2022-03-17). "WeHo paints new colors in rainbow crosswalks". Beverly Press & Park Labrea News. Archived from the original on 2022-06-25. Retrieved 2025-08-22.
7. Zonkel, Phillip (2020-12-26). "Black, brown colors to be added to West Hollywood's rainbow crosswalk". Q Voice News. Archived from the original on 2023-05-31. Retrieved 2025-08-22.
8. "San Francisco's Castro District to get gay pride rainbow crosswalks". Los Angeles Times. 2014-03-14. Archived from the original on 2025-05-15. Retrieved 2025-08-22.
9. "New rainbow crosswalks painted in San Francisco's Castro neighborhood". SFGATE. 2014-10-01. Archived from the original on 2022-11-02. Retrieved 2025-08-22.
10. "SF Castro District Streets Get Splash Of Color With Rainbow Crosswalks - CBS San Francisco". www.cbsnews.com. 2014-10-01. Archived from the original on 2023-05-15. Retrieved 2025-08-22.
11. "Funds sought for rainbow-colored crosswalks in Sacramento's Lavender Heights | The Sacramento Bee The Sacramento Bee". Archived from the original on 2015-03-06. Retrieved 2025-08-24.
12. "Rainbow crosswalks planned for Sacramento's Lavender Heights | The Sacramento Bee". Archived from the original on 2015-05-14. Retrieved 2025-08-24.
13. Fernandez, Lisa (2016-03-03). "Silicon Valley's First Rainbow Crosswalk Celebrates LGBTQ Community". NBC Bay Area. Retrieved 2025-08-22.
14. "San Jose's first rainbow-colored crosswalk debuts on The Alameda". The Mercury News. 2016-03-01. Archived from the original on 2025-06-25. Retrieved 2025-08-22.
15. "First rainbow crosswalk in City of Los Angeles unveiled in Venice". ABC7 Los Angeles. 2019-06-29. Retrieved 2025-08-22.
16. "LA Receives First Rainbow Crosswalk on 50th Anniversary of Stonewall Riot". The Pride LA. 2019-06-28. Archived from the original on 2025-05-21. Retrieved 2025-08-22.
17. "Downtown Ferndale's Rainbow Crosswalk Installed". Oakland County Times. 2019-07-02. Archived from the original on 2025-03-18. Retrieved 2025-08-22.
18. Gregorio-Nieto, Brenda (2020-01-11). "Rainbow Crosswalk Unveiled in Hillcrest". NBC 7 San Diego. Archived from the original on 2020-01-12. Retrieved 2025-08-22.
19. "San Diego unveils first rainbow crosswalk in Hillcrest". cbs8.com. 2020-01-12. Archived from the original on 2020-01-12. Retrieved 2025-08-22.
20. "City's first rainbow crosswalk celebrates LGBTQ+ pride in Hillcrest". San Diego Union-Tribune. 2020-01-11. Archived from the original on 2022-10-13. Retrieved 2025-08-22.
21. "True Colors in Hillcrest: First Special Crosswalk Has Rainbow Connection". Times of San Diego. 2020-01-12. Archived from the original on 2025-02-16. Retrieved 2025-08-22.
22. "Santa Ana considering rainbow crosswalks to honor LGBTQ community". Daily Pilot. 2021-07-22. Archived from the original on 2021-09-27. Retrieved 2025-08-22.
23. Damien, Christopher. "Cathedral City's 'Rainbow Crossing' restored to honor late Mayor Greg Pettis". The Desert Sun. Archived from the original on 2023-03-23. Retrieved 2025-08-22.
24. "Will Manhattan Beach Get a Rainbow Crosswalk? | Manhattan Beach CA - Manhattan Beach News - MB News". www.thembnews.com. Retrieved 2025-08-22.
25. "Manhattan Beach Approves Designs, Budgets for Two Rainbow Crosswalks | Manhattan Beach CA - Manhattan Beach News - MB News". www.thembnews.com. Retrieved 2025-08-22.
26. "Manhattan Beach Formally Unveils Rainbow Crosswalk | Manhattan Beach CA - Manhattan Beach News - MB News". www.thembnews.com. Archived from the original on 2022-06-15. Retrieved 2025-08-22.
27. "Pride Crosswalk (Broadway & Junipero)". Arts Council for Long Beach. Archived from the original on 2025-02-13. Retrieved 2025-08-22.
28. Garcia, Fernando Haro (2022-07-01). "City begins unveiling updated rainbow crosswalks at Broadway Corridor". Long Beach Post News. Archived from the original on 2025-08-24. Retrieved 2025-08-22.
29. "Rainbow crosswalks latest way cities celebrate Pride". Bay Area Reporter. Retrieved 2025-08-22.
30. "Rainbow crosswalks and controversy". DavisEnterprise.com. 2023-06-01. Archived from the original on 2024-03-06. Retrieved 2025-08-22.
31. Rosalio Ahumada (2023-05-27). "Storm over Davis rainbow crosswalks: 'It's a symbol of inclusion that they want to wash away'". The Sacramento Bee .
32. "Rainbow crosswalks returning to Davis". DavisEnterprise.com. 2025-05-20. Archived from the original on 2025-07-24. Retrieved 2025-08-22.
33. Perez, Eliana. "Rainbow Crosswalk in Palm Springs' Arenas District to be removed on Friday". The Desert Sun. Archived from the original on 2023-03-29. Retrieved 2025-08-22.
34. "Rainbow Crosswalk at Arenas To Be Removed -". 2023-01-26. Archived from the original on 2023-12-01. Retrieved 2025-08-22.
35. "Sausalito kicks off inaugural Pride event with rainbow crosswalks - CBS San Francisco". www.cbsnews.com. 2023-06-13. Archived from the original on 2025-07-15. Retrieved 2025-08-22.
36. Brewster, Tabor (2024-06-06). "Beverly Hills paves the way for Pride Month". Beverly Press & Park Labrea News. Archived from the original on 2024-06-07. Retrieved 2025-08-22.
37. Waldinger, Joey (2024-04-13). "City Considers Colorful Crosswalks to Improve Safety". Beverly Hills Courier. Retrieved 2025-08-22.
38. Cortez, Felix (2025-05-23). "Controversial rainbow crosswalks proposed for Monterey Pride Month". KSBW. Archived from the original on 2025-05-29. Retrieved 2025-08-22.
39. Hunt, Zoe (2025-05-24). "Monterey delays rainbow crosswalks until early June meeting". KSBW. Archived from the original on 2025-07-20. Retrieved 2025-08-22.
40. Tovar, Ricardo (2025-06-05). "Monterey City Council approves rainbow crosswalk for Pride Month". KSBW. Archived from the original on 2025-07-20. Retrieved 2025-08-22.
41. Schmalz, David (2025-06-13). "After much ado, a rainbow crosswalk now adorns downtown Monterey". Monterey County NOW. Archived from the original on 2025-07-10. Retrieved 2025-08-22.
42. Schmalz, David (2025-06-02). "A rainbow crosswalk proposed in Monterey has drawn a surprising amount of criticism". Monterey County NOW. Retrieved 2025-08-22.
43. Orleans, Jack (2025-06-14). "Rainbow crosswalk painted in Monterey". KSBW. Archived from the original on 2025-06-15. Retrieved 2025-08-22.
44. "Monterey hosts ribbon cutting ceremony for rainbow crosswalk". Monterey Herald. 2025-06-20. Retrieved 2025-08-22.
45. "Federal transportation agency targets rainbow crosswalks". Monterey Herald. 2025-07-07. Retrieved 2025-08-22.
46. Ariane Lange (2025-08-11). "How can an artist help save lives in Sacramento? It starts with a crosswalk". The Sacramento Bee .
47. Cannestra, B. Sakura (2025-06-27). "Santa Clara crosswalk to honor LGBTQ+ community". San José Spotlight. Archived from the original on 2025-07-16. Retrieved 2025-08-22.