Rainbow crossings in Seattle explained

Rainbow crossings in Seattle
Image Place:Crosswalk_at_10th_Ave_&_E_Pike_St_(north_leg)_(19078932782).jpg
Image Caption:One of Seattle's rainbow crossings in 2015
Complete:2015
Location:Seattle, Washington, U.S.

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".[1] 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,[2] 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".[3] Costing approximately $6,000 each, the crosswalks were paid for by local developers.[4] The crossings were part of Mayor Ed Murray's action plan to improve safety for the LGBT community.[5] The crosswalks had been discussed "for some time" but were delayed by funding and logistics issues.[6] 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."[7] The crosswalks were expected to last from three to five years,[8] and inspired other colorful crossings throughout the city.[9]

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.[10]

The Federal Highway Administration and U.S. Department of Transportation said the crosswalks were potentially unsafe.[11] Engineer Dongho Chang from the Seattle Department of Transportation said the crosswalks "are statistically far safer than the ones mandated by the federal government".[12]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2019-06-21 . It's Pride month, but Seattle's rainbow-flag crosswalks signal inclusiveness all year-round . 2023-06-02 . The Seattle Times . en-US . 2022-12-04 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221204183349/https://www.seattletimes.com/life/its-pride-month-but-seattles-rainbow-flag-crosswalks-signal-inclusiveness-all-year-round/ . live .
  2. Web site: 2015-06-23 . Colorful crosswalks celebrate gay pride in Seattle . 2023-06-02 . The Seattle Times . en-US . 2023-05-15 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230515052651/https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/colorful-crosswalks-celebrate-gay-pride-in-seattle/ . live .
  3. Web site: Seattle Mayor Unveils Rainbow Crosswalks in Capitol Hill Neighborhood . 2023-06-02 . www.out.com . en . 2023-03-26 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230326063136/https://www.out.com/news-opinion/2015/6/23/seattle-mayor-unveils-rainbow-crosswalks-capitol-hill-neighborhood . live .
  4. Web site: Rogue colorful crosswalks show up in Central District . 2023-06-02 . king5.com . 5 August 2015 . en-US.
  5. Web site: Jones . Liz . 2018-10-24 . Violence Against Seattle's LGBTQ Community Prompts Safety Plan . 2023-06-02 . www.kuow.org . en.
  6. Web site: 2023-05-30 . Seattle gets rainbow crosswalks for Pride Week . 2023-06-02 . The Columbian . en-US . 2016-12-15 . https://web.archive.org/web/20161215025400/http://www.columbian.com/news/2015/jun/23/seattle-gets-rainbow-crosswalks-for-pride-week/ . live .
  7. Web site: Keeley . Sean . 2015-06-23 . Check Out The New Rainbow Crosswalks in Capitol Hill . 2023-06-02 . Curbed Seattle . en . 2023-03-23 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230323015439/https://seattle.curbed.com/2015/6/23/9947348/rainbow-crosswalks-capitol-hill-murray . live .
  8. Web site: 2015-06-23 . Seattle unveils 11 rainbow crosswalks in gay‑friendly Capitol Hill neighborhood . 2023-06-02 . LGBTQ Nation . 2023-05-15 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230515170558/https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2015/06/seattle-unveils-11-rainbow-crosswalks-in-gay-friendly-capitol-hill-neighborhood/ . live .
  9. Web site: Browning . Paige . 2018-10-24 . Colorful Crosswalks Are Coming To Seattle . 2023-06-02 . www.kuow.org . en . 2021-10-19 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211019211943/https://kuow.org/stories/colorful-crosswalks-are-coming-seattle/ . live .
  10. Web site: 2015-06-23 . Ed Murray continues his unnecessary expenditures with rainbow crosswalks . 2023-06-02 . MyNorthwest.com . en . 2021-05-06 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210506073739/https://mynorthwest.com/72335/ed-murray-continues-his-unnecessary-expenditures-with-rainbow-crosswalks/ . live .
  11. Web site: 2019-10-08 . Government claims rainbow crosswalks a safety hazard; Seattle says: Not here . 2023-06-02 . KOMO News . en . 2022-10-14 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221014133435/https://komonews.com/news/local/government-claims-rainbow-crosswalks-a-safety-hazard-seattle-says-not-here . live .
  12. Web site: 2019-10-07 . Government says rainbow crosswalks could be unsafe . 2023-06-02 . KIRO 7 News Seattle . en . 2022-08-14 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220814120015/https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/government-says-rainbow-crosswalks-could-be-unsafe/994783198/ . live .

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Rainbow crossings in Seattle".

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