Rainbow crosswalk painted for Pride Month quickly repainted by city crews

If you were driving too fast, you may have missed it. A crosswalk at Platte Avenue and Platte Place in Colorado Springs was painted into a rainbow late Monday night for Pride Month.

One of the artists responsible goes by the name Paes164. “We wanted to show support to all our friends in the LGBTQ community,” he told us Friday afternoon.

Art plays a huge roll in this section of town. Paes164 says he got approval from businesses in the Knobhill Urban Arts District, but he did not get approval from the city. He tells us they were denied last year to paint the crosswalk and this time around they never heard back from the city. So he and another local artist decided to paint it anyway.

“Hopefully it’s better to ask for forgiveness than permission I guess.”

Then just one hour after we talked to Paes164, City of Colorado Springs crews were out repainting the crosswalk white.

Paes164 says he knew the city would eventually repaint it, he just didn’t expect it to happen 12 hours after he painted it.

“So many potholes and homeless everywhere, and they are worried about this rainbow crosswalk.”

We reached out to Colorado Springs officials who tell us it was a city employee who reported the rainbow crosswalk. They tell us the reason why they had such a quick response was that it posed as a safety hazard for pedestrians and drivers.

They also say according to the City’s Signage and Pavement Marking Guidelines, it specifically says crosswalk lines must be white.

Despite that reasoning, hundreds have taken to social media saying the City should have left it alone. However, others say those responsible should pay for it.

Paes164 says he expects to be fined for painting the crosswalk and says that’s okay. It won’t stop him and others from standing with the LGBTQ community.