LGBTQ+ pride crosswalks will return to North Halsted Street after resurfacing, officials say
The LGBTQ+ pride crosswalks along North Halsted Street have been temporarily removed for a major resurfacing project, but officials emphasized that they will be back.
The office of Ald. Bennett Lawson (44th) said the Chicago Department of Transportation has confirmed that new and improved crosswalks will be reinstalled with fresh coats of paint once the resurfacing project is complete.
"Our office had discussed this with CDOT in advance of the project to ensure the crosswalks will return, and their replacement is part of the overall scope of the project," Bennett's office wrote in a community newsletter.
Rainbow gay pride crosswalks were installed in 2019 at the intersections of Halsted Street with Bradley Place, Waveland Avenue, Brompton Avenue, Cornelia Avenue, Newport Avenue, Roscoe Street, Buckingham Place, and Aldine Avenue. The crosswalk at the intersection of Halsted and Melrose streets was painted with the transgender pride colors of light pink, light blue, and white.
In 2024, LGBTQ+ pride crosswalks were installed at two additional locations in Chicago — 71st Street at Jeffery Boulevard in South Shore, and Clark Street at Farragut Avenue in Andersonville.
These crosswalks feature the Progress Pride banner — which adds the transgender pride colors, and black and brown stripes to represent communities of color, to traditional rainbow gay pride flag.
The Windy City Times noted that these crosswalks were installed to showcase the diversity of Chicago's LGBTQ+ community, and to honor two specific longstanding LGBTQ+-owned businesses — the Jeffery Pub at 7041 S. Jeffery Blvd., and Women & Children First bookstore at 5233 N. Clark St.