SAN ANTONIO – A recent water main break near San Antonio’s Rainbow Crosswalk has prompted concerns from LGBTQ+ community leaders to push for permanent solutions to protect the cultural landmark.
The break happened over the weekend near the intersection of Ogden and Evergreen, forcing San Antonio Water System (SAWS) crews to cut into the street near the East Side of the crosswalk to access an underground cutoff valve, according to James Poindexter with Pride San Antonio.
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The damage left a section of the crosswalk temporarily patched with asphalt, an outcome that Pride San Antonio finds unsatisfactory.
“We are not happy with it,” Poindexter wrote in an email to KSAT. “And we are putting some pressure on city leaders to fix this. It has had a simple repair done, but as community custodians and Guardians Of The Crosswalk Pride, San Antonio is not at all pleased with the situation.”
This is not the first time the Rainbow Crosswalk has been affected by water main issues. A similar incident in September 2021 also led to repairs in the area, with Pride San Antonio warning city leaders at the time about the risks of recurring damage, according to Poindexter.
A SAWS spokesperson confirmed the break and assured the community that repairs have been made.
“We know the importance of the crosswalk to the community and will ensure the paint is replaced,” the spokesperson said in an email.
A timeline for repainting the crosswalk was not provided to KSAT.
While SAWS has promised to restore the paint, Pride San Antonio is urging officials to take more proactive measures. The organization is calling for relocating the underground cutoff valve, which requires crews to dig into the street when repairs are needed.
“We advise that the city and/or SAWS work to relocate this mechanism so that when breaks like this occur again, our beloved Rainbow Crosswalk does not become collateral damage,” Poindexter wrote.
Pride San Antonio said it continues to meet with city officials and SAWS to find a long-term fix for the issue. Although Poindexter acknowledged the positive working relationship with SAWS, the organization remains frustrated with the lack of concrete answers about a permanent solution.
“This is part of our cultural heritage and legacy, and we will not stand idly by until this issue is resolved,” he said.
Pride San Antonio said it is committed to following the situation and ensuring city leaders address it.
“We do understand that this will take time,” Poindexter wrote. “And we will indeed be following up and monitoring this situation to ensure that the city does what is right to replace and or repair properly this iconic part of the LGBT community.”
