Rainbow crosswalks, street murals installed in Alexandria, Arlington
With approval by local government officials, rainbow-colored crosswalks were installed this month on a street in Virginia’s Old Town Alexandria and what officials are calling rainbow street murals were painted on a street in the Crystal City section of nearby Arlington, Va., in time for this year’s Pride celebrations.
Kirk McPike, a gay member of the Alexandria City Council, said the Council gave unanimous approval for the installation of two bright rainbow-colored crosswalks at the intersection of King and Royal streets at Old Town’s Market Square “right there in front of City Hall.” McPike said he first proposed the rainbow crossings in June 2023, and with support from the Council, the city’s Human Rights Commission brought the proposal to him as the gay member of the Council, and he introduced it.
He said the Council approved it last November. According to McPike, the crosswalks were officially dedicated with a ribbon cutting ceremony on June 1 during Alexandria’s annual Pride festival in Old Town. “And this year, we had one of our Pride wrapped Dash buses drive through the ribbon to snap the ribbon and officially open the new Pride crosswalks,” he told the Washington Blade.
In Arlington’s Crystal City neighborhood, rainbow stripes were painted on June 12 and 13 on South 23rd Street at the intersections of Eads Street and Fern Street.
