(The Center Square) – The city of Tacoma is spending $35,000 to install an LGBTQ pride-themed crosswalk in the downtown core.
The rainbow-colored crosswalk will be installed between 9th Street and 11th Street on Broadway near where the Downtown Farmers Market operates each summer. The crosswalk is also located in close proximity to several schools, theaters and transit centers.
The $35,000 stems from the city’s Council Contingency Fund, which provides an established amount of funding each year for unbudgeted initiatives sponsored by the Tacoma City Council.
Tacoma City Councilmember Olgy Diaz and Kristina Walker sponsored Resolution 41539, which was approved by the city council on Tuesday by a vote of 8-1, with Councilmember Jamika Scott being the lone “no” vote.
“A big part of why we are bringing this forward this resolution today is to help celebrate an important business district, the LGBTQ community, and promote safe walking areas,” Diaz said during the city council meeting.
Fellow Tacoma City Councilmember Sandesh Sadalge said he was supportive of the crosswalk, but wanted more details on the project, noting that the $35,000 price tag seemed “pretty high.”
The $35,000 is not just for paint. Tacoma Public Works Director Ramiro Chavez explained to the council that the estimated costs have a lot of contingencies built in. For instance, the city is considering more durable paint for the crosswalk and plastic striping, which requires more labor to place into the service.
This is also work that needs to be contracted outside of the city government, which costs more money as well.
There are other cities in Washington that have pride-themed crosswalks, including Seattle, Kirkland and Spokane.
According to the Census Pulse survey data, between July 2021 and May 2023, about 516,000, or 17%, of adults identified as LGBTQ in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue metropolitan area.
An amendment was added to the legislation that states the city council’s desire to study the feasibility of a citywide program to install decorative crosswalks in other locations in the city.
Funding for this program has yet to be determined.
Project installation is expected to occur before Tacoma’s Pride Month in July 2025.
