Lubbock city leaders learned were informed at the recent city council meeting that the iconic Buddy Holly crosswalks must be removed to comply with state and federal law to follow a directive from Gov. Greg Abbott regarding all decorative markings statewide.
The Texas Department of Transportation provided clarification on Lubbock’s “creative crosswalks” and notified the city that the Buddy Holly-themed crosswalks will have to be removed.
The city previously thought the crosswalks were safe since they were art installations and not considered political, religious or commercial messages. TxDOT said they were wrong.
On Oct. 8, Abbott issued a directive stating that Texans expect their taxpayer dollars to be used wisely and cannot advance political agendas on Texas roadways. The directive said, “Today, I directed the Texas Department of Transportation to ensure Texas counties and cities remove any and all political ideologies from our streets.
To keep Texans moving safely and free from distraction, we must maintain a safe and consistent transportation network across Texas. Any city that refuses to comply with the federal road standards will face consequences including the withholding or denial of state and federal road funding and suspension of agreements with TxDOT.” Additionally, in a letter, TXDOT Executive Director Mark Williams said all cities and counties, “must remedy any non-compliant installations within 30 days” or face a loss of funding.