Halifax launches rainbow crosswalk pilot project

Halifax is showing its Pride with rainbow crosswalks painted across the city.

Crews were out overnight painting the first of four intersections with brightly coloured rainbow crosswalks.

The pride-inspired crosswalks can be seen at the intersections of Gottingen and Cornwallis streets, Spring Garden Road and Barrington Street, Spring Garden Road and South Park Street, and Alderney Drive and Ochterloney Street.

The crosswalks on the Halifax side were finished overnight Wednesday, and the Dartmouth crosswalk will be completed by the end of the week.

A media release from the municipality said the idea for the rainbow crosswalks was developed by the mayor’s office in collaboration with the LGBTQ community and Transportation and Public Works municipal staff to help celebrate Halifax Pride.

Mayor Mike Savage, Councillor Jennifer Watts and a representative of Halifax Pride were out early this morning at Gottingen and Cornwallis streets to check out the finished product.

A spokesperson for the municipality says three of the four crosswalks are scheduled to be torn up this summer as part of road maintenance projects.

Brendan Elliott said no decision has been made yet whether the rainbow paint will be reapplied once the crosswalks are put back in the intersections, but said the city will “listen and observe feedback and evidence of what takes place at each intersection and adjust accordingly.”