As of early this morning, Friday, June 13, downtown Monterey has an added splash of color—and for many, joy—with the completion of the city's first-ever rainbow crosswalk.
The new addition comes after Monterey City Council approved the crosswalk June 3 in a 4-1 vote after more than an hour of public testimony of those supporting or opposed to the rainbow crosswalk.
That came after the issue was first discussed at length during a May 23 special City Council meeting, but was continued to June 3 because the council was deadlocked with Councilmember Kim Barber absent (Councilmember Jean Rasch, who wasn't ready to support the rainbow crosswalk May 23 over concerns of process, supported it June 3).
Supporters cited the importance of giving the LGBTQ community a sense of welcome and belonging, particularly among teens struggling to feel comfortable with their identity.
Those opposed did so for a number of reasons, the main one being, ostensibly, using crosswalks for art or political statements.
Mayor Tyller Williamson, who is openly gay and was the catalyst for the project, hasn't yet seen the crosswalk in person but is happy it's finally done.
"It’s unfortunate that we’ve had to go through so much to get there, but I think it validates the point of why it was needed," Williamson says, who adds that he heard about the crosswalk more than any single issue since he's been in office.
City Manager Hans Uslar says there is a tentative plan for a ribbon-cutting at the crosswalk—at the intersection of Alvarado and Pearl streets—at 3pm Tuesday, June 17, in conjunction with the downtown farmers market. (Organizers suggest checking to confirm the time and date of the ribbon-cutting on Monterey Peninsula Pride's social media pages.)
Monterey Pride is also planning its annual celebration from 11am-4pm Saturday, June 28 at Custom House Plaza that is a free event open to the public with a range of performances and entertainment.
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Correction 6/16/25: This article has been corrected to reflect that Rasch didn't vote against the rainbow crosswalk May 23. The only vote taken then was to continue the matter to a later meeting, which she supported.
(2) comments
How does a rainbow crosswalk bring joy? Why is a rainbow crosswalk needed, Mayor Williamson? I'm glad taxpayers were not forced to pay for useless rainbow crosswalks. Somewhere over the rainbow, streets are full of Mayor's ideology.
What is interesting is the symbolism behind rainbow crosswalks. As you cross, you trample and step upon the "belief" crossing from one side to the next, soon to forget the passing ideology as time, and you too, move forward.
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