Will Manhattan Beach get a rainbow crosswalk? That's one of the questions that will go before the Manhattan Beach City Council on Tuesday.

The current recommendation from the staff report is for the City Council to approve up to $80,000 to paint a rainbow crosswalk at the intersection of Manhattan Beach Blvd. and Peck Ave. 

Funding for the project - as with all public art projects in Manhattan Beach - would come from the Public Art Trust Fund, established through a dedicated 1% fee charged to developers that does not impact the general fund.

A rainbow crosswalk is designed to symbolize diversity and inclusion. Many other cities have created rainbow crosswalks, including California cities such as Venice, Long Beach, West Hollywood, San Francisco, San Diego, and San Jose. Rainbow crosswalks can also be found in Houston and San Antonio, Texas; Phoenix, Arizona; and Washington D.C. 

Manhattan Beach Cultural Arts Commissioner Joe Marcy first introduced the rainbow crosswalk project to the city's Cultural Arts Commission in September 2020. 

At the time, Marcy said that a rainbow crosswalk would speak to Manhattan Beach's values as a community because it symbolizes diversity, inclusion and inspiration. It would also improve visibility and pedestrian safety, Marcy said, and enhance public art in the city. Marcy said that the California Department of Transportation has deemed rainbow crosswalks safe because of white limit lines.

The Cultural Arts Commission unanimously supported the project in October 2020, and proposed the location of Manhattan Beach Boulevard and Peck Avenue.

"It felt appropriate, in the heart of our city – where it’s visible near parks, schools and the Art Center," Marcy told DigMB.

The commission also emphasized the urgency to finish the project before Pride Month in June 2022.

The Manhattan Beach Chapter of PFLAG (Parents and Families of Lesbians and Gays) threw their support behind the project and over a short period of time collected more than 250 signatures from Manhattan Beach residents online and at the Hometown Fair.

The issue is on the agenda for City Council approval on Tuesday, October 19.

The intersection at Manhattan Beach Blvd. and Peck Ave. is already slated to be redone in 2022/2023, and installing a rainbow crosswalk in this location (because it is already being redone) would result in a cost savings and staff time reduction, according to the staff report.

The staff report described the proposed location as a "central location within the city but with limited pedestrian traffic."

The city staff proposed further cost savings by having in-house staff design the artwork. Various installation options include paint, thermoplastic, and tile. With roughly 3200 square feet of crosswalk, the estimated cost is between $10 and $25 per square foot, depending on materials, installation method, and complexity of the design.

The staff report noted that other cities have not reported any increases in accidents or incidents near rainbow crosswalks.

 

Other public art issues before the City Council on Tuesday night include repairs to the John Van Hammersveld mural at the Manhattan Beach Art Center, a proposed digital wall at City Hall, and a proposed permanent stage in the amphitheater at Polliwog Park. 

The City Council is seeking public comment on these and other issues on the agenda. 

To weigh in before the meeting (by 5:30 p.m. on Oct. 19), you may:

1)      eComment at http://www.citymb.info/ecomment;

2)      email your comment to [email protected];

3)      or record a telephone message at (310) 802-5030

All comments provided by the deadline will be available to the City Council and the public prior to the meeting.

To speak out during the meeting, register in advance by clicking on https://citymb.seamlessdocs.com/f/publiccomment.

During the Zoom broadcast of that agenda item, you will need to use the “raise hand” feature to confirm with the City Clerk’s office that you wish to provide comments.

To join the live Zoom meeting at 6:00 p.m. on Oct. 19, use the direct URL  https://citymb-info.zoom.us/j/93376200363, Meeting ID: 933-7620-0363.  Alternatively, you may join the Zoom meeting via phone conference (voice only) by dialing (669) 900-6833, and using Meeting ID: 933 7620 0363.