Leesburg council sets interim painted‑crosswalk rules: art and awareness allowed; organizers pay costs

The Leesburg Town Council directed staff to draft a painted‑crosswalk policy allowing both awareness displays and artistic designs on a trial basis while prioritizing safety and preserving standard crosswalk markings.

Town staff told the council there is currently no approval process for painted crosswalks and that the June 6 rainbow crosswalk sponsored by Equality Loudoun was approved temporarily while staff developed procedures. “Currently, there is no process for approval of painted crosswalks,” staff member Renee said during the presentation.

Staff outlined criteria drawn from federal guidance: the Federal Highway Administration’s Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) limits designs that could be confused with traffic‑control devices and discourages distracting or 3‑D treatments. Staff recommended limiting painted crosswalks to roads with 25 miles per hour speed limits or lower, low accident…