BEFORE/AFTER: cuba st's rainbow crossing

Wellington’s Cuba St has gotten a splash of colour to celebrate i ts pride movement, following a campaign by l ocal Wellingtonians that gathered nearly 3000 signatures backing the i dea of a rainbow crossing.

The crossing is located between the traffic lights at the intersection of Dixon St and Cuba Mall. Mayor Justin Lester says the crossing has been welcomed by both local businesses and the LGBTQI community.

"Cuba Street is considered by many to be the spiritual home of Wellington’s pride movement and a rainbow crossing sends a clear, strong, and very public message that Wellington is a city that is tolerant, inclusive and welcoming," he says.

Its installation comes after a Wellington woman named Melissa Toomey organised a petition for locals to sign backing the idea of a rainbow crossing, which gained nearly 3000 e-signatures.

As well as being a nod to the city's LGBTQ-friendly values, the rainbow crossing also serves a practical purpose. Coloured road markings such as polka dots or rainbows have been shown to make motorists pay more attention to pedestrians, as well as boost pedestrians’ mood when compared to an intersection with no decorations.