Posting Language
Title
Approve the deaccession of the street mural titled “Crosswalk on the Lake” by Mery Godigna Collet and Luis R. Gutierrez, located at 3710 Lake Austin Boulevard, donated to the City’s Art in Public Places program in 2016. Funding: $1,500 is available in the Fiscal Year 2025-2026 Operating Budget of Austin Transportation and Public Works.
De
Lead Department
Austin Arts, Culture, Music and Entertainment.
Fiscal Note
$1,500 is available in the Fiscal Year 2025-2026 Operating Budget of Austin Transportation and Public Works.
For More Information:
Angela Means, Director, Austin Arts, Culture, Music and Entertainment, 512-974-1624; Melissa Alvarado, Cultural & Heritage Tourism Division Manager, Austin Arts, Culture, Music and Entertainment, 512-974-7870; Jaime Castillo, Art in Public Places Manager, Austin Arts, Culture, Music and Entertainment, 512-974-7852.
Council Committee, Boards and Commission Action:
June 20, 2016 - The Arts Commission approved the artwork donation Crosswalk on the Lake by Mery Godigna and Luis R. Gutierrez into the Art in Public Places collection. (Motion by Matt Stillwell, second by Chair Michelle Polgar, approved 9-0).
July 13, 2026 - The Art in Public Places (AIPP) Panel conducted a Special Called Meeting for the Deaccession Jury of the Art in Public Places to consider the deaccession of the artwork Crosswalk on the Lake by Mery Godigna and Luis R. Gutierrez. The AIPP Panel Deaccession Jury recommended not to deaccession the artwork from the AIPP collection and included written rationale for their recommendation. (Motion by Vice-Chair Lindsey Millikan, second by Bernie Diaz, approved 6-0).
July 20, 2026 - The Arts Commission did not approve the deaccession of the AIPP artwork Crosswalk on the Lake by Mery Godigna and Luis R. Gutierrez. (Motion by Chair Gina Houston, second by Sharron B. Anderson, approved 9-0).
Additional Backup Information:
The Art in Public Places (AIPP) Program’s Acquisitions and Deaccessioning Policy recommends best practices for regular assessments of the public art collection, and establishes criteria, policies, and procedures regarding removing an artwork from the collection, or deaccessioning.
The street mural Crosswalk on the Lake was funded and donated to the City by Owen Morton. The donation review included material durability and compliance with all applicable 2014 Austin Transportation and Texas State Transportation public safety requirements, guidelines, and standards.
In October 2025, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) issued a directive for all cities in the state to remove any street-based artwork, painting, or signs not approved for transportation safety in accordance with the US Transportation Secretary’s SAFE ROADS Initiative. Austin Transportation and Public Works (TPW) submitted an official exception request to TxDOT for fifteen impacted locations on October 30, 2025.
In May 2026, TxDOT determined that several of the City’s submitted markings did not fully comply with the Texas Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices and required remediation. TxDOT framed the decision as a safety matter related to uniformity and predictability in road markings, referencing U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy's SAFE ROADS Initiative, announced in July 2025, and the subsequent directive from Governor Greg Abbott. TPW developed and submitted an action plan to remediate the pavement markings by the June 22, 2026, deadline imposed by TxDOT, which requires removal of the artwork.
Per the Deaccession Policy, the AIPP held a special called meeting on July 13, 2026, to convene the Deaccession Jury to consider the deaccession request of Crosswalk on the Lake. The Art in Public Places Panel Deaccession Jury recommended not to deaccession the artwork from the Art in Public Places collection and included written rationale for their recommendation.
The Arts Commission voted unanimously at their July 20, 2026, meeting not to approve the deaccession of Crosswalk on the Lake and requested their motion note that while they understand the artwork must be destroyed, they did not approve of the artwork deaccession because it is not in accordance with the City of Austin Art in Public Places Deaccession Policy.
Next Steps:
• City Council votes on deaccession recommendation.
• AIPP informs the artists in writing that the artwork will be removed.
• AIPP and ATPW coordinate on the removal of the artwork.