College Park has added colorful new lighting to a key bridge near the Hotel at the University of Maryland.

The rainbow lights add an artsy touch to the Paint Branch Bridge, while providing lighting underneath which makes the bike path more visible.

They were switched on Thursday night just as Pride Month came to an end, which is probably a coincidence, but the rainbow colors will be an important symbol of diversity and tolerance for the campus community regardless.

The lights were provided by Imaginex, a lighting company founded in College Park by a student at the university.

They are a good step toward making a growing area more pedestrian-friendly. The bridge is right near the new hotel, the upcoming Brendan Iribe Center for Computer Science and Innovation, the Varsity student housing and a future Purple Line stop.

In the long run, the bridge could stand an upgrade. A more modern design would include much more of a setback between the sidewalk and the roadway or more of a median to calm traffic in the area.

The city has considered turning the area around Paint Branch Creek into more of a “Riverwalk,” which would be an even bigger undertaking. With all the activity going on in the area, it might be worth it.