Last-Minute Legislative Language Targets Forest Lawn Drive Bike Lane Project in Los Angeles
Last-minute language was added to a bill in California that could significantly impact a street safety project on Forest Lawn Drive in Los Angeles. The original project aimed to create an updated bike lane by eliminating a traffic lane on a one-mile stretch and adding a turning lane. This plan faced considerable pushback from surrounding cemeteries, Forest Lawn-Hollywood Hills and Mount Sinai Memorial Park, several neighborhood councils, and local lawmakers, who expressed concerns about increased traffic congestion. Following this opposition, Mayor Karen Bass instructed the city’s Department of Transportation and Street Services Bureau to develop a redesign. Councilmember Nithya Raman and safe streets advocates, who championed the project, criticized Bass’s decision, especially after a fatal crash occurred on the road. The newly added legislative language would prohibit cities with populations of 2 million or more from reducing vehicle travel lanes on streets providing sole access to two or more adjacent c... 
