Los Angeles Mayor Bass Halts New Bike Lane Project Near Forest Lawn Amid Community Opposition
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has stopped a plan to remove a traffic lane in each direction on a one-mile stretch of Forest Lawn Drive to make way for improved, protected bike lanes. This decision came in May after significant opposition from cemeteries, neighborhood councils, and clergy leaders who argued that reducing traffic lanes would exacerbate congestion, particularly given the high volume of funeral processions and visitors to Forest Lawn-Hollywood Hills and Mount Sinai Memorial Park. The proposed changes were part of a citywide mobility plan aimed at enhancing road safety and updating bike infrastructure. Councilmember Nithya Raman, whose district includes the street, has criticized Mayor Bass's decision, especially following a recent fatal crash on Forest Lawn Drive, asserting that the road remains dangerous and the safety measures are urgently needed. The Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) had found that roughly half of the cars on this stretch exceed the 45-mph speed limit, and the... 
