Los Angeles City Councilmember Nithya Raman, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, has drawn widespread online criticism for her celebratory post about a newly painted neighborhood crosswalk. Critics on social media derided the project, which took months to complete and involved painting over existing cracks in the road, as a basic city service being presented as a significant accomplishment.
Raman posted on X, formerly Twitter, sharing before-and-after images of the crosswalk and thanking her team for "continuing to problem-solve, push for solutions, and make our streets safer." She stated that the Los Feliz Neighborhood Council had raised the issue of improving the street infrastructure in late 2025.
The announcement, which labeled the work as "Improving Our Neighborhood Street Infrastructure," was met with sharp reactions from various public figures and commentators. Richard Grenell, former Presidential Envoy for Special Missions, questioned the low standards, noting that the street itself was not repaired and that the project had taken approximately a year. Spencer Pratt, a former L.A. mayoral candidate, sarcastically remarked on the time taken for what he described as "7 yellow stripes over a cracked street."
Conservative commentator Ben Shapiro echoed similar sentiments, calling it "beyond parody" that "eight months to paint some yellow lines" was being presented as a "huge infrastructure victory." Chris Rufo of the Manhattan Institute also weighed in, satirically comparing it to the Golden Gate Bridge project.
Raman's office did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the project's cost, the start date of physical work, the involved city department, or any safety improvements beyond the painted markings. The post itself did not specify these details.