Los Angeles mayoral candidate and city councilmember Nithya Raman drew online criticism this week after posting images of a newly completed crosswalk in the Los Feliz neighborhood. Raman, who is challenging incumbent Mayor Karen Bass in the upcoming election, shared that her team had finished the crosswalk construction at Sunset Drive and Bates Street.
Her office stated that the Los Feliz Neighborhood Council had alerted them to the need for the improvement in late 2025. Raman's post thanked her team for their work in "problem-solving, pushing for solutions, and making our streets safer."
However, social media users quickly responded, questioning the nearly eight-month timeline for what appeared to be a straightforward project. Comments highlighted the time taken to paint seven yellow lines and fill in cracks, with some users expressing disbelief at the pace of completion. Others pointed to the visible cracks in the pavement, with one commenter stating, "Third world streets. Can't even pave the cracked streets? This is something to celebrate?"
Former mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt also weighed in on X, formerly Twitter, criticizing the post. "Holy s***, my sides...Nithya Raman's big accomplishment is taking 9 months to paint 7 yellow stripes over a cracked street? How dumb do you have to be to post this?" he wrote.
Raman's team later explained that the Los Angeles Department of Transportation had initially deemed the intersection safe and legal for a crosswalk. Her field team then advocated for a reassessment, leading to the project's completion by August 10, ahead of the school year. The crosswalk was approved for construction following a reassessment prompted by Raman's office.
The criticism of Raman's crosswalk project comes shortly after Mayor Karen Bass also faced online backlash for a pothole repair effort. Bass shared a video on Instagram addressing a viral complaint about a pothole. She explained that city crews had visited the location but were unable to complete the repair due to a parked car. Her proposed solution involved placing a temporary "No Parking" sign to allow crews to return.
Raman and Bass, both Democrats, are set to face each other in the Los Angeles mayoral election in November. The city uses a runoff system where the top two candidates from the primary advance to the general election. Bass and Raman previously defeated conservative candidate Spencer Pratt in the primary election. Despite their alliance during Bass's first term, the mayoral campaign has seen them engage in competitive sparring.
Raman's candidacy was considered surprising given her close working relationship with Bass, but the campaign has become increasingly contentious. The Daily Mail has reached out to Raman's team for comment on the backlash regarding the crosswalk project.
