Bass hit brakes on new bike lanes near Forest Lawn. Raman is now slamming her for it.

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Set us as preferred A long-running dispute between cemeteries and bike-lane and safe streets advocates in the San Fernando Valley has escalated to become a campaign issue in the Los Angeles mayor’s race.The fight revolves around a one-mile stretch of Forest Lawn Drive — a commuter route linking the Valley and Hollywood — and the main road serving Forest Lawn-Hollywood Hills and Mount Sinai Memorial Park.In May, Mayor Karen Bass scrapped a plan to take away a traffic lane in each direction on the stretch between Zoo and Memorial drives to make room for road safety measures including an improved bike lane, one that would be shielded from motor traffic by a physical barrier.The cemeteries, neighborhood councils and clergy leaders had opposed the loss of motor vehicle lanes, saying it would cause a traffic nightmare.

Citing the community opposition, Bass directed city traffic engineers to come up with an alternative plan.That decision came under fire from City Councilmember Nithya Raman this week in the wake of a recent fatal crash on Forest Lawn Drive, with the mayoral challenger saying that the road is too dangerous and that the protected bike lanes and other measures are needed to improve safety.“Forest Lawn Drive remains dangerous,” Raman said at a news conference Tuesday.

“It has now been the site of multiple deaths.The city developed a plan to make it safer.

My council district helped to push that plan forward.It is on the verge of breaking ground, and then Mayor Bass has so far stopped it.” Bass campaign spokesperson Alex Stack said the mayor acted in response to widespread opposition to the loss of traffic lanes.

“Nithya Raman’s plan is opposed by local businesses, faith leaders and community members.So Mayor Bass is moving forward with a plan that improves bike lane safety without negatively disru...