Los Angeles councilmember Nithya Raman faces backlash over painted crosswalk on cracked road

Nithya Raman, a Los Angeles city council member, highlighted a recent crosswalk renovation at the intersection of Sunset Drive and Bates Street in Los Feliz, sharing photos that showed the new yellow markings. She credited the CD4 Field Team for addressing the request that the Los Feliz Neighborhood Council had raised in late 2025. However, observers quickly noted that the surrounding road remains riddled with cracks, leading to a wave of mockery online.

Users on X likened the effort to "lipstick on a pig," while reality-TV personality Spencer Pratt mocked the nine-month timeline to paint the stripes. One outlet congressional correspondent Bill Melugin also criticized the post, suggesting it appeared fabricated at first glance. Raman, who focuses on street safety, is now a mayoral hopeful after finishing second to incumbent Karen Bass in the primary election.