Report says Los Angeles delayed fully funded Forest Lawn Drive safety project

Streets Are For Everyone released a report Monday questioning why Los Angeles halted a fully funded safety overhaul on Forest Lawn Drive despite years of planning and documented crash risks. The report says the delay came just before construction was set to begin and raises broader concerns about the city’s road-safety priorities.

Why it matters: - Forest Lawn Drive is a key commuter route between Griffith Park, Glendale, Hollywood and the San Fernando Valley. - The corridor has long documented safety problems, including speeding, crashes and missing pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure. - SAFE says the project’s halt shows how hard it has become to deliver proven safety fixes even after funding and public review are complete. - Los Angeles continues to face deadly traffic violence, which SAFE says has outpaced homicides for three straight years.

What happened: - Streets Are For Everyone released a report titled "Forest Lawn Drive: Why a Fully Funded Road Safety Project Was Delayed." - The report says a planned safety and mobility project for Forest Lawn Drive was stopped weeks before construction was scheduled to begin. - Mayor Karen Bass directed LA DOT to review alternatives that would keep all existing traffic lanes, according to the report. - The report says that decision followed lobbying from Forest Lawn Cemetery and Mount Sinai Memorial Park, which opposed the lane reductions. - The report was released on August 18, 2026.

The details: - About one mile of Forest Lawn Drive has no sidewalk, no bicycle lane, a badly damaged shoulder and a posted speed limit of 45 mph. - LA DOT reported 95 collisions on that section between 2013 and 2023. - Those crashes seriously injured or killed three people, according to LA DOT. - Another person died in a fiery crash on Forest Lawn Drive on August 13. - SAFE volunteers conducted more than 14 hours of independent speed surveys during the summer of 2026. - The group found 53% of drivers exceeded the speed limit. - One in five drivers were traveling between 51 mph and 75 mph while passing people walking, running and bicycling. - The proposed project would have calmed traffic, reduced dangerous passing and lane changes, added separated bicycle facilities and improved conditions for people using the corridor. - LA DOT said the redesign would have had little impact on travel times for most drivers while improving safety.

Between the lines: - The report frames the Forest Lawn Drive dispute as a test of whether Los Angeles will choose safety-focused street design over preserving every traffic lane. - SAFE also points to city budget priorities, saying spending on policing and homelessness programs has risen while Vision Zero funding has been cut by 59%. - The fight over Forest Lawn Drive reflects a broader tension between neighborhood opposition and transportation projects designed to reduce crashes.

What's next: - LA DOT is reviewing alternatives that would maintain all existing traffic lanes. - The report does not say when the city will make a final decision on the project. - SAFE is using the report to push Los Angeles to restart work on corridor safety improvements.

The bottom line: - Forest Lawn Drive had a funded safety project, documented crash risk and a planned start date, but politics stopped the work before construction could begin. - More information