CicLAvia

CicLAvia is an Open Streets event held in Los Angeles where streets are closed to motor vehicles and open for the public to walk, bike, and skate through the open streets. Each CicLAvia event is planned by the nonprofit organisation CicLAvia. The event takes place on periodic Sundays, and is open for a predetermined set of hours. This started out as a once-a-year occurrence but later expanded to four times a year. In fact, plans to have CicLAvia once a month are in the works. While it may seem primarily intended for cyclists, many people can be seen skateboarding, running, or walking down the path. Each street that is closed off is attended by traffic, and police, officers who direct the cars to alternative routes through Los Angeles, and through the various car crossing points, and volunteers who assist participants with info or aid. On some streets the traffic lights are still in service, which means the bikers and pedestrians must abide by the traffic laws. LAPD Traffic Divisions and LADOT Parking Enforcement Traffic Officers are guarding each intersection to allow ultimate safety of the community during this event. CicLAvia brings together densely populated and diverse neighborhoods through a bike route. The event now attracts over 100,000 participants and expands to connect even more neighborhoods.

CicLAvia is based on Ciclovia, which translates from Spanish to English as “bike path.” Ciclovia originated in Colombia to promote the city of Bogota as a bike-friendly city because it had been dominated by automobiles. The city closed the streets and filled them with performances and different community based activities happening on the sidewalks. These sidewalks are filled with vendors and music turning them into a full festival. Meanwhile, cyclists and pedestrians go through these streets and are lead through the different stages of the city. These stages are known as "Hubs" which are essentially small bike stops for people to get bike repair, music, shops, merchandise, free water, food trucks, first aid, kid zones and other franchises and activities to bring the community together and inform them of several public resources that the city has to offer. This event took place every Sunday from 07:00 till 14:00 hrs. Los Angeles activists, Stephan Villavaso and Jonathan Parfrey, created their own version of Ciclovia in order to connect communities and promote healthy living to the busy city. CicLAvia struggled to have its official grand opening as it was postponed twice before its debut on 10 October 2010. The event has added popularity and awareness of bikes to the city. Bikers have become more welcome on roads and more bike lanes have been added to streets all over Los Angeles. The money raised by the CicLAvia nonprofit goes to expanding and making the event well known and accessible to the entire community.

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