Raise Awareness of the I-710 Widening Near Long Beach, and Do It on a Bike (POSTPONED)

(Update 12:34 - Just received word this event was postponed because of the threat of rain.  We'll let you know when it's rescheduled - DN)

As much as I regret that my travel schedule keeps me from the River Ride, tomorrow's Bike-a-Thon may be the bike ride I'll most miss this year.

The basic idea is to raise awareness of the damaging local impacts a proposed widening of the I-710 (not the Big Dig) near Long Beach will have on the people living near the widening itself.  The ride has two start points, one in Long Beach and the other in Los Angeles.  The riders will ride the L.A. River Path and meet in the middle, at Coolidge Park in North Long Beach, just south of Artestia Boulevard, on the west side of the river.  Proponents of this widening, which would over double the highway capacity, insist that it will improve air quality by reducing congestion.  Advocates are not convinced of that claim.  Nor should they be.

The Coalition for Environmental Health and Justice, East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice, Communities for a Better Environment, Natural Resources Defense Council & Long Beach Alliance for Children with Asthma.  The Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition is also providing a boost.

Much like a Streetsblog fundraiser, the event has a suggested donation, but the organizers won't send anyone away that can't pay the $5.  There's also a heck of a lot more scheduled than just a bike ride.  It looks like a heck of a party as well.  Here's the lineup for the day.

One of our Streetsblog Board Members, Jocelyn Vivar Ramirez, works with the East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice and will have a full report here next week.