CicLAvia touched down in the San Fernando Valley for the first time ever yesterday. Cyclists, skaters, and pedestrians share Ventura Boulevard in Studio City. All photos by Joe Linton/Streetsblog L.A.CicLAvia touched down in the San Fernando Valley for the first time ever yesterday. Cyclists, skaters, and pedestrians share Ventura Boulevard in Studio City. All photos by Joe Linton/Streetsblog L.A.
With a winning formula that attracts tens of thousands of participants, spurred on by funding from Metro, Southern California open streets programs are not just for central and Downtown L.A. any more. Coming soon, inaugural ciclovías will take Long Beach and Pasadena. But we're getting ahead of ourselves.
Yesterday, CicLAvia opened Lankershim and Ventura Boulevards for nearly six miles of car-free San Fernando Valley. Studio City and North Hollywood were bikes on bikes on bikes, with skates, scooters, wheelchairs, and walking shoes all tossed in for good measure.
The weather was cool. The streets, hubs, restaurants, and trains were crowded. The smiles were plentiful.
How was your CicLAvia - The Valley? Was this, the 12th CicLAvia, different than the rest, or just the same old CicLAvia magical awesomeness? How was your experience getting there, moving through, and getting home? What did your kids or your parents enjoy most? Did you see new and intriguing features: the pop-up protected bike lane? NoHo's new plaza? another face of the Los Angeles River? a glimpse into the future of the San Fernando Valley?
After the jump, a few photos. Followed by your comments.
Studio City's Ventura Boulevard transporting more people than it does on a typical car-full Sunday.Metro will continue its popular open streets grants. Photo of 2015 CicLAvia on Ventura Boulevard - by Joe Linton/Streetsblog L.A.
LADOT hosted its "Pop-Up Chandler Cycletrack" to demonstrate how the planned Chandler Boulevard protected bike lanes will work.LADOT hosted its "Pop-Up Chandler Cycletrack" to demonstrate how the planned Chandler Boulevard protected bike lanes will work.
Though a few more car-centric shopping centers along the route appeared partially closed, lots of bicycles parked where as participants dined and shopped, including along Ventura Boulevard in Studio City.Though a few more car-centric shopping centers along the route were closed, lots of bicycles parked where as participants dined and shopped along Ventura Boulevard in Studio City.
Keeping most of the nearby car traffic and freeway access open required some barriers to create narrowed zones. Not pictured, but even one section of Metro's parking lot wall had to be removed, so cyclists were kept out of motorists way.Keeping most of the nearby car traffic and freeway access open required quite a few narrow zones (and even on section of Metro's parking lot wall had to be removed.)
In the comments below, let us know how your CicLAvia went yesterday.
Metro ridership has grown steadily for the past two years, with October, a second straight month of million-plus daily boardings, setting a pandemic-era record
