Skip to Content
Streetsblog Los Angeles home
Streetsblog Los Angeles home
Log In
Open Streets

Central Avenue CicLAvia – Open Thread

Angelenos of all sizes, shapes, ages came together to enjoy being in public space

Yesterday’s CicLAvia, in front of the historic Dunbar Hotel on Central Avenue. Photos by Joe Linton

LongBeachize_Ad_Concepts
This article supported by Los Angeles Bicycle Attorney as part of a general sponsorship package. All opinions in the article are that of the author, and do not necessarily reflect those of LABA. Click on the ad for more information.

Tens of thousands of Angelenos participated in yesterday's Historic South Central meets Watts CicLAvia, presented by Metro and the city of Los Angeles. The 6.25-mile open streets event closed Central Avenue to cars, opening it for bicycling, skating, running, scootering, and more.

CicLAvia's six-mile route on Central Avenue

Angelenos of all sizes, shapes, ages came together to enjoy being in public space. Kids got a taste of the independence of moving self-propelled through car-free space. Many cyclists were showing off their individualized bikes - from incredible low riders, to antique tandems, to stuffed animals in baskets transported by tiny bikes still supported by training wheels. Businesses, especially restaurants, were activated and busy. Event hubs were bustling.

These events are wonderful, community-full, perhaps even magical in their invocation of a safe healthy peaceful possible future for Los Angeles.

Rider pops a wheelie on Central during CicLAvia
Young skater on Central Avenue
Runner and cyclists on Central Avenue
Cyclists passing the Masjid Bilal Islamic Center at the intersection of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Central Avenue. Two decades ago, Los Angeles City renamed this intersection/area Malcolm X Way. This year, commemorating Malcolm X's 100th birthday, the city dedicated five miles of Crenshaw Boulevard as the Malcolm X Route.
King Henry Jackson of the Real Rydaz and Kenneth - K-9 - Williams, founder of the World Riders, show off their low riders at Sunday's CicLAvia
A rider and her eye-catching floral low rider bike
Elaborate bicycle and trailer creation - at Sunday's Central Avenue CicLAvia
CicLAvia on Central Avenue
Dozens of businesses along Central Avenue - mostly restaurants, but also bike shops, stores, etc. - activated their frontage to meet and engage CicLAvia participants. This happens to some extent at nearly all Southern California open streets events. It appeared to be increasing on Central Avenue, where CicLAvia has nearly become an annual occurrence.
Well-used bike parking at Honduras Grill (and neighboring Tam's Burgers #24 - just to the right of the photo) during CicLAvia
More CicLAvia business activation along Central Avenue
Recently opened affordable/supportive housing complex at 2106 Central Avenue

Readers - how was your Central Avenue CicLAvia yesterday?

CicLAvia celebrates its 15th birthday next month, with a return to the Heart of L.A. route event on Sunday October 12.

See also Streetsblog coverage of earlier Central Avenue CicLAvias in 2023, 2022, 2020, and 2014.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog Los Angeles

Metro L.A. River Path Project: Delays and Rising Costs

It will likely take leadership from L.A. City and L.A. County elected officials to get Metro's L.A. River path project out of the limbo it has been trapped in for the last half-decade

October 1, 2025

Last Chance for Input on La Puente’s Housing Element Update

Take the survey: building rule changes allow for faster home development, including on church grounds, commercially zoned land, and to replace lost affordable housing

September 30, 2025
See all posts