Driver vs. Bicyclist vs. Subway Rider Face Off in Next Week’s D Line Dash Race
Streetsblog’s Great Commuter Race, The D Line Dash is sponsored by Cohen Law Group, the David Bohnett Foundation, and HaydenAI.
The D Line Dash race will take place next Tuesday May 19. Three racers will leave the new Metro D Line Wilshire/La Cienega Station in Beverly Hills, and will make their way to Downtown L.A.’s Pershing Square.
Racing her bicycle will be Michele Moro, whose TikTok/Instagram handle is miche1ada. Moro’s short videos show and tell her adventures on bike, bus, and train, mostly in South L.A. where she grew up. The L.A. Times published a glowing profile of Moro in 2023.
@miche1ada is certainly the odds-on-favorite to be the quickest out the gate next Tuesday. She could be halfway to downtown before the subway rider leaves a station, or a car leaves a parking structure. But can she hold on to that lead?
Racing in her car will be Rachel Reyes. Reyes is one of the co-hosts of the invaluable L.A. Podcast. Reyes is a community organizer, whose activism includes campaigning against inequities that worsen when cities host Olympic mega-events.
Driving may seem like a fast way to get from Beverly Hills to downtown, but there’s a few, shall we say, speedbumps in Reyes’ path. She’ll be negotiating parking at each end of her trip, and there could well be lots of other drivers on the road. Streetsblog L.A. will be reimbursing Reyes’ gas and parking costs, but any speeding tickets she picks up will be hers alone.
Deep under Wilshire Boulevard, Kalayaan Mendoza will be, as the kids say, “riding the D”! Mendoza is an organizer with People for Mobility Justice, a community group that centers the transportation needs to communities of color. If you’re reading this on Friday, you can still make it out to Saturday morning’s PMJ’s Eastside Mural Ride showing off many mural masterpieces in Boyle Heights and East L.A.
The hot tip we’re hearing is that Kalayaan could well win the gold medal next week, and might even get bored waiting around at the finish line. Metro opened the new D Line subway last week, and rumor has it that it’s pretty fast! Mendoza could well be downtown in about 20 minutes. But will the train arrive and depart on time?
Bookmark this post – Streetsblog will be updating the FAQ below with details on the big race.
Questions and Answers
When will the D Line Dash take place?
The race will take place on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, starting in Beverly Hills. The starting time is approximately 9 a.m. Racers could begin arriving in downtown L.A. by around 9:15 a.m.
What’s the D Line Dash route?
The driver, transit rider, and cyclist will each be choosing their own route. The race begins at Metro’s brand new Wilshire/La Cienega Station.
CicLAvia Chief Strategist Tafarai Bayne will be the master of ceremonies for the start of the race. When he says go, you go!
Racers will travel about seven miles eastward (as the crow flies) to finish at the north end of Pershing Square – near the intersection of Hill and 5th Streets.
Torched L.A. force of nature Alissa Walker will referee the finish line, and MC the event closing ceremonies. When you tag Walker, your race is over!
How can I follow the D Line Dash online?
Check back for final instructions!
The plan so far: the start and finish will be broadcast on Streetsblog L.A. Instagram live. During the race, real-time updates will be posted to Streetsblog L.A. Instagram and Bluesky. Post-race recap videos will be posted at various social media sites.
How can I watch the D Line Dash in person?
Yes! Streetsblog is encouraging interested folks to join us at the finish line. Go to the north end of Pershing Square, conveniently right across the street from the Metro Pershing Square Station at 5th and Hill Streets.
What your hashtag?
#DLineDash
Are racers required to follow laws?
Yes. Streetsblog has asked them to be competitive, to try to win, but to not engage in risky or illegal behavior. They will all behave more-or-less the way they do on a typical commute. Mendoza won’t be hopping the fare gate or running on the station platform. Reyes and Moro won’t be blowing through red lights.
Are the D Line sponsors really as awesome as they appear to be?
Of course – definitely! We couldn’t this without them.
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