The street-clearing, bicycle-favoring, anti-automobile community spectacular known, uniquely, as CicLAvia returns to Culver City on Sunday.
Officially, the hours are 9 to 4.
However, elaborate preparations, including street-closings, begin on Saturday evening as darkness gathers.
Four of the most heavily traveled streets in Culver City will be affected, portions of which will be closed off to car traffic – Washington Boulevard, Washington Place, Culver Boulevard, Venice Boulevard
Unlike its debut run, when thousands of bikers and joggers mainly skirted the perimeter of Culver City, Sunday’s all-day event starts just east of Downtown, at the Expo Station, and wends through the bosom of the community.
CicLAvia is as much about passion – for the cyclists, joggers and plain fans as well as resistance from business owners and residents fearing they will be intolerably inconvenienced.
The 6¼-mile route brings the participants to Windward Circle, Venice Beach.
Supporters of CicLAvia, which originated in South America, refer to the day-long outing as an experience rather than a competition.
CicLAvia came to Los Angeles five years ago for one bald reason:
“To temporarily remove cars from streets for one day and open them to other forms of non-motorized transit – pedestrians, bicycles, skateboards, rollerblades and wheelchairs.”
Sponsors say:
“CicLAvia’s goal is to inspire all of us to reimagine Los Angeles and connect participants to neighborhoods, businesses, healthy lifestyles, alternative transportation and each other in a way that is not possible by car. Since 2010, hundreds of thousands of people have freely participated as CicLAvia temporarily transformed nearly 100 miles of city streets into a large urban park.”
Culver City will have two hub locations for water stations, entertainment, and organized activities — at Parcel B in Downtown and at Tellefson Park.
The two non-Culver City hub sites will be at the Mar Vista Farmers Market and Windward Circle at Venice Beach.
