If it is late March / early April it must be time for bikes and pedestrians to take over the streets across southern California.

Three events within eight days demonstrate the commitment by southern California cities and their leaders to become more bike and pedestrian friendly; Sand Diego’s CicloSDias, Long Beach Grand Prix Open Street and the grand daddy of them all…Ciclavia in LA.  These three events are part of an open streets movement where city streets are closed to motor vehicles and opened to anyone to walk or roll on non-motorized wheels (with the exception of a our friends on low-powered electric bikes).

CicloSDias:  This was the second year for San Diego’s CicloSDias. This year’s event was held in Pacific Beach (locally known as PB) on a 2.5 mile course that attracted thousands of walkers and rollers.

Pacific Beach is a haven for the college crowd.  Just a few miles from UCSD and San Diego State it is one of the most popular places for the young to hang out.  And on any day you will see an amazing number of bikes on the streets along with the normal assortment of vehicles.

But on Sunday the vehicles were gone.  And people came out by the thousands to enjoy the open streets of PB.

Long Beach Grand Prix: On Tuesday there were
no high speed cars, no trucks, nothing with a motor on the streets that host the Long Beach Grand Prix.

People had the opportunity to experience the Grand Prix course for 90 minutes.  Bicyclists, skaters and walkers were welcomed to the Long Beach Grand Prix course by Mayor Bob Foster who has been an ardent supporter of helping to make Long Beach one of the most bike friendly cities in the US.

Instead of being a day for cars…. it was a day for human powered active transportation.

Long Beach has applied for a grant for a full blown ciclovia (probably to be called Beach Streets) that should be held in 2015.

 

LA Ciclovia: On Sunday April 6th over 100,000 people will bike, stroll and roll along six miles of the historic Wilshire Boulevard.  The LA Ciclavia is the gold standard for open streets events in Southern California. Not only will over 100,000 people take to the street, it will also engage local businesses, performers, museums and food trucks as well as offer programs by community partners.

If you have not experienced a Ciclavia…grab your bike, your skates or just your shoes and head for Wilshire boulevard.  The event starts at 9:00 and goes until 4:00.  And of course…to get their.. try our metro light rail or bus system.  From your house walk, ride or roll to your nearest metro station and then follow the thousands of others to Wilshire Bouldvard where you can help show that “Streets are for everyone.”

Thanks to all of our Civic Leaders, businesses and advocates for active living and transportation for making these great events possible.