Hundreds gather as CicLAvia hosts first West Hollywood event
HOLLYWOOD, Calif. (FOX 11) - Hundreds of people took to the streets of Hollywood Sunday morning to bike on car-free roads as part of a CicLAvia event.
CicLAvia is a car-free event that promotes bicycling, rollerblading and walking. Sunday’s 6.5 mile route stretched along the streets of West Hollywood, Hollywood, East Hollywood, Thai Town, and Little Armenia.
The event, titled “Meet the Hollywoods,'' is presented by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority and features stretches of Santa Monica Boulevard, Highland Avenue and Hollywood Boulevard, which are closed to automobiles for the event from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
“As CicLAvia rolls into West Hollywood, we're overjoyed to be a host city and welcome everyone for this next edition of the tradition,'' said West Hollywood Mayor John D'Amico.
“While traveling through open streets on CicLAvia Sundays, you get a deeper understanding of communities built and social environments,'' Romel Pascual, the CicLAvia executive director, said. “One of the many things that makes CicLAvia special is that even in some of the most famous areas in the world, like those hosting this route, you're likely to learn of a tucked-away shop and talk to people you normally wouldn't have the chance to.''
At CicLAvia, there is no starting point or finish line. Participants can start and end anywhere they like. CicLAvia is open to all forms of human-powered, non-motorized transport.
Since the inaugural route in 2010, CicLAvia has visited dozens of communities and traversed over 200 miles, with more than 1.6 million people having participated. On event days near routes, businesses reported a 60% increase sales and the city reported a 50% reduction in air pollution. Metro ridership has increased by 30% on event days.