Apartments in the Los Angeles Arts District, one of the hub areas for CicLAvia. Photo by John Schreiber

CicLAvia returns to downtown Los Angeles Sunday, where thousands of bikers and pedestrians are expected to take to the streets for the event that encourages Angelenos to explore new neighborhoods and get out of their cars.

This will be CicLAvia’s 23rd event since its launch in 2010, and an annual return to its original downtown route, known as the Heart of Los Angeles.

Streets along the route are blocked to vehicle traffic, with hubs in downtown, Chinatown, Boyle Heights, the Arts District and Little Tokyo, as well as a new hub in Echo Park.

“CicLAvia transforms our bustling streets into great public spaces that everyone can enjoy,” said Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, chair of the Metro Board. “I am glad it is returning to downtown L.A. — where people of all ages can spend the day rediscovering a historic neighborhood, enjoying healthy recreation, and making new friends.”

Hubs along the route will include activities celebrating Los Angeles’ successful bid for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic games, an urban camping program for local children, pedi-cabs and play zones featuring vintage board games, a news conference kick-off, and activities commemorating the annual return to the original route that started CicLAvia.

“Funding open street events like CicLAvia are part of Metro’s ongoing efforts to support active transportation options like bicycling throughout Los Angeles County,” Metro CEO Phillip A. Washington said. “Working with organizations like CicLAvia helps us realize our mission of introducing more people to the benefits of bicycling and transit to see L.A.’s wealth of local destinations.”

The route and more information on the event can be found at www.ciclavia.org.

–City News Service

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