CicLAvia Comes to the San Fernando Valley
Bicyclists and walkers in the San Fernando Valley will have a chance to take over the streets this March when CicLAvia makes a jump over the hills for the first time since the open streets event began in 2010.
Stretching down Lankershim Boulevard in North Hollywood to Universal City, then along Ventura Boulevard in Studio City, the route for CicLAvia: The Valley covers 5.5 miles, running through the North Hollywood Arts District, Campo de Cahuenga, the Studio City Farmers Market, and the historic Sportsmen's Lodge.
"As someone born and raised in the Valley, and as Metro Chair, I'm especially proud that Metro is sponsoring the very first Valley CicLAvia to give Angelenos a chance to enjoy a new open space and explore our neighborhoods from a new perspective," said Mayor Eric Garcetti in a press release.
Fittingly, you won't need a car to get to the event as the route along Lankershim Boulevard will have a direct connection to the North Hollywood Metro Red/Orange Line stop, as well as the popular Chandler Bike Path, which extends all the way to Mariposa Street in Burbank. Participants will also get a chance to enjoy the new NoHo Plaza, a new public plaza that will be constructed as part of L.A. Department of Transportation's People Street program.
The route along Ventura Boulevard will run parallel to the L.A. River, giving you a chance to explore some luscious green spaces in an otherwise urban environment. The route will provide easy access to riverside attractions such as the Radford Art Walk, L.A. River Greenway Park, the Laurel Grove Avenue Footbridge, and the North Valleyheart River Walk. You can also get a glimpse of the new developments planned for this area of the river, such as NBC Universal's plans for a $13.5 million bike path, a possible natural park at the site of Weddington Golf and Tennis, the "Missing Link" stretch of bike path, and other proposed plans that will go towards creating one continuous bike path along the entire length of the L.A River, from Chatsworth to Long Beach.
Aaron Paley, CicLAvia's co-founder and Executive Director and a proud Valley native, said that this by no means will be the only CicLAvia in the Valley. "We plan on making our spring slot an annual exploration of different parts of the great San Fernando Valley," he said in a press release.
CicLAvia: The Valley will be one of four open streets events planned for this year, other locations being Pasadena on May 31, Culver City/Venice on August 9, and Heart of L.A. in October.
