Skip to main content
brightcove-4003720661001.jpg
Back to Show
SoCal Connected

Bringing CicLAvia to South Los Angeles

Since 2010, hundreds of thousands of Angelenos have pedaled the streets of Los Angeles at one of the largest alternative transportation events in the nation.

Named after Ciclovia, the weekly car-free event that originated in Bogota, Colombia, CicLAvia late last year held a South Los Angeles event, a region where the biking community rate is twice that of the general city average, according to Naomi Iwasaki from the health advocacy nonprofit Community Health Councils. At the event, individuals are encouraged to utilize not just bicycles, which tend to dominate CicLAvia, but different modes of movement like skateboards, roller skates, and scooters.

While the interest in alternative forms of transportation is there, what's missing is the infrastructure needed to account for the growing number of cyclists in South L.A. Some are lobbying for safer roads and additional bike lanes in order to reduce the number of collisions.

But CicLAvia isn't solely intended for the purpose of car-free streets. It's also a chance for communities to get outside and learn more about the health and environmental benefits of mobility and alternative transportation, explained Iwasaki. It also addresses obesity, a big issue for South L.A. "One of the simplest and easiest ways to manage obesity is through physical activity," she said.

Reporter Nic Cha Kim pays a visit to CicLAvia's first event in South Los Angeles between Leimert Park and Central Avenue in this episode of "SoCal Connected" and interviews newcomers, bike and health advocates, and activists who support the benefits of open street biking.

Featuring Interviews With:

  • Tafarai Bayne, community activist
  • Naomi Iwasaki, Community Health Councils
  • Aaron Paley, executive director, CicLAvia
  • Jeremy Swift, Black Kids on Bikes
  • Curren D. Price, Los Angeles city councilmember
  • Aurora Montenegro, Ride With Me Always
  •  

Sign up now for inspiring and thought-provoking media delivered straight to your inbox.
Support Provided By
Season
'Where's Nancy?' and 'The Virus Hunter'
27:29
A man's search for his missing wife who suffers from early onset Alzheimers reveals gaps in the system meant to locate and care for the mentally impaired in California. "SoCal Connected" documents the journey to answer, where's Nancy?
Bicycle Accident in L.A.
27:15
Public street disrepair is costing Los Angeles millions in costly personal injury claims.
image of assassin bugs
26:59
They’re tiny, weaponized, and carry a potentially deadly payload. They’re called “Assassin Bugs” and they can be as common as the backyard mosquito or as exotic as the so-called “kissing bug"--and they're here in Southern California, spreading some of the
Park Service workers taking care of a Channel Island fox
24:49
SoCal Connected's Deepa Dernandes questions Santa Barbara landlord Dario Pini.
Veteran Tending to a Marijuana Plant
24:30
Examine L.A.'s unregulated short-term housing market and an indoor marijuana facility employing veterans.
'Stolen Paychecks' 'Watch Where You Sign' 'The Virus Hunter'
26:59
A look at the spike in the number of employers retaliating against undocumented workers.
'Who Approved That?' 'Animal Court' 'Energy Saving Family
28:29
As new developments pop up all over L.A., many are asking, 'Who approved that?'
Los Angeles looking hot with sun in background
26:34
How hot will your neighborhood get? "SoCal Connected" looks at the ground-level effects of climate change on southern California.
Active loading indicator