New Route Sought for 30-Mile Bike Ride

The City Council of Culver City has asked organizers of a proposed 30-mile bike ride on the Westside to revise their route through Culver City, after some council members said the original route would include a residential street that has traffic problems.

Mayor Paul A. Netzel on Monday told police to propose an alternate route that does not include McDonald Street, a street that residents say is congested by commuters avoiding Sepulveda Boulevard.

The bike ride, which organizers bill as a family event and not a race, is tentatively scheduled for 8 a.m. Sept. 28. It would cover portions of Sawtelle, Sepulveda and Washington boulevards and Centinela Avenue in Culver City.

Fund-Raising Event

Sponsored by General Foods and Bicycling Magazine, the event, called the Grape-Nuts Bike Festival, will raise money for the nonprofit United Way and American Youth Hostels, organizers said.

The Pennsylvania-based magazine organized a ride last year through portions of Santa Monica, Playa del Rey and Westchester.

About 6,000 cyclists are expected to pay $7 each to participate in the ride, which will begin in the Hollywood Park section of Los Angeles and proceed through Inglewood, Culver City, West Los Angeles and then back to Hollywood Park.

Organizers want police officers at major intersections to make sure bike riders obey traffic lights. The sponsors said will pay for the police help.

Approval Granted

The group has received approval from the Los Angeles and Inglewood police departments.

Sgt. Phil Stone of the Culver City Police Department said the city will have to use about 20 officers for the event. A city staff report has stated that the cost of providing city services will be about $5,000.

Dale Jones, Culver City’s chief administrative officer, said the city is concerned about the congestion likely to be caused by 6,000 cyclists, particularly in residential sections near the bike route.

Councilman Richard Brundo, the only member of the council to oppose the ride, said the route would involve too many of the city’s police and “tie up both ends of our city for who knows how long.”

Netzel said he would favor cooperating if organizers come up with a more suitable route. He said the project is worthwhile because it would raise money for charities and involves no net cost to the city.

Sponsors of the ride are negotiating with West Los Angeles College, Pacific Studio Drive-In and the Pacific Centinela Drive-In theaters in the Culver City area to provide parking for participants.