Car-free CicLAvia returning to Glendale this summer
For one day this summer, cyclists and pedestrians will lay exclusive claim to a route winding between Glendale and its stone’s-throw neighbor, Atwater Village. Cars will have to take their wheels elsewhere.
On June 14, an event called “CicLAvia Glendale Meets Atwater Village” will take over a series of several busy commercial corridors linking the two communities to promote sustainable modes of transit and an opportunity to interact with urban environments in a new way.
The proposed 3.5-mile route will connect mostly north-south stretches of Brand Boulevard, Broadway and Glendale Avenue in Glendale to Atwater Village along Glendale Boulevard .
Visitors will be able to walk, bike, skate or use strollers through the heart of downtown Glendale, the city’s Civic Center, Forest Lawn Memorial-Park, over the Hyperion Bridge and into Atwater Village’s Farmer’s Market — without worrying about dodging cars.
“This is a fantastic event. It’s a family event. It’s fun, it gets people moving, and it also is great for business in our city,” Glendale City Councilwoman Paula Devine said during an afternoon council meeting on Jan. 11.
There will be entertainment hubs staggered throughout the route, according to city officials.
In June 2017, the city hosted its first CicLAvia event in conjunction with Los Angeles, featuring a different route. About 50,000 people attended that event, according to city officials.
Launched in 2010, nonprofit CicLAvia has held similar events in Pasadena, the San Fernando Valley, Boyle Heights, Chinatown, Culver City, East LA, Echo Park, Hollywood, Koreatown and elsewhere.
All told, activities have spanned about 220 miles, according to the nonprofit.
A Metro grant totaling just over $241,000 will cover a majority of the upcoming event’s expenses, including the contract with CicLAvia, advertising and safety components such as police, fire and traffic control.
At the most recent council meeting, Glendale City Council members voted to allocate roughly $63,450 to cover the remaining costs.
Glendale Mayor Ara Najarian is on the Metro board, and helped push for the funding, according to city officials.
The event is slated to run between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.