Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti Announces Great Streets Initiative: Video

For anyone who is interested in city planning, urbanism, or CicLAvia, you might enjoy this video:

For more updates like these, check out The Source's blog.

CicLAvia Recap

On Sunday October 6th, students from Professor Deike Peters's Sustainable Cities Class made an appearance at 
CicLAvia.

Although this particular event has come and gone, 

keep your eyes peeled for more CicLAvia events this spring! 

Until then, keep reading for a "Virtual Tour" of our walking tour through LA 

+ fun highlights of the event + informational links provided by Deike + perspectives on what it felt like to walk the streets of LA. 

* The Journey through LA *

This was our route: click me!

1. Caught the metro to LA at Laguna Nigel 

2. Met up at LA's Union Station
The station (and the surrounding area) is currently being redeveloped to better accommodate not only rail users but also bus riders, pedestrians, and cyclists. Find information about this project and the history of Union Station, look here.

3. Walked past LA's busy HistoricPlaza/El Pueblo and Olvera Street
For more information about the history of this part of town, check here.

4. From there we made our way to Chinatown.
Remember that this is LA’s new, (forcibly) relocated Chinatown, as the Old Chinatown was displaced and razed when Union Station was built in the 1930s. We saw the big new ForestCity’s Blossom Plaza mixed use project close to the Gold Line transit station as well as the China Gateway project JiaApartments just nearing completion at Broadway and Cesar Chavez.

5. We crossed the 101 Freeway
and thought about how amazing it would be to cap this great concrete divide and put a park on top, reconnecting the two halves of the city again. Up to date on this ambitious project can be found here.

6. Stopped at the newly opened Grand Park
It opened exactly a year ago and has been named one of the top 10 new open spaces in the country. There was a November 2013 article about it in the NY Times. There were food trucks and activity booths here.

Giant checkers at the games booth

Teaching kids about street safety

A bracelet made at the crafts booth from old bike tubing

7. Photo Op at City Hall 

8. We continued down the route to Spring Street

A remaining strip of the green paint

and saw that the green paint for the Spring Street bike lane had already been mostly scraped off, as the film industry complained about it and won. 

9. On Gallery Row
where there are weekly art walks on Thursday evenings, we marveled at how quiet the streets were without the noise of car traffic. Even the shouting of some of the rowdier cyclists wasn't as intrusive. We didn't feel like we were even in LA!

10. We also found a pocket park
designed by Lehrer Architects, which was created via a public private partnership, with the main initiative coming from the non-profit group Friend of the Old Bank District Gardens, with dedicatedfunding from American Apparel and planning help from the city. The park remains a public facility.

11. Last stop was Pershing Square
where we caught the metro back to Union Station and then caught our train back home.

For more pictures of the Soka excursion to CicLAvia, check out our album on Facebook.

While Soka students were inspired by the change of mood and accessibility on the streets of LA, others were inspired to different ends... Read about a Ciclavia marriage proposal here!

If you want to know more about the event, talk to Deike or the students in her class!

CicLAvia October 2013

Environmental Department would like to invite you to--

First we'll explain what it is, then we'll give you the information about how you can get yourself there. 

CicLAvia - Heart of LA returns to the streets that started it all as we explore downtown Los Angeles on bike, foot, stroller and many more creative means of locomotion. The Heart of LA route follows in the footsteps of our first five events and helps Angelenos rediscover the origins of the City of Angels. Whether you’ve ridden these streets before or are new to CicLAvia, the Heart of LA route promises something new to discover.

Can I enjoy CicLAvia if I don't ride a bike?

Yes. At previous CicLAvias, individuals have been seen running, walking dogs, rollerblading, gathering together to play music, participating in impromptu tennis matches, picnicking, reading, conducting street theatre and dining at restaurants—just to name a few activities!

There are lots of activities along the route that don't require a bike. in the past there has been dodge ball, yoga classes, capoeira performances, parades, marches, etc. 

To learn more about the event, check out the official website. It has lots of helpful information, including the official rules of the road, where to rent bikes nearby (calling ahead is probably a smart choice!), and rules about using the bike in the metro system.

*There are 2 options for Soka students to get to LA for the event:*

1. A bus will be leaving at 11:20 a.m. SHARP  to arrive at Laguna Niguel Metrolink station soon thereafter with ample time for the entire group to purchase their $10 weekend round trip tickets. Retain these tickets for the return and any downtown LA metro or light rail travel. 

Train departure time for Metrolink train 665 from Laguna Niguel is noon, but the train sometimes leaves earlier, so again, it is important that folks be on time. 

Professor Deike Peters will meet the group in the ticketing area of Union Station, in front of the Starbucks. (From the platform, walk west towards the Alameda exit, NOT towards the East Portal/Patsouras Plaza.)

We will walk as a group past LA historic plaza, Olvera Street up towards the Chinatown hub and then turn around and walk south along the CicLAvia route, first down Broadway, then via Grant Park and Spring Streets, then head west on 7th street. Depending on how fast we walk, we will then take the Metro back from 7th/Metro center or walk further to Westlake/MacArthur Park station, making sure that we return to Union Station well ahead of the the scheduled Metrolink departure time at 4:40pm. Note that this is the LAST Metrolink train for the day, so if you miss this train, you would have to book an Amtrak Pacific Surfliner ticket at your own expense to get home ($18 one way).

We will return to Laguna Niguel Metrolink station via Metrolink train 664  leaving Union Station at 4:40, arriving in Laguna Niguel at 5:52pm. Bus pickup is scheduled for 6:15 just in case the train is a bit late. Return to Soka around 6:30pm.

Anyone who would like to join us needs to also contact Deike Peters immediately and hand in their waivers to her by TOMORROW (October 1, 2013) at noon. There will be a folder outside her office (434 Pauling) for waivers.
 

Unfortunately, we are not allowed to bring bikes/rollerblades/skateboards on the Soka bus. :(

If you are planning to bring your bike and RIDE CicLAvia before our group meets up, I suggest you figure out how to get yourself to the Laguna station for the earlier train (8:50, arrive Union Station 10:30), but this would be under your own liability. (It's about 9 miles, so doable for a more serious biker, but remember you have to come back uphill the same way you came in the afternoon!) 

2.  Anybody is of course welcome to join us join us just for the group walking tour in Downtown LA as long as they are able to arrange their own transportation. Carpool to the station!  Just remember to chip in and pay the driver gas money. And remember to be considerate when asking for rides--you're asking for a pretty big favor. The Metrolink (in Laguna Nigel) is $10 on weekends. Check out their bike policy!

We recommend bringing:

-water

-a camera

-a sweater

-money for lunch

-sun screen

*

Please comment on our FaceBook page (or on the SUA!! page) with any comments, concerns, propositions to lend out your bike, or carpool-starter lists! However, if you do not

contact Deike immediately and hand in their waivers to her by TOMORROW (October 1, 2013) at noon,

getting there is entirely up to you! Sorry for the late notice!