Bicycles prove a popular alternative to cars in new event

It shouldn’t have worked. On paper the idea was ludicrous. A day where major path through Los Angeles — the very definition of a car-dominated area — blocked car access in favor of bicycles, skateboards and joggers would never succeed.

And yet it did.

With an estimated 100,000 people turning out for the event, it appears that Los Angeles’ first CicLAvia was a success. With the idea taken from Colombia’s decades-old Ciclovía event, CicLAvia turned a major path through the city into a cyclist or runner’s paradise in hopes of raising awareness of other forms of transportation.

Although no set party or festival was planned by organizers, CicLAvia-goers gathered along the path, playing games of dodgeball and a enjoying wide arrange of food trucks parked along the streets.

The city is currently planning multiple events for 2011 and hopes to make things weekly in 2012. Is it enough to kill Los Angeles car culture? No way. That would be like eliminating cabs from New York City. However, CicLAvia has shown that Angelenos are up for some variety in their daily movement. And isn’t that what the city needs?