CicLAvia hits South Los Angeles streets for first time

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Bicyclists, skateboarders, roller skaters and pedestrians took to the streets Sunday for CicLAvia's first South Los Angeles route.

Cars were banned from the roads to let participants enjoy the city with no traffic from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. All roads were back open to regular traffic by 3:30 p.m.

The route, which spanned about six miles of streets, stretched along Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard between Leimert Park and Central Avenue. The event featured activities and food along the route.

"Today is the 11th CicLAvia. We've done this 10 previous times, but this is the first time we are exclusively in South Los Angeles," Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said.

Previous routes have gone through downtown, East Los Angeles, the Westside and along Wilshire Boulevard.

Godfather of the event Jaime Ortiz created Ciclovia, which means "open roads," in Bogota, Colombia to bring attention to car pollution and promote healthy living. Nearly 40 years later, his message lives on in Los Angeles.

"CicLAvia is done by the people for the people, and that is something you feel in the air," Ortiz said.

To learn more about street closures and the event, visit ciclavia.org.