For several hours this weekend, there will be zero cars on nearly two miles of roadway along Barranca Parkway and Harvard Avenue in Irvine.
Instead, runners, walkers, cyclists and skaters — and maybe even some four-legged friends — will power down that stretch from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 4.
Dubbed “CicloIrvine,” the car-free open streets event will be Irvine’s first.
Map of the CicloIrvine route. (Courtesy of Irvine)
The event will feature live music, strolling mariachis, food trucks with bites available for purchase and several performances including from the Southern California Youth Dragon and Lion Dance Team, Kibou Taiko and Focus Dance Theater on two stages at either end of the route.
CicloIrvine was inspired by ciclovia (Spanish for cycleway), the weekly street closure event originating in Bogota, Columbia. Ciclovia events have been hosted in multiple cities worldwide, including locally in Santa Ana, Garden Grove and Los Angeles.
“We are overjoyed to bring this type of open streets event to our Irvine community for the first time,” said Mayor Farrah Khan. “CicloIrvine will celebrate our residents and businesses, and the city’s commitment to sustainability, in a fun and engaging manner. It is another testament to our City’s innovative approach to being a forward-thinking, climate-smart city of the future.”
Street closures on the CicloIrvine route will begin at 7 a.m. and last until 6:30 p.m., and there will be no street parking along the route, according to the event website. Most driveways along the route are scheduled to be closed as well, and drivers will be expected to take detours until streets are fully open by approximately 7 p.m.
Cars will be allowed to cross the route at all major streets, the event website says. More info can be found online at: cityofirvine.org/cicloirvine/.
