Celebrating LA's Carmageddon on the Chandler Bikeway
Posted July 14, 2011 in Curbing Pollution, Health and the Environment, Living Sustainably, Moving Beyond Oil, Solving Global Warming
As I write this, Los Angeles Metro’s own Carmageddon clock is showing 1 day, 12 hours, 18 minutes, and 25 seconds until the 53-hour closure of the I-405 freeway between the 101 and I-10 freeways. While many Angelenos are having mental health crises over their perceived inability to move around our great city this weekend, I have some information that may calm those frayed nerves. You don’t need a car to get from the Westside to the Valley (or vice versa)!! (Actually, I would go even further and state that you don’t need a car to get anywhere in our city but that’s a topic for another day.)
This weekend, I’m going to get from the Westside to Burbank the same way I do most weekends: using public transit and my bike. I’ll be biking from Pico-Robertson to the Hollywood and Highland Red Line station, taking the Metro to the North Hollywood Station, and then biking the Chandler Bikeway to Burbank.
Trip cost: FREE!! (Normally $1.50 each way but Metro is offering free rides during Carmageddon, yet another reason to celebrate!)
Trip length: Around 1hr 30 mn (But faster if you’re not a slow cyclist like me!)
Calories burned: Priceless!!
My favorite part of the trip is the Chandler Bikeway, a scenic, separated pedestrian/bike path that stretches a few blocks from the North Hollywood Red Line station to the downtown Burbank area. Surrounded by beautiful landscaping (even a free mulch giveaway site along the path) and public art, it never fails to put me in a good mood.
So if you find yourself with the opportunity to ditch your car, say because of a freeway closure for example, take the opportunity to discover some of the hidden gems around our city like the Chandler Bikeway. You can catch me on it Saturday morning. I’ll be the one on the XS white women’s bike wearing the pink helmet. Yes, it is as intimidating as it sounds.
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Airport Taxpayer — Jul 15 2011 10:17 AM
If you are flying into LAX on Carmageddon weekend, find out in advance the best ground transportation route to your final destination. Mayor Villaraigosa just replaced Travelers Aid with a skeleton-version of Travelers Aid by a different name. Travelers Aid had 61-years experience at LAX.
Villaraigosa purged Travelers Aid on the eve of the massive Carmageddon freeway closure. Villaraigosa said: "[Carmageddon] will be an absolute nightmare." Michael Molina, an airport executive who promoted the skeleton-version of Travelers Aid, recently resigned because of sexting like Congressman Weiner.
Jessica — Jul 16 2011 01:05 AM
That sounds like a fantastic ride. I'll definitely have to try it.