April 10, 2011 CicLAvia (Courtesy Creative Commons)

After its debut in 2010 and a successful return last April, CicLAvia is back for a third turn at the wheel.

The event’s initial 7.5-mile route traversing from Boyle Heights to East Hollywood has been extended to 10.5 miles, with two new spurs to El Pueblo/Olvera Street and South L.A.

The five-hour event, which is anything but a race, is an opportunity for Angelenos to slow down and enjoy an afternoon of traffic-free streets, while promoting four core ideas: improved public health, increased public space, enhanced community and economic development, and the promotion of bicycle and pedestrian advocacy.

Various activities will be scattered along the course for an added element of fun, including walking tours of Little Tokyo and Boyle Heights, larger-than-life chess boards, live performances, and a photo-booth on wheels. 

The idea for CicLAvia came from the original “ciclovías” of Bogotá, Colombia, a tradition that began over 30 years ago where stretches of streets are closed every Sunday from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. to combat air pollution and street congestion. 

Various forms of ciclovías have now spread throughout Latin America and the United States, such as Sunday Streets in San Francisco, Summer Streets in New York, and Bike Miami Days in Miami. 

CicLAvia is expecting over 100,000 people on Sunday and is looking to return for a fourth time on April 8, 2012.

Vehicles will be allowed on the streets again by 3:30 p.m. Sunday, but until then, grab your sneakers, scooters, skateboards, and stilts to tackle the engine-free streets of LA. 

Follow reporter Andrea Alonso on Twitter, or reach her here.