On Sunday, more than 100,000 Angelenos staged a "coupe d'automobile," shutting down six miles of L.A's historic Wilshire Boulevard for bikes, roller blades, scooters and legs. It was all part of CicLAvia, a reoccurring event hosted by the city to bring the community together while promoting a healthy lifestyle. 

The course for the event ran from Wilshire & Grand in downtown westward to Wilshire & Fairfax in the Miracle Mile district. Visitors were accommodated with a plethora of activities along the route like rock walls, photo booths and printmaking workshops.

“I think it’s just really a massive event to get people to get on their bikes, be healthy, not use their cars and just try to be imaginative about not driving in LA,” said Maya Santos, whose One Day On Earth booth allows participants to film a video about their Ciclavia experience. 

The concept for Ciclavia originated in 1974 in the Andean capital of Bogotá. Ciclovia (the event’s original name, meaning “cycleway”) occurs weekly in the Colombian metropolis and is enforced citywide, leaving the entire city center car-free.

While only taking place twice a year, the Los Angeles sister act is working hard to spin out more events each year. In 2014, there are a total of three planned Ciclavias. The success of the event mirrors the growing number of bike commuters in Los Angeles, as well as the city’s commitment to strengthen public transit options.

Statistics from the U.S. Census show that bike commuting in Los Angeles County has increased nearly 50 percent since 2000.

Nina Moskol, an avid biker, explained that she has seen a major improvement in L.A.’s biking infrastructure.

“We came down from Santa Clarita, so we had difficult sections to pass through, especially in the northern valley… But as far as getting down into the center core, I’m seeing a lot more positive changes where we have bike lanes,” said Moskol. 

And there are more to come. Mid-City West Councilman David Wood says that there are two bicycle-friendly street projects in the works, which will run parallel to Santa Monica Blvd and feature lighting and safety zones for users.

After a long day in the 80-degree sun, there were plenty of options for those rumbling tummies. Wilshire was lined with an array of food trucks, as well as local businesses that leapt on the opportunity to showcase their finest offerings.

Adam Tiller, owner of cookie boutique Milk Jar Cookies, had a special stand set up out front of his quaint shop, selling cookies, drinks and free smiles. But it didn’t appear to divert too much attention away from his store.

“There is no comparison," said Tiller. "We might have a line out the door once on a Sunday, but this is just constant.”

Mark your calendars, the next Ciclavia is scheduled for Oct. 5, 2014 in the “heart of L.A.”  

Reach Contributor Bryce Christian here.