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​​2023 | ArroyoFest | Northeast Los Angeles - South Pasadena

20 Years Ago, the Arroyo Seco Turned into a Car-Free Party. Get Ready for Another (LA Times)

• "For the first time in 20 years, a section of the Arroyo Seco Parkway, the West Coast’s oldest freeway, is set to close down for people to walk, bike, skate and run. On Oct. 29, ArroyoFest will allow car-free exploration of six miles of the 110 Freeway connecting Los Angeles and Pasadena. Two decades ago, the first ArroyoFest was ahead of its time for Southern California, said Wesley Reutimann, co-founder and special programs director at ActiveSGV, one of the event organizers. In June 2003, seven years before the first CicLAvia “open streets” event, ArroyoFest shut down the Arroyo Seco Parkway for three hours, giving thousands of people the chance to tour the freeway as they never had before." Read more.

ArroyoFest would turn the Pasadena freeway into a cycling and walking paradise -- at least for a Sunday morning (The Eastsider)

• "Imagine the Arroyo Seco Parkway closed to vehicular traffic, flooded instead with pedestrians and cyclists, if only for a few hours. Sounds like a wild idea, right? Well, you might be surprised to learn that the exact same scenario played out two decades ago, and a regional organization is looking to replicate the experience later this year. In 2003, Occidental College Professor Robert Gottlieb organized the first ArroyoFest, which closed the Pasadena Freeway to motor vehicles for a few hours, letting cyclists and walkers takeover the major artery connecting Pasadena and Downtown L.A. This year, the community organization ActiveSGV is spearheading the effort for a second ArroyoFest in October. “Everyone I’ve encountered who was at the event speaks about how magical it was,” said Wes Reutimann, the Special Programs Director with ActiveSGV, who missed the original ArroyoFest. “It really left an indelible imprint on folks.” The plan is to close the 110 to traffic from approximately Avenue 26 just north of the 5 Freeway to the highway’s terminus at Glernarm Street in Pasadena. The six-mile stretch would remain open for four hours on the morning of Sunday, Oct. 29 to cyclists, skaters, and pedestrians." Read more.

2022 | Mission-to-Mission | San Gabriel-Alhambra-South Pasadena

626 Golden Streets to Roll Again this May (NBC Los Angeles)

• "That "Mission to Mission" adventure returns on Sunday, May 1, 2022, when 626 Golden Streets, a closed-to-cars event helmed by Active San Gabriel Valley and presented by Metro, flowers along the multi-mile route. The announcement was made earlier in February, giving people time to polish those bikes, buy glittery new handlebar streamers, or invest in a great pair of walking sneaks. "There is no 'right' way to experience Golden Streets. No finish line. Participants may join and depart the event route anywhere they wish," posted Active SGV. "We only ask that you be considerate and courteous of others along the way, enjoy the event at your own pace, and check out the many local businesses, organizations, community groups and more who will be found across the route." Nice. Also nice? The beloved 626 Golden Streets mascot, Gabe the Sasquatch, will be back to add a furry and festive element to the gathering. Read more.

2019 | Mission-to-Mission | South Pasadena-Alhambra-San Gabriel

Car-free Festival in the 626 (Fox 11 News)

• San Gabriel Valley residents got to be part of the 626 Golden Streets Festival on Sunday, a chance to actively appreciate South Pasadena, Alhambra and San Gabriel, car-free. People walk, bike, skate and scoot along five miles of open streets, connecting the three cities. “It’s just nice to able to look people in the eye and actually interact with your neighbors and not be behind glass and metal, so it’s a fun thing,” says Stewart Davenport who just moved to South Pasadena with his family. Participants could start and stop anywhere along the free, dog-friendly event route and enjoy whatever people are offering, like pop-up art, great food and live music and dance performances. The only rule, no motors! “Every time you see something with bicycles, participate, because that will help clear our air and we contribute a little bit to protect the earth,” says Ana Gonzalez whose daughter helped put on the event. The next Golden Streets Festival in the 626 will be October 26th, connecting El Monte to South El Monte. Halloween costumes are encouraged! Watch / read more. 

​No Cars Allowed - Exclusive Photo and Video Highlights from 626 Golden Streets (Alhambra Source)

• Cyclists, pedestrians, skaters, and others came out for the 626 Golden Streets Mission-to-Mission event this past Sunday. Organized by Active SGV and funded by LA Metro, this was the second 626 Golden Streets, and was designed to promote active transportation in the San Gabriel Valley. The route began at the South Pasadena Mission Street Gold Line station and went through Alhambra’s Main Street and then ended at the San Gabriel Mission. Participants played carnival games, climbed a rock wall, tested electric bikes and cruisers, and took part in other activities at the South Pasadena, Alhambra and San Gabriel event hubs. Read more. 

Photos: The streets were devoid of cars in South Pasadena, Alhambra and San Gabriel (SGV Tribune)

• People pedaled bicycles, rode scooters or just used their own two feet to walk or jog enjoy 5 miles of streets devoid of cars during the 626 Golden Streets Mission To Mission event on Sunday. The ciclovia took place in three cities, South Pasadena, Alhambra and San Gabriel, a first for the two latter cities, connecting Mission Street in South Pasadena to Mission San Gabriel. Participants could start at any spot along the route and ride as fast or as slowly as they wanted. The idea was to acclimate residents to riding a bicycle or non-motorized vehicle to work or to the store during nonevent days to cut down on air pollution and global climate change, organizers said before the event. Several streets were closed to motor vehicles from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. These included: Marengo Avenue, Alhambra Road, parts of Olive Avenue and Fifth Street, Main Street, Las Tunas Drive and Mission Drive. Read more. 

626 Golden Streets Mission to Mission - Open Thread (StreetsblogLA)

• Tens of thousands of people enjoyed car-free streets at yesterday’s 626 Golden Streets ‘Mission to Mission’ event. The five-mile-long open streets festival extended through the cities of South Pasadena, Alhambra, and San Gabriel. The event was produced by Active SGV, working with the host cities, with funding from Metro. The route was a mix of residential streets – many lined with beautiful mature trees – and commercial areas. Each city hosted an activity hub featuring live music, art, vendors, booths, kids activities, and more. Various restaurants and other establishments along the route offered discounts and specials for Golden Streets participants. Cafes and bakeries were thronged with foot traffic. Read more.

洛杉磯萬人漫步無車街道 健康環保又拚經濟[影] (CNA - Focus Taiwan)

• （中央社記者林宏翰洛杉磯19日專電）有句話形容大洛杉磯的交通是「沒車等於沒腳」，但今天一條5英里的道路淨空車輛，上萬人大搖大擺踏上車道「壓馬路」，享受兼具健康、環保概念，又刺激經濟的「無車日」。這場活動由洛杉磯郡大都會捷運局出資，目的是推廣金線電車（Gold Line）。大洛杉磯地區是公認全美塞車最嚴重的地方，大眾運輸系統的使用率低。洛杉磯郡人口約1000萬，汽機車數量達776萬。

626 Golden Streets to Return in May 2019 (Pasadena Star News)

• 626 Golden Streets, the CicLAvia-type event that last took bicyclists, runners, walkers and more through the San Gabriel Valley in 2017, is set to return May 19, its organizer announced Tuesday. Bike San Gabriel Valley, a local nonprofit organization that advocates to make the region more bike, pedestrian and public transit friendly, published a video “save the date” for the event to YouTube on Tuesday. The route, as highlighted in the video, will take people from the South Pasadena Metro Gold Line Station on Mission Street through Alhambra to the San Gabriel Mission, giving the event the “Mission to Mission” nickname. The 2017 626 Golden Streets took an estimated 100,000 people 18 miles through South Pasadena, San Marino, Arcadia, Monrovia, Duarte, Irwindale, and Azusa. Read more.

626 Golden Streets Back in 2019 (South Pasadena Review)

• Organizers of the 626 Golden Streets event, which started from South Pasadena in 2017, is back. On Sunday, May 19, thousands are expected to take part in a day of fun –jogging, walking, skating, cycling, ambling and strolling – through the San Gabriel Valley. The route will take participants from South Pasadena’s Metro Station on Mission Street through Alhambra to the San Gabriel Mission. Appropriately, it’s nickname is “Mission to Mission.” It’s not a race as there are no medals or awards – only miles of smiles on open streets. And the best part, it’s free. Read more.

2017 | South Pasadena-San Marino-East Pasadena-Arcadia-Monrovia-Duarte-Irwindale-Azusa

Thousands Experience San Marino's Huntington Drive By Bicycle, On Food (San Marino Tribune) 

• March 9, 2017 - The long-awaited 626 Golden Streets ciclavia paraded down the north side of Huntington Dr. in San Marino on Sunday, Mar. 5. Thousands participated according to Wes Reutimann, a project organizer at BikeSGV, which planned the open streets event. “An estimated 100,000 participants attended at least part of the 18+ mile long event, with thousands of people on foot, bike, and skate traversing the 3-mile segment within the City of San Marino,” said Reutimann, a San Marino High School grad. Read more.

Organizers Say 100,000 biked or walked '626 Golden Streets' event from South Pasadena to Azusa  (San Gabriel Valley Tribune) 

• March 5, 2017 - Despite afternoon showers, about 100,000 people rode bikes, walked or ran an 18-mile carless course on Sunday through the streets of the San Gabriel Valley as part of the largest ciclovia-type event in North America. The 626 Golden Streets brought out parents pedaling rusty Schwinn cruisers with their kids on bikes with training wheels, spandex-wearing racers, unicyclists, riders on tall bikes, teenagers balancing on one-wheeled electric skateboards, plus 600 runners of a half marathon. More than a dozen streets were filled with a colorful array of human-powered vehicles along such major thoroughfares as Mission Street, Huntington Drive and Foothill Boulevard through seven cities: South Pasadena, San Marino, Arcadia, Monrovia, Duarte, Irwindale and Azusa. Read more. Photos: 626 Golden Streets

Former Councilman Efren Moreno, on 626 Golden Streets and how Alhambra could become a bike-friendly City (Alhambra Source) 

• March 8, 2017 - 18 miles of streets from Azusa to Pasadena were shut down Sunday for the 626 Golden Streets in celebration of the Metro Gold Line extension, which about 100,000 people attended, the SGV Tribune reported. Alhambra resident Efren Moreno served as the hub captain at the Irwindale station and notified community members about the specific street closures prior to the event. The longtime bicycle advocate Moreno, 51, planted the seeds for a ciclovia-style event in the San Gabriel Valley when he was an Alhambra city councilmember from 2000 to 2004. He faced pushback when he put forth a plan to shut down a few streets near Almansor Park for families and kids to ride their bikes safely for a day. The route would have followed along a trail and creek behind the golf course, through the public works, and back onto the streets. “I was the odd man out. [Other councilmembers] said it was too long of a route for little kids,” Moreno told the Alhambra Source. He settled for a bike rodeo event, in partnership with the Alhambra Firefighters Association, to give out more than 300 kids’ bicycle helmets for free every year during his time on City Council. Moreno, who co-founded BikeSGV, ran into Paul Talbot, then-City Manager of Monterey Park, years later at the city's Earth Day bike ride in Monterey Park. Although Talbot had served in the Alhambra City Council at the same time as Moreno and opposed the open streets proposal, he later recognized that it was a popular idea.  “[Talbot] came up to me and said, hey Efren, I saw this ciclovia, where they shut down the streets and everyone comes out to ride their bike. He said, I remember what you wanted to do. You're just a man ahead of his time," Moreno said.   The vision for an open streets event in the San Gabriel Valley came to fruition when Wes Reutimann, lead organizer of the 626 Golden Streets, approached South Pasadena Mayor and then-Councilmember Michael Cacciotti with a proposal to shut down part of the 110 freeway. Cacciotti suggested that the ciclovia event could follow along the Gold Line extension instead.  With Cacciotti's initiative, BikeSGV organizers started planning the event about two years ago in a partnership with Metro. The event, originally planned on June 26, had to be rescheduled to March 5, 2017, because of the San Gabriel fires.  Read more.

626 Golden Streets Open Thread (Streetsblog LA) 

• March 6, 2017 - Yesterday’s 17+ mile 626 Golden Streets open streets festival was the longest route in L.A. County history, and possibly in the United States. Tens of thousands of people enjoyed walking, running, bicycling, dancing, skating and more. Read more.

Video Footage (2017 Event)

• From Sasquatch to Star Wars: Check Out the Human-Powered, Car-Free Fun at 626 Golden Streets (vimeo)
• 17+ Miles of No Cars: 626 Golden Streets (NBC Los Angeles)
• Photos: San Gabriel Valley Tribune

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17+ Miles of No Cars: 626 Golden Streets (NBC 4)

• March 4, 2017 - It's accurate to say that a Sasquatch goes where he wants to go, generally. Should the Sasquatch want to take a dip in a mountain stream, that's going to happen. Same for taking a nap under a tall tree. And strolling down the middle of Huntington Drive in San Marino? Well... Call that sighting a bit more unlikely than the mountains, unless it is Sunday, March 5, 2017, and you're at 626 Golden Streets. The no-cars-on-the-roads event, in the ciclovía tradition, will see over 17 miles of lanes, thoroughfares, and streets closed to vehicles while simultaneously open to cyclists, people on roller skates, people doing the boogie, cartwheeling people, and people out for a classic Sunday stroll. And, yes, a certain snapshot-ready Sasquatch, too, named Gabe. He's the furry spokesSasquatch of the free fun time, which was postponed due to the San Gabriel Complex Fire in June 2016. Read more.

626 Golden Streets: The Route, Activities and More (KPCC)

• March 1, 2017 - At last, the first major open streets event of the year is here and it's set to go down across seven communities in the 626, including Arcadia, Monrovia and San Marino. On Sunday, March 5 you'll be able to walk, run, bike ... or ride the train for this carless day — rain or shine. No matter which non-motorized form of transportation you choose, it should be a nice change of pace, considering L.A. comes out on top for the world's most traffic congested city.  Read more.

Everything You Need to Know to Ride in Sunday's 626 Golden Streets from South Pasadena to Azusa (San Gabriel Valley Tribune)

• March 1, 2017 - The 626 Golden Streets event is happening this weekend. Here is everything you need to know.  JUST WHAT EXACTLY IS THE 626 GOLDEN STREETS?  It’s best to say what it isn’t. It is not a race. No one wins or loses.  That means you can enter the nearly 18-mile route at any spot and not be considered a cheater.  Usually you see more families and people riding who are not experts, rather than bicycle club types. Speeds are slow and crowds are expected to be large.  Read more.

How 626 Golden Streets Ciclovia-Type Event This Sunday Is an Argument for a Car-Free LA County (San Gabriel Valley Tribune)

• March 1, 2017 -.Wesley Reutimann spoke about the largest ciclovia-type event in U.S. history taking place on Sunday that will bring 50,000 people onto nearly 18 miles of car-free streets in the San Gabriel Valley. But even the calm, positive, laid-back executive director of Bike San Gabriel Valley hadn’t let go of the pain of last year’s postponement.  Read more.​

​626 Golden Streets, An 18+ Mile Open Streets Extravaganza Coming to San Gabriel Valley (Pasadena Now)

• January 19, 2017 - On Sunday March 5th – the one year anniversary of the Foothill Gold Line Extension grand opening – the Metro Open Streets Program presents 626 Golden Streets, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to walk, bike, run, skate, scoot, dance and play on over 18 miles of car-free open streets. Read more.

626 Golden Streets, An 18+ Mile Open Streets Extravaganza Coming to San Gabriel Valley (Pasadena Now)

• January 19, 2017 - On Sunday March 5th – the one year anniversary of the Foothill Gold Line Extension grand opening – the Metro Open Streets Program presents 626 Golden Streets, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to walk, bike, run, skate, scoot, dance and play on over 18 miles of car-free open streets. Read more.

​The Longest-Ever CicLAvia-style Event in Nation Has Been Rescheduled in LA County (San Gabriel Valley Tribune)

• September 20, 2016 - Shortly after brushfires in June raced up San Gabriel Canyon north of Azusa, threatened a Duarte neighborhood and fouled the air, Bike SGV agreed with first responders to cancel its open streets event. Now, three months later, 626 Golden Streets has been rescheduled for March 5, the one-year anniversary of the Gold Line Foothill Extension from Pasadena to the Azusa/Glendora border, said Wes Reutimann, executive director of Bike San Gabriel Valley. Selected streets in eight cities will be closed on that Sunday for people to walk, jog, skate and bike. Read more.

626 Golden Streets canceled due to San Gabriel Complex fires (San Gabriel Valley Tribune)

• June 23, 2016 - The long-planned 626 Golden Streets bike-riding event scheduled for Sunday was canceled due to logistical issues and bad air quality stemming from the nearby San Gabriel Complex fires, organizers reported Thursday. Law enforcement from the cities of Irwindale, Azusa and Duarte — those most directly affected by the wildfires burning since Monday — said they could not allow streets to be shut down for the bike event. Officials from those cities said they were concerned the closed streets would impede fire trucks and other emergency vehicles still working the fires, said Wesley Reutimann, executive director of Bike San Gabriel Valley, organizer of the event. “The groups felt it was best to air on the side of caution,” he said Thursday. Read more.

On 6.26 hit the open streets to explore the 626 (Metro the Source)

• June 21, 2016 -The biggest open streets event of the year is nearly upon us! 626 Golden Streets gives us an 18-plus-mile route to walk, run, skate and bike across the San Gabriel Valley. The free event takes place, appropriately, on Sunday, June 26 (get it?) from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.  The route extends between South Pasadena and Azusa and most of it is linked by the Gold Line, which will run longer, 3-car trains to support the event. The stations you can use to access the route are:

1. ​​​​South Pasadena Station (btw the Metro Bike Share team will be here doing demos!)
2. Arcadia Station
3. Monrovia Station
4. Duarte/City of Hope Station
5. Irwindale Station
6. Azusa Downtown Station

Buses will be detouring through the San Gabriel Valley due to street closures, and all the details are here.  Read more. 

#DamienTalksSGV 11 - Metro, Cacciotti and 626 Golden Streets (Streetsblog LA)

• June 20, 2016 - "This week, #DamienTalks with Laura Cornejo, the sustainability officer for Metro and the lead for Metro’s Open Streets events program. Metro has been funding numerous Open Streets events throughout L.A. County. Metro’s initial open streets funding cycle finishes up this weekend with 626 – an amazing 18-mile long multi-jurisdictional car-free party. 626 Golden Streets will take place from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. this Sunday, June 26. Metro, Bike SGV, seven cities and a host of other organizations invite you to explore ​18+ miles of open streets linking six Metro Gold Line stations and seven San Gabriel Valley cities ​stretching from South Pasadena to Azusa. Participants do not need to ride all 18 miles, but can start and finish wherever you like. Participants can walk, run, bike, skate, wheelchair, or crawl. Take breaks, stop for lunch, listen to music, shop, hang out, and generally enjoy streets open to all. The event is free, family-friendly, fun, and, of course, very easily accessible via the Metro Gold Line." Read more. 

Residents Get Update About Golden Streets (San Marino Tribune)

• May 17, 2016 - "The Golden Streets Festival, an “open streets” event, will be coming through San Marino and seven other local communities on Sunday, June 26 to celebrate the completion of the Metro Gold Line extension project. BikeSGV, the event organizer, provided San Marino residents with detailed information about the CicLAvia-type event at an informational meeting at the Crowell Public Library on Tuesday, May 10. Twenty residents were in attendance. The 17-mile route will start at the South Pasadena Metro Station, pass through San Marino, Arcadia, Monrovia, Duarte, Los Angeles County, Irwindale and end at the Azusa Metro Station.About three miles of the north side of Huntington Drive will be closed off to traffic from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the day of the event. The south side will be open to normal eastbound traffic." Read more.

Damien Talks: Michael Cacciotti and the 626 (StreetsblogLA)

• April 7, 2016 - "As excitement builds towards the 626, the mammoth car-free festival spanning six cities on, you guessed it, June 26, #DamienTalks with Michael Cacciotti. Cacciotti is the Mayor Pro-Tem of South Pasadena and has been a critical figure in the effort to create the 626 and organize the half-dozen cities that are taking part as well as officials with the County, Metro, and the Air Quality Management District. I’ll be honest, this is one of the more fun interviews I did. Cacciotti wasn’t just one of the driving forces behind the 626, he was also a Board Member for the Gold Line Foothill Construction Authority. I conducted our phone interview while he was doing his evening commute home, and as a bonus he talked about how the Gold Line extension is working and how packed his rail car was. It was 9 p.m. On a Wednesday. New Gold Line extensions. The 626. Things are changing in the San Gabriel Valley, and they’re changing for the better." Read more.
   

​A New Car-Free Festival Will Close 17 Miles Of Road In The San Gabriel Valley (LAist)

• March 25, 2016 - "This June the San Gabriel Valley will host a street festival over 17-miles-long for pedestrians and bicyclists, connecting six Gold Line stops. The sprawling car-free event—known as 626 Golden Streets—will take place on Sunday, June 26 and will temporarily close a continuous stretch of streets from South Pasadena to Azusa for people to walk, run, skate, or bike to their heart's content. Heck, you can even ride a penny farthing if you want, or really just about anything that doesn't have a motor. Inspired by other similar open streets and CicLAvia-type events, the day is designed to let people freely explore the SGV without cars and to get familiar with the recently opened Gold Line Foothill Extension that runs the length of the route. So, in case you're not feeling up for trekking the whole 17+ mile route—seeing as CicLAvia routes are usually just 4 to 6 miles—you can always hop on board the Metro." Read more. 

San Gabriel Valley's Open Streets Event Will Be 17 Miles of Car-Free Fun (Curbed LA)

• March 24, 2016 - "For a little over two years now, a handful of cities in the San Gabriel Valley have been working together to create a CicLAvia-style open streets event that would close sections of the streets to cars across multiple cities and meet up with some of the new stations on the recently opened extension of the Gold Line light rail, which runs all the way to Azusa." Read more. 

​San Gabriel Valley Working on a CicLAvia-Style Street Takeover (Curbed LA)

• February 25, 2014 - "While the Purple Line extension is being held up by petty whiners, over in the San Gabriel Valley the Gold Line extension, from Pasadena to Azusa, is more than 50 percent finished. Progress is being made so quickly, some are already brainstorming how to celebrate the line's late-2015/early-2016 opening. One attention-getting plan? Shut down 10 miles of Huntington Drive to cars for a few hours, allowing alternative transportation to take over the roads à la CicLAvia, says the SGV Tribune. SGV Golden Streets, as the idea's being called, was proposed by a South Pasadena City Councilmember; South Pas is prepping to submit a formal request to Metro's Open Streets grant program for money to fund the event." ​ Read more.