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Frequently Asked Questions
Are dogs allowed on the freeway?
Can I use my skateboard, in-line skates or scooter
on the freeway?
Will there by water or rest stops available on the
freeway?
Why is the walk free when the bike ride costs
money?
If I have a tandem bicycle or am riding with a child,
do I register once or twice?
What is ArroyoFest?
Why are you doing this?
Is this the first-year for this event?
Whose idea was this?
Who is running the festival? Who is sponsoring ArroyoFest?
Does this have to do with the completion of the 710 freeway?
What is the Historic Arroyo Seco Parkway?
Has Caltrans agreed to close the Parkway? Is closing
the Parkway legal?
When will you get the permits for the event?
How long will the Parkway be closed?
How much will ArroyoFest cost?
How long is the walk and where does it start?
How long is the bike ride and where does it start?
Is ArroyoFest just one-day?
How is Occidental College involved?
Sounds like a great event. How can I help?
Is there a deadline to sign-up?
There is no deadline to sign-up. You can show up on June 15 and participate.
Registering ahead of time will make event day easy; if you do decide
to just show up, we encourage you to arrive early to register.
Are dogs allowed on the freeway?
We're asking people to leave their dogs (and other pets) at home for
the morning. While most dogs are well-behaved, the large crowds anticipated
for ArroyoFest has the potential to create an unfortunate situation
on the freeway. Dogs don't always get along with each other or with
strangers and small children. For this and some other reasons, ArroyoFest
encourages sharing the excitement of ArroyoFest with your pet once you
get home.
Can I use my skateboard, in-line skates or scooter
on the freeway?
Insurance prevents us from having skateboards, in-line skates and scooters
on the freeway. The insurance market for special events has changed
dramatically over the past year since 9/11. Insurance for skateboards,
in-line skates and scooters to our knowledge is not available for an
event like this. ArroyoFest has aimed to be as inclusive as possible
but is bound by certain constraints.
Will there by water or rest stops available on the
freeway?
No. Cyclists and walkers leaving from Glenarm and Arroyo Parkway will
be able to fill their personal water bottles at the start of the bike
ride and water will be available for walkers at Sycamore Grove Park.
We also want to keep the freeway as clean as possible and do not want
to encourage litter on the road.
Why is the walk free when the bike ride costs
money?
There are several reasons for this. Cyclists get the use of the freeway
for a longer period of time and use more of the freeway than the walkers.
Insurance for the bike ride is also more expensive than the walk. ArroyoFest
has made every effort to make the event accessible from all economic
levels. Most bike rides charge a great deal more. The same day as ArroyoFest
there the Chicago Bicycle Federation is closing Lakeshore Drive in Chicago
for a similar event and is charging $35. ArroyoFest is not a fundraiser,
but we still need to help to cover our costs. Insurance and traffic
control is expensive. We will be asking for donations from walkers on
the day of the event.
If I have a tandem bicycle or am riding with a child,
do I register once or twice?
Twice. We need each person on the freeway to sign a waiver (or have
a guardian sign a waiver for them) and pay $10. And everyone on wheels
for the ride MUST wear a helmet at all times.
What is ArroyoFest?
ArroyoFest is a celebration of those things that connect the communities
of the Arroyo Seco. Connecting the rugged San Gabriel Mountains with
the Los Angeles River, this 22-mile stream links together the cities
of Pasadena, South Pasadena, La Canada Flintridge and northeast Los
Angeles.
ArroyoFest’s core event is being hosted by Occidental College and has
three interrelated components:
These activities will take place between roughly 7:00 a.m. and 1:30
p.m. on the Parkway and in Sycamore Grove Park, located in Highland
Park next to the Parkway.
Several other organizations and groups within the Arroyo area are planning
activities for the days leading up to ArroyoFest and for the afternoon
of June 15th. These events include open houses, walking tours, hikes
and lectures.
Why are you doing this?
The purpose of ArroyoFest is to highlight several ongoing or proposed
projects within the Arroyo that can improve the quality of life for
everyone in the area. By connecting the communities of the Arroyo Seco,
we hope to create momentum behind these projects and make the Arroyo
a model for how create livable communities across Southern California
and the rest of the country. Find out more about the issues
affecting the Arroyo Seco.
Is this the first-year for this event?
Yes. If ArroyoFest goes well, ArroyoFest could become an annual or bi-annual
event.
Whose idea was this?
The idea for ArroyoFest arose from a discussion group called the Arroyo
Seco Collaborative. The Collaborative, hosted by the Urban
and Environmental Policy Institute (UEPI) at Occidental College,
serves as a forum for discussions about planning, policy and community
action aimed at improving the quality of life for the communities along
the Arroyo Seco. Dennis Crowley, a longtime bike advocate, brought the
idea for a bike ride on the Parkway to the group. The idea quickly expanded
to include a walk and a community festival that could engage a wider
audience in quality of life issues.
Who is running the festival? Who is sponsoring ArroyoFest?
Members of the Arroyo Seco Collaborative formed the ArroyoFest
Steering Committee to organize the event. The Committee, with the
support of UEPI, has been working over the past year to raise funds,
gain the support of elected officials, recruit volunteers and plan the
details of the event. This past February, ArroyoFest became its own
non-profit organization and contracted with the principals for the company
that puts on the L.A. Marathon to handle the logistics of the event
and secure the event permits.
Does this have to do with the completion of the 710
freeway?
ArroyoFest has no connection to the completion of the 710 freeway. ArroyoFest
is not against freeways, but does believe that a good transportation
system should encompass and encourage a range of options, including
rail, bike, bus and pedestrian travel.
What is the Historic Arroyo Seco Parkway?
The Historic Arroyo Seco Parkway is the official name of the Pasadena
Freeway section of the 110 – from Avenue 26 in Los Angeles to Glenarm
Street in Pasadena. Senate Majority Leader Richard Polanco led efforts
to have this section of freeway designated as an historic road. In 1993
the state officially recognized the road as an historic parkway. This
past summer the road was designated a National
Scenic Byway, qualifying the road and the surrounding communities
for federal highway funds to improve the aesthetic experience of motorists.
Has Caltrans agreed to close the Parkway? Is closing
the Parkway legal?
Yes, the ArroyoFest Steering Committee has been working with Caltrans
for over a year figure out how to close the Parkway to have as little
impact as possible on traffic. We are in the process of securing a special
event permit from Caltrans.
When will you get the permits for the event?
There are several permits from the cities of Pasadena, South Pasadena
and Los Angeles that an event such as this requires. Different permits
will likely be acquired at different times. Once we have permits from
the cities, have purchased insurance and contracted with a traffic control
company, we are able to request a formal permit from Caltrans. We hope
to make this request in late January or early February. Although we
have gotten preliminary approval from Caltrans for the event, we will
not receive the final permit until a few months before the event.
How long will the Parkway be closed?
The final details of the event are still being worked out but we have
permission to close the northbound lanes of the Parkway from 6 a.m.
to 10 a.m. The southbound lanes will close from 6 a.m. to approximately
11 a.m.
How much will ArroyoFest cost?
The working budget for ArroyoFest is approximately $235,000 dollars.
The Steering Committee anticipates a significant portion of the costs
will be secured through in-kind donations. The remainder of the funds
will come from foundations, grants, commercial sponsorships and grassroots
contributions. We are currently in the midst of our fundraising drive.
Sponsor packets are available if you know of a company or agency that
would be interested in contributing to ArroyoFest. Find out more about
becoming a sponsor.
How long is the walk and where does it start?
The walk event will begin at 8:30 from Pasadena and 9:00 a.m from three
of the parks located along the Parkway in the city of Los Angeles:
Walkers from north and south will enter the Parkway and come together
in Sycamore Grove Park for the community festival. The walk will be
a festive occasion, with decorative banners and music, both on the Parkway
and in the parks lining this stretch of the Arroyo.
Walkers will be able to return to their starting points at their leisure.
Walkers returning north will use the bike path that travels down the
center of the Arroyo’s channel. Walkers returning south will pass several
landmarks such as the Heritage Square Museum and the historic Lummis
Home.
This total distance for the walk is one to three miles round trip from
Los Angeles parks, depending on the starting location. This distance
is short enough to accommodate parents with strollers and people in
wheelchairs. The distance from Pasadena is four miles one way or eight
miles round trip
How long is the bike ride and where does it
start?
The bike ride will begin at 7:00 a.m. as cyclists ride past the sign
saying “No pedestrians and bicycles allowed” at the beginning of the
Parkway at Glenarm Street in Pasadena. Cyclists can bike 4, 12 or 16
miles.
Cyclists biking 4 miles will end their ride in Sycamore Grove Park in
Highland Park, the site of the ArroyoFest Community Festival. Cyclists
choosing the 12-mile ride will travel down to Avenue 26 where they will
exit, make a quick turn and begin climbing back up to the start of the
Freeway in Pasadena. Cyclists choosing the 16-mile ride will bike down
to Sycamore Grove Park after returning to the bike start in Pasadena.
Is ArroyoFest just one-day?
The ArroyoFest Steering Committee has concentrated its efforts on Sunday,
June 15th for the walk, bike ride and community festival in Sycamore
Grove Park. Several other organizations, however, are planning to host
events for the days and weeks leading up to June 15th. The potential
exists for an entire weekend of events and activities up and down the
Arroyo.
How is Occidental College involved?
The Urban and Environmental
Policy Institute at Occidental College has hosted the Arroyo Seco
Collaborative from its inception and serves on the ArroyoFest Steering
Committee. The Institute’s involvement is part of Occidental’s ongoing
commitment to community-based
learning and to helping improve the quality of life of surrounding
communities. Occidental College is accepting donations in the name of
the ArroyoFest, until the group receives an official letter from the
IRS recognizing its tax-exempt status.
For more information, write us at arroyo@oxy.edu,
or ArroyoFest, 2106 Colorado Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90041, or call Marcus
Renner, UEPI’s Education Coordinator, at (323) 341-5093.
Sounds like a great event. How can I help?
The best way for you to help is for you, your family, organization,
school, business or religious institution to become a “Friend of ArroyoFest.”
Friends help us get the word out and make contacts within the community.
Sponsor packets are also available if you know someone who can donate
time or money to ArroyoFest. We’ve found that personal connections are
the key to finding resources for this type of endeavor. You can also
volunteer on June 15th or make a donation yourself. All checks should
be made payable to ArroyoFest – Occidental College.
For more information, write us at arroyo@oxy.edu,
or ArroyoFest c/o Urban and Environmental Policy Institute, Occidental
College, 1600 Campus Road, Los Angeles, CA 90041 or call Marcus Renner,
UEPI’s Education Coordinator, at (323) 341-5093.