The Community You Find Walking on the Freeway

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ICYMI, a stretch of the 110 Freeway was shut down yesterday morning for pedestrian & active transportation only access. Los Angeles residents were invited to walk, jog, run, bike, or skate along the stretch between downtown and Pasadena - and it was quite the sight to see!

The 110 hasn’t been shut down like this in nearly 20 years, making it a historic, unique event for Angelenos to experience. Between the first ArroyoFest in 2003 and yesterday’s event (originally planned for 2020/2021 timing, but you know…), these are the only two instances where the freeway has been shut down for pedestrians. This is all part of the 626 Golden Streets efforts, made possible by non-profit ActiveSGV.

The goals of these events, according to the website:

1. Promote sustainable, active modes of transportation

2. Encourage play, community connections, and exploration of the San Gabriel Valley's diverse communities

3. Improve the health of people of all incomes, abilities, and backgrounds

Despite nursing a Halloween-infused hangover, I made my way across town to Highland Park in the early AM and met a couple friends for the freeway walk - my gut told me I couldn’t miss this one.

For the ambitious folks, you could walk a full 6-mile stretch of freeway, but we got on at the Avenue 60 freeway onramp and mostly meandered around the HLP section. We jogged onto the onramp and squealed, simulating the typical in-vehicle experience we’re tasked with every time we enter the chaos of the 110 freeway.

Maybe the most unexpected element for me was the sense of peace and serenity we felt once we got onto the actual freeway. Without the sound of speeding cars & honks - you were left with a bunch of people enjoying a sunny Sunday morning walk, complete with a nice fall breeze. My friends and I turned to each other like, “Wow, this is actually really nice!”

All kinds of Angelenos were present for this event - parents towing strollers and monitoring young kiddos on scooters, skaters, bikers, musicians, millennials & Gen Z-ers walking with coffees in hand, a few people embracing the Halloween timing and dressing up in full costume. In order to maintain the peace and order, pedestrians were asked to stay on the southbound side of the freeway, while bikers & other wheeled devices stuck to the northbound side.

We gained confidence as our walk went on, pulling over to the side at a couple points to climb onto the median and grab a few photos. When else in our lives will we be able to stand on a highway median!! Walking the underpass was equally as exciting and we opted for a few more photos.

When you needed a break or a refreshment, Active SGV, Metro and a few other partners offered 3 different “activity hubs” along the freeway stretch. There, you could find live music, food trucks and more.

Overall, spirits were high, the vibes were so so positive, and for someone who has gotten very jaded in LA very quickly, it was so rewarding and cool to feel how special this event was. These moments of community can feel so rare in a large city like Los Angeles - I feel so grateful I got to partake! Here’s a little TikTok recap too.

I got a bit of inside scoop from Andrea (who works with ActiveSGV) and she shared although we likely won’t see another freeway shutdown for a hot minute, 626 Golden Streets hosts multiple “open streets” events throughout the year. Be sure to follow them on IG + check their website for upcoming event info, I cannot recommend this enough!

I briefly nodded to this above with being a ~jaded girl in LA~ - but I’ve been feeling the effects of monoculture recently and I’m eager to share new, fresh information with the TTS community (versus reporting on what everybody else is talking about). You’ll start to see some different formats rotated into the weekly newsletter as I experiment and work through some new ideas - but trust that I’m always working to bring you the best content and a fresh perspective! Thanks for reading and supporting, I’m excited for what’s ahead!

Ticket to Sarahdise Event Digest - Week of 10/30

Every week, I’m sharing events you should be checking out in LA. Here’s this week’s download:

• Bloody Noodles at Woon - Yeahhh you read that right! Woon Kitchen is serving up a spooky spin on their noodles in honor of Halloween. Be sure to grab a limited edition plate today or tomorrow!

• Bar Maruno and Rápido Come to a Close - I am absolutely devastated to lose both of these spots, they were in the regular rotation while I lived in Silver Lake. Show some love this week - last service is Saturday, November 4th.

• CA Heritage Museum Flea Market - The California Heritage Museum Flea starts this coming Wednesday 11/1! More info at the link

Thanks for reading! Amping up the TikTok content again - don’t miss a beat!