Editor’s Note: This article was written for Mosaic, an independent journalism training program for high school students who report and photograph stories under the guidance of professional journalists.
The latest edition of Viva CalleSJ took place June 9, closing six miles of San Jose roads for bikers, skateboarders and scooter riders. The route, “El Corazón: Downtown and Eastbound,” featured various live music shows and cultural performances and gave thousands of people a chance to explore Santa Clara Street, Alum Rock Avenue and White Road in a different way and without a car.
The event also had food trucks at every one of the “activity hubs,” which were located at San Jose City Hall, Alum Rock Village and Lake Cunningham Park. Bike Teacher, Good Karma Bikes and Community Cycles of California hosted free bike repair stations at the hubs.
Viva Calle has been a staple for many families since the city of San Jose first launched it in September 2018. Since then, it has been hosted multiple times a year with routes spanning the city. The next Viva CalleSJ is Sunday, Sept. 8. The location has not been announced yet.
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San Jose resident Gordon Smith, who participated in Viva Calle on June 9, said, “events like these help promote cycling culture.” The Silicon Valley Institute for Regional Studies reported that 12.5% of citizens in Santa Clara County used bicycles as a method of transportation in early 2020.
Smith also voiced his concerns about the cycling infrastructure in Santa Clara County and San Jose.
“The city lacks long-distance bike paths,” he said, which he attributes to San Jose being a low-density city, especially compared to other urban centers like New York or Los Angeles.
Maxwell Alexander is a member of the class of 2025 at Silver Creek High School in San Jose.