Culver City (in west Los Angeles County) offers an abundance of bike-friendly features – from scenic trails to protected lanes to a vibrant cycling culture. The city’s official plans and recent projects emphasize active transportation (including a 2020 Bicycle & Pedestrian Action Plan), and local residents enjoy many safe, convenient ways to ride. In fact, Walk Score rates downtown Culver City 96/100 (a “Walker’s Paradise”) with a Bike Score of 80/100 (“Very Bikeable”) . Below we highlight the key bike routes, infrastructure, community programs, and sharing options that make Culver City beloved by cyclists.
Popular Bike Paths and Trails
• Ballona Creek Bike Path: This paved trail runs about 7 miles from Syd Kronenthal Park in east Culver City all the way to the Pacific Ocean. It follows the channelized Ballona Creek and connects directly to the Marvin Braude (Santa Monica Beach) bike path at the coast. Riders can hop on at multiple points in Culver City for a pleasant, mostly flat ride to the beach.
• Culver Boulevard Bike Path: A 1.9‑mile rail‑trail in a landscaped central median. Built on the old “Red Car” Pacific Electric line, this paved path runs through Culver City (and into Los Angeles) beside Culver Boulevard. It’s a short, quiet route popular with locals, and from its western end riders can continue a short distance to rejoin the Ballona Creek path.
• Expo Line (E) Bike Path: This urban bike path parallels the Metro Expo light‑rail line. It runs through Culver City between the La Cienega and Culver City stations and connects riders to Santa Monica to the west. The Expo bike path provides a traffic-free link from Culver Boulevard or Ballona Creek paths to downtown Culver City and beyond.
These dedicated trails give Culver City riders pleasant, mostly car-free routes. In addition, nearby connected paths (like the Marvin Braude beachfront trail) and local streets with bike lanes expand the network.
Bicycle Infrastructure and Bike-Friendly Streets
Culver City has steadily invested in on-street cycling infrastructure. Key features include:
• Hundreds of Bike Racks: Over 100 public bike racks have been installed (per the 2010 master plan) throughout downtown and neighborhood commercial areas . The City even built its first curbside bicycle corral in 2012.
• Protected Bike Signals: The “Move Culver City” project added dedicated bicycle traffic signals on Culver Boulevard and Washington Boulevard. These bicycle-only traffic lights give cyclists a protected green phase through intersections. (State standards now allow such bike signals, which Culver City has implemented to improve safety.)
• Bike Lanes and Shared Lanes: Numerous arterial streets now have marked bike lanes or sharrows. For example, buffered bike lanes on Washington Place, Bentley Avenue (2011) and Duquesne Avenue (2017) have been added, as have “sharrows” on Wesley Street, Higuera Street, Lucerne Avenue, Irving Place and others . In May 2016, Washington Boulevard gained continuous bike lanes into the west city limit . These on‑street lanes help cyclists commute safely through the city.
• City Plans and Safe Routes: Culver City adopted a new Bicycle & Pedestrian Action Plan in 2020 to guide future improvements. As part of that and Safe Routes to School efforts, the city has targeted “complete street” projects (like improved crossings and sidewalks) and programs to teach bike/ped safety. For example, the La Ballona Safe Routes to Schools project and other mobility safety projects have been implemented.
• Transit Integration: Every Culver CityBus (local transit) is equipped with a front-mounted bike rack (first-come, first-serve). Cyclists can roll their bikes onto the bus for seamless trips. (Folding bikes are also allowed inside buses.)
Together these features – from parking to signals to lane markings – make riding around Culver City easier and safer .
Biking Culture, Community Events & Local Advocacy
Culver City’s cycling “scene” is dynamic and community-driven. Residents regularly organize rides, festivals and safety events.
Community biking events are big in Culver City. For example, CicLAvia hosted a “Culver City–Venice” open-streets event in 2025. That free festival closed 6.75 miles of streets to cars and invited people of all ages to bike, walk, run or skate along a route through Culver City, Mar Vista and Venice.
Notable local events and groups include:
• CicLAvia – Culver City meets Venice (2025): On August 17, 2025, Culver City participated in CicLAvia’s 61st car‑free event. The route (over 6.75 miles) connected downtown Culver City to Venice via Mar Vista, allowing families and riders to enjoy a day of cycling, walking, performances and activities. (All ages and abilities were welcome.)
• Culver City Pride Ride & Rally: Each June, a free community bike ride is held as part of Culver City Pride. The 2025 Ride & Rally featured a 6+ mile escorted ride through Culver City neighborhoods, open to everyone regardless of cycling experience. These inclusive rides celebrate diversity and bicycle fun in the community.
• Walk & Roll Festival (Safe Routes): The city’s Walk & Roll festival is a family-oriented bike/ped safety fair (often tied to Safe Routes to School). At this free event, children and adults practice bike handling skills, learn street safety, get free helmet fittings and basic repairs, and even register their bikes with police to deter theft. In 2024, for example, Culver City’s police and a local nonprofit hosted this day-long festival with courses, repairs and giveaways in the middle school parking lot.
• Bike to Work Day Pit Stops: Local riders are thanked each May at Bike to Work Day. BikeCulverCity (the Culver City chapter of the L.A. County Bicycle Coalition) sets up pit stops (e.g. by the Ivy Station) handing out water, snacks and “ride coupons” to commuters. These events encourage commuting by bike and connect riders with local bike advocacy.
• BikeCulverCity (advocacy group): BikeCulverCity (formerly the Culver City Bicycle Coalition) is a volunteer-run organization that promotes cycling and educates the public for safer streets. Its members work with city officials on bike projects and host community rides and workshops. (For example, BikeCulverCity led the Bike to Work Day efforts and partners on clean‑air bike programs.)
Overall, a strong community network of clubs, city agencies, schools and nonprofits rallies around biking. Events like the above (often publicized via the city’s Events page and police department) keep cycling fun and visible.
Safety education is a priority. At Culver City’s Walk & Roll Festival (shown), police officers register bicycles and teach kids how to ride safely.
Bike-Sharing and Rental Programs
Culver City supports modern bike/scooter rentals through its Shared Micromobility Program. Key points:
• Dockless E-Scooters (Bird): Since 2021 the city has permitted Bird to operate e-scooters (and briefly e-bikes) citywide. Residents and visitors can unlock a Bird scooter via the app. (Bird launched dockless e-scooters in November 2021 and added e-bikes in April 2022, though the e-bikes were later discontinued due to operational issues.) Bird offers discounts: qualifying low-income or student riders get 50% off trips. As of early 2025, Bird remained the only active operator in Culver City.
• Metro Bike Share: Culver City is part of LA Metro’s growing red bike-share system. The City Council approved joining Metro Bike Share in 2017 with plans for hundreds of bikes and dozens of stations in Culver City and adjacent neighborhoods. Metro and Culver City worked to implement this, with an anticipated launch around 2024. (The Metro Bike Share expansion now covers much of the Westside and is coming to Culver City as planned.)
• Culver CityBus Racks: All Culver CityBus (local transit) buses have bike racks on the front. Riders can place their bikes on the rack and continue their trip. (This service is free and on a first-come basis.)
In summary, people can easily rent or borrow a bike/scooter for short trips in Culver City. Whether using dockless vehicles (Bird) or waiting for the Metro bikes, micromobility is integrated into the city’s transportation system.
Awards and Recognition
While there is no single “bicycle-friendly city” award listed for Culver City, the city’s high scores and state support speak volumes:
• Walk/Bike Score: Walk Score rates Culver City’s core as extremely pedestrian- and bike-friendly. It earned a Walk Score of 96/100 (Walker’s Paradise) and a Bike Score of 80/100 (Very Bikeable) . These independent metrics reflect how easy it is to bike around the city.
• State Grants & Plans: Culver City’s proactive planning (Bike/Ped Plan 2020) and grant applications underscore its commitment. For example, local cycling nonprofits won a 2024 Clean Air Coalition grant to fund bike-related education programs. The city’s complete-streets projects have also qualified for state and county transportation grants (e.g. studies for Fox Hills/Century transit improvements).
• Community Recognition: In November 2024, the Culver City City Council even honored local bike advocates (e.g. Ride Culver, BikeCulverCity) for promoting cycling and sustainable transport. (The Council routinely acknowledges the role of bike advocates in city reports.) While not a formal “award,” such recognition reflects Culver City’s culture of supporting cyclists.
In short, Culver City’s extensive bike paths, safe street designs, active events and support programs combine to make it a true bicycling paradise in Southern California. Residents and visitors alike can enjoy commuting or cruising by bike in this bike-loving city.
Sources: Official City of Culver City transportation pages and local cycling organizations (see citations).