On a recent morning in Reseda, Los Angeles, cyclist Marc Papas embarked on another leg of an ambitious personal mission: to ride every public street in the city. Undeterred by temperatures nearing 95 degrees, Papas, a mechanical engineer by training, continued his two-year project aiming to cover approximately 7,516 miles, including streets within neighboring cities such as Beverly Hills and Burbank.

Papas began this extensive endeavor in late 2023, following an initial test ride of San Marino’s relatively manageable 60-mile street network. That ride sparked a decision to extend his goal citywide, utilizing a route-planning approach based on the Eulerian Path, a mathematical concept that enables efficient coverage of street networks without unnecessary repetition. His method typically involves mapping rectangular sections of the city and working from the perimeter inward, allowing him to systematically cover new ground in each outing.

Since relocating to Los Angeles in late 2020 after completing his PhD at Georgia Tech, Papas has grown increasingly immersed in cycling culture. Initially cautious about the city’s reputation for car dominance and hazardous roads, he soon found cycling across the more bike-friendly Westside refreshing and practical. He routinely commutes between Pasadena and Monrovia and often racks up miles beyond what casual riders might expect.

Over time, Papas documented his progress via tracking apps, sparking curiosity and occasional surprise among friends who initially questioned his unusual routes. By November 2024, after deliberate trips to neighborhoods like North Hollywood specifically to increase coverage, he fully committed to the project, acknowledging the scale of the task ahead.

Throughout his journeys, Papas has developed a deep appreciation for Los Angeles’s diverse neighborhoods and their cultural features. He highlights the abundance of murals throughout South and East L.A., including a notable memorial to Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens in Pacoima, which commemorates the musicians’ tragic deaths. These artistic expressions, he says, underscore local histories and identities often overlooked in broader city narratives.

While not advocating that everyone attempt such an exhaustive project, Papas hopes his experience will encourage residents to explore their own communities more thoroughly by bike. He frames cycling as a form of civic engagement that fosters greater awareness and connection to urban spaces otherwise missed at car speeds. For newcomers, he advises sticking to established bike paths and group rides, while encouraging more seasoned cyclists to explore less familiar areas.

As of September 2026, Papas has completed over 78% of the city’s streets, averaging about 75 new miles each week. He projects finishing the full network by mid-December. His anticipated final ride on Eldred Street in Mount Washington—a notoriously steep hill—will mark the culmination of his extensive endeavor, symbolizing a challenging but fitting conclusion.

Despite the project’s magnitude, Papas sees it as part of a broader vision to showcase the viability and enjoyment of cycling in Los Angeles, a city long associated with car travel. His efforts underscore that while infrastructure may be imperfect, urban cycling remains a feasible and rewarding way to navigate and engage with the city.