A popular street in Temple Terrace was shut down to cars, trucks, and almost anything with an engine Sunday.
Six-year-old Bryan Neylan, who lives nearby, explained why.
"Somehow, the workers decided they should close down 56th Street to let people have some fun," Neylan said.
Up and down the mile-long stretch of 56th Street between Whiteway Drive and Bullard Parkway, hundreds of people skated, biked and walked freely throughout the four-lane road.
Fifteen-year-old Aspen Stuart-Cunningham was out biking with friends and family. She couldn't believe the amount of freedom she had on two wheels.
"I was riding down the road and I was in the middle and I was like, 'I'm riding down 56th, in the middle of the road' and I don't know, that was kind of amazing," she said.
The City of Temple Terrace partnered with the University of South Florida Center of Urban Transportation and Research (USF CUTR), Tampa Bay Cycle and other organizations to create Cyclovia, an event that created a safe, car-free environment for residents to enjoy their road. Cyclovia is based on the Spanish term for 'cycle path' and the city borrowed the idea from an event popular in many South American countries.
"The idea was to get people out of their cars and to enjoy the outdoors," said Sarah Hendricks, who is with USF CUTR.
Though a larger road, Hendricks said closing 56th Street to host the event was an smart choice.
"56th street is central to the city of Temple Terrace," she said. "It was a place that was wide, accessible to a lot of people, particularly a lot of residential areas in the city, so to close this piece off made it easy for a lot of people to get to."
Janet Mercelletti often walks the neighborhood with her friends and enjoyed the change in path.
"I wish they did this like once a month," Mercelletti said.
Organizers hope to create more Cyclovia events in the future. The Temple Terrace Clyclovia was the second time Hillsborough hosted such an event. The last time was in downtown Tampa in October 2014.