Bike Commuting in Chicago

Bike riders in L.A. think they've got it rough - try freezing weather and icy roads!

About the Film

This short film, which originally aired on Chicago's wttw11 "Chicago Tonight" show, documents the growing population of bike commuters in Chicago.

A young man, young woman, a married couple with a child, and one older man are interviewed to give a viewers an idea of what it takes to be a bike commuter in the harsh winters of Chicago.

Los Angeles' Unexploited Urban Vote

Across the country, mayors in large urban areas find themselves caught in a shifting set of political priorities. Transportation planning and policy has come front and center in a number of policy circles. Environmental groups, health experts, mass transit advocates, and local business interests are slowly coming together to form a voting block opposed to the expansion of the role that automobile transportation plays in most American cities.

Here in L.A., unfortunately, our mayor has chosen to emphasize improvements in our automobile transportation network over any real change in the way the City plans and manages transportation.

Chicago's mayor, Richard Daly, has turned environmentalism into a viable political tool. He has pushed hard to work on issues that a growing number of urban Americans are concerned about: global wamring, oil dependence, transportation equity, and local quality of life.

Our geography and climate make cycling an ideal form of transport in this region. It was never climate that stopped L.A. from embracing bicycles, it was politics. Taking roads and access away from automobiles is a big political no-no in L.A. - though a growing body of voters agree it is time for a change in the way transportation is handled.

• Watch more Chicago Tonight reports online. [wttw.com]


• Richard Daley's green politics. [pbs.org]