Wednesday, June 22, 2011

New CDOT Commissioner is Thinking Big...Oh and Lives in the Sloop

Last week Gabe Klein, the new Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) Commissioner that Rahm brought in from Washington DC, got a lot of positive pub. He has an interesting background (VP of Zipcar) and appears to be a huge advocate for alternative forms of transportation (especially biking). Hopefully this fresh thinking provides some innovative solutions to our transportation woes.

However, the thing that we got a kick out of was that he lives in the Sloop and rides his bike to work:
What’s your favorite part of cycling to work?
It’s such a great way to see the city. It's a positive, and up-beat way to get to work, you're able to get some air. The best thing about it though is how fast it is here in Chicago… I live in the South Loop, and its 35 minutes to walk, 30 minutes walking and taking the bus… and just 8 minutes by bike.


The full transcript of his interview is on WGNtv.com and is a good read. Hopefully his experience biking in the Sloop opens his eyes to some new improvements in the neighborhood and the city.

(Image from WGNtv.com)

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dear Gabe,

If you can convert the train tracks in the south loop to a bike lane you will be our hero

Sincerely,
your neighboors

Anonymous said...

Gabe, if you could tell one of your buddies to tear down the public housing at Michigan and 21st and Michigan and Cullerton you would be our hero.

Sicerely,
your neighbors

Anonymous said...

I think those train tracks are still in use...

Anonymous said...

Bicycles + South Loop = easy livin'

Commuting to the suburbs is so 20th Century! My biking commute - 10 minutes... my suburb colleagues - 30 min - 2 hours... LOL

Kirsten said...

Can we bring those adorable "bike here" bike racks you're standing in front of to the city? They're SO cute. Love.

Anonymous said...

Ooh, I second the train tracks...yes they are still in use, but there was so much talk before of C & A moving all their freight lines to the suburbs...I don't know what happened to that plan...Metra does still use, but wouldn't it be wonderful if someday it could happen??!!

Anonymous said...

for train info look here:

http://www.createprogram.org/

Anonymous said...

Dear Sir: I will bike everywhere, for the rest of my life, if you shut down the projects at 21st and Michigan and Cullerton and Michigan.

Anonymous said...

its obvious you were also the second poster and have no ability to stay on topic ..stay in school kid

Anonymous said...

What does a Transportation commissioner have to do with the housing projects?