Editorial: Dreaming of a system that makes 'biking a part of everyday life'

This editorial represents the consensus opinion of The Daily Herald Editorial Board.

Chicago Transportation Commissioner Gia Biagi announced a broad plan last week to distribute 5,000 free bicycles, helmets, locks and lights, and develop more routes and trails to help Chicagoans not only get to work without a car but also "make biking a part of everyday life." The overall plan is vague now, but it could be an impressive effort by Chicago "to become the best big city for cycling in the country," as Biagi put it - and it has us dreaming of what could happen in the suburbs.

Chicago has made great strides in accommodating bicycling in the past couple of decades. It is possible to ride much of the city safely, with the help of bike lanes and in many places extra measures to separate them from auto traffic. You can ride from the Far Northwest Side to the Loop, for example. Once there, to be sure, it can get dicey. Chicagoans both in autos and on bikes have a lot to learn, still, on how to respect each other and get along. And looking at the city's bike network map online, there's a lot to fill in particularly on the South Side.

Get out to the suburbs and you'll find a similar level of accomplishment and shortcoming. There are some incredible trail systems. Look at the DuPage County network that includes the Illinois Prairie Path. Look at the Fox River Trail in Kane County. Look at Lake County's Millennium Trail system and Des Plaines River Trail. Then there are impressive systems of routes and trails within some suburbs, like Schaumburg, Arlington Heights, Elk Grove Village, Naperville and Carol Stream, plus countless other community trails that help residents ride around the neighborhood. And last year we saw Grayslake launch Lake County's first bike-sharing program.

There have been more efforts along the lines of what Chicago is proposing, except that in the suburbs they've been more grass-roots oriented: giveaways of bikes, locks, lights, helmets; installation of public repair stands with bike pumps and basic tools; community bike rides to promote the alternate transportation option.

As in Chicago, there's a lot yet to be done - and there are several proposals on the broadest and the most local levels. Pages and pages of reports by various organizations show how a cohesive transportation system could be built. As in Chicago, it'll take time and millions and millions of dollars. The city's bike giveaway will be funded by a "Climate Recovery Bond," an official said. Money in the suburbs is emerging with the help of infrastructure or climate-minded funding.

Chicago is showing some ambition in the next step of its bike transportation efforts. It will take support, leadership and cooperation to keep the efforts going in the suburbs, too. But imagine what we could have. Suburb-to-suburb commuting without cars. Residents supplied with helmets and lights to safely get where they need to go. Overall less reliance on gas (sounds nice about now, right?). Overall improvement in our health. Fresh air.

Let's go for it.