Los Angeles was long the place bicycles—and bicyclists—went to die. Traffic, sprawl, and car-dependence made pedaling from place to place burdensome and even life-threatening. But with 200 miles of bikeways coming over the next five years (and many more planned), a bicycle-share program launching soon, and the festival CicLAvia enjoying massive support, perhaps the tide is turning. Angelenos from the mayor on down now seem to believe the bicycle is key to the future of transportation in the city. Will bicycles make the city greener and ease our clogged streets—or will they clog the streets even more and only improve life for a select few? How can drivers and cyclists learn to share L.A.’s streets and adjust to a new kind of transportation culture? LADOT bicycle coordinator Nate Baird, Art Center College of Design director of advanced mobility research Geoff Wardle, and Move LA executive director Denny Zane visit Zócalo to discuss whether two wheels are ever going to replace four in Southern California.

Photo courtesy of Robert Valencia.