I live in his general neighborhood and used to work down the street from him. The roads in the area have been on and off messes the past few years (littered with potholes and generally torn up), but they're improving, and his general commute is full of bike-laned roads if you know the lay of the land.

I'd recommend biking if he can get over the accident he witnessed. It's almost always quicker than driving in the city and can be surprisingly less stressful.