Efforts to build out a protected bike lane network in Manhattan got a major boost on Wednesday, as the city unveiled plans to add roughly 10 miles of lanes to the borough this year.

The (mostly) new links were identified as part of the Green Wave Plan's commitment to building 30 new miles of protected bike lanes across the five boroughs in 2020. The commitments follow the Department of Transportation's announcement last month of 10 miles of protected bike lanes coming to Brooklyn.

Among the infrastructure additions expected to be completed in Manhattan this year are new protected lanes on 6th Avenue between Herald Square and Central Park; on 5th Avenue in both directions between 110th and 120th; on St. Nicholas Avenue between 165th and 170th; and on Avenue C between Houston and Delancey.

A pair of crosstown protected lanes will also be installed somewhere in Midtown (exact location tbd) and on the approaches to the Queensborough Bridge. And the gap in the 2nd Avenue bike lane between 34th and 43rd will also be filled in, finally.

As previously announced, the Central Park West bike lane between 59th and 110th will be completed this year as well.

Planned and existing bike lane projects in Manhattan DOT

DOT

Joe Cutrufo, a spokesperson with Transportation Alternatives, said the group was particularly glad to see a two-way lane coming to Avenue C.

"That addresses a lot of concerns we’ve had on the Lower East Side," said Cutrufo, pointing to the group's recent campaign to add lanes to Avenue B. "It's a critical connector especially given the Greenway will be out of service because of the East Side Resiliency project."

Jon Orcutt, the director of communications at the cycling advocacy group Bike New York, called the commitments "good and really welcome." But he also noted that, with 20 miles of protected bike lanes now slated for Manhattan and Brooklyn, that leaves just a third of this year's projects allotted for the remaining three boroughs.

"We're not looking for equal distance in every borough every year, but we've called for significant improvements in western Queens, and we'd definitely like to see more in the Bronx," he told Gothamist.

Transit advocates have repeatedly stressed the need to add safe cycling infrastructure in the South Bronx, where Citi Bike is set to expand later this year.

Wednesday's announcement did bring some positive news for outer borough riders, as DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg revealed that the long-delayed final phase of the Queens Boulevard bike lane will be completed by this summer.

That project was announced five years ago, but appeared to stall amid private negotiations between Mayor Bill de Blasio and Councilmember Karen Koslowitz over the fate of a new jail in the neighborhood.

The mayor is expected to formally announce the news during a town hall with Koslowitz on Wednesday evening.

"After all the political horse-trading that delayed this, we’re glad to see it’s finally getting done,” said Cutrufo.