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Less than a year after Mayor Eric Adams released his "Charge Safe, Ride Safe: New York City's Electric Micromobility Action Plan," officials have unveiled a new 10-foot-wide northbound bike lane on Tenth Avenue between West 38th Street and West 52nd Street in Manhattan.
New concrete pedestrian islands, redesigned intersections and bicycle corrals were also unveiled in the area during an event earlier this week.
This is just the first phase of Adams' plan, which seeks to, according to an official press release, adapt "street designs to accommodate the growth of e-bikes and other micromobility devices on city streets."
Lest you think the project to only benefit city cyclists, think again.
According to the release, protected bike lanes actually "improve safety for all road users by shortening crossing distances for pedestrians at intersections, calming vehicle traffic, and improving visibility for those walking, driving, and riding a bike or e-mobility device."
The document also reports that the design changes have reduced deaths and serious injuries for folks on the road by 18.1 percent.
"As biking grows in popularity, our infrastructure must grow alongside it," said Deputy Mayor for Operations Meera Joshi in an official statement. "A 10-foot lane on 10th Avenue will enable e-bikes and traditional bikes to coexist, creating room for faster vehicles to pass and promoting safe behavior on the road, while supporting our growing cargo bike delivery industry."
Phase two of the project involves similar updates, albeit stretching from West 14th Street to West 38th Street on Tenth Avenue. The Department of Transportation hopes to implement the following stage of the massive endeavor some time in 2024.