Temporary Protected Bike Lane Coming To Northern Boulevard

ASTORIA, QUEENS — A protected bike lane is coming to Northern Boulevard, but it may only be temporary.

The NYC Department of Transportation will install a 3.6-mile bike lane along Northern Boulevard from Queensboro Plaza to Broadway, where it will turn and continue to 34th Avenue, according to the mayor's office.

The bike lane will be phased in throughout the summer using markings, barrels, signage and other barriers, though it will need approval from local community boards and officials to become permanent.

"We applaud the Department of Transportation for adding more temporary protected bike lanes, and we're eager to work together to turn these temporary lanes into permanent infrastructure for New Yorkers who bike," Danny Harris, executive director of the nonprofit advocacy group Transportation Alternatives, said in a statement.

The Northern Boulevard bike lane is part of Mayor Bill de Blasio's plan to open 100 miles of city streets up to pedestrians and cyclists by adding new infrastructure and closing some blocks to traffic during set hours.