Dedicated bicycle lanes are to be introduced on five major streets in Washington DC, US, to accommodate the increase in cycling.

The lanes are planned for Pennsylvania Avenue, I Street, L Street, 15th Street and 9th Street in the Northwest.

The move is part of the District Department of Transportation’s (DDoT) plan to increase the number of bike lanes to 80 miles from the current 45 miles on the city’s 1,200 miles of streets, according to washingtonpost.com.

According to DDoT officials, the lanes will be completed within a month to be ready for the summer biking season.

The lanes will also be clearly marked and painted a distinctive colour to improve safety.

According to the Census Bureau survey, the number of bike commuters in DC area has doubled between 2000-2008, with the combined number for the country’s 70 largest cities increasing by 48% during the same period.