Bicyclists willing to brave the winter weather to get around New York City can do so with ease, thanks to new snow plows added to the city's sanitation department fleet. The 30 Holder C70 and S100 snow plows and brining equipment are narrow enough to remove snow from the city’s protected bike lanes.

Last week, sanitation crews used the machines to pre-treat 130 miles of bike lanes with a brine solution that helps prevent snow and ice from adhering to pavement. During and after the snowfall, crews used the same machines to plow snow out of the lanes so city’s cyclists could use them safely.

Nine of the machines are based in Manhattan, nine are in Brooklyn, seven are in Queens, and two are in the Bronx, with three available as spares. The machines performed well in last Friday’s snowfall, clearing roughly 90% of the city’s protected bike lanes by the evening. A sanitation department spokesperson said this was not a heavy snowfall, by New York City standards. The department will continue to test the machines for the remainder of the winter season.