US Bicycle Routes expanding

Building national system

Matt Dietrichson, Oct 02, 12.

Three new routes have been officially added to the according to US Bicycle Route System, according to AASHTO:

The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials Special Committee on U.S. Route Numbering and its Standing Committee on Highways have approved the addition of U.S. Bicycle Route (USBR) 35 in Michigan, USBR 45 in Minnesota, and realignments for USBR 1 in North Carolina to the U.S. Bicycle Route System.

This is the second consecutive year that these committees have approved new national bicycle routes, which are developed in partnership with the Adventure Cycling Association and the national bicycling community. In 2011, six U.S. bicycle routes were approved at the AASHTO Spring Meeting in Las Vegas.

“We are pleased that the collaboration with Adventure Cycling has resulted in the approval of these bicycle routes and we look forward to continuing the implementation of the national corridor plan that was endorsed by AASHTO’s membership in partnership with the bicycling community,” said John Horsley, AASHTO’s executive director. “It’s also very exciting to be holding our spring meeting near one of the newly designated routes.”

Development of Michigan’s USBR 35 and Minnesota’s USBR 45 began in October 2005, soon after AASHTO’s Board of Directors approved the national corridor plan for the U.S. Bicycle Route System – the template for planning interstate bicycle routes across the country.

Michigan’s U.S. Bicycle Route 35

“We’re very pleased with the way U.S. Bicycle Routes are being developed in the state of Michigan,” said Kirk Steudle, director of Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) and president of AASHTO. “U.S. Bicycle Route 35 is a collaborative effort of city administrators, the cycling community, and our own bicycle and pedestrian program staff. Cycling’s increasing popularity provides an important boost to tourism along the Lake Michigan shoreline and the rest of the state.”

The Adventure Cycling Association has provided dedicated staff support to the U.S. Bicycle Route System since 2005, including mapping and research support, as well as technical guidance to states implementing routes. When complete, the U.S. Bicycle Route System will be the largest official bike route network on the planet, encompassing more than 50,000 miles of routes. Learn more at www.adventurecycling.org/usbrs.