Find Adventure in Your Backyard — Celebrating the USBRS

May 1, 2014

The C&O Canal Historical Park will be designated as USBR 50 in DC this spring.

May is National Bike Month, and what better way to celebrate than by supporting the U.S. Bicycle Route System? We’ve had an exciting spring so far, and three states that we’ve been working with — Washington (USBR 10), Illinois (USBR 36 & 37), and Ohio (USBR 50), as well as the District of Columbia (USBR 50), have submitted applications for spring designation. AASHTO’s Committee on Route Numbering meets at the end of the month, so stay tuned. We also recently had a pleasant surprise when we found out that Massachusetts applied for designation of a segment of USBR 1, which will eventually connect New Hampshire to Rhode Island. Minnesota similarly designated USBR 45 in segments as they were completed. Four states plus DC! Whew! The year is starting off with a bang for USBRS development, and we can’t wait to see what the fall will hold for new route designations.

Arizona, California, Indiana, Wisconsin, Idaho, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia all have their irons in the fire for upcoming designations, and Missouri is planning grand opening celebrations in two locations along USBR 76 this year. Washington State may also put together a grand opening celebration once USBR 10 is officially numbered. We’re hoping to connect more segments of USBR 50, to see the first state designate USBR 66, and to continue to work with the states around Lake Michigan and other Great Lakes to make a continuous coastal route.

Many great things are on the horizon for new bicycle routes and tourism destinations, and we’re grateful to have so many wonderful partners to work with in state transportation, recreation and tourism agencies, bicycle/trail advocacy groups, and volunteers. Every day brings new challenges and new successes, and it’s inspiring to be a part of the collaborative effort to build this nationwide network of bicycle routes.

Will you join us to find the adventure in your backyard?

Top photo courtesy of Laurel Hamilton | Bottom photo by Nishant Gogna

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BUILDING THE U.S. BICYCLE ROUTE SYSTEM is posted by Ginny Sullivan and Saara Snow of the Travel Initiatives Department and focuses on news related to the emerging  U.S. Bicycle Route System (USBRS). The USBRS project is a collaborative effort, spearheaded by a task force under the auspices of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). Members of the task force include officials and staff from state DOTs, the Federal Highway Administration, and nonprofits like the East Coast Greenway Alliance and Mississippi River Trail, Inc.

The 2014 Build It. Bike It. Be a Part of It. campaign is sponsored by Planet Bike, Primal Wear, Ortlieb USA, Bike Tours Direct, Sun Bicycles, and Team Estrogen. Bicycle club sponsors include Cascade Bicycle Club and Almaden Cycle Touring Club. In-kind sponsors include Beer & Bike Tours, Bike2Power, BikeFlights, Bike Touring News, Cygolite, Detours, Growler Cage, Nutcase, Ortlieb USA, Park Tool, Primal Wear, Thunder Island Brewing, and Velo Orange.

The U.S. Bicycle Route System is supported in part by grants from the the Lazar Foundation, New Belgium Brewing, Climate Ride, and the Tawani Foundation.