January 29, 2014

Did You Know?

The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials is a strong advocate of the U.S. Bicycle Route System. In 2003, AASHTO formed a task force on U.S. Bicycle Routes to strengthen the system. That task force included state transportation department staff, the Federal Highway Administration, and biking groups such as Adventure Cycling.

Upon its inception, the task force created an Inventory Report and Inventory Map, which catalogued all bike routes across the country at that point. Using the Inventory Map, the group then created the National Corridor Plan, which outlined numbered 'corridors' for cross-country cycling routes linking different destinations and cities. According to Adventure Cycling, "The National Corridor Plan suggests the best placement for U.S. Bicycle Routes based on the task force's extensive research; it is intended as a guide for states wishing to implement U.S. Bikes Routes."

In 2008, AASHTO's Board of Directors passed a resolution in support of the National Corridor Plan and the Task Force went to work on creating a new application, which was completed in 2009, after which states could start realizing their corridors into actual routes.

Today, after many approvals of routes, the U.S. Bicycle Route System now includes almost 6,200 miles of approved routes in 12 states. Additionally, more than 40 states are working to implement new U.S. Bicycle routes. AASHTO helps to build support of federal and state agencies for non-motorized transportation approves all U.S. Bicycle Routes.

Adventure Cycling provides technical assistance to states working on route implementation. The organization has provided staff to support the USBRS project since 2005.

Additional information on USBRS is available here.