The designation of 18 new bicycle routes, nearly 3,000 miles, in five states is the largest addition to the U.S Bicycle Route System to date, according to the Adventure Cycling Association and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO).
The 2,903 miles of routes in California, Indiana, Ohio, Utah, and Washington State represent the largest addition to the bicycle system in both the number of designations and total mileage. Two other routes, in California and Florida, were “realigned,” the two groups said, to improve the bicycling experience.
“Twice each year, state departments of transportation play a significant role in the expansion of the U.S. Bicycle Route System by designating new routes,” said Jim Tymon, Executive Director of AASHTO. “This summer, we are not only witnessing the highest number of designations in any single period to date, but we are also seeing why making improvements to existing routes when possible is important. In Northern California, for example, officials realigned U.S. Bicycle Route 50 to take advantage of a new paved path that is making cycling in the region safer and better than ever before.”
The new designations extend the bicycle route system to 17,734 miles across 31 states and Washington, D.C. At least 40 states are currently developing U.S. Bicycle Routes, the groups said.
“With this addition of nearly 3,000 miles, the U.S. Bicycle Route System continues to pick up momentum — and the growth of the system benefits every person who has, is, or will be traveling by bike,” added Scott Pankratz, executive director of Adventure Cycling. “Adventure Cycling applauds our state department of transportation partners, who understand the role bike travel plays in our national infrastructure, supporting health and wellness, transforming communities, and increasing economic activity across the country.”
In February, AASHTO and Adventure Cycling signed a memorandum of understanding to formalize their 16-year partnership to establish more than 50,000 miles of bike routes across the country.