The U.S. Bicycle Route System Expands to 27 States and 14,000 Miles | Adventure Cycling Association

Headlines are quick hits from media outlets from Missouri and around the world. Follow the headline link for the full story. The source of this headline says:

With the designation of USBR 50, West Virginia becomes the 27th state to join the U.S. Bicycle Route System (USBRS). In Maine, USBR 501 connects cyclists to the far northern border with Canada. Together, the two new U.S. Bicycle Routes push the total mileage of the USBRS to over 14,000 miles. 

“AASHTO’s annual designations to the U.S. Bicycle Route System support local economies and tourism by giving cyclists greater access to communities in urban, suburban, and rural areas of the country,” said Jim Tymon, Executive Director of AASHTO. “This year, West Virginia joined a growing list of states that have designated a bike route, and I see no reason why this trend won’t continue as the popularity of cycling continues to grow."

The USBRS is a developing national network of officially recognized, numbered, and signed bicycle routes. All U.S. Bicycle Routes are designated by AASHTO. With the new designations, the USBRS now boasts 14,070 miles of routes in 27 states and Washington, DC. At least 40 states are currently developing U.S. Bicycle Routes. 

MoBikefed comment: It's worth reminding everyone that Missouri is in the middle of the U.S. Bicycle Route system in more ways than one.

USBR 76, the TransAmerica Trail, is designated through Missouri and has wayfinding signs.

USBR 66, Bicycle Route 66, is officially designated and we are seeking funding to install wayfinding signs on the route.

And . . . we are working to create USBR 51, which will connect the Fayetteville, Arkansas area to Joplin, Springfield, Warsaw, Warrensburg, and other points north--all the way to Minnesota, eventually.

The recent Butterfield Stage Experience project grew out of that USBR 51 planning workgroup--it will parallel some of the USBR 51 route through southwestern Missouri, though it is a dedicated gravel/trails route with a slightly different purpose.

In fact, USBR 51 and the Butterfield Stage Experience will nicely complement each other in southwestern Missouri ,as it will be easy to do loop routes that, for example, take the Butterfield out & USBR 51 back.

https://mobikefed.org/Butterfield
https://mobikefed.org/missouri-bicycle-maps-and-routes#route66
https://mobikefed.org/missouri-bicycle-maps-and-routes#transam
https://mobikefed.org/2019/04/announcing-usbr-51-butterfield-stage-road-...

Link: 

The U.S. Bicycle Route System Expands to 27 States and 14,000 Miles | Adventure Cycling Association