United States Bicycle Route System

The United States Bicycle Route System (abbreviated USBRS) is the national cycling route network of the United States. It consists of interstate long-distance cycling routes that use multiple types of bicycling infrastructure, including off-road paths, bicycle lanes, and low-traffic roads. As with the complementary United States Numbered Highways system for motorists, each U.S. Bicycle Route is maintained by state and local governments. The USBRS is intended to eventually traverse the entire country, like the Dutch National Cycle Routes and the United Kingdom's National Cycle Network, yet at a scale similar to the EuroVelo network that spans Europe.

The USBRS was established in 1978 by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), the same body that coordinates the numbering of Interstate highways and U.S. Routes. The first two U.S. Bicycle Routes were established in 1982 and remained the only two until 2011. Steady growth and interest in the system has followed since. As of November 2022, 29 parent routes and 24 child routes extend across 34 states and the District of Columbia. The system, once fully connected, is projected to encompass over of bike routes.

Layout

Like United States Numbered Highways and many national routing systems, the U.S. Bicycle Route system is designed to roughly follow a grid. Mainline routes are the major cross-country routes and are represented with one- or two-digit numbers. Even-numbered routes are planned to primarily run east–west, with low-numbered routes in the north and high-numbered routes in the south. Odd-numbered routes will primarily run north–south, with low-numbered routes starting in the east and ascending in number toward the west. Three-digit numbers are assigned to auxiliary routes, with the last two digits denoting the parent that the auxiliary connects to. Much like other routing systems, the grid is sometimes violated; for example, U.S. Bicycle Route 76 (USBR 76) is projected to turn to the north in Colorado and end in Oregon as opposed to California, south of (and temporarily concurrent with) USBR 20 but far north of USBR 50. As with auxiliary Interstate Highways, two distinct U.S. Bicycle Routes in two different states along the same mainline route may share the same three-digit number without any plan to connect the routes. The first example of this repetition occurred in 2021 with the approval of USBR 230 in Ohio, which is not intended to connect to an existing USBR 230 in Wisconsin.

The existing USBR 1 will be the easternmost route, though USBR 5 will run farther east of it in Virginia and the Carolinas. The westernmost and northernmost routes are USBR 97 and USBR 8, respectively, both of which are in the state of Alaska, but USBR 97 also enters Washington. Outside of Alaska, the westernmost route is expected to be USBR 95 and the northernmost USBR 8. USBR 90 is expected to be the southernmost route. Despite the analogy the system has to the U.S. Highway system, the USBRS's route numbers do not necessarily trace the same route as the corresponding U.S. Highway number; for example, while USBR 1 will run close to the East Coast and thus parallel U.S. Route 1 (US 1), the projected route of USBR 10 generally follows US 2.

In order for a route to qualify as a U.S. Bike Route, it needs to connect two or more states, connect multiple U.S. Bike Routes, or connect a U.S. Bike Route with a national border.

History

The USBRS was established in 1978 by AASHTO for the purpose of "facilitat[ing] travel between the states over routes which have been identified as being more suitable than others for cycling."

The first routes were defined in 1982: U.S. Bicycle Route 1 (USBR 1) from North Carolina to Virginia, and the stretch of USBR 76 from Illinois through Kentucky to Virginia. These two routes remained the only routes in the system until 2011. In the interim, only minor routing changes had been made in Virginia.

AASHTO established a new task force in 2003 to study expansion of the system. The task force included state and federal highway officials and representatives from bicycling organizations. In October 2008, AASHTO approved a national-level corridor and route designation plan. Other organizations involved in the effort include state departments of transportation, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), and the Adventure Cycling Association.

In 2009, the U.S. House of Representatives proposed moving the U.S. Bicycle Route System under the authority of the FHWA as part of a new Office of Livability. In 2009, the FHWA published a new edition of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices that introduces a revised U.S. Bicycle Route shield. Compared to the 2003 edition, the new design swaps the bicycle symbol and route number.

In early May 2011, the first major expansion of the system was made. Five new parent routes, two child routes, and one alternate route were created, along with modifications to the existing routes in Virginia and the establishment of USBR 1 in New England.

• U.S. Bicycle Route 1 now has an additional run from the state of Maine to New Hampshire.
• U.S. Bicycle Route 1A is a sea-side alternate route for USBR 1 in Maine.
• U.S. Bicycle Route 8 runs from Fairbanks, Alaska, along the Alaska Highway, to the Canadian border.
• U.S. Bicycle Route 108 runs from its parent route in Tok, Alaska, to Anchorage.
• U.S. Bicycle Route 208 follows the Haines Highway from the Alaska Marine Highway terminal in Haines to the Canadian border.
• U.S. Bicycle Route 20 runs from the St. Clair River through the state of Michigan to Lake Michigan.
• U.S. Bicycle Route 87 follows the Klondike Highway from the Alaska Marine Highway terminal in Skagway to the Canadian border.
• U.S. Bicycle Route 95 follows the Richardson Highway from Delta Junction, Alaska to the Alaska Marine Highway terminal in Valdez.
• U.S. Bicycle Route 97 is entirely within Alaska, and it runs from Fairbanks, through Anchorage, to Seward.

In 2012, the FHWA approved the use of an alternative U.S. Bicycle Route marker design on an interim basis. The alternative design departs from the longstanding "acorn" shape in favor of a Reuleaux triangle placed over a green background. The FHWA gave 17 states interim approval to use the alternative design before formally incorporating it into the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices in 2023.

Across 2013, several other additions to the system were made. After approval in 2012, signage for USBR 45 in Minnesota was completed in the summer. An expansion of USBR 76 into Missouri was signed in October, and both Tennessee and Maryland entered the system on November 5 with USBR 23 and USBR 50, respectively. Florida has also begun planning on four bicycle routes, including its stretch of USBR 1 and USBR 90.

List of routes

As of November 2022, there are 31 official parent routes in varying stages of completion. In areas where a specific route has not been approved by AASHTO, there is only a prioritized corridor. The 24 existing subsidiary and alternate routes are grouped with their one- or two-digit parents. Approved or signposted routes are located in the District of Columbia and 33 states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and West Virginia. Ohio has the most of any state, with eight active routes total.

Route number	States with approved routes	States within corridor	Official length		Formed	Notes
			(mi)	(km)
	Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Maryland, District of Columbia, Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, Florida	Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Washington, D.C., Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida		1982	One of the original routes.
	Maine	Maine		2011	Seaside alternative to USBR 1 in Maine.
	Delaware, Maryland	Delaware, Maryland		2020
	Maine	Maine		2019
	Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut	Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut		2015
	Alaska	Alaska, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan		2011	The northernmost route in the system, USBR 8 was approved from Fairbanks to the Canadian border, following Alaska Route 2 along the Richardson and Alaska highways. A second section will run from USBR 10 in Minnesota to USBR 10 in Michigan.
	Alaska	Alaska		2011	A spur of USBR 8 that follows Alaska Route 1 from Tok to Anchorage, at a junction with USBR 97.
	Alaska	Alaska		2011	A spur of Route 8 that follows the Haines Highway.
	Washington, Idaho, Michigan	Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Washington		2014	Northernmost planned route in the contiguous United States, roughly following the U.S. Route 2 highway.
	Idaho	Idaho		2017
	Idaho	Idaho		2017
	Washington	Washington		2018
	Idaho	Idaho		2017
	Washington, Idaho	Washington		2018	Extended into Idaho in 2023.
	Maryland, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York	North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York		2014	This route generally parallels U.S. Route 11. The first section was established in Maryland on November 24, 2014.
	Georgia, Florida	New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, Florida		2018	First segment from Fitzgerald, Georgia, to Florida state line approved in 2018. The second segment from the Georgia state line to USBR 90 in Madison, Florida was approved in 2018.
	Michigan, Minnesota, Washington,	Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Washington, Oregon		2011	Routing in Washington has been approved from Lewis and Clark Trail State Park to Idaho state line at Clarkston, Washington; Michigan section approved from the international Bluewater Ferry to Canada in Marine City, Michigan, and is planned to incorporate the Lake Michigan Carferry crossing between Ludington, Michigan and Manitowoc, Wisconsin.
	Kentucky, Georgia, Ohio, Tennessee	Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia		2015
	Tennessee				2023	Chattanooga to Nashville.
	Georgia	Georgia		2018	Originally established in 2015 as USBR 321; renumbered in 2018.
	Georgia	Georgia		2018	Originally established in 2015 as USBR 521; renumbered in 2018.
	Georgia	Georgia			2016
	Kentucky, Tennessee	Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama		2013	The planned route takes it through northern Alabama. Route in Tennessee was approved in 2013. Kentucky route was approved in 2018.
	Ohio	Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama		2021	Planned to run from north of Detroit, Michigan south to Mobile, Alabama.
	Ohio	Ohio		2021
	Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, North Dakota, Ohio	New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, South Dakota, North Dakota, Montana		2018	First segment established in 2018. Planned to incorporate the Lake Express ferry crossing on Lake Michigan between Muskegon, Michigan and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Follows the North Coast Inland Trail in Ohio.
	Ohio	Ohio		2021	Coastal alternative to USBR 30 following the coast of Lake Erie. First auxiliary route in the system to share its number with another route in another state.
	Wisconsin	Wisconsin		2020	Provides a non ferry alternative to USBR 30 in a part of Wisconsin when the Merrimac Ferry is not in service.
	Michigan, Indiana	Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi		2012	Planned to run from Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan to USBR 45 on the Mississippi River in Mississippi or Louisiana. Michigan portion dedicated on May 19, 2012. Indiana portion approved in September 2015. Northbound route through downtown Charlevoix, Michigan, added in 2018.
	Indiana	Indiana		2015
	Indiana	Indiana		2021
	Indiana, Illinois, Pennsylvania	Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, South Dakota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York		2014	Segment from Chicago to the Michigan state line established in 2014. Segment through Pennsylvania added in 2018. Planned to stretch from eastern Oregon to New York City.
	Illinois	Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois		2014	Currently runs from the Wisconsin–Illinois state line south to Chicago. Planned to begin at USBR 10 near the border with Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Originally planned as part of USBR 66.
	Washington	Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Washington, D.C.		2021	Established in Washington in 2021, comprising a short section from Tekoa, Washington, to the Idaho state border along Washington State Route 274. Planned to follow the Great American Rail-Trail from La Push, Washington, to Washington, D.C.
	Minnesota	Minnesota		2016	Established in Minnesota in 2016. Runs from the Canada–US border in Minnesota south to the Mississippi River and USBR 45.
	Ohio	Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa		2021	Planned to run from USBR 36 south of Toledo, Ohio to Davenport, Iowa.
	Minnesota	Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Missouri, Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana		2012	Planned to incorporate the Mississippi River Trail and run from northern Minnesota south to New Orleans, Louisiana, it is unclear whether this route will primarily run along either the west bank or east bank of the Mississippi River. Route was approved May 21, 2012.
	District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Nevada, California	Washington, D.C., Maryland, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, California		2013	Planned to be one of the longest routes, stretching from Cape Henlopen State Park in Delaware through Washington, D.C. in the east to near San Francisco, California.
	Ohio	Ohio		2015
	Arkansas	Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana		2024	Planned to run from USBR 10 in Minnesota to USBR 45 west of New Orleans.
	Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, California	Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, California		2018	Planned to roughly follow the decommissioned U.S. Route 66 highway from Chicago, Illinois to Los Angeles, California. Originally planned to continue north to Wisconsin on what is now planned as USBR 37.
	Utah	Colorado, Utah, Arizona, Nevada, California		2015	Planned to run from USBR 76 in Colorado to USBR 66 in California.
	Virginia, Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas	Virginia, Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Oregon		1982	One of the two original routes, this is planned to be expanded to the longest route, running from the existing eastern terminus near the Atlantic Ocean in Virginia west to the Pacific Ocean west of Eugene, Oregon. The number refers to 1776 and the U.S. bicentennial year 1976 when this was the "Bikecentennial" route. Like USBR 1, unofficial signs exist in places along the route, which is officially only from Virginia to Missouri. Route approved and signed in Missouri in October 2013. The Kansas segment was realigned in 2018, shortening the route by .
	Virginia	Virginia		2016
	Utah	Montana, Idaho, Utah		2021	Planned to run from USBR 76 and USBR 30 in Montana to USBR 70 in Utah.
	Utah	Utah		2021
	Utah	Utah		2021
	Utah	Idaho, Nevada, Utah, Arizona		2015	Planned to run from USBR 36 in Idaho to USBR 90 near Phoenix, Arizona.
	Utah	Utah		2021
	Arkansas	North Carolina, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma		2022	Planned to run from North Carolina coast to Oklahoma City.
	Washington	Washington		2021	Planned to run from the Canada border to USBR 20 in Washington. Washington section approved from Asotin to the Spokane–Whitman county line near Latah.
	Washington	Washington, Idaho		2021	Washington section approved from Idaho state line near Uniontown to Pullman, with short section in Clarkston.
	Alaska, Washington	Alaska, Washington, Oregon, California		2011	The middle route of three serving the three West Coast states and Alaska. It is planned to use the Alaska Marine Highway to connect USBR 95 north of Los Angeles, California to Skagway, Alaska. Currently, the only approved route follows the Klondike Highway.
	Florida, Arizona	Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, California		2014	The southernmost route, running from near Jacksonville, Florida west to San Diego, California. The first section was established in Florida on November 24, 2014. The section through Arizona was approved on September 24, 2015.
	Florida	Florida		2014
	Alaska, Washington, California	Alaska, Washington, Oregon, California		2011	USBR 95 currently runs from Delta Junction, Alaska to Valdez, via the Richardson Highway. It is planned to follow the Alaska Marine Highway from Valdez to Bellingham, Washington, and then it will go south to San Diego, California. It is expected to incorporate the Pacific Coast Bicycle Route.
	Alaska, Washington	Alaska, Washington		2011	The westernmost route in the system, USBR 97 lies in Alaska and Washington. It connects Fairbanks, Anchorage and Seward via the Seward and Parks highways to Discovery Bay, Washington. It is planned to extend south along the US 101 corridor to USBR 95 near the Oregon border.

List of prioritized corridors

Below is an incomplete list of prioritized corridors, "50-mile-wide areas where a route may be developed":

Route number	Locale	Notes
	Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia	Planned to run from USBR 76 in Virginia south to USBR 1 Savannah, Georgia. It will run east of USBR 1.
	New York	Planned to run from the Canada–US border in New York to New York City. Initially planned to be designated USBR 3.
	Montana, Idaho, Washington	Missoula, Montana to Seattle, Washington vicinity.
	Washington, D.C., Maryland, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Washington	Planned to run from Washington, D.C. to Seattle, Washington.
	Utah, Nevada	Planned to run from Salt Lake City, Utah to USBR 50 near Reno, Nevada.
	North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas	Planned to run from the Canada–US border in North Dakota south to the Mexican border in Texas.
	North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas	Planned to run from USBR 10 in North Dakota south to USBR 84 near Lubbock, Texas.
	Colorado, New Mexico, Texas	Planned to run from USBR 76 in Colorado to USBR 90 in El Paso, Texas.
	South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Texas, New Mexico	Planned to run from the South Carolina coast to near El Paso, Texas.
	Washington, Oregon, California	The easternmost of three routes serving the three West Coast states. Planned to run from USBR 10 to USBR 70 east of Los Angeles.

See also

• TransAmerica Bicycle Trail
• TransCanada Trail
• Adventure Cycling Route Network
• EuroVelo
• Numbered-node cycle network, a contrasting international system that encourages users to take arbitrary routes

U.S. state bicycle route systems:

• List of BicyclePA bicycle routes
• Delaware Bicycle Route 1
• List of bicycle routes in North Carolina
• List of Georgia State Bicycle Routes
• List of New York State Bicycle Routes

External links

• U.S. Bicycle Route System - Adventure Cycling Association
  • The United States Bicycle Route System: Maps and Route Resources