ONLY TWO STATES NOT INTERESTED

Adventure Cycling Coordinating New National Bicycle Route System

By Bill Schneider, 2-23-10

	Graphic courtesy of the Adventure Cycling Association.

There’s no such thing as “too big to fail” at the Adventure Cycling Association (ACA).

Formed back on America’s Bicentennial in 1976, the Missoula-based nonprofit has long ago become the nation’s leader in providing advice, maps and detailed route information for long-distance cyclists, including the development of an extensive system of signature bicycle routes for both self-contained riders and those who like a hot shower and soft bed every night.

Now, energized by its past success and undaunted by dwindling government budgets or the sheer massiveness of its new project, ACA has started, in partnership with state transportation agencies, planning and coordinating the U.S. Bicycle Route System (USBRS).

When completed, the new system will link urban, suburban and rural communities in every state with convenient and easy routes, two or three per state.

“The ACA has provided staff support for the USBRS and essentially become the national coordinator for the project,” ACA special projects director Ginny Sullivan told NewWest.Net in a phone interview, but she emphasized the state transportation department decision to become involved is the real key to the system’s success.

“The USBRS will try to link urban suburban and rural communities,” she explained. “Our existing ACA routes are very rural and don’t take in urban areas and do not make cities cycling destinations. The new system links destinations, including metropolitan areas, using convenient and easy routes.”

Safety will also always be an important issue, Sullivan said, with preference given to low traffic routes with shoulders or off-road facilities like bikeways when feasible.

“The main difficulty is getting through suburban areas and still have safe, efficient cycling routes,” she said.

“It’s exciting because the states that are on board, about a dozen so far, are actively engaged, more than what I expected,” she added. Among those that have expressed the most interest so far are Arizona, California, Georgia, Florida, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Nevada, and Tennessee.

Only two states, Montana and South Carolina, responded to a recent ACA survey saying they weren’t interested in participating and 15 states, including Idaho, haven’t responded yet. All other states have indicated some level of interest in being part of the new system of bicycle routes.

The main reason for less than enthusiastic interest is limited resources. The Montana’ Transportation Department, for example, responded stated, “Montana is not investing resources into the development of the USBR. The implementation of the USBR is not seen as adding value to the cycling aspects of Montana’s transportation system.”

So, clearly, ACA has some hard cranking to do before getting all states on board and making the USBRS a reality.

Again undaunted, Sullivan said, “We just need to figure how to engage the states in a positive way.”

Free money would be one proven method for getting state agencies more interested, and that might be forthcoming. Congressmen James Oberstar (D-MN) and Peter DeFazio (D-WA) are working on legislation that, if passed, might provide states with federal funds to help with the planning and implementation of the USBRS.

Another problem Sullivan has encountered is the lack of state advocacy groups. Again using Montana as an example, the state has no statewide advocacy nonprofit to work with state government and legislatures on bicycle-related issues.

“It’s still just a plan,” Sullivan reminded, “only a starting point for states to start planning. Ultimately, the idea is that the routes will be on the state highway map.”

Also, this spring, Google Maps plans to launch a cycling option similar to the current walking option, and the USBRS routes, when established, will show up on these searches as long as state governments have shared this information with Google. In other words, Google “by bicycle” option will recommend the USBRS route, if available, instead of the shortest route.

For more information on the USBRS, click here.

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