WikiProject U.S. Bicycle Route System
 Part of WikiProject United States.
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Introduction
An OSM project to map the U.S. Bicycle Route System (USBRS). The USBRS is a developing national network of bicycle routes, linking urban, suburban, and rural areas using a variety of appropriate cycling facilities. To date, 21 U.S. Bicycle Routes spanning 8042 miles (almost 13000 km) have been established in the District of Columbia and 16 states: Alaska, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia and Washington state. Presently, more than 40 states are working to create U.S. Bicycle Routes. These routes are selected and maintained by state Departments of Transportation (DOTs), and designated and catalogued by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). Source: Adventure Cycling Association.
By using OSM to create high quality maps of this nascent network (and wonderful national resource), we can promote its development, growth and use. OSM is now a positive tool for geographic communication of existing and developing bicycle routing at local, statewide and national levels in the USA!
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| Lonvia's Cycling Map by Sarah Hoffman is an overlay which shows marked cycle routes around the world. Updated daily, it renders actual routes without the state=proposed tag. Therefore no proposed routes (or numbering protocols) are displayed. |
Approved USBRs in OSM
As of July 2013, OpenStreetMap contains all approved routes in the USBRS (or endeavors to do so as routes are newly approved by AASHTO). In the Cycle Map layer, these display as solid red lines badged with red route numbers. Cycle Map also displays USBRS proposed routes (ongoing proposals distinctly moving towards AASHTO application as USBRs, or better, actual USBR application ballots before AASHTO) as dashed red lines. The Cycle Map renderer displays both approved and proposed routes, and the Lonvia renderer displays only approved (not proposed) routes.
OSM also contains two significant national bicycle routes (displayed as solid red named, not numbered ncns) in the USA which are not strictly part of the USBRS: East Coast Greenway (ECG, which both shares and diverges from segments of USBR 1) and Mississippi River Trail (MRT, the Minnesota segments of which are identical to USBR 45 and 45A). Each of these routes (ECG & MRT) traverse several states over several thousand miles/kilometers. Hence, these two quasi-private (not government) bicycle routes are determined to be so "national in scope" in the USA that their inclusion in OSM's national cycleway network is asserted (as named, but not numbered ncns). ECG & MRT exist alongside USBRs in OSM's national bicycle route hierarchy, but are not USBRS routes (except for USBR 45 and 45A in Minnesota, which are "both" USBRs and part of MRT).
Additionally, as USBR 25 in Ohio moves closer to AASHTO application and approval, the also quasi-private Underground Railroad Bicycle Route (UGRR or UGR, traversing several states over 2000 miles/3200 kilometers) may become a third "national in scope" route displayed in OSM as an ncn. This might occur as UGRR potentially transitions (state by state) to USBR 25, perhaps starting with Ohio.
Here are current approved USBRS routes in OSM:
| Route | Relation | State(s) | Shield(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States Bicycle Route 1 |  3022887 (XML, Potlatch2, iD, JOSM, history, analyze, manage, gpx) |
Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts (Phase I and II segments), Virginia, North Carolina, Florida | .svg) .png) |
| United States Bicycle Route 1A | 1770834 (XML, Potlatch2, iD, JOSM, history, analyze, manage, gpx) |
Maine | .svg) |
| United States Bicycle Route 8 | 1770865 (XML, Potlatch2, iD, JOSM, history, analyze, manage, gpx) |
Alaska (>95% done; westernmost 21 miles need better dual carriageway memberships) | .svg) |
| United States Bicycle Route 10 | 4274011 (XML, Potlatch2, iD, JOSM, history, analyze, manage, gpx) |
Washington, Michigan (current western terminus in Iron Mountain does not quite reach Wisconsin. Michigan DOT notes it is working with Wisconsin DOT to extend to Wisconsin). | .svg) |
| United States Bicycle Route 11 | 4095725 (XML, Potlatch2, iD, JOSM, history, analyze, manage, gpx) |
Maryland | .svg) |
| United States Bicycle Route 20 | 1575963 (XML, Potlatch2, iD, JOSM, history, analyze, manage, gpx) |
Michigan | .svg) |
| United States Bicycle Route 23 | 3319501 (XML, Potlatch2, iD, JOSM, history, analyze, manage, gpx) |
Tennessee | .svg) |
| United States Bicycle Route 35 | 2175897 (XML, Potlatch2, iD, JOSM, history, analyze, manage, gpx) |
Michigan | .svg) |
| United States Bicycle Route 36 | 3731709 (XML, Potlatch2, iD, JOSM, history, analyze, manage, gpx) |
Illinois | .svg) |
| United States Bicycle Route 37 | 3783539 (XML, Potlatch2, iD, JOSM, history, analyze, manage, gpx) |
Illinois | .svg) |
| United States Bicycle Route 45 (Minnesota co-brands as Mississippi River Trail) |
3365973 (XML, Potlatch2, iD, JOSM, history, analyze, manage, gpx) |
Minnesota |  |
| United States Bicycle Route 45A (Minnesota co-brands as Mississippi River Trail |
2918096 (XML, Potlatch2, iD, JOSM, history, analyze, manage, gpx) |
Minnesota | |
| United States Bicycle Route 50 | 2532740 (XML, Potlatch2, iD, JOSM, history, analyze, manage, gpx) |
District of Columbia, Maryland, Ohio (>95% done; remains incomplete in Dayton). In Ohio, USBR 50 has been approved by AASHTO. The route still needs to be entered into OSM through downtown Dayton. Note that although ODOT's website features the alternative green shield, it has not received approval from FHWA to use it, so renderers should use the black and white shield for now. |
.svg) .svg) |
| United States Bicycle Route 76 | 3019665 (XML, Potlatch2, iD, JOSM, history, analyze, manage, gpx) |
Virginia, Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri | .svg) .svg) |
| United States Bicycle Route 87 | 1770866 (XML, Potlatch2, iD, JOSM, history, analyze, manage, gpx) |
Alaska | .svg) |
| United States Bicycle Route 90 | 4264377 (XML, Potlatch2, iD, JOSM, history, analyze, manage, gpx) |
Florida | .svg) |
| United States Bicycle Route 90A | 4264419 (XML, Potlatch2, iD, JOSM, history, analyze, manage, gpx) |
Florida | .svg) |
| United States Bicycle Route 95 | 1770867 (XML, Potlatch2, iD, JOSM, history, analyze, manage, gpx) |
Alaska | .svg) |
| United States Bicycle Route 97 | 1770868 (XML, Potlatch2, iD, JOSM, history, analyze, manage, gpx) |
Alaska | .svg) |
| United States Bicycle Route 108 | 1770863 (XML, Potlatch2, iD, JOSM, history, analyze, manage, gpx) |
Alaska | .svg) |
| United States Bicycle Route 208 | 1770864 (XML, Potlatch2, iD, JOSM, history, analyze, manage, gpx) |
Alaska | .svg) |
Proposed USBRs in OSM
It is critically important not to assume that a USBR corridor plus a guess on your part (for example, that there is already a state or regional route through that corridor) "means" that you can or should enter a proposed USBR into OSM. Only do so when you have solid knowledge that there is coordinated statewide activity actively assembling a USBR. This usually happens only as towns and cities along the route, affected counties, and the statewide Department of Transportation are all communicating and exhibit active and involved coordination, publishing something more substantial than an incomplete or simple draft map: an "active statewide project." (The so-called "high bar standard" for entering into OSM a proposed USBR). As the AASHTO approval process completes twice a year (in the spring and autumn), a rough timeframe of a route first arriving on this list, proceeding to application and gaining approval is approximately six to 24 months.
In addition to type=route + route=bicycle, tag such proposed statewide relations with network=ncn + cycle_network=US:US + ref=USBR# + state=proposed. Please add source=Where you learned the route members (e.g. "State DOT web site," "County Bicycle Committee Meeting, 9/9/2014" or "Pending AASHTO application"). To each route that is a member of a super-relation with other routes sharing the same route number, add name=USBR# (name of state) to disambiguate each state's route as a super-relation member.
In the earliest stages of an existing network=rcn state route becoming a proposed network=ncn USBR, you may wish to simply add an ncn=proposed tag to the existing state route. In Cycle Map layer, this superimposes a dashed red line on top of the existing solid turquoise line (with no red numbered shields, keeping the turquoise numbered shields). If you do this (shortcut), it is correct to eventually update relation tags so they include those in the previous paragraph, as this requires changing the ref # from the rcn-numbered (state) route to the ncn-numbered (USBR/national) route. An intermediate status in this scenario may be two relations: initially the state relation, then the shortcut of adding ncn=proposed to the state relation, then two relations (one representing the actual state route, another representing the proposed USBR/national route) which stay synced, then (perhaps) back to a single relation after AASHTO approval (assuming the state relation is deleted, having become subsumed by the USBR).
Creating super-relations (containing multiple relations of network=ncn routes, each relation containing road/cycleway members within a single state) is only appropriate for proposed routes when they are simultaneously proposed in multiple states. In this case, create relations so they contain road/cycleway members within a single state. Then, if at least two states have an incipient network=ncn route proposed as a single numbered USBR, these can be assembled into a super-relation. A current example of this is proposed USBR 90 in Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana: exactly these three statewide relations are in the super-relation for proposed USBR 90.
What follows are not yet approved USBRs, they are only serious proposals, with widely varying levels of activity. When at least this level of USBR development activity happens in a state, whether to an existing network=rcn state route or with an as-yet-unmapped-in-OSM route, consider tagging the route as above where it is proposed. (Such consideration must meet the "high bar standard:" knowledge of a DOT's project to distinctly move towards a USBR application, not simply a corridor or vague draft map, but actual turn-by-turn directions of a largely complete route). As with any route, this means initially creating a properly-tagged relation, then adding/editing member roads/cycleways to that relation. If you wish to adopt one of the proposed routes below marked VOLUNTEER! please contact Kerry Irons via GMail (irons54vortex@). Also, please do your best to keep this wiki section updated with your progress, for example, create a BrowseRelation entry for new routes. If you don't or can't update this wiki section, please contact stevea with notes of your progress. Finally, please keep this table synchronized with state registry wikis (for example, Ohio).
| Proposed USBR # | Relation(s) | State(s) | Status and notes - usually where coordinated activity is taking place that will lead to a state application to AASHTO |
|---|---|---|---|
| USBR 11 | 4275967 (XML, Potlatch2, iD, JOSM, history, analyze, manage, gpx) |
MD (done), WV, VA, NC | Incipient in Virginia and West Virginia. Concurrent with Blue Ridge Parkway from North Carolina northeasterly to a concurrency with USBR 76 continuing to near Waynesboro. Proposed to follow the Blue Ridge Parkway to Front Royal and then mostly secondary roads to Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. The Virginia and West Virginia portions of this route are now fully entered into OSM. |
| USBR 21 | No relation yet in Ohio nor Kentucky | OH, KY |
Identified in ODOT's Access Ohio 2040 transportation plan as that state's highest priority USBR. The draft route map indicates that the route will largely follow the Kentucky's DOT identifies a USBR 21 corridor called "Bluegrass Tour." This contains spurs/alternate segments and a large loop around Lexington and may be considered to be in its earlier stages of development. |
| USBR 23 | No relation yet in Kentucky nor Alabama | KY, TN (done), AL | Potential early emergence in Kentucky suggests Mammoth Caves State Bicycle Route as a connection to USBR 23 in Tennessee. Possibly/perhaps incipient in Alabama. As there is no statewide project in either state, a suggestion is that this row entry in this table be deleted. |
| USBR 25 | Alabama 1783206 (XML, Potlatch2, iD, JOSM, history, analyze, manage, gpx) Mississippi 3346762 (XML, Potlatch2, iD, JOSM, history, analyze, manage, gpx) Ohio 3087492 (XML, Potlatch2, iD, JOSM, history, analyze, manage, gpx) No relation yet in Kentucky |
AL, MS, TN, KY, OH, PA, NY, ON |
An Alabama DOT document from 2009 says on page 12 "it is recommended that the U.S. Bike Route 25 in Alabama be the same as the Underground Railroad Bicycle Route." However, Alabama appears not to be further developing this route nor does it have an active proposal to bring this route to AASHTO. This route is tagged with network=rcn + ref=UGR + cycle_network=US:US + ncn=proposed so the first two keys cause Cycle Map to display a solid turquoise line badged with turquoise UGR shields, and the last key superimposes a dashed red line (with no red 25 shields). The Natchez Trace is emerging/incipient as USBR 35 (and possibly part of 25) in Mississippi. Kentucky's DOT identifies a USBR 25 corridor called "Underground Railroad Tour." This omits a significant segment through Louisville and may be considered to be in its earlier stages of development. Kentucky causes yellow. In Ohio, ODOT's Access Ohio 2040 transportation plan targets designation of USBR 25 after USBR 21. The draft route map indicates that the route will follow the |
| USBR 30 | Wisconsin 3346668 (XML, Potlatch2, iD, JOSM, history, analyze, manage, gpx) No relation yet in Ohio |
MT, ND, SD, MN, WI, MI (done), OH, PA, NY, VT, NH |
Incipient in Wisconsin. Presently concurrent with the Elroy-Sparta State Bike Trail, but there is news from Adventure Cycling Association that this route is "nearly fully defined." The route will follow DNR trails nearly across the state except for an on-road portion from roughly Reedsburg to Madison. Two alternates are considered for the on-road portion, one using the ferry to cross the Wisconsin River at Merrimac and the other crossing the river in Sauk City. Possibly two routes will be implemented: one as USBR 30 and one as USBR 30A. The Wisconsin Bike Federation may have a soft-copy map document -- it is believed turn-by-turn directions are available. The latest news: WisDOT and the DNR have hired a consultant to help with the routing and public process around it, and the timeline for getting the final routes is November 2015. OSM contact: hobbesvsboyle In Ohio, ODOT's Access Ohio 2040 transportation plan targets designation of USBR 30 after USBR 25. The draft route map calls for USBR 30 to follow the nascent North Coast Inland Trail. |
| USBR 30A | No relation yet in Ohio | OH:SAN, OH:ERI, OH:LOR | Not mapped yet. Proposed as part of ODOT's Access Ohio 2040 transportation plan. Stalled here (as a "red proposed route") until this gets further momentum from ODOT. (Too vague as a draft route to be considered a serious proposed route). |
| USBR 35 | Indiana 2182336 (XML, Potlatch2, iD, JOSM, history, analyze, manage, gpx) Mississippi 3346762 (XML, Potlatch2, iD, JOSM, history, analyze, manage, gpx) No relation yet in Kentucky |
MI (done), IN, KY, TN, MS | Active development in Indiana. This route is essentially added to OSM, though some two-way bicycle path segments in the northern part of this route might still need to be improved.
Kentucky's DOT identifies a USBR 35 corridor called "Ramblin’ River Bike Tour." This contains spurs/alternate segments and a loop south of Cincinnati and may be considered to be in its earlier stages of development. Kentucky causes yellow. The Natchez Trace is emerging/incipient as USBR 35 (and possibly part of 25) in Mississippi. |
| USBR 36 | Indiana 3774706 (XML, Potlatch2, iD, JOSM, history, analyze, manage, gpx) |
IL (done), IN, MI | As provided by northwest Indiana (NIRPC) counties, a draft route has emerged in Indiana: beginning from the Illinois state line at Eggers Grove, south and southeast through Hammond, eastward south of Gary, through Hobart and turning northeast through Portage, east of Burns Harbor crossing major rail lines and Interstate 94 as it takes a brief northwesterly jog, then on Dunes Highway through Michigan City, ending just east of Michiana and Michiana Shores. This route is largely on trails though some will be on roads where trails are in development or not suitable for touring bicycles. Volunteer Joe Kallo is entering data for this Indiana portion of the route. |
| USBR 37 | Michigan 3391787 (XML, Potlatch2, iD, JOSM, history, analyze, manage, gpx) No relation yet in Wisconsin |
IL (done), WI, MI | Wisconsin appears to be waiting on completion of USBR 30 before progress on USBR 37 continues in that state. A route proposal in its entirety has emerged and is fully entered into OSM in Michigan (Upper Peninsula) as Michigan 35 from Menominee to Escanaba (continuing a potential USBR 37 in Wisconsin near or in Marinette). |
| USBR 40 | No relation yet in Ohio | NY, NJ, PA, OH, IN, IL, IA, SD, WY |
In Ohio, ODOT's Access Ohio 2040 transportation plan proposes a route for USBR 40 that follows the Great Ohio Lake-to-River Greenway in eastern Ohio but otherwise follows State Bike Route K, not yet entered into OSM. Hence, this is stalled here (as a "red proposed route") until further forward motion from ODOT or there is a published Route K map available (in which case K should be entered into OSM as an rcn). |
| USBR 40A | No relation yet in Ohio nor Indiana | OH:LUC, OH:FUL, OH:WIL | Not mapped yet. As part of ODOT's Access Ohio 2040 transportation plan, the proposed route would largely follow the Wabash Cannonball Trail and North Coast Inland Trail. The project awaits route data in the form of a map, turn-by-turn directions or a GPX file.
|
| USBR 50 | 3787026 (XML, Potlatch2, iD, JOSM, history, analyze, manage, gpx) |
DC (done), MD (done), PA, WV, OH (nearly done), IN, IL, MO, KS, NE, CO, UT, NV, CA | Emerging in Pennsylvania, entered in West Virginia, still-to-be-corrected in Indiana and largely complete in Nevada. In Pennsylvania, emergence of this proposed route doesn't yet specify details except that it will include the Panhandle Trail, Montour Trail and some secondary roads. The eastern segment is speculative. |
| USBR 50A | Columbus, OH 2532436 (XML, Potlatch2, iD, JOSM, history, analyze, manage, gpx) |
OH:FRA, OH:DEL, OH:LIC | Completely mapped. Part of Ohio's forthcoming USBR 50 submission to AASHTO. (Huh? USBR 50 was approved, but did not include 50A. Might be deleted from this table and the relation suppressed from displaying in OCM). |
| USBR 51 | Arkansas 3319471 (XML, Potlatch2, iD, JOSM, history, analyze, manage, gpx) |
LA, AR, MO | In the early stages of development in Arkansas (only). In OSM USBR 51 is now two discontiguous relations: one (between Bentonville and Fayetteville) is the Razorback Regional Greenway in northwestern Arkansas, another (along US 71) is near Fort Smith. The Fort Smith segment may continue onto US Route 71B (from US Route 71), routing north of here is unclear. |
| USBR 66 | 3319297 (XML, Potlatch2, iD, JOSM, history, analyze, manage, gpx) |
CA, AZ, NM, TX, OK, KS, MO, IL | Incipient in California, New Mexico, Oklahoma. In California, USBR 66 is described by the "California Bicycle Route 66 Concept Plan (Draft)" document that was published on 8/15/2013 by the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG). Both the "Preliminary Route Concept" and the "Alternate Route Concepts" are now fully entered into OSM. Volunteers and planning departments are working to harmonize with many local jurisdictions which (if any) of the alternate routes might become part of a more final route. There remains a gap at MCLBB: the short version is that a formal request is going up the chain of command. Being optimistic, permission to traverse Boll Avenue (daytime only, must have acceptable ID...) has occurred before for a group of interstate bicyclists, so this approval might be considered "pending." ACA says SCAG receiving a MOU as a next intended step seems about right, though of course these things take time. Walt in southern California got more jurisdictions harmonious on the routing, accelerating the 66 effort! Volunteer KristenK has offered to scout POIs along portions of the proposed route. Any geographical suggestions for this trip? |
| USBR 76 | Wyoming 3319536 (XML, Potlatch2, iD, JOSM, history, analyze, manage, gpx) |
VA (done), KY (done), IL (done), MO (done), KS, CO, OR, WY, MT, ID | Incipient in Wyoming. The route will follow US 287 from near Jackson to Rawlins, then US 287 Bypass onto Wyoming 76 onto I-80 at Exit 221 to Exit 235 onto SR 130, then SR 230 to the Colorado state line, where it becomes SR 125 in Colorado. There are challenges with traffic and road quality inside Yellowstone National Park. A possible routing would go through Jackson onto SR 22 into Idaho. What IS known about this route is entered into OSM (and this is what is meant by "green"), but this omits yet-to-be-determined routing through the northwest part of the state. There is at least one old-style, unofficial USBR 76 sign in Colorado, along SH 9. [3] |
| USBR 80 | Arkansas 3319395 (XML, Potlatch2, iD, JOSM, history, analyze, manage, gpx) |
OK, AR, TN, NC | Incipient in Arkansas. It is unclear where the route goes east of Pulaski at SR 5 and South University Avenue: north to SR 10? Or east on what might be SR 5 or might also be US 708? |
| USBR 84 | Alabama 1783198 (XML, Potlatch2, iD, JOSM, history, analyze, manage, gpx) |
SC, GA, AL, MS, AR, TX | An Alabama DOT document from 2009 says on page 12 "it is recommended that U.S. Bike Route 84 follow the same route as the state bicycle route (EW2)." However, Alabama appears not to be further developing this route nor does it have an active proposal to bring this route to AASHTO. This route is tagged with network=rcn + ref=EW2 + cycle_network=US:AL + ncn=proposed so the first two keys cause Cycle Map to display a solid turquoise line badged with turquoise EW2 shields, and the last key superimposes a dashed red line (with no red 84 shields). |
| USBR 90 | 3317166 (XML, Potlatch2, iD, JOSM, history, analyze, manage, gpx) |
FL (done), AL, MS, LA, TX, NM, AZ, CA | Incipient in Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana.
In Alabama, USBR 90 is fully entered into OSM as it has been proposed. |
About the colors:
Green means that the route proposal(s) data are fully entered into OSM for the state(s) listed in bold and all that remains is AASHTO application and approval. After AASHTO approval, the route can be deleted from the Proposed section and placed in the Approved section.
Yellow means that additional volunteer work is needed to enter (or correct) additional route data into OSM: route data are in OSM with only partial completion, not yet full completion. Yellow may also mean a route has a volunteer entering data, yet route ambiguities persist.
Red means that there is "something" (often very little) known about the early stages of a proposed USBR, so it is useful to put a row in the table about it as a placeholder, but it is too early to create a route relation in OSM: either the state DOT hasn't yet received enough local approvals, a route map is too early a draft, or route data are not yet complete.
See also
A 29 minute video of the history of this project from its early days to about April, 2014, when this was presented at State Of The Map - United States in Washington, DC.
