Press Release as follows:
Adventure Cycling Launches 6th Annual U.S. Bicycle Route System Campaign
May fundraiser will support creation of the largest official cycling network in the world
MISSOULA, MONTANA, May 1, 2015 — For the sixth year in a row, Adventure Cycling is kicking off National Bike Month by launching its month-long U.S. Bicycle Route System (USBRS) campaign to raise awareness and support of a seamless national bicycle network.
The Build It. Bike It. Be a Part of It campaign has raised more than $432,000 over the last five years toward building the USBRS, and has helped create and designate over 8,000 miles of U.S. Bicycle Routes (USBR), with thousands more to come.
Roads connect us. They are a lifeline to our neighbors next door, our friends across town, and people across the country. The U.S. Bicycle Route System will connect people, places, and all the things we love by providing an official nationwide network of signed bicycle routes across the U.S. using roads and trails.
This year, Adventure Cycling plans to raise $150,000 by May 31. “This fall we hit a major threshold for the network, reaching over 8,000 miles of designated routes in sixteen states plus the District of Columbia,” said Adventure Cycling’s Executive Director, Jim Sayer. “With more states planning routes in 2015, we are about to reach another major milestone – the 10,000-mile mark. That’s one-fifth of the way towards completing a 50,000-mile network, covering the entire country.”
Adventure Cycling provides staff-support for development of the U.S. Bicycle Route System, which is a project of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), a nonprofit, nonpartisan association representing highway and transportation departments in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. “This marks the eleventh consecutive year that AASHTO and Adventure Cycling Association have teamed up to advance and promote the U.S. Bicycle Route System,” said Bud Wright AASHTO executive director. “Employees at state departments of transportation across the country not only help to grow the system every year, they bike it too.”
The USBRS now spans 8,042-miles across 16 states and the District of Columbia, including Alaska, Florida, Kentucky, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia, Washington and the District of Columbia.
Presently, more than 40 states are working to create U.S. Bicycle Routes. When complete, the U.S. Bicycle Route System will be the largest official bike route network on the planet, encompassing more than 50,000 miles of routes.
Last year, during the last week of the campaign, AASHTO’s Special Committee on U.S. Route Numbering approved the following U.S. Bicycle Routes (USBRs):
- USBR 10 in Washington State;
- Segment of USBR 1 in Massachusetts;
- USBR 50 in Ohio;
- USBR 36 and 37 in Illinois;
- USBR 50 in the District of Columbia.
In the fall, even more routes were designated, including:
- USBR 1 and 90 in Florida;
- USBR 11 in Maryland;
- USBR 10 in Michigan;
- Segment of USBR 1 in Massachusetts;
- Update to USBR 76 in Virginia.
“States and their partners have come to know Adventure Cycling as the resource center for the U.S. Bicycle Route System. We’ve developed the tools, expertise and relationships with volunteers and state agencies. Because of that, we’re seeing significant progress on completing and signing routes across multiple states,” commented Ginny Sullivan, director of travel initiatives and coordinator of the project since 2005.
During National Bike Month, the U.S. Bicycle Route System is a reminder of how a national bike network is inspiring people from all over the world to ride. “Cycling is becoming more mainstream. This means that there is a clear way across the country that cyclists can use for their trip,” said Jim Giddens.
A key element of this year’s USBRS campaign is a matching pledge from a donor to encourage first-time and past donors to support work on the U.S. Bicycle Route System. Any donations to the campaign will be doubled by this pledge, up to $25,000. In addition, Adventure Cycling will be doing daily, weekly and month-long drawings to win terrific raffle prizes for anyone who donates to the campaign.
The 2015 Build It. Bike It. Be a Part of It. Campaign runs through May 31, 2015. All donations are tax deductible and support Adventure Cycling’s organizing efforts and technical assistance for the U.S. Bicycle Route System. The campaign is supported by Adventure Cycling members, bicycle industry partners, bicycle clubs, and cyclists across North America.
Build It. Bike It. Be a Part of It. is generously sponsored by Exodus Travels, Planet Bike, Ortieb USA, SKS USA, and the Knickerbikers Bicycle Touring Club of San Diego. In-kind sponsors include Bar Mitts, Bike2Power, BikeFlights.com, Bike Touring News, Club Ride,Cygolite, Ortlieb USA, Osprey Packs, Planet Bike, Revelate Designs, Road Holland Cycling Apparel, Rudy Project, TiGr Locks, and Sierra Trading Post.
Over the years, the U.S. Bicycle Route System has been supported in part by grants from the Tawani Foundation, Lazar Foundation, the SRAM Cycling Fund, and Climate Ride.
Learn more about the campaign and make a donation at adventurecycling.org/
VIDEO
Want to learn more about the USBRS? Watch this video.
