The U.S.
Bicycle Route
System
Best Practices &
Case Studies
September 2014
Kevin Luecke
Toole Design Group
Ginny Sullivan
Adventure Cycling
Association
Overview
• Adventure Cycling
• USBRS Vision
• Evidence of Success
• Why it’$ Important
• AASHTO Process
• Why a study
• Survey Results
• Case Studies
• Best Practices
• What’s next
Inspiring and empowering people to travel by
bicycle since 1976.
Adventure Cycling: Who We Are
• “America’s Bicycle Travel Experts”
• Started as Bikecentennial in 1973
• Largest cycling membership group
in North America: 47,000+ globally
• 37 staff and many volunteers
• Outside Magazine ’08 & ‘12 Best
Place to Work
• Create some of the best bike route
maps, publications, special cycling
routes (41,180+ miles) in North
America
• Fantastic bike adventures and
education
100 Tours • Self Contained
• Inn to Inn
• Van Supported
• Fully Supported
• Family Fun
• Educational
• Mountain Bike Tours
• Epic: TransAm, Northern Tier, Southern Tier & more
42,000+ miles of routes
** A Nation of Networks **
** Connected and convenient interstate
bike travel from city center to countryside **
History of US Bicycle Routes In 1970’s interest in
long distance bicycle travel
picks up
First US Bicycle routes
designated in 1982
*US Bicycle Route 1 (red)
*US Bicycle Route 76 (blue)
_______
No routes
designated
since
Began Project late 2003
Staff Support 2005
** AASHTO Approval 2008 **
The Vision
To encourage the development of a coordinated system of US bicycle routes across the country.
The Task Force is charged with developing a recommended national systems-level or corridor-level plan for use in designating potential future US bicycle routes.
Inventory of existing
routes overlaid by the
proposed corridor system
6,790 miles
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEHOj-Nc60Q
Outdoor Industry Reports: More Americans bicycle
than golf, ski or play tennis combined.
What is Bicycle Tourism?
Russ Roca
Who are Bicycle Travelers?
DIY – Self
Contained
Ride Centered
Event Centered
Urban Visitors
Bike Travel Demographics
• Highly Educated
• Higher Discretionary Income
• Bike travelers spend more than average tourist
• Typically stay longer in an area
• Overnights to Multi-Day/Week/Month
• Less direct impact on local environment
• Green travel potential and linkage with trains/buses
• Sweet spot for 50-64 yr olds, which as of 2010 accounts for 43 percent of increase in consumer spending
Shoe String: $25/day Economy: $25-75/day
Comfort: $75+/day
Bike travel and tourism are
booming
Evidence?
• Economics
• Communities
• Route Networks and Facilities
• Pubic Relations Investment
Europe!
= $57 billion
Lanesboro, MN (just 800
people) $25 million
Quebec!
• $160 million spent
• $134 million generated in
year one (2007)
• New study needed
Wisconsin
$533 million from
out-of-staters for
cycling (out of $1.5
billion total for
cycling)
Iowa: $364.8
million Or $1 mill/day!!
M Wyatt
Oregon: $400 million – • 35% overnighters • 78% revenue from
overnights
Phase I = $668 million per year in
economic benefit to
Michigan's economy.
Phase II – next year
(includes events &
travel)
Other Financials
Montana: $377 million from multi-day
touring cyclists
•Arizona: $88 million impact from Non-
resident spenders
• Minnesota: $427 million for recreational
road and mountain biking – sizable chunk
for tourism
• Great Allegheny Passage – $50+ million
gross revenue in 2012. Tracked $114/day
spending by overnight cyclists..
• CO – nearly $200 million for summer
biking in ski country
• NC – Nine-fold return on Investment: $6.7
million in infrastructure = $60 million in
economic impact
Most routes will use existing roads and facilities.
Implementation: Big Picture
Route applications submitted to AASHTO by State DOTs
– Neighboring states submit together OR connect to an existing USBR or foreign country
– Include maps and route descriptions
– Sign-off from DOTs
• Installation of signs & trailblazing
• Expansion of the system
– Spur, alternate & loop routes
– New routes & corridors
Implementation: State by State
• State & local agencies determine best approach
– Route Identification
– Road Assessments
– Coordination with transportation divisions, counties, townships and MPOs
– Also aligning routes with neighboring states
• Who Does the Work?
- Volunteers, bicycle and/or trail advocates
- Agency staff
Three Phases of Implementation
• Planning
• Designation
• Promotion
USBR M1-9
MUTCD
USBR M1-9
Alternate
NCUTCD
2009
• AASHTO & Task Force Liaison
• Corridor Plan Map
• Meeting Coordination
• Training & Mapping
• USBRS Blog & Social Media
• News & Updates
• Forums for discussion
• Tracking benefits
• Contacts & Stakeholders
• Future Map Clearinghouse
• 40+ states working at some level
• Unique opportunities
• Unique challenges
• Various stakeholders
• Changing agency support
• Funding & capacity
State Surveys
& Case Studies
Recommended
