The US Bicycle Route System is a national network of designated routes for long distance bicycle travel. It uses existing highways, roads, streets, and trails to connect scenic destinations, national parks, cities, and other areas of interest to the bicycle tourist. USBRs are developed by state project teams consisting of bicycle advocates, DOT employees, etc. and need a map of the proposed route both as a communication tool and to insure that all parties are on the same page as the route develops. Local jurisdictions must approve the proposed route before the DOT can submit it to AASHTO and therefore the route inevitably changes as those agencies “have their say.”
The Adventure Cycling Association provides technical assistance to state-level USBR project development teams as well as national level coordination of the USBRS. Adventure Cycling is partnering with OSM to identify volunteer mappers to support those project teams with mapping resources as those proposed routes develop. There is a great opportunity to insure quality maps are part of any USBR project and to insure that OSM reflects the most accurate information as the routes evolve toward final approval and as changes are made in the long term.
