I get this question quite frequently: "How do we apply for a U.S. Bike Route?" The answer is actually simple -- all you need is a map of the route, a route log documenting the roads and trails, and a signature from the Chief Executive Officer at the state Department of Transportation (DOT).
Filling out the application is easy, and it was designed that way on purpose. However, preparing the documentation that precedes the application is where things are a bit more complicated.
Before I get into too many the details, let me provide a little background about the Application for Designation of a U.S. Bicycle Route. The state's DOT nominates a route for numbered designation to the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Special Committee on U.S. Route Numbering (USRN). The AASHTO USRN committee is NOT approving the suitability of a route for bicycling; they ARE approving the number that will be applied to the route. This is why the Corridor Plan, which lays out the numbering system for each potential route, is so important (developed by the Task Force for U.S. Bicycle Routes and approved by AASHTO executive board in 2008). In approving the application, the USRN committee is acting on the assurance that the DOT has done due diligence in reviewing the route and has gained all the necessary local jurisdictional approvals (more on this later) so that they can approve the number that makes an interstate bicycle route.
AASHTO is not a federal agency, but a nonprofit association representing highway and transportation departments in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. AASHTO committees are made up of transportation officials, and they write guidance and policies on all things transportation. They work closely with the Federal Highway Administration and the U.S. DOT, and they have approved the numbering of our highway system since its inception.
Now, let's get back to what's involved in submitting an application.
- Authority: DOT management must be on board. If not, the application will never move forward. Gaining the signature of the director of a DOT might require multiple meetings to educate upper management about the benefits (PDF) and reasons why U.S. Bike Routes are good for their state. The DOT then submits the application to USRN approximately six weeks previous to either the AASHTO Fall Annual Meeting (October) or spring meeting (May).
- Agreements: Most DOTs will require all the road and trail "owners" to agree to the bicycle route (download our Template Resolution of Support Word document). In other words, whoever manages and maintains the road or trail must provide documentation that they support the designation (PDF). In some states, this is simple. The DOT or similar state agency, such as a Department of Natural Resources (DNR), manages most of the roads/trails and therefore has the authority to designate them. However, in some states it's very complicated. Road jurisdiction changes with every township -- every six miles. Yow! That's a lot of agreements. Most states are somewhere in the middle, with a healthy combination of municipal and county governments, other agencies (DNRs or Parks and Recreation), and state DOT-managed roads.
- Collaboration: We're seeing state agencies work closely with the bicycle and trail community to define the routes and gain the jurisdictional agreements. This is a good thing. Not only does it leverage public agency staff time, it helps ensure a route that the cycling and trail community will endorse -- and, just as important, one that will be enjoyed by the bike traveling public! I stress to state agencies that choosing a long-distance bicycle route doesn't have to be complicated, but it is important to have some level of consistency across the country. While the Task Force established Corridor Criteria (PDF) with some specific recommendations for route criteria, the general feeling was that decisions about suitability be made at the state level, since conditions and terrain across the country vary so widely. Florida worked with many advocates, trail organizations, and other state agencies to draft Criteria for U.S. Bicycle Routes (PDF); other states, such as Wisconsin, have had methodology (PDF) for establishing bike routes for decades. These guidelines provide the right blending of flexibility with preferred conditions (shoulders, bike lanes, traffic volume) that guide volunteers and state agency staff in choosing the roads and trails that will make the U.S. Bicycle Route System (USBRS) great.
- Connections: In the application, AASHTO requires that states comply with the Purpose and Policy in Establishment and Extending U.S. Bicycle Routes (PDF). This is a 10-point list that provides the framework that defines the USBRS. For example, #4 states "U.S. Bicycle Routes must connect two or more states, a state and an international border, or two or more U.S. Bicycle Routes." Therefore, neighboring states must either submit joint applications or have an agreement between them that endorses the route as it connects into their state. The endorsement indicates that the neighboring state will implement that route across their state at some point in the future.
- Signs: AASHTO is encouraging states and local agencies to sign U.S. Bike Routes, but they are not required to do so as part of the application. While I think signed U.S. Bike Routes are a critical aspect of a fully functioning, endorsed, promoted and recognized system, I also appreciate that this isn't a potential barrier for states to get involved. Because states are collaborating closely with bicycle and trail groups, I feel confident that the route network will be signed. In addition, we at Adventure Cycling aren't giving up on the idea that some day there will be a grant program to help states meet the cost of signing, planning, and adding shoulders or other amenities to U.S. Bicycle Routes.
So there you have it, the simple application and all its details spelled out. It really isn't that complicated after all.
Corridor Plan image by Adventure Cycling Association
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BUILDING THE U.S. BICYCLE ROUTE SYSTEM (USBRS) is posted by Ginny Sullivan, USBRS coordinator at Adventure Cycling, and features news and updates related to the emerging U.S. Bicycle Route System. The USBRS project is a collaborative effort, spearheaded by a task force under the auspices of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). Members of the task force include officials and staff from state DOTs, the Federal Highway Administration, and nonprofits like the East Coast Greenway Alliance, and Mississippi River Trail, Inc.
Source: http://blog.adventurecycling.org/2012/01/applying-for-us-bike-route.html
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