I recently received a call from a confused cyclist on the TransAmerica Trail in Lexington, Virginia. She didn't know if she should follow the TransAmerica Trail map and narrative she had in her hand or the sign she saw up the hill. I wasn't sure either, this was the first I'd heard of new signage going up in Virgina.
Her call prompted me to review the two routes to see where the differences are so we can be sure to make cyclists aware they have a choice.
In my review of the Virginia Bicycling and Walking map, I only saw two differing stretches across the entire state: Lexington to Vesuvius and through the town of Radford. Here is what I found out about both situations.
1) Lexington to Vesuvius. The signed USBR 76 route here is on state highways on the north side of I-64/81. This is the original Bikecentennial TransAmerica route. Since that time we have moved the route to south of I-64/81 due to a combination of factors -- primarily increased traffic, but also more paved road availability in the rural settings we prefer to use. One site on USBR 76 worth visiting is Cyrus McCormick's farm near Raphine. It features beautiful grounds and a tour of the inventor's home site.
2) Radford. Interestingly, neither our current route nor the Virginia USBR 76 is the original TransAmerica route. USBR 76 uses SR 177 and we route cyclists through Wildwood Park on a bike trail and on smaller roads through town. It is not immediately clear if the TransAmerica route ever used SR 177. Unless you need services in town, it is recommended to stay on our route, there is no compelling reason to follow USBR 76 in this instance.
This set of instances serves to bring forward a larger conversation. As more states begin to designate and sign or map their U.S. Bicycle Routes, we'll need to be aware of all places they coincide or diverge with the Adventure Cycling Route Network. It is a situation that will heed further attention to process and communication with bicycle and pedestrian programs across the country.
Top photo from thenoodleator's photostream on Flickr
Caption: A USBR 76 sign found in Virginia.
Second photo from daveandlolo's photostream on Flickr
Caption: An original BikeCentennial sign found in Lexington, Virginia.
Third photo from thanh.ha.dang's photostream on Flickr
Caption: bicycle trail under freeway approaching Wildwood Park in Radford , Virginia.
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GEOPOINTS BULLETIN is written by Jennifer 'Jenn' Milyko, an Adventure Cycling cartographer, and appears weekly, highlighting curious facts, figures, and persons from Adventure Cycling's Route Network with tips and hints for personal route creation thrown in for good measure. She also wants to remind you that map corrections and comments are always welcome via the online Map Correction Form.
Source: http://blog.adventurecycling.org/2012/08/potpourri-in-virginia-part-2.html
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