Bike route systems take shape in Europe & in US - to reduce fossil fuel consumption & greenhouse gas emissions

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United States Bicycle Route System taking shape

EuroVelo & USBRS. Bicycle route system project is part of a global trend, as countries & provinces establish national cycling networks — composed of on-road and trail facilities — to make cycling easier and more enjoyable in urban, suburban, and rural areas. Examples include the National Cycle Network in the United Kingdom, La Route Verte (the "Green Way") in Quebec Province, the D-Route Network in Germany, and VeloLand Switzerland. The U.S. Bicycle Route System (USBRS) to be established could become the largest national cycling route network on the planet. These systems are spurring major growth in bicycling and other non-motorized trips, with corresponding reductions in fossil fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

Since 2005, the USBRS project task force - American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), with staff support from Adventure Cycling - has created a first-of-its-kind inventory of major bike routes in the U.S. and a national corridor plan as a framework for the new network. The plan was approved last October by AASHTO's executive board. The task force has also created a new application process to expedite the designation of new U.S. routes. "There is tremendous excitement about this project among the states," said Ginny Sullivan, Adventure Cycling's project director on the USBRS. "We have been contacted by 23 states so far that are interested in establishing interstate, inter-city bicycle routes."

EuroVelo

EuroVelo, the European cycle route network, is a project of the European Cyclists' Federation to develop 12 long-distance cycle routes crossing Europe. The total length is 60,000 km (37,282 mi), of which more than 45,000 km (27,340 mi) are in place. The EuroVelo routes are similar, in length and conception, to Greenway projects such as the East Coast Greenway in the United States and the Trans-Canada Trail. EuroVelo routes are intended for bicycle touring across the continent, though they are also used locally. The routes are made of both existing bike paths and roads together with proposed and planned cycle routes to connect them. All the routes are unfinished.

EuroVelo Bicycle routes – travel Europe by bicycle

EuroVelo routes span from Norway’s North Cape to Sicily, from Moscow to Galway in Ireland, from London to Rome… The best thing about it is that you are planning your stage, you decide where you want to go, how many kilometers you want to pass and adjust it you your desires and tastes. Being on the road brings people closer together; everyone decided to take a cycling trip for a different reason. And you can meet people along the way, on certain parts of routes you travel. However, you might think that those routes are only for people that are very fit and in a terrific shape. Which is not true because they are not made in a way to be only a sports activity. You choose you rhythm, stages. And most importantly, EuroVelo doesn’t have a goal to build tracks for cyclists but for people who cycle.

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Photos courtesy of Adventure Cycling Association, Wikipedia, Make Technology on your Time, Fullerton College, west-hartford.com, and pennua.org

Original Source: bikeradar.com, EuroVelo, European Travelling Advisor