U.S. Bicycle Route 76

U.S. Bicycle Route 76 marker
U.S. Bicycle Route 76
TransAmerica Bike Route
Route information
Length2,358.7 mi[2] (3,796.0 km)
Existed1982[1]–present
Major junctions
West endNear Towner, Colorado
Oregon Coast (proposed)
Major intersections
East endYorktown, Virginia
Location
CountryUnited States
StatesKansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Virginia
Highway system
← USBR 70 USBR 79 →

U.S. Bicycle Route 76 (USBR 76) is a cross-country bicycle route east of Colorado in the United States. It is one of the two original U.S. Bicycle Routes, the other being U.S. Bicycle Route 1. USBR 76 runs from the Midwestern state of Kansas to the eastern seaboard state of Virginia. It is also known as the TransAmerica Bike Route and is contained within the TransAmerica Bicycle Trail.

A spur, U.S. Bicycle Route 176, was established in Virginia in 2016.

History

Bicycle Route 76 along SR 5 in Charles City, Virginia

Bicycle Route 76 originated as the Bikecentennial, the route for a large bike tour organized for the 1976 celebration of the United States Bicentennial. The Adventure Cycling Association was at that time also known as the "Bikecentennial."[3]

USBR 76 was established in 1982 as an original U.S. Bicycle Route, along with U.S. Bicycle Route 1 from Florida to Virginia. Bicycle traffic along a good deal of Bicycle Route 76 has been sparse to practically non-existent for several years. However, a 2003 conference encouraged the establishment of new interstate bicycle routes, as well as proposing the extension the two existing ones, 76's western terminus being conjectured on the Oregon coast.[4]

Since 2014, the annual Trans Am Bike Race has used the route.

Route description

Lengths
  mi km
KS 480 770
MO 348.5 560.9
IL 136.7 220.0
KY 563.7 907.2
VA 558 898
Total 2,358.7 3,796.0

Kansas

In Kansas, USBR 76 runs from the Colorado state line at K-96 near Towner, Colorado, to the Missouri state line at K-126 near Pittsburg, Kansas.[2]

Missouri

In the state of Missouri, USBR 76 is signed. The route begins at the Kansas border 28 miles (45 km) west of Golden City, continuing east across 348.5 miles (560.9 km) of the state before reaching the Mississippi River just west of Chester, Illinois. The route passes through the following counties:[5]

Illinois

In the state of Illinois, USBR 76 intersects the Tunnel Hill State Trail in southern Illinois and passes through the following counties:[7]

Kentucky

In the state of Kentucky, USBR 76 is signed, and a map is available as part of a state bicycle tours publication.[8][9]

Virginia

USBR 76 at Rockfish Gap

In the state of Virginia, part of USBR 76 is signed, and a map is available as part of a state bicycling publication.[10] The route passes along the following roads and through the following counties and communities:

Total miles: 560.1

Auxiliary routes

U.S. Bicycle Route 176

U.S. Bicycle Route 176 marker
U.S. Bicycle Route 176
LocationRichmond, Virginia
Length17 mi[15] (27 km)
Existed2016–present[14]

U.S. Bicycle Route 176 is a 17 miles (27 km) connector route that connecting USBR 1 and USBR 76 at a point a little further south than where the routes cross.[14][15] It travels along the Virginia Capital Trail for 15.7 miles (25.3 km).[15]

References

  1. ^ The History of the US Bike Route System in the State of Virginia (PDF), Virginia Department of Transportation
  2. ^ a b Messina, Matt (February 13, 2018). "Application for Designation of a U.S. Bicycle Route" (PDF). Letter to Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. Retrieved August 19, 2018.
  3. ^ Adventure Cycling Association (2007). "TransAmerica Trail". Retrieved 2011-07-04.
  4. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on May 25, 2006. Retrieved May 12, 2006.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  5. ^ "index". Modot.org. Retrieved 2016-05-26.
  6. ^ "Trails | Ozark Greenways".
  7. ^ "Illinois Department of Transportation". Archived from the original on February 8, 2007. Retrieved February 2, 2007.
  8. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on September 25, 2006. Retrieved February 2, 2007.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  9. ^ "Transamerica Bike Tour". Transportation.ky.gov. 2010-10-07. Retrieved 2016-05-26.
  10. ^ "Bicycling in Virginia - Cycling the Commonwealth: Virginia is for Lovers". Archived from the original on January 4, 2007. Retrieved February 2, 2007.
  11. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on August 23, 2004. Retrieved February 2, 2007.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  12. ^ "Bicycling in Virginia - Blue Ridge Parkway and US Bicycle Route 76 - Virginia Is For Lovers". Virginia.org. 2016-03-15. Retrieved 2016-05-26.
  13. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on May 23, 2004. Retrieved February 2, 2007.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  14. ^ a b AASHTO Special Committee on U. S. Route Numbering (USRN): Report to the Standing Committee on Highways (SCOH) (PDF), Las Vegas, Nevada: American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), May 4, 2011, p. 9
  15. ^ a b c Bolecek, John (2016-03-24), Application for Designation of a U.S. Bicycle Route: Virginia USBR No. 176 (PDF), p. 48, retrieved 2019-01-27
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