UPDATE: New bike route connecting Moorhead & St. Cloud gets a name
MOORHEAD, Minn. (Valley News Live) – The new 188-mile bike route connecting Moorhead to St. Cloud received it’s winning name out of five choices.
The Minnesota Department of Transportation announced that “Prairie Lakes Bicycle Route” will be the official name for U.S. Bike Route 20 after winning 34% of the roughly 3,600 votes cast.
U.S. Bicycle Route 20 is the third such route in the state, connecting Moorhead, west central and central Minnesota to St. Cloud and the Mississippi River Trail (U.S. Bicycle Route 45). Bicyclists can now travel through scenic Minnesota prairies and past dozens of the state’s 10,000 lakes.
The route passes a series of small and historic towns parallel to Interstate 94 and takes advantage of several state and regional trails, with more than two-thirds of the route on off-road trails.
“Working with local and regional partners to develop projects like Route 20 is one of the goals of our Statewide Bicycle Plan, which aims to make bicycling safe, comfortable and convenient for all users. We hope that Route 20 provides a new option for current cyclists and inspires others to see some of the great rides that Minnesota has to offer,” aid Nancy Daubenberger, MnDOT commissioner.
The list of candidates were:
• Glacial Lakes Bicycle Route
• Prairie Lakes Bicycle Route
• MiddleSota Bicycle Route
• Rivers to Prairies Bicycle Route
• Towns and Fields Bicycle Route
MnDOT says the names highlight geographic features along the bike route and were suggested by participants attending a MnDOT event last year. Voting closed July 12.
The U.S. Bicycle Route System is a network of numbered cross-country routes. Currently there are more than 18,000 miles of U.S. Bicycle Routes in 31 states. MnDOT aims for these routes to be easy to follow, scenic in nature, and on the safest available existing roads and paths.
Learn more about U.S. Bike Route 20 and other Minnesota bike routes HERE.
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