LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Arkansas just gained a cycling breakthrough as a 177.5-mile stretch through the state was added to the U.S. Bicycle Route system.
The Arkansas route is the first in the state to become part of the USBR, going from West Memphis to Little Rock and traveling through Stuttgart and Marianna. The route is designated USBR 80 and is ultimately planned to continue through Little Rock to the Oklahoma border.
The addition of the Arkansas route to the USBR system was part of a 425-mile addition announced Wednesday. The USBR currently runs through 34 states covering 18,953 miles.
The routes are designated by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials after being developed by state transportation departments. Additional routes are in development.
“This round of designations marks exciting progress for this project,” Jennifer O’Dell, executive director of the Adventure Cycling Association, said. “I’m particularly excited to see a first-time designation for Arkansas, a state I called home for many years.”
Downloadable maps of the routes are available on the Adventure Cycling Association website.