U.S. Bicycle Route 50 (USBR 50) is a planned east–west cross country U.S. Bicycle Route that currently consists of two discontiguous sections: a western section between

San Francisco San Francisco (; Spanish language, Spanish for "Francis of Assisi, Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the List of Ca ...

and Border, Utah, and an eastern section between

Terre Haute, Indiana Terre Haute ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Vigo County, Indiana, United States, about 5 miles east of the state's western border with Illinois. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 60,785 and its metropolitan area had a ...

, and

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

Route description

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California

USBR 50 begins in

. It incorporates a ferry ride across the

San Francisco Bay San Francisco Bay is a large tidal estuary in the U.S. state of California, and gives its name to the San Francisco Bay Area. It is dominated by the big cities of San Francisco, San Jose, and Oakland. San Francisco Bay drains water from a ...

, the

Jedediah Smith Memorial Trail The Jedediah Smith Memorial Trail (or American River Bike Trail) is a paved multi-use pathway that runs between the confluence of the Sacramento River with the American River, just north of downtown Sacramento, California, and Beal's Point at F ...

Sacramento County Sacramento County () is a county located in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 1,585,055. Its county seat is Sacramento, which has been the state capital of California since 1854. Sacramento County is the ...

, the

El Dorado Trail EL, El or el may refer to: Religion * El (deity), a Semitic word for "God" People * EL (rapper) (born 1983), stage name of Elorm Adablah, a Ghanaian rapper and sound engineer * El DeBarge, music artist * El Franco Lee (1949–2016), American p ...

El Dorado County El Dorado County (), officially the County of El Dorado, is a county located in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 191,185. The county seat is Placerville. The County is part of the Sacramento- Roseville-A ...

, and the

Mormon Emigrant Trail The California Trail was an emigrant trail of about across the western half of the North American continent from Missouri River towns to what is now the state of California. After it was established, the first half of the California Trail fo ...

before reaching South Lake Tahoe.

Nevada

USBR 50 crosses the state line at

Stateline, Nevada Stateline is a census-designated place (CDP) on the southeastern shore of Lake Tahoe in Douglas County, Nevada, United States. It lies next to the California state line and City of South Lake Tahoe. The population was 842 at the 2010 census. ...

, then follows

U.S. Route 50 U.S. Route 50 or U.S. Highway 50 (US 50) is a major east–west route of the U.S. Highway system, stretching from Interstate 80 (I-80) in West Sacramento, California, to Maryland Route 528 (MD 528) in Ocean City, Maryland, on the Atlanti ...

for to the Utah state line at Border, Utah, with a brief detour along State Route 722. Near the eastern terminus is a junction with State Route 487, which leads to

U.S. Bicycle Route 79 The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

at the Utah state line near

Garrison, Utah Garrison is an unincorporated community in western Millard County, Utah, United States. It is home to a Utah Department of Transportation yard and office, but other than that, offers no services. ZIP code The 84728 ZIP code, which includes Garr ...

. The Nevada segment of USBR 50 includes 12 summits over . It passes near

Great Basin National Park Great Basin National Park is an American national park located in White Pine County in east-central Nevada, near the Utah border, established in 1986. The park is most commonly entered by way of Nevada State Route 488, which is connected to U. ...

Indiana

After a large gap in the Midwestern United States, USBR 50 traverses eight counties in

Indiana Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...

, from the

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...

state line just outside Terre Haute to the Ohio state line outside

Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States * Richmond, London, a part of London * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, California, ...

. The route through Indiana roughly parallels the Historic

National Road The National Road (also known as the Cumberland Road) was the first major improved highway in the United States built by the Federal Government of the United States, federal government. Built between 1811 and 1837, the road connected the Pot ...

( U.S. Route 40), except for a bypass to the south of

Indianapolis Indianapolis (), colloquially known as Indy, is the state capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the consolidated population of Indianapolis and Marion ...

. USBR 50 briefly

joins Join may refer to: * Join (law), to include additional counts or additional defendants on an indictment *In mathematics: ** Join (mathematics), a least upper bound of sets orders in lattice theory ** Join (topology), an operation combining two topo ...

U.S. Bicycle Route 35 The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

in New Palestine.

Ohio

USBR 50 continues through Ohio, traversing 11 counties to the Market Street Bridge that connects

Steubenville Steubenville is a city in and the county seat of Jefferson County, Ohio, United States. Located along the Ohio River 33 miles west of Pittsburgh, it had a population of 18,161 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. The city's name is deri ...

and

Follansbee, West Virginia Follansbee is a city in Brooke County, West Virginia, United States, located along the Ohio River. The population was 2,853 at the 2020 census, a decrease from 2,986 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Weirton–Steubenville metropolitan area. ...

. The route through Ohio incorporates a number of

rail trail A rail trail is a shared-use path on railway right of way. Rail trails are typically constructed after a railway has been abandoned and the track has been removed, but may also share the right of way with active railways, light rail, or streetcar ...

s. From west to east, it follows the Wolf Creek Recreation Trail, Great Miami River Recreation Trail, Mad River Recreation Trail, Creekside Trail,

Little Miami Scenic Trail The Little Miami Scenic Trail is the fourth longest paved trail in the United States, running through five southwestern counties in the state of Ohio. The multi-use rail trail sees heavy recreational use by hikers and bicyclists, as well as the ...

, Prairie Grass Trail,

Roberts Pass Roberts Pass is a paved multi-use trail in Madison County in the U.S. state of Ohio. Along with the Prairie Grass Trail it serves as the Madison County segment of the Ohio to Erie Trail. Bicyclists, hikers, runners, rollerbladers and other group ...

Camp Chase Trail The Camp Chase Trail is a paved multi-use trail in Madison and Franklin counties in the U.S. state of Ohio. It serves as the Southwest Columbus segment of the Ohio to Erie Trail. The entire length of the Camp Chase Trail is part of the Great Ame ...

Scioto Greenway Trail The Scioto Greenway Trail is a multi-use greenway (landscape), greenway trail in Columbus, Ohio, Columbus, Ohio, United States. The route is along the downtown riverfront on the east and west sides of the Scioto River. It is the first such bike tr ...

, Alum Creek Greenway Trail, Thomas J. Evans Trail, and Panhandle Trail. USBR 50 also runs along state and U.S. routes, especially in the more rugged terrain east of

Newark Newark most commonly refers to: * Newark, New Jersey, city in the United States * Newark Liberty International Airport, New Jersey; a major air hub in the New York metropolitan area Newark may also refer to: Places Canada * Niagara-on-the ...

. In Xenia, USBR 50 shares a short segment of the Little Miami trail with State Bike Route 3. From Xenia to

Columbus Columbus is a Latinized version of the Italian surname "''Colombo''". It most commonly refers to: * Christopher Columbus (1451-1506), the Italian explorer * Columbus, Ohio, capital of the U.S. state of Ohio Columbus may also refer to: Places ...

, it shares the Prairie Grass, Roberts Pass, and Camp Chase trails local segments the

Ohio to Erie Trail The Ohio to Erie Trail is a dedicated multi-use trail for non-motorized vehicles that traverses the U.S. state of Ohio, from southwest to northeast, crossing of regional parks, nature preserves, and rural woodland. Construction began in 1991, wi ...

with U.S. Bicycle Route 21 and State Bike Route 1.

West Virginia

This is in the

Northern Panhandle of West Virginia The Northern Panhandle is the northern of the two panhandles in the U.S. state of West Virginia. It is a culturally and geographically distinct region of the state. It is the state's northernmost extension, bounded by Ohio and the Ohio River ...

. The route begins at the Market Street Bridge at its crossing the

Ohio River The Ohio River is a long river in the United States. It is located at the boundary of the Midwestern and Southern United States, flowing southwesterly from western Pennsylvania to its mouth on the Mississippi River at the southern tip of Illino ...

at connects to the

Panhandle Trail The Panhandle Trail is a rail trail in southern Pennsylvania and the Northern Panhandle of West Virginia. It occupies an abandoned railroad corridor that had been known as the Panhandle route which has been converted to a bicycle and walking trail ...

and continues on into Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania

USBR 50 mostly follows the Panhandle and Montour Trails and the

Great Allegheny Passage The Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) is a rail trail between Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Cumberland, Maryland. Together with the C&O Canal towpath, the GAP is part of a route between Pittsburgh and Washington, D.C., that is popular with through ...

as it crosses five counties to connect

Colliers, West Virginia Colliers is an unincorporated community in Brooke County, West Virginia West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers ...

, with

Frostburg, Maryland Frostburg is a city in Allegany County, Maryland, United States, and is at the head of the Georges Creek Valley. It is part of the Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area. Located west of Cumberland, the town is one of the first cities ...

. From West Newton to Rockwood, it shares the Great Allegheny Passage with

BicyclePA Route S In the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, BicyclePA bicycle routes are a series of bicycle routes created in the 2000s to cross the state on highways and rail trails. Routes BicyclePA Route A BicyclePA Route A runs from the West Virginia border sout ...

Maryland and Washington, D.C.

From the Pennsylvania state line near Frostburg, USBR 50 continues along the Great Allegheny Passage and then follows the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal Towpath to the Georgetown neighborhood of

U.S. Bicycle Route 11 currently terminates at USBR 50 in

Brunswick, Maryland Brunswick is a city in southwestern Frederick County, Maryland, United States. The city is located on the north bank of the Potomac River; Loudoun County, Virginia occupies the opposite shore. The population of Brunswick was 7,762 at the 2020 c ...

. After crossing the Washington, D.C. line, the Arizona Avenue Bridge, carrying the

Capital Crescent Trail The Capital Crescent Trail (CCT) is a , shared-use rail trail that runs from Georgetown in Washington, D.C., to Bethesda, Maryland. An extension of the trail from Bethesda to Silver Spring along a route formerly known as the Georgetown Branch ...

, eventually passes over USBR 50, after which the final three miles of the route run close and parallel to the Capital Crescent Trail. U.S. Bicycle Route 1 is accessible close to the terminus of USBR 50 south of the Potomac River in Virginia.

History

The first segment of USBR 50, incorporating the length of the C&O Canal Towpath in Maryland, was approved by the

American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) is a standards setting body which publishes specifications, test quality control, protocols, and guidelines that are used in highway design and construction through ...

(AASHTO) on October 23, 2013. On May 29, 2014, AASHTO approved additional segments in

Ohio Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...

and Washington, D.C., including the remaining of the C&O Towpath. On September 25, 2015, AASHTO approved the route through

, as well as an alternate route in the

Columbus, Ohio Columbus () is the state capital and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio. With a 2020 census population of 905,748, it is the 14th-most populous city in the U.S., the second-most populous city in the Midwest, after Chicago, and t ...

, area that had been part of Ohio's original route proposal. USBR 50 signs were posted along the Ohio segment in the summer of 2016. AASHTO approved the route across Pennsylvania in 2017 and the route across Nevada the following year. AASHTO also approved a 2018 realignment of USBR 50 in Ohio, trimming from the route, passing through Hopedale and bypassing

Alexandria Alexandria ( or ; ar, ٱلْإِسْكَنْدَرِيَّةُ ; grc-gre, Αλεξάνδρεια, Alexándria) is the second largest city in Egypt, and the largest city on the Mediterranean coast. Founded in by Alexander the Great, Alexandria ...

. In the Fall 2018, AASHTO approved a realignment within London, Ohio, adding to the route. AASHTO approved the route across West Virginia at their Fall 2019 meeting.

Auxiliary routes

U.S. Bicycle Route 50A

U.S. Bicycle Route 50A (USBR 50A) is an

alternate route An official alternate route is a special route in the United States that provides an alternate alignment for a highway. They are loop roads and found in many road systems in the United States including the U.S. Highway system and various state an ...

through

Delaware Delaware ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Maryland to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and New Jersey and the Atlantic Ocean to its east. The state takes its name from the adjacent Del ...

and

Licking Licking is the action of passing the tongue over a surface, typically either to deposit saliva onto the surface, or to collect liquid, food or minerals onto the tongue for ingestion, or to communicate with other animals. Many animals both gro ...

counties northeast of

. During planning for USBR 50 in Ohio, this route was proposed as a scenic route. However, it was omitted from the USBR 50 proposal approved by AASHTO in 2013. USBR 50A was later approved by AASHTO in 2015. The route extends from Westerville to

over various local roads as well as the Thomas J. Evans Trail, Hoover Scenic Trail, and Genoa Township Trail (part of the

References

External links

U.S. Bicycle Route 50 in Ohio
Ohio Department of Transportation {{authority control 50 Bike paths in California Bike paths in Indiana Bike paths in Ohio Bike paths in Maryland Bike paths in Nevada Bike paths in Pennsylvania Bike paths in Washington, D.C. Bike paths in West Virginia 2013 establishments in the United States 2013 establishments in Maryland 2014 establishments in Ohio 2014 establishments in Washington, D.C. 2015 establishments in Indiana 2017 establishments in Pennsylvania 2018 establishments in Nevada 2019 establishments in West Virginia 2020 establishments in California