US bike route planned for western, upper Mich.

From the Chicago Tribune:

The path of a national bicycle route proposed to follow much of Lake Michigan's eastern shore and cross the Upper Peninsula will be left to local planners, a state transportation official says.

The route, which is part of roadway network being planned by the Adventure Cycling Association, would stretch from southern Mississippi to Sault Ste. Marie and connect with other major interstate bicycle routes crisscrossing the country, much like the Interstate Highway System.

The route will pass through or near the cities of Holland, Muskegon, Ludington, Traverse City, Petoskey and St. Ignace using existing roads and paths, The Muskegon Chronicle reported.

The exact route will be determined by local governments based on guidelines laid out by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, said Joshua DeBruyn, bicycle and pedestrian coordinator for the Michigan Department of Transportation.

The guidelines consider factors such as road shoulders and sewer grates that don't trap cyclists' tires.

Thomas Anderson, a Muskegon bicycle shop and a member of the West Michigan Trails and Greenways Coalition, said such a route is long overdue. He hopes people will take advantage of the route as part of the national fight against obesity.

"It gets people in control of their own lives when they ride a bicycle," Anderson said.

DeBruyn said the proposed national bike route could draw positive attention to Michigan and bring more tourists to the state.

Because the route would use existing infrastructure, including roads and bicycle paths, the only necessary cost would be for signs marking it, DeBruyn said.

However, the route is still in the early planning stages, and any dates for putting up signs or other such steps are undetermined, he said.

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Information from: The Muskegon Chronicle, http://www.mlive.com/muskegon