USBR 23 is official

Here's the official Press Release

Adventure Cycling Association (note the image scroll and click on the image of the cyclist at Nashville's Riverfront when it appears) and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials(AASHTO) today announced that AASHTO's Special Committee on U.S. Route Numbering has approved U.S. Bike Route 23 in Tennessee.    

U.S. Bicycle Route 23 in Tennessee

Newly designated U.S. Bicycle Route 23 (USBR 23) in Tennessee covers 154 miles between the Kentucky border, where it joins Kentucky's existing Mammoth Cave state bicycle route, and Alabama. Heading south from Kentucky, USBR 23 begins in rural Robertson County before passing through the community of White House with its marked bicycle lanes. From there the route enters metropolitan Nashville, traveling through residential neighborhoods and past unique culinary establishments through East Nashville, Downtown, The Gulch, and Midtown. The route then cuts through the heart of Nashville's music scene past the Ryman Auditorium, the Country Music Hall of Fame, and dozens of local clubs, as well as skirting several universities including Vanderbilt, Belmont, Libscomb, and Fisk. Leaving Nashville, cyclists have the option to take a three-mile spur to connect with the 444-mile Natchez Trace Parkway, or continue on USBR 23 south through Franklin, which features several Civil War historic sites and a wonderful downtown. The route south of Franklin is rural and very scenic; there, a second spur connects to food and lodging at Henry Horton State Park, Chapel Hill, and Lewisburg. Further south, cyclists may travel for an hour or more and not see an automobile. U.S. Bicycle Route 23 enters Alabama at Ardmore, a city whose main street is also the Tennessee-Alabama state line.

“The designation of U.S. Bicycle Route 23 presents a great opportunity to partner with local agencies and nonprofits in order to promote Tennessee’s vibrant tourism industry and rich cultural heritage,” said Jessica Wilson, bicycle and pedestrian coordinator at the Tennessee Department of Transportation. “Communities across the state are embracing new ways to attract visitors while still preserving the natural beauty of Tennessee.”

We now look forward to working with all the communities along the route to sign the route, encourage its use and publicize the community and business services available to all bicyclists.

Bruce Day                                                            David Shumaker