Revealed: A Plan to Build a Continuous Bike Trail Across the United States

"On Wednesday, the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy gave the grand reveal for an entirely car-free way to get across the country—the Great American Rail-Trail—that would connect Washington, D.C., to Seattle. The path runs through 12 states: Maryland, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, and Washington," reports Andrew Small.

Small adds more about how the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy prepared for the big announcement: "After a 12-month assessment of route options using 34,000 miles of existing bike trails nationwide, RTC has identified the remaining 90 trail gaps to be filled. (The complete GIS route for the trail is available on their website.)"

The incremental process of completing the entire Great American Rail-Trail is expected to take decades of incremental progress. The article also includes reasons for local and state planning authorities to support the cause.