I love to hit the open road by bicycle but these days route planning is the most difficult part of the trip. In California alone, each Caltrans district is required to provide bicycle route planning information, yet this varies hugely from district to district. You can imagine what it is like across the country. The United States Bicycle Route System (USBRS) effort will become a clearinghouse for cycling related route planning between the states and their transportation agencies. It eventually will be a one stop shop where you can go and know that you will get reliable information on route planning, road condition, etc. In addition, it will generate a commitement from those agencies to maintain these routes as suitable for bicycle travel.