Per the MUTCD Chapter 9 and the AASHTO Guide for the Development of Bicycle Facilities, “Bike Route” signs provide guidance for cyclists to desirable facilities for bicycling to a given destination.

 

At the request of Secretary Faught, in 2004, the NMDOT’s BPE Advisory Committee submitted recommendations for a “State Bike Route” sign for New Mexico as well as specific state highway segments where such signage could be placed to indicate that the facilities are desirable for cyclists and do a good job of accommodating cyclists. The BPE Advisory Committee also submitted recommendations for specific state highways to have “Share the Road” signage (with bicycle warning sign), where bicycling is desirable (and present) but there is not sufficient paved shoulder accommodation. 

 

The BPE Coordinator began to implement the Committee’s recommendations in 2005 based on field observations that highways under consideration met minimum criteria (based on AASHTO, i.e. minimum four-foot usable paved shoulder on any higher-speed segments).  The Coordinator, working with the Committee and NMDOT Districts, included additional highways and local facilities for consideration as parts of “State Bike Routes” based on public input, local planning documents, consultation with local governments, and field observations.  Efforts to date are shown in the New Mexico State Bicycle Route Map.