I think you're on to something, fluetz, when we look at fuel as the driving force behind transportation policy in the U.S. With all the serious discussion of oil independence, bikes can play a major role in reducing our oil demand.

What we need is better transportation policy both at the federal and state level to pave the way for bike facilities every time we build a new road or repave an existing one. Cycling advocacy groups like Thunderhead Alliance and Rails-to-Trails are working on the federal legislation. Oregon passed legislation that requires new bike paths when highways or state roads are built. They recognized that their coast is a major 'eco-tourism' attraction and designated Rt. 101 at a bike highway with 300 miles of shouldered bikeway. It sounds like the efforts in Lorain County to connect with Ashland and Mohican state park are part of this national bike highway system. I wonder if Ohio can see the light the same way Oregon did back in 1971? Maybe the answer is in reforming the state's gas tax policy to pay for multi-modal projects like Ohio's recreation corridor...