An existing set of roadways and bike paths between St. Paul and Grand Portage State Park on the tip of the state's Arrowhead has been designated U.S. Bike Route 41.
The 315-mile route to the U.S.-Canadian border runs mostly parallel to Interstate 35 north to Duluth and then rambles along the scenic North Shore.
The route's new name comes courtesy of the Adventure Cycling Association of Missoula, Mont., which has been designating national bike routes across the country as it builds a 50,000-mile network.
The 40-year-old organization works with state transportation departments nationwide to develop bike routes, including with officials with the Minnesota Department of Transportation.
The designation of U.S.B.R. 41 was a priority for state transportation officials, said department spokeswoman Susan Roe.
The plans were included in the department's statewide bicycle plan, which was adopted last summer. It can be found at dot.state.mn.us/bike/system-plan/index.html.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony planned for Saturday morning in St. Paul was to include comments from state and St. Paul officials before a contingent of 45 riders rolled out for a six-day ride along the route north to Canada.
Also known as the North Star Route, U.S.B.R. 41 follows roadways for about half the distance and bike paths for the rest, according to Saara Snow, travel initiatives coordinator for Adventure Cycling. The group has designated about 11,700 miles of routes so far in 25 states, she said.
