Twin Cities Cyclopath bike-route finding tool expands statewide

An interactive online map that helps people find bicycle routes throughout the Twin Cities has now expanded to the entire state.

The map, called Cyclopath, was originally launched in 2008 for just the Twin Cities. It now includes other regions and Greater Minnesota, the Minnesota Department of Transportation announced Monday.

The map includes MnDOT's complete road network and most of its trails. But bicyclists can edit the map to add more routes as the bicycle network expands.

The tool allows people to search for specific routes, like ones that favor trails and bike lanes, and also shows routes with the shortest distance between two points. The map is based on shared data --- users can also search for routes with the highest user ratings and rate their own routes through entering "bikeability" ratings and sharing experiences and road conditions.

Cyclopath was developed in partnership with the University of Minnesota and the Metropolitan Council.

The map is available for desktop computers and can also be downloaded as an app for Android users from the website.