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Updating the Low-Stress Bike Map

Monday, March 14, 2022 by Caitlin Sparks

Our Low-Stress Bike Map helps beginner cyclists and active commuters select comfortable routes using low-traffic roads around Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky’s urban core. As we plan for a 2022 reprint, we’re looking for your feedback about routes and educational materials to be included in the next version.

Take a few minutes to complete our survey today and help us keep this active transportation map up-to-date and informed. Survey responses are due by April 15.

Low-Stress Bike Map
Low-Stress Bike Map: Comfortable routes hand-picked by experienced local cyclists to help you plan your next bike commute or joy ride!

The Low-Stress Bike Map is a tool that helps everyday people get out their front door and comfortably ride or walk in their own neighborhood, not just on the trails. The map was created in 2020 after Tri-State Trails organized 15 meetings with over 50 avid bicyclists and active commuters around Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. We asked them where they experienced the most comfortable routes, the most difficult routes, and what routes they’d recommend. These hand picked routes created by experienced local people have helped us all take a confident first step and feel ready for our next active commute or bike ride. 

The map is organized into five categories of routes:

Trails and shared use paths: The ultimate low-stress experience. Multi-use and physically separated from car traffic. Always yield to pedestrians when biking on these routes.

Low-stress routes: These streets just feel good. With less traffic and slower speed limits, these routes bypass busy roadways to get you where you need to go.

Use with caution routes: To make key connections, we included streets that are a little busier. Best used once you have experience riding on the road. Weekend mornings are a great time for a test ride.

On-road bike infrastructure (bike lanes and sharrows): Our region still has some work to do in this department. Bike lanes have historically been installed where they fit on wider thoroughfares, not necessarily where they feel comfortable to ride. Consider these routes as “use with caution” routes.

Walk on sidewalk: If you’re a beginner, it’s recommended to walk your bike on the sidewalk in some cases to navigate through a particularly treacherous area. In most of our local communities, it is prohibited to ride your bike on the sidewalk.


You can pick up a copy of the 2020-21 map at over 100 locations around town and explore the routes on Tri-State Trails’ online interactive bike commute map. The updated version will be available at this year’s Breakfast on the Bridge on May 20th from 7-9:00 a.m. on the Newport approach of the Purple People Bridge.

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