Today at the National Bike Summit in Washington, DC Google will announce that Google Maps will now include biking directions in the United States. The easy to use Google Maps previously had directions by foot, car, and public transportation. The lack of directions for bikes was, according to TechCrunch, “the most-requested feature for the service, as some 57 million Americans ride bikes.”

Working with Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, a nonprofit group that converts old rail lines into bike trails, Google now has information on some 12,000 miles worth of trails in the U.S. Of that, thousands of miles of bike trails have been added to Google Maps . There is also a new layer that shows bike trails and bike-friendly areas on roads. Dark green lines indicate bike trails, light green roads with bike lanes, and dotted green lines show roads that are recommended for bikes. The brief video above has a more detailed explanation of the new service.

For those in California, Google has come up with a cycling contest to promote the launch. Simply tweet #bikewithgoogle to enter. A winner will be randomly selected to receive a $2,500 voucher for American Cyclery in San Francisco.

- Justin Manger

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