mac

I ordered some of the Adventure Cycling maps and it shows parts of the state and interstate highways that allow bicycles. However, I need to modify some of the routes due to only having a 2-week vacation. How can I find out which sections of state and interstate highways and freeways allow bicycles?

And for those of you who have ridden on the interstate highways / freeways, how clean is the shoulder? I've seen so much glass, ripped tires, etc. on the shoulder whenever I'm on the freeway.

rnagaoka

Not sure if there is one site that will list all the bicycle-legal highways. Maybe you can give details of your route and someone here might be knowledgeable about that area. Here's what California has to say about it (www.dot.ca.gov/dist8/6091215/faq.htm):

•Can I ride my bicycle on the freeway?

Of the more than 4,000 miles of freeways in California, about 1,000 miles are open to bicyclists. These open sections are usually in rural areas where there is no alternate route. California Vehicle Code Section 21960 says Caltrans and local agencies may prohibit bicyclists from traveling on freeways under their jurisdiction and that they must erect signs stating the prohibition. There are no signs permitting bicyclists on freeways. When a bicyclist is legally traveling on a freeway, he/she may be directed off the freeway at the next off-ramp by a sign that says "Bicycles Must Exit." The freeway will be posted at the next on-ramp with a sign that says "Bicycles Prohibited."

As stated above--at least in the coastal western states, in my experience--there will be signs prohibiting bikes, motor driven bicycles, mopeds, etc at the entrance to the freeway. If no signs, then it is legal to ride your bike if there are NO alternate routes. Usually those alternate routes are old roads that were there before the freeway was built and run parallel to the freeway. I frequently encountered this when going through mountain passes.

I didn't experience anything catastrophic when riding my bike on the freeway. The most dangerous part is riding past the on and off-ramps. One wrong move and you're dead. Also, many drivers don't understand what you are doing and will honk or yell at you (...but what else is new?). The shoulders were generally very wide and I didn't experience any more flats than usual. I thought it was cool bombing down the 5 Freeway at the "Grapevine" and passing the semi's. https://www.thealpacastore.com/grapevinecam/

Here's another thread:
https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...freeway+biking

mac

Thanks for thread. After reading it, I realized..... how do you cross offramps when you need to continue on the freeway?! Do you ride on the shoulder all the way down the offramp then find the connecting onramp?

tgbikes

I have riden the interstste in North and South Dakota, Colorade New Mexico and Arizona.the asfalt sholders in the south can get prety rough.

gpsblake

https://www.bicyclinginfo.org/insight...gal_policy.htm

Allowed on all interstates: Idaho, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming

Allowed on certain sections of interstate system: New Jersey (Permits granted for particular use and location), North Carolina (DOT may approve opening certain section), Pennsylvania (DOT may approve opening certain section)

Allowed on interstates where no alternative route exists (usually means access is prohibited in urban areas): Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Utah, and Washington

Access not expressly prohibited: District of Columbia and Missouri

In all other states, bicyclists are not allowed to ride on interstates. However, even in these states, there are exceptions to this rule where bicyclists are permitted to use a particular bridge that is part of the interstate system (e.g. I-66 in Virginia, I-70 in Kansas).

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My person opinion is that the shoulders of interstates are usually horrible for bike riding, full of nails, glass, and many other items. Exit ramps can be very dangerous. Large trucks will constantly whiz by you at 75-80mph. And if they are doing road work on interstates, the shoulders can disappear totally making for a very dangerous ride. I would avoid them at all cost unless they either have a frontage road or if no other route exist. The one exception perhaps is on steep mountain climbs than a switchback local road with no shoulder.

Neill

I sometimes ride on portions of the Interstate in Arizona (I-17) but I am fairly selective. Just because it is permitted doesn't make it pleasant or even a good idea. The shoulders in some places have wake-up rumble strips that cross the entire shoulder at intervals of every 10 feet or so. They are very unpleasant to ride over. Other parts are not so bad but the debris can be substantial. Needle-like bits of wire from shredded steel-belted tires are quite common.

When crossing off ramps I carefully monitor the flow of traffic using my mirror and stay over to the right just about up to the tip of the gore point on the opposite side of the road. At that point I endeavor to make a fairly perpendicular crossing of the off ramp. That strategy minmizes my time in the traffic lane. Crossing a single lane off ramp at something that approaches a 90 degree angle only takes a few seconds where as maintaining a straight line down the freeway crossing the opening of an off ramp could take MUCH longer. Crossing this way also increases your visual profile to approaching cars. Obviously a grossly exaggerated right angle turn is not what you're looking for but something that approaches it seems like a good idea to me. Again, monitoring the flow of traffic is critical. If there is a continuous stream of traffic getting off on the off ramp, it would be wise to stop and wait for a break to scoot across.

Using the off ramp and then reentering the freeway on the matching on ramp may be a viable option but that tactic is not suited to clover leaf interchanges and some off ramps only allow for a left or right at the end and do not provide for going straight to get back on the on ramp. It is sometimes difficult to see if this is the case at the point where you'd have to make this choice. Besides, it's always further to do this mini-detour and would inveriably involve less favorable grades.

rnagaoka

That's good advice to follow! I did the same thing...and sometimes in extra heavy traffic, I would dismount, wait for an opening and run like he11 across the on or off-ramp merging lane. Not a pretty sight with a full load, but a lot faster from a standstill than pedaling.

Like gpsblake said, freeways are a last resort, but sometimes I felt that wide shoulder and visibility was actually safer than a shoulderless winding road with blind corners.

Neill

It's a good observation that the Z-shaped approach to an off ramp also applies in reverse to crossing the on ramps. Ride on the freeway shoulder toward the tip of the gore point for the on ramp and zag rightwards (you zigged on the off ramp so zag here) to the far side of the on ramp and follow the ramp shoulder to where it joins the freeway shoulder.

Hopefully because bicycle use on the freeways is normally limited to less populated areas you won't often encounter really heavy freeway traffic.