Cumberland Gap closed to cyclists.

[zerodish]

I tried this several days ago and ran into one of those interstate style signs. They have destroyed the road and built a tunnel. I went around by highway 74. Stay off this road it is the most dangerous one I have been on after more than 100000 miles. There is no shoulder and in many cases there is no road. The pavement is missing 2 feet chunks where it has simply fallen down the mountain. In addition the pavement has subsided which keeps turning your wheel off the road. If you get too fatigued to maintain a straight line you will fall down the mountain and no one will be able to see you. Now the ban is the clearest violation of Title 23 section 109m that I have ever seen. However we may not need to use this to get the highway rebuilt. The official highway department fluff piece on the road says the old 2 mile section of 25E was killing 5 people a year. If the tunnel is closed and traffic tries to divert through highway 74 there will be 5 deaths within the first hour and 5 emergency personal deaths before it is over. The roads will be jammed and the injured will have to be lifted out by helicopter. So this is also the clearest case of criminal incompetence as it pertains to motorized traffic by the federal highway department that I have ever seen.  I know nothing about the routes east of Cumberland Gap. 

[indyfabz]

The tunnel opened more than 20 years ago.

[Kitsap_Bill]

you can always check the Alerts.
https://gaptrail.org/trail-info/trail-alerts
Then you do not get hysterical because you are aware ahead of time.

[Pat Lamb]

Erm, wrong gap.  Cumberland Gap is several hundred miles south of Cumberland, MD -- think the far southwest corner of Virginia going into Kentucky (just like D. Boone did 250 years ago).

[zerodish]

I filed a complaint with the office of inspector general, web site below. The thing is I do check out my routes ahead of time. Illegal route blockages are never listed on the maps. I have cycled past around 20 of these signs and chewed out the police who have bothered me. The police are backing down because they believe I know what I'm talking about. Other police department tell me they are aware of the problem and don't enforce the law. A partial list is interstate 5 on the northern California border. Interstate 75 on the northern New Mexico border. Interstate 15 through Salt Lake city. Got a nice apology from the governor on that one. Interstate 72 on the western Illinois border. Highway 90 tunnel under the Mobile river. Interstate 20 in St Claire Alabama. Interstate 69 in Bloomington Indiana. Interstate 49 around Springdale Arkansas. Interstate 64 in Illinois can't remember the county. A few others can be found on flickr under the user name bicycle hazard. https://www.oig.dot.gov/hotline