Riding on Interstates

[MesacyclistSD]

Does anyone have a comprehensive list of which Interstates or portions of Interstates allow cyclists?  I am particularly interested in I-40 through AZ, NM, TX, OK, Kansas and MO.  Thanks

[JHamelman]

Does anyone have a comprehensive list of which Interstates or portions of Interstates allow cyclists?  I am particularly interested in I-40 through AZ, NM, TX, OK, Kansas and MO.  Thanks

I wish there was such a list! (If anyone knows of one, please feel free to post it.) I've got a couple of generic links I'll give you:

http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/bikeped/freeways.htm
http://www.bikeleague.org/action/bikelaws/state_laws.php

Another tack to take is to contact the bicycle/pedestrian coordinator for the states you want to travel through and ask them. They will have the best information for their state. The list of all of them are here:

http://www.walkinginfo.org/assistance/contacts.cfm

Good luck and have a great ride.

.Jennifer.

[roadrunner]

Here's a partial answer to your question of riding on interstates.
Arizona: all of I-40 is legal to ride.  Any interstates can be ridden in Arizona except in the Tucson and Phoenix metro areas.

[roadrunner]

Whoops, hit the wrong key and posted an incomplete reply.  I don't know what the laws are in New Mexico, but I've ridden on I-40 and other interstates there with no problems. 

In Kansas, a polite highway patrolman told a group of us riding on I-70 that we had to get off, because interstate riding was prohibited and could result in a substantial fine.  (I-40 doesn't go into Kansas).

I don't know the legality of interstate riding in Texas, Oklahoma, or Missouri, but doubt that it is allowed.  I've looked into riding old Route 66 in Texas and Oklahoma.  It looks like one could ride across both states on the old route or I-40 frontage roads (in Texas), which would be much more interesting and enjoyable than on the interstate itself.

[staehpj1]

I don't know what the laws are in New Mexico, but I've ridden on I-40 and other interstates there with no problems. 

I greatly enjoyed riding I-25 in New Mexico.  On my KC to Santa Fe tour in the New Mexico portion I rode from Springer to Santa Fe on I-25 (part of it on the frontage road) and found both the frontage road and the interstate to be very pleasant riding.  It was all posted as legal for bicycles.

[billy50]

Rode legally on 10 in Texas and Arizona and 8 in California.  Watch out for the signs on the ramps as some spots are marked as no bicycle stretches.  Found the interstate shoulder pavement a great improvement over the typical tar and chip Texas roads.  Watch out for the wide load trucks!  Good riding.

[aggie]

Here is a link to the AZ Dot on roads.  http://www.azbikeped.org/maps.htm  According to their maps it is legal to use I40 all the way across AZ.  Here is the web site for NM roads.  It appears that I40 is ok everywhere but Albuquerque.  http://nmshtd.state.nm.us/main.asp?secid=15679  I wouldn't want to try to ride the interstate in a city with high speed traffic and lots of on and off ramps.

[litespeed]

I rode I-8 and occasional frontage roads from slightly east of El Centro CA to where it hit I-10 in Arizona. I-10 between Phoenix and Tucson is very heavily trafficked and forbidden to cyclists. I picked up I-10 just east of Tucson and rode it to Las Cruces NM. Pleasant back roads to El Paso, through the city and got back on I-10 at Fort Hancock. I rode I-10 all the way to Mountain Home TX, just shy of Kerrville, then back roads into San Antonio. I regret not riding US90 to the south even though I was pressed for time.

These interstates have plenty of good shoulder, no one bothers you and the stretches between facilities are never too long. But there are certainly more interesting roads.

[MesacyclistSD]

Thanks to all who replied.  I have a great Route 66 resource  the: Route 66: EZ66 GUIDE For Travelers - 2nd Edition.  It has section by section maps, but is for autos not specifically bikes.  None the less it shows all the frontage Road and business 66 options.  There is, I think one spot on the West side of TX that requires you to be on I 40. 

We will be using this as a connector back into the Trans Am trail in Missouri.  So we will see about OK and MS.

The Route will be San Diego to Wickenburg AZ on the Southern Tier Map; Wickenburg to Ash Fork on the Grand Canyon Connector Map. Rt 40/66 from there to roughly Joplin, Missouri then the Trans Am to Yorktown, VA.

This should allow us to follow Spring as it goes north!

Comments?  IDeas?

[MrBent]

If you ride Route 66 in California, the stretch between Newberry Springs and Ludlow (66 is a kind of frontage road to I40 along here), you'll find the worst pavement on 66.  This is pavement from hell.  It's the anti-pavement.  I rode it once and vowed never again.  Twice, once going east and once west, I've scoffed at the no-bikes on I40 in this area and jumped on the interstate--aaaah! Smooth, wide, fast shoulders, moderate to light traffic.  Very pleasant.  No cops bothered me, but you only need to get on I40 for about 25 miles to dodge the worst of the 66 junk surface.  After that, in either direction, the riding is pretty good.  The stretch from Ludlow down into the sink around Amboy is grade-A classic desert riding. 

Have a blast.

Scott

[whittierider]

This is pavement from hell.  It's the anti-pavement.

That's definitely not an understatement.  It's kind of like trying to ride through a dry riverbed with all its rocks.  It might be ok for a full-suspension MTB, but not a road bike, or even a car.

[John Nelson]

In Colorado, you can bicycle on Interstate 70 in most places. Exceptsions are for a few miles east of Grand Junction (use the bike path around the tunnels), for 17 miles east of Glenwood Springs (use the bike path through Glenwood Canyon), for 21 miles over Vail Pass (great bike path available), for 11 miles under Loveland Pass (you must cycle over the pass on US6), for five miles above Georgetown (use the frontage road), for 10 miles east of Idaho Springs (use US40 up Floyd Hill), and for 25 miles through the Denver metro area.

Bicycling is prohibited on most of Interstate 25 from Denver north to the Wyoming border (except for one 3-mile stretch and one 11-mile stretch). Once you get out of the Denver metro area, bicycles are allowed on I-25 south to the New Mexico border, except for 12 miles through Colorado Spings and for 8 miles through Pueblo.

Bicycles are allowed on Interstate 76 to the Nebraska border once you get out of the Denver metro area.

Even when allowed, however, bicycling on interstates is generally unpleasant. The most common reasons to do it is if you are desperate to avoid hills and afraid of shoulderless roads, or when there is just no other alternative.

[AzCoyDogRobb]

Hello, hope someone will see and read this, first off, I want to thank all of you  for Posting you comments on riding the interstates...very good to know what to look for, and riding the frontage roads would be a lot better. i live in Portland, Oregon, and used to live in the Three Points area outside of Tuscon, Az., Wildcats are my favorite team...If any one is interested; you can ride the Interstates up here, but in certain cities and off ramps, you will need to exit, and get back on, or travel a nominal distance to get back on. If anyone is curious, look it up under Oregon State Laws for Interstate access for whichever you decide to use...I know that I-84 (East to West, Vice-Versa) is legal all the way thru, but going West you will need to exit at the Off Ramp for Troutdale/Marine Drive, and going South/North on I-5 is limited in Portland, Salem, Roseburg, and Medford...Hope this Helps Somebody, and again, thank you for your help as I will be leaving out around the 20th of March to see good friends and Family. Have a Great Ride!

[BikingBrian]

If you ride Route 66 in California, the stretch between Newberry Springs and Ludlow (66 is a kind of frontage road to I40 along here), you'll find the worst pavement on 66.  This is pavement from hell.  It's the anti-pavement.  I rode it once and vowed never again.  Twice, once going east and once west, I've scoffed at the no-bikes on I40 in this area and jumped on the interstate--aaaah! Smooth, wide, fast shoulders, moderate to light traffic.  Very pleasant.  No cops bothered me, but you only need to get on I40 for about 25 miles to dodge the worst of the 66 junk surface.  After that, in either direction, the riding is pretty good.  The stretch from Ludlow down into the sink around Amboy is grade-A classic desert riding. 

Ah, now that this thread is alive again, I just noticed this. Once I tried to ride 66 west out of Ludlow and noticed the same thing. I ended up entering I-40 at the next onramp and it all the way to Newberry Springs. http://www.bikingbrian.com/2010/03/18/route-66-bicycle-tour-day-5/