There are myths about bicycling laws that are told and retold and accepted as truth. Today, I want to cover one I hear quite often: �Bicycling is prohibited on the interstate highway system.�

The myth exists because we�ve all seen the signs on interstate on-ramps that prohibit bicycling. The problem is that we�ve all seen them in other states: not Missouri.

The federal government leaves it up to each individual state to decide whether bicyclists can travel along the interstate, and Missouri has chosen not to ban them. Here is an explanation from the Federal Highway Administration�s webpage: �Each State establishes the operating rules that determine which vehicles are allowed on the Interstate highways under their jurisdiction. Most States do not allow bicyclists on the Interstate shoulders, but bicycle use is permitted in some States.�

Bicycling is prohibited from the travel lanes of the interstate highway system, but that�s because of the minimum speed requirements, not an outright ban. The Missouri Department of Transportation addresses that fact in its Bicycle Design Manual: �By state law, bicycles are allowed to operate on all state highways, except travel lanes of interstates or where specifically prohibited.� The ban from the travel lanes is likely never violated because bicyclists are legally able to ride along the shoulder of roadways, where it is typically much safer and more comfortable.

You might be asking yourself, �Why would anyone want to bicycle down the interstate? That has to be incredibly dangerous!� The answer is that there are places that are only easily accessible by the interstate, and it�s not nearly as dangerous as you might think.

In Columbia, for example, a cyclist taking a short trip down the shoulder of Interstate 70 can easily access the Midway area, cutting 10 miles off of the alternative route. Many Western states have kept it legal to bicycle on the interstate because there are not other roads available in many sections of those states. In fact, there are many bicyclists riding along the shoulders of interstates in states such as Arizona. That is exactly why Arizona is a perfect place to study the safety of riding along interstate shoulders.

The Arizona Department of Transportation released a study in 2002 that looked at the safety record of bicycling along the shoulders of controlled access highways. The study found there were less than one crash per year in Arizona and that it was not a significant safety hazard. In my own experience of riding high-speed highways with shoulders, I feel safe because those highways have well-engineered sight lines, gradual corners, rumble strips to awaken sleepy drivers and 10-foot shoulders. In fact, I�ve often felt safer on the shoulder of Highway 63 than many of the roads that bicyclists seek out and ride in Boone County.

However, any potential interstate bicyclist should understand the shoulder was not designed to be a bicycle travel lane, and it has many potential pitfalls. For example, at every ramp, there will be traffic crossing the shoulder at an extremely high rate of speed, and the last thing they will be expecting is a bicyclist crossing the ramp in front of them. To cross safely, you should consider riding partway down the shoulder of the exit ramp, wait until there is a sufficient gap in traffic before crossing and riding back down to the Interstate shoulder. For an on-ramp, a bicyclist should completely stop and make sure no traffic is approaching on the on-ramp before crossing. Riders should also note there are places along the interstate system where the shoulder simply vanishes, like when crossing certain bridges. It�s best, if possible, for a rider to scout their particular route before riding.

Riding a bicycle along a 10-foot shoulder with automobiles traveling 70 mph is not for everyone, but it�s certainly not illegal in Missouri.