National Trails Highway/Route 66 blocked in Calif?

Our friends, Adventure Cycling, are developing a National Trails Highway substantially along old Route 66, great!. But, they are encountering a problem in California where the route is deteriorated significantly with no real plans or funding to fix it. The adjacent freeway prohibits bicycling but seems to be just fine for our use – wide shoulder, etc., but the local Caltrans District 8 has so far said they would keep bikes off the freeway, offering an unreasonably out of the way alternative.

We have provided examples of Calf. freeways that allow bicycling access on their shoulders. We will be bringing the issue to Caltrans Bicycle Advisory Committee on Dec. 4th in Sacramento. Your speaking up to Caltrans and/or elected officials who might care may be useful. [Bike tourism means business.] More info has been posted on the Google Group CABOforum.

The following is from Ginny Sullivan, Director of Travel Initiatives for Adventure Cycling.

I may have mentioned some time ago that we are trying to gain legal access for cyclists to be on I-40 between Ludlow and Barstow in San Bernardino County. The District 8 staff have not been open to providing access despite the fact that the parallel roadway, the National Trails Highway/Old Rte 66 is in horrible condition, the surface pocked with holes, crevasse and a much deteriorated surface. It also flooded recently and is currently closed, when reopened the bridges will have only a 3 ton capacity. We fear future closure and then perhaps construction which will again, close the roadway.

Long story short, we will be asking for the 3rd time for Caltrans D08 to take the necessary steps to open the freeway up to cyclists. We will cite legal code and so on but they are claiming fear of liability. One way to try and overcome that is to show other places in California where cyclists are legally allowed on freeways.

We know that sections of I-5 in SB County are open to cyclists, can you name any from the district you worked in? Or other districts? I think having a few examples could really help our cause. Feel free to ask your present or past colleagues or connect me to them.

Thank you in advance.
Ginny Sullivan
Director of Travel Initiatives
t. 800 755 2453 or 406 532 2769
f. 406 721 8754
150 E Pine St, Missoula, MT 59802

Adventure Cycling Association
Inspiring and empowering people to travel by bicycle
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About Jim Baross

I bicycled across the USA from East to West in 1976 leading groups of bicyclists for the “Bikecentennial ’76 “event and again in 2007 riding this time from West to East with my two sons. I was first certified as an Effective Cycling Instructor in 1986 by the League of American Bicyclist and have been an active League Cycling Instructor for the League since then. In 2002 I gained acceptance as a Cycling Instructor Trainer and since then have conducted 11 training seminars for certification of League Cycling Instructors held in San Diego, San Jose, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Sacramento, Morgan Hill, Fairfax, and Palo Alto. I completed the San Diego Police Bicycle Skills Menu Course in 2003 and I have been an expert witness for bicycling crash incidents. I presently serve on several bicycling advisory committees and advocacy organizations. Chair - Bicycle-Pedestrian Advisory Working Group for the San Diego regional association of governments since 1995 Vice Chair - California Bicycle Advisory Committee for the State Dept of Transportation, a member since 1992 President - California Association of Bicycling Organizations Board member - California Bicycle Coalition California State Ambassador – League of American Bicyclists Co-Chair California Strategic Highway Safety Plan, Challenge Area 13, Improving Bicycling Safety Conferences, seminars and similar events at which I have attended and presented bicycling safety information and training include the following: Speaker/Presenter, Calif. Office of Traffic Safety, Summit “What to do about all these bicycles in Traffic”, 2009 ProWalk-ProBike Conference, Seattle WA., 2008 Attendee/Speaker, League of American Bicyclists, Bike Education Conference, Wisconsin and New York City, 2002 & 2007 Velo Mondial, Amsterdam. 2000 Speaker/Presenter, Calif. Office of Traffic Safety’s Summit “A Vision for Roads to Traffic Safety”, 2000 Speaker Autovation conference, San Diego 2005 Chair, California Strategic Highway Safety Plan, #13 - Improve Bicycling Safety Presenter, California Strategic Highway Safety Plan Summit, 2008 Anaheim Attendee, League of American Bicyclists, National Bike Summit, Washington, DC, 2006 & 2008 Presenter, Walk/Bike California Conferences, Oakland 2003, Ventura 2005, Davis 2007 Speaker, Making the Connection International Trails and Greenways Conference Presenter, Safety N Kids, Conference, “Children Learn Best by Good Examples From Those They Trust”, 2006 Speaker, ITE Conference 2006 Dana Point, Calif., “Engineering for Bicycling, From a Bicyclists Point of View” Exhibitor/Speaker, Lifesavers, National Conference on Highway Safety Priorities, 2004 References familiar with my bicycling background and experience include: Kathy Keehan, Exec Director San Diego County Bicycle Coalition, Ph: 858-487-6063, Email: execdir@sdcbc.org Stephan Vance, Chair Calif. Bicycle Coalition and SANDAG Senior Planner, Ph: 619-595-5324, Email: sva@sandag.org Ken McGuire, Chief Bicycle Facilities Unit, California Dept of Transportation, Ph: 916-653-2750, Email: ken_mcguire@dot.ca.gov Preston Tyree, Director of Education, League of American Bicyclists, 1612 K St., NW, #800, Washington, DC 20006, Ph: 202-822-1333 x 227, Email: Preston@bikeleague.org