Can You Ride A Bike On The Highway?

There are many scenarios where you might find yourself in trouble while biking on the Highway. Because you didn’t know if you could ride your bike on the highway or not, even if it was legal, you might have to pay fees for that.

Even worse, you might fall into an accident, which is not uncommon in these situations. So, what might help you is knowing on which highways you can legally ride your bike. Many states of the US have separate lanes for bicycles. On the other hand, some states don’t even consider bikes as vehicles.

And, as you see there are different bikeways, interstate ways, and also none. So, today I have decided to discuss riding a bike on the highway, the rules & regulations of different states as well as what the Highway actually means and the pros-cons of biking on the Highway. Then why late, Dude? Let’s start our conversation.

What Is The Definition Of The Highway?

A highway is a road that connects two or more major cities or towns. These are usually big roads with 4 to 16 lanes. And these characteristics differ from country to country because highways are called in the USA, which is the legal term for big roads. But highways are called many names in other countries. In the USA, highways are the busiest roads of all. Most of the heavy cars ride through the highways.

So, there are some rules and restrictions that exist for small vehicles, especially bikes. And, now we will learn about this in the next section.

Can You Ride A Bike On The Highway?

It depends on the law of the states where you want to ride your bike. Some states permit biking on the highway, and some don’t.

In other cases, some highway states don’t even have side bikeways. When a state wants to make bikeways or any specific lane, they must consider a few things such as how much traffic is in that lane, the maximum speed of that lane, alignment, etc.

But, as we want to know if we can ride a bike or not legally, we made a list below for you. Here is a table of all the state’s highways where bikes are “defined as vehicles” and bikes aren’t.

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So, 19 states of the US don’t permit bikes as vehicles on the highway, and others do. But, some exceptions and specific rules differ from state to state.

• For example, in Alaska and many states, cyclists are requested to ride as far side of the road as possible. And maintain the traffic lights and other rules.

Levels Or Classes Of Bike or Bikeways

As not every state has the same level of bikeways, there are 3 levels or classes of bikeways. Those are:

Highway lanes are in class 3. It is not the safest, but bikers can ride through a few states mentioned above. But remember- you can’t ride a bike in the interstate lanes in any state or at any significant crossroads.

Besides that, in some regions, you might see signs not to ride. Those areas could be dangerous or remote, or state law prohibits you from going there.

• Open state highways allow bikers to ride except on a few “limited access”

It is wise that wherever you are from and biking on the highway, get to know the laws and permits about the roads and freeways before ridings there.

Can You Ride A Bike On A State Highway?

Yes, in a few states, you can. On the other hand, you can’t.

You can ride your bike there if the state highway is open and accessible. But only if the law permits you to ride legally. Below, I have presented the list of 32 states where you can ride a bike on a state highway;

1. Alabama
2. Alaska
3. Colorado
4. Connecticut
5. District of Columbia
6. Florida
7. Georgia
8. Hawaii
9. Idaho
10. Kentucky
11. Louisiana
12. Maryland
13. Minnesota
14. Mississippi
15. Montana
16. New Hampshire
17. North Carolina
18. North Dakota
19. Ohio
20. Oklahoma
21. Oregon
22. Pennsylvania
23. Rhode Island
24. South Dakota
25. Tennessee
26. Texas
27. Utah
28. Vermont
29. Virginia
30. Washington
31. Wisconsin
32. Wyoming

And, of course, you need to follow –

• All the highway rules.
• Ride on the shoulder of the road.
• Besides that, you can’t cross the interstate roads no matter what.

Scenario Of Riding Bike On The Highway In Various States Of The US

❖ Can You Ride A Bike On Florida Highway?

Yes, you can ride a bike on the Florida highway. Because Florida considers bikes as vehicles. And therefore, as per the law, you can ride a bike. But you must maintain all the rules and safety measures to stay safe.

• You have to ride the bike on the far right side of the highway. And, while turning left, be careful and avoid taking risks.

❖ Can You Ride A Bike On The Highway In Texas?

Texas is one of those 32 states which permit riding a bike on the highway. But as the state treats the cycle as any other vehicle, they must also follow all the traffic rules.

These rules include-

• Following the traffic light.
• Don’t stop your bike at the cross-path.
• Don’t go over the footpath.
• Ride at the cycle lane if there are any.
• If there is no specific lane, ride on the far right side.

Maintain these, and you’re good to go!

❖ Can You Ride A Bike On Highway In California?

Though California doesn’t consider a bike as a proper vehicle, on the highways, you can ride the bike. But of course, you can’t ride the bike on the freeway. And, so there are a few limited sections where you can ride-

• Section I-5
• Section I-280
• Section I-80
• Section I-20

But be careful when going through the interstate. It’s not suitable for riding and not recommended at all. The big relief is- California’s roads are wide and very clean. So, enjoy biking there!

❖ Can You Ride A Bike On The Alcan Highway?

Alaska is a beautiful state for adventure, and Alcan Highway is suitable for riding a bike.

Tourist attractions of this state make it perfect for riding a bike and enjoying nature. And, the state law made it easy for travelers to roam around using the highway. Yes, any bike tour on the Alcan highway is an adventure of a lifetime.

❖ Can You Ride A Bike On The Hume Highway?

Yes, you can ride a bike on the Hume highway. It is beautiful for any cyclist if you are looking for an adventure.

But the cars might be a problem as too many trucks passes on this road. Your adventure can get too noisy. By the way, if you want to see the story of the road and read the book “Bypass,” you can try it.

❖ Can You Ride A Bike On The Trans Canada Highway?

No, you can not ride a bike on the trans-Canada highway. The law doesn’t permit riding a bike through this road.

But there are limited expressways or freeways where you can ride a bike. Besides, not every road has a broader shoulder and high traffic. So, this might be a problem.

Then, Can You Ride An Electric Bike On The Highway?

To answer depends on the state and local law where the highway is. In most states, you can ride an electric bike on the highways, freeways, and expressways.

Besides that, there are just some restrictions on limited highways. But, you must maintain the rules of the states.

Do Remember One Thing If You Want To Cycling On The Highways- it always varies from country to country, state to state, and province to province as well.

• In the UK, you can ride any electric bike. In fact, this rule goes for most European countries.

And, Can We Ride A Dirt Bike On The Highway Of The USA?

No, the state laws strictly prohibited dirt bikes from riding on the highway because dirt bikes are meant to ride off-road and not indeed on the road.

Besides, a few pieces of equipment need to be on a vehicle to ride on the road, which a dirt bike doesn’t have. Here, the main point is that a dirt bike doesn’t have the legal requirement to ride on the highway.

Final Verdict

As we know about almost all the curious local state laws and rules about bike riding, we also see whether we can ride a bike highway or not. In 32 states in the US, bike is permitted as vehicles. Thus, in those states, you can ride a bike.

However, you must be careful while riding because cars and trucks always go down the highway at high speed. And, maintain riding on the far right shoulder of the road, wear safety gear and the traffic rules.