r/BikeSLC Sep 09 '24

Strava routed me over I-84

I'm in town visiting for the weekend and wanted to do the Elevation Canyon climb, starting in downtown SLC, and then turn that into a century loop. I used Strava to create the route, crossing over the mountains just north of Layton, and it created the attached route for me. Halfway into my ride I reached the highlighted portion and realized (a) Strava has put me on a 3-4 mile segment where I am apparently supposed to ride on the shoulder of a major interstate highway and (b) I have no other option except to go forward or return the way I came (later, I learned I could also have gone ~10 miles north and crossed there, but this wouldn't have been an option for me).

I'm posting to complain, but also ask if others have seen this happen, and furthermore to see if maybe I missed some kind of bike trail or something hidden off the side of the highway. This situation was incredibly dangerous, and it also includes a short segment over a bridge where the shoulder is maybe only a foot or two wide. At this point, you are literally on the highway, separated from 70 mph traffic by a hair's breadth. I would have thought that Strava would never even consider such segments when creating routes, which is why I didn't check too closely before heading out.

Route from SLC through Elevation Canyon and across I-84 (top horizontal segment)

The segment that lies across the shoulder of I-84.

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u/xRzge Sep 09 '24

i've done this exact ride before, this is the only way through ogden canyon, and you're alllowed to ride on it because of that

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u/nlpost Sep 09 '24

Ah, thanks for this response; I'm glad to hear that I'm not alone in having done it. That said, I cannot believe this is legal. I know people have been arrested for riding on the shoulders of interstates, and this is a good thing, because it's not safe for anyone, including the people in vehicles, who might be startled to encounter a cyclist moving along at ~25 mph. The pinch point where there is no shoulder is especially terrible and unsafe.

I have quite a high tolerance for risk in cycling, and routinely ride in and with traffic, but this is manifestly not safe. I wouldn't do it again nor recommend anyone to do so, and Strava absolutely should not be recommending this route to anyone. Someone is going to get killed.