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Freeway bike riding allowed, with exceptions Feb 29, 2016 12:00 AM A A I've always been under the impression that bicycles are not allowed on freeways. But I see them occasionally along I-5 and I don't recall seeing any signs recently that say bikes are prohibited. So, is it legal to ride a bike on the freeway? — Joe Y., Medford It's not quite this simple, Joe, but for the most part, yes, it is legal to ride your bike on an interstate highway — at least in Oregon, with a few exceptions. We should note up front, however, that one of those exceptions is in Medford. The federal government allows states to make their own rules on non-motorized use of freeways, and Oregon is one of a dozen states, all in the West, that allows bikes on freeways. Five other states allow bikes on freeways under limited circumstances. Again, there are exceptions in Oregon to this rule, including no bike riding on Interstate 5 between the north and south Medford interchanges. We are pretty certain there's a simple reason for that, and it's called the viaduct. The elevated portion of the freeway that runs through the middle of Medford is narrow and has no bike lane, so if you're riding on I-5, you have to move onto city streets between those two points. Bike riding is also prohibited on a variety of other freeway stretches, all in the Portland area. There's a simple reason for that, as well, and it's called too much traffic. Riding on a Portland freeway seems like an invitation to a different kind of a ride: one in an ambulance or a hearse. All of I-5 through Portland is closed to bikes, as is all of I-405 and the urban portions of I-84. I-205 is closed to bicycles north of Highway 43, near Oregon City. Send questions to “Since You Asked,” Mail Tribune Newsroom, P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501; by fax to 541-776-4376; or by email to [email protected]. To see a collection of columns, go to mailtribune.com/youasked. We’re sorry, but the volume of questions received prevents us from answering all of them.