The Abridged version:
- Part of the American River bike trail that runs through Discovery Park will close from Oct. 1-5.
- The closures are meant to accommodate large crowds for the Aftershock music festival in Discovery Park next week.
- The closures will force trail riders onto Garden Highway, which cyclists say puts them on a more dangerous route.
For Sacramento cyclists, getting around the Aftershock music festival might be less about dodging crowds and more about dodging closures.
Cyclists who take the American River bike trail through Discovery Park will need to use alternate routes while Aftershock takes over the area. The closures are scheduled to run from Oct. 1 through 5 a.m. Oct. 5, limiting access to a popular route during the four-day festival.
A detour will be in place from Garden Highway to the Highway 160 overpass and into downtown — a route that cyclists say is dangerous and inconvenient.
“It’s a nuisance and a real inconvenience,” said Nick Roberti, a cyclist who rides the trail through Discovery Park about three times each week.
Roberti said the detour along Garden Highway is very dangerous and will affect many cyclists who regularly use the trails through the park. While a fan of festivals, Roberti said the lack of infrastructure for cyclists during the event is irritating.
Jeremiah Rohr of Sacramento Area Bicycle Advocates, or SABA, said the organization was part of the detour plans but didn’t like the idea of closing the section off entirely and putting cyclists on Garden Highway.
“We objected from the very beginning because those are major routes for cyclists in that area, but we were unable to affect any change,” Rohr said. “We don’t like the idea, but we were vetoed.”
Rohr said it’s a 5-mile detour that goes around the park to get downtown; a ride that is normally only half a mile. He said Aftershock is aware of the detour’s constraints but is prioritizing security, and this is the second year that bike access through the park has been completely cut off for the duration of the festival.
“For security and safety, it’s easier to keep the trail closed and just detour people around that area,” said Janna Haynes, a spokesperson for Sacramento County.
Haynes said the goal is to stop people without tickets from entering.
Rohr explained the event has seriously expanded in recent years, from the number of stages to the number of days it spans.
“I think it has outgrown that space and there are better venues in town,” he said.
Rohr and Haynes both advised cyclists to remain vigilant and practice regular bike safety, including not wearing headphones while they ride.
Further information on the closures and detours can be found on the Aftershock website and Sacramento County Regional Parks website. Those with concerns or questions can contact the community hotline at 916-365-4397.
SABA will be providing a free bike valet service at both entrances of the festival.
