When Paul Heckbert learned to ride his bike at age 4, he wanted to explore the neighborhood. Now 58, he’s using his bike to explore the state of Pennsylvania, but he’s still battling the same enemies — cars, hills and unexpected terrain.

To help riders overcome some enemies of the road, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation has released an interactive bike map that displays the speed limit and traffic flow of state route bike paths. Roy Gothie, bicycle/​pedestrian coordinator for PennDOT, said the tool helps riders choose a route that matches their “experience and comfort level.”

Many Pittsburgh cyclists, though, say the map missed the mark in giving them all the information they need.

Mr. Heckbert, secretary of the Steel Valley Trail Council, said the type of tool he would want would tell him how to get from his location to one 5 miles away but also would be tailored to his preferences.

“Like I prefer not to bike on hills with a climb over 8 percent and prefer roads where the speed limit is below 70 mph,” he said.

The map’s graphics are “backward,” he said, with major roads, which cyclists use for long trips, in bold and quieter roads, used for commuting to work or local riding, traced in light blue, or not included at all.

Mr. Gothie said PennDOT included the roads that are in its database but is considering collaborating with local municipalities to add more routes. The map will be updated as PennDOT collects new information, which the department does about every three years, he said.

Although not a perfect system, the map is more streamlined than the files PennDOT previously used, according to Ngani Ndimbie, spokeswoman for Bike Pittsburgh.

“It could be a great tool for PennDOT to help itself consider the number of miles of roads that are well-suited for bicycling and consider places for improvement,” she said.

Bike Pittsburgh has a regional map of its own but Ms. Ndimbie said the two maps will work well together to give riders more information.

For Lance Kennelty, president of Western Pennsylvania Wheelmen, no map can replace “boots on the ground” intelligence. WPW gathers feedback from riders on routes, including constantly changing road work, detours and debris-strewn areas.

“Maps are a good place to start, but we usually always fall back on who do we know in the area that’s ridden these routes, who do we know who can tell us what traffic is really like?” Mr. Kennelty said.

In the past, members of WPW contacted PennDOT with concerns regarding the safety of Route 51, a heavily congested, four-lane highway without bike lanes that is listed on the new map. Mr. Kennelty said PennDOT responded with a form letter.

Mr. Gothie said he was collaborating with the PennDOT’s Pedestrian and Pedacycle Advisory Committee, which determined the routes the map included, but that it was necessary to show Route 51 and that “the routes were selected for experienced riders.”

After biking Route 51 to a memorial service for bicyclists killed on that road, Mr. Heckbert, who rides his bike at least four times a week, said he would advise riders to avoid that road. The danger, he said, should be indicated on the map.

“Some of the Pennsylvania bike routes are fine, but that one, or a stretch of it, is really harrowing,” Mr. Heckbert said. “I biked it, but I don’t think I would bike it again.”

PennDOT’s interactive map can be found on its website. Click on the Travel in PA tab, select Ride a Bike and click on the BicyclePA Routes link.

Lauren Rosenblatt: lrosenblatt@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1130.

First Published: May 23, 2016, 4:08 a.m.