An efficient trap avoidance and shared protection method in a survivable network with shared risk link groups. The invention includes a fast and efficient heuristic algorithm for avoiding traps, an algorithm, which may also be applied effectively to shared SRLG protection. Compared to other existing algorithms, the algorithm embodied in the present invention runs much faster, and yet falls into few traps, and achieves a much higher bandwidth efficiency. This technology can be applied to MPLS, ATM, SONET, WDM, and other high-speed survivable network designs.