Why are so many rest stops closed?

mlts22 wrote:
I think long term the best solution might be a public/private partnership. In return for letting people park and crash out for a while, a business that puts a chunk of its property would be compensated. Of course, there would need to be a lot of fine tuning of rules due to abuse by the public, businesses, and government overreach, but this might be the best way to do things, especially in areas of the US where the Federal government doesn't own much land.

Short story: Feb (I think) 2006 Drove right into a bilzzard, In Utah, pulled into a "Cooporative Rest Area" Parked, got perhaps 10-20 yards from RV realized I'd forgetten something turned around to go back and my footprints were already filled in kind of blizzard.

Spent the night Next AM continued on clear plowed roads noticing all the cars in the ditch who did not have the brains to pull off before they skidded off.

I'm not sore how Utah does it, but it was a Cooperative rest area. A fast or quick food store, gas staion and lots and lots of parking.

Might want to check with them for suggestions on how to impliment such a system.

Question: I know the first Roasdside "Stops" were nothing more than limited parking, pit toilets and a picnic table or two. Where was the first "Roadside Park" as those are called now days.

(If you need a hint, I'm from Michigan, which has been a leader in transporation for a long long time, though this was about as far as you can get from Detroit and still be in MI.)