States closing rest stops

[agesilaus]

Link

I'm surprised that Florida is doing it.

[RJL]

Interesting. We're "camping" in a rest stop in VA as I speak. Watching the fights on direct tv in the front and enjoying a cocktail with the pooch at my feet while the DW is in the bedroom watching a Robert DiNiro movie in bed. Not too shabby. Nice rest stop too.

[frizzen]

RoyB wrote:




We did the US82 drive acorss the states from ALA to Texas many times. ALways stopped in West Texarkana TX and visit the first WHATABUGER place. We never get to see any of those around here in VA... Then we get our good WHATABURGER meals and drinks and head on down the US82 road in very North Texas to one of these very nice Rest Area and sit in there under the trees and eat our meal. There was a farm just behind the Rest Stop area and we get to listen to the cows ...





Roy Ken

When you get to New Mexico look for Blakes Lotaburger

[brooks379]

$$$$$$ A lot of states have been closing Rest Aeras for quite a few years. There is a huge truck parking shortage in the US but they close Rest areas and gave me a $275 parking ticket for parking on a big wide open street a few years ago in Kalifornia when I was still trucking. They make laws that only allow you to drive so many hours a day then then give you big $$$ tickets when you can't find any parking in places like LA, NYC, CHI, Atlanta......or even in some little Podunk town.

[theoldwizard1]

I never understood why there were so few Rest Stops in other states compared to MI. MI has "road side parks/picnic tables" long before the Interstate system. Same concept, but usually no water or bathroom facilities.

[4runnerguy]

Colorado has been closing rest stops for the past 10 or 15 years. I really miss the one near Larkspur on I-25. They closed the one here in Glenwood Spgs. a few years ago. The good news is there are three really nice rest areas just up the road in Glenwood Canyon.

I think closing rest areas is even more prevalent along non-interstate routes. For instance, along US 34 in eastern CO, they've closed rest stops near Eckley and Wiggins. And out on the plains, there aren't many trees to hide behind. :E Of course in late summer when the corn is high enough . . . 😉

[BB_TX]

Another on-going discussion on the same topic.

[RandACampin]

mikebreeze wrote:
In VA Geico 'sponsors' the rest areas. And I believe that State Farm does the same for MD. They realize that rested, alert drivers are less likely to have accidents.

You are right purely philanthropic reasons. Surely it couldn't be about advertising could it?

[mikebreeze]

In VA Geico 'sponsors' the rest areas. And I believe that State Farm does the same for MD. They realize that rested, alert drivers are less likely to have accidents.

IMO, rest areas are still needed as finding a rest room in some small towns is next to impossible. And the last time I drove through CT the rest areas were in bad shape. At one of them they closed half of the parking lot and made it a commuter parking lot. Sad, but the trend will probably be towards either revenue generating travel plazas or hitting the fast food joints at the exits.

[RoyB]

Always got the good feeling seeing a REST STOP AHEAD sign in my few trips I do going down the Interstates.. Certainly going to miss them...

In my tent camping routines this is the first place I start looking for to get out all of my wet tarps and fabrics etc and do a good dry out after having to break camp in wet weather etc... Same now goes for the POPUP Tent Bed areas...

There are alot of real nice and spacious REST STOPs along the various states interstates...

I always got good chuckles out of some of the Texas ones haha... usually just a picnic table with a trash barrel and most of the time no shade over that...

We did the US82 drive acorss the states from ALA to Texas many times. ALways stopped in West Texarkana TX and visit the first WHATABUGER place. We never get to see any of those around here in VA... Then we get our good WHATABURGER meals and drinks and head on down the US82 road in very North Texas to one of these very nice Rest Area and sit in there under the trees and eat our meal. There was a farm just behind the Rest Stop area and we get to listen to the cows ...

Then we would sit and watch the road traffic going both ways before leaving and note that just about every Texas Pickup truck you would see was always pulling something haha...

NC was always great Rest Stops...

Roy Ken