Rest Areas Closing in Many States

[crcr]

Rest Areas Closing in Many States --
Clicky

We have seen many rest areas closing in recent years in Arizona and California, both on interstate highways and state highways. Unfortunately they are often located on long stretches of road with few and infrequent travel plazas (I-17 North, I-10 from Phoenix to L.A., and I-8 from Phoenix to San Diego for example).

It's unfortunate some states aren't finding the funding to keep these rest areas open. I agree with the article that it is a safety issue for both truckers and private motorists.

[wa8yxm]

I only have one rest area I frequently pass. It is closed..

They can be closed for several reasons.
One is natural.. I recall a Rest area in MI that was closed for a period because a well driller hit a pocket of natural gas and it got into the ground and spread, Several houses went for a flight as the gas went BOOM and the rest area was in the affected area. Clearly closing it was the only safe option till the gas was dealt with.

Money (Politics) is yet another reason.. No comment.

Vandals are yet another reason.. They can clog the plumbing

And finally, natural "Disaster" can also clog the plumbing.. Now I've not seen that in a rest area. but I did see it in a campground.. The laundry and primary "Facilities" clogged.. The manager called Roto-Rooter and the sewer line was full of gravel, they cleared it and he suspected vandals.. (I disagreed, hauling all that gravel to the toilet is more work than most Vandals will do).l. Sure enough when it happened again they sent a camera for a swim and found the sewer line had rusted out and here comes the gravel.. Major repair job

[Mortimer_Brewst]

westend wrote:
Come on up to MN, we have the nicest rest areas in the country. SD must have become jealous because saving $200K in maintenance is paltry. There are a half dozen rest areas on I-90, just short of the MN-SD border. Stop and admire on your way to the Black Hills.

6 rest areas by the border alone! Seeing those 10,000 lakes in Minnesota must give people ideas.

[down_home]

Many have been shut down in Tn and turned into rest stops for Semis only. some are just closed.
However they are about to raise gas taxes by six cents and diesel taxes by ten cents.
Won't go for this cause though. New stadium, in the future, in Nasville and, to help Developers with roads in Oak Ridge area etc.

[colliehauler]

I noticed a lot of states closing old outdated rest area's and opening new modern staffed facilities. Oklahoma has a nice new facility at the border on I-135 South. They closed the one on the opposite side. At the Southern border they closed the one before heading into Texas. This eliminated duplication and cost savings.

Kansas has some nice ones and some old outdated ones that need replaced. Kansas has closed most on secondary roads, most were glorified outhouses.

Will agree that Minnesota has some very nice facilities.

The rest area's reflect the image of the state to motorists traveling through.

[The_Texan]

Utah has forged a partnership with many truck stops and they are advertised as a state sponsored rest area, both on the Interstate system and the back roads. This would not surprise me as the way other states are going, to save money.

[jplante4]

A lot closed in Mass. Not enough LEO resources to patrol the nasty things going on there. Around here, they were called lollipop parks.

[BB_TX]

Texas has shut down some of the old rest areas. But at the same time have built new very nice ones within a few miles of the old locations. The new ones have something resembling a mini museum inside with info and displays relative to the local area. Also inside heated/cooled clean restrooms, good assortment of vending machines, covered picnic tables, and nice playgrounds.

[GordonThree]

I was amazed how far the stretch was between rest areas in NV, AZ, NM. There wasn't really even that many exits just to pull off to use my own bathroom between the big cities.

I'm spoiled in Michigan, most interstates and major highway have them every 40-60 miles. Even if there's no rest area, every tiny town along the way has its own exit, every 15-20 miles I'd say.

[CavemanCharlie]

Either for good or bad , it is a sign of the times. I hope they keep the ones open that are needed in the middle of nowhere !!! But, I understand how some of them have become dated and are no longer needed when other places open up right near by.

[westend]

Come on up to MN, we have the nicest rest areas in the country. SD must have become jealous because saving $200K in maintenance is paltry. There are a half dozen rest areas on I-90, just short of the MN-SD border. Stop and admire on your way to the Black Hills.

[RGar974417]

That's disapointing.