Why are so many rest stops closed?

[holstein13]

I'm heading west from NC on my way to Los Angeles along I-40. I've noticed that about 30% of the rest stops are closed. Why is that? Is it because of budget cuts, restoration, abuses by travelers?

It can be a real hardship when there are so few rest stops to begin with and then you find the one you need is closed and the next one isn't for another 100 miles or more.

It's particularly disruptive to me because I'm traveling solo on this trip and I don't have a navigator or travel planner working while I'm driving. The other day, I wanted to camp in Little Rock and had planned to reserve my campsite at the last rest stop before entering Little Rock. When I got there, the rest stop was closed. Now I was in a pickle. I had to find an exit and pull over at the side of the road to figure things out.

ON EDIT: Please do not mention politics in your responses. If you think they are closed because of budget considerations, you can say that, just don't blame a political party or politics, etc. Let's try and stick with the facts without politics. I fear the thread will get shut down prematurely otherwise.

[holstein13]

bgum wrote:
The federal gas tax was last raised in 1993. Those taxes are not indexed to inflation. Inflation has gone up 65 percent ...

I just looked it up and found out that rest areas are 100% funded by the state and not the federal gas tax. State fuel taxes can and have risen with inflation and are levied on both the per gallon and percentage of cost. Looks like the federal gas tax is irrelevant to this discussion.

[holstein13]

bgum wrote:
The federal gas tax was last raised in 1993. Those taxes are not indexed to inflation. Inflation has gone up 65 percent. Consumption has held steady rather than any dramatic increases as stated earlier. Now cost of everything has gone up 65 percent value of income from taxes has gone down 65 percent how would anyone run a household like that? Keep drinking Grover Norquist's cool aid and your bridges will fall and your highways will crumble. Oh wait they already are.

I'm begging you to please refrain from political points of view on this thread. I'd hate to see it shut down because of political views. Let's discuss the gas tax, but not politicians or political party leaders.

The federal gas tax is 18.4 cents per gallon on gasoline and 24.4 cents per gallon on diesel but don't forget the state and local taxes. You can add another 30.4 cents of tax on top of that. The state taxes are imposed on gallons or percentage and usually both.

The feds have not raised the gas tax since 1993. In 1993 we used 2.3 million million gallons of fuel. In 2013 we used 3 million million gallons so yes, the amount of money the feds have received has gone up 30%. It's not enough to keep up with the 60% inflation you noted (source please) but it's still way up. I would have thought that road work would have gone down in cost, however, because of the new tools and techniques used to work on roads today.

So I don't think your post tells the whole story or why rest stops are closed. I also don't know how the costs of the rest stop are allocated between the state and federal governments.

[bgum]

The federal gas tax was last raised in 1993. Those taxes are not indexed to inflation. Inflation has gone up 65 percent. Consumption has held steady rather than any dramatic increases as stated earlier. Now cost of everything has gone up 65 percent value of income from taxes has gone down 65 percent how would anyone run a household like that? Keep drinking Grover Norquist's cool aid and your bridges will fall and your highways will crumble. Oh wait they already are.

[gbopp]

Less revenue coming in and more 'entitlements' going out?
The Pennsylvania Turnpike once had picnic tables along the road. Now they're No Parking areas.
Travelers dumping trash was one of the reasons. I'm sure safety was another factor.
The Turnpike is a toll road, so they probably have more money coming in that regular state highways.
I know of a few Rest Stops closed because of "problems' with travelers.

[lynndiwagon]

I know that a couple in Oklahoma were closed because they became a meeting place for a certain segment of the population to meet up. I suspect the others are closed due to budgetary constraints.

[ryegatevt]

In Vermont, several stops were poorly sited to began with and quickly used up their ability to handle more septic disposal. There are proposals for privately owned and operate rest areas, but these are no going over well with Vermont's rabid tree huggers.

[Community Alumni]

In New York State, budget cuts took their toll about 5 years ago. Where we cruise up and down I87 there are several that have been closed. It's really is not that much of a hinderence because there are still several open and they indicate on mileage posts where the following ones are.

[westend]

Come on up to Minnesota, best rest stops in the US, full time friendly attendants on duty, and the State has a budget excess.
BTW, we'll tax you for the use if you buy fuel. No free lunch!

[Dutch_12078]

RoyB wrote:
Its probably the lack of funds as wells... The states funding is really being hit now for roads and bridges... I suspect cheap gasoline really hurts alot of State's fundings it seems...

Roy Ken

Since most states, like the Feds, charge a flat per gallon gas tax, I expect their revenue from the increased sales due to the lower prices has gone up, not down. Those areas that add an additional percentage sales tax on to fuel sales may have seen a revenue decline though, if the increased volume has not kept it stable.

[Dutch_12078]

From what I've read over the years, the three reasons you gave, budget cuts, restoration, and abuses by travelers, are all reasons why some rest areas have been closed. I think about the only other reason I've seen is that sometimes a rest area is closed so it can be used as a staging area for a major road reconstruction project nearby.

[RoyB]

Its probably the lack of funds as wells... The states funding is really being hit now for roads and bridges... I suspect cheap gasoline really hurts alot of State's fundings it seems...

Roy Ken

[dodge_guy]

They are closing them due to budget cuts! And yet we still pay more than we should for our roadways and getting next to nothing on our investment. Something is wrong here!

[Homer1]

The states have been eliminating rest stops for decades. Strange situation since most of the population is getting older and living longer and need more frequent pit stops. I know I do. Now you best plan your stops very carefully and hope your bladder cooperates. I am thinking about getting a catheter installed so I do not have to worry about. The closing of rest areas is just a way for government to spend less of your tax money on you, while they build ball stadiums, and revenue generating facilities, you probably will never use.

[Tom_Barb]

It's early spring, many rest areas are preserved for winter freeze, and some are simply broken.