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.

[ktmrfs]

Lots seems to be based on the states financial situation. In oregon, luckily we had and still have good rest stops with only a few closed in the last decade. Washington also seems to have good rest stops, few closed. Idaho good rest stops. Montana, good stops ON the interstate system, not many off.

Utah seems to be either closing stops or moving them to nearby truck stops so the truck stop is also the rest stop. Downside is that many are now a few miles off the road.
California seems to have fewer stops and more closed.

[RockyMt]

RAs43- the fee has not ended. The rest stop on I25(Larkspur) needed new sewer lines as the old ones had fallen in disrepair. Cost to replace was to high(so they stated) to replace so closed down. Also had drug dealing that could not be stopped.

[holstein13]

OFDPOS wrote:
So where are you along the way ?
We'll be headed East dropping down to Bakersfield then take 58 over to I-40 and taking I-40 to Arkansas then north east abit in July , kinda wondering how the road conditions are ?

Thinking of going 40 and coming back I-70 this time around . A few years back we went low 10 and then high I-90 then dropped down to I-80 back home. All I can say I-80 back East was the worst especially the toll road sections !!!

Anyways safe travels !

I'm currently in Albuquerque. Road conditions have been very good with the exception of construction and the terrible roads East of Oklahoma City.

[OFDPOS]

So where are you along the way ?
We'll be headed East dropping down to Bakersfield then take 58 over to I-40 and taking I-40 to Arkansas then north east abit in July , kinda wondering how the road conditions are ?

Thinking of going 40 and coming back I-70 this time around . A few years back we went low 10 and then high I-90 then dropped down to I-80 back home. All I can say I-80 back East was the worst especially the toll road sections !!!

Anyways safe travels !

[RAS43]

IDman wrote:
On I-25 between Castle Rock and Colorado Springs, we used to have a rest area on both sides NB & SB. The governor said it was costing $300K per year to maintain them (I bet) so the state spend $500K to close them down. Good government thinking, huh?

Now you drive from Pueblo to Ft. Collins without a rest area!

Not quite an accurate statement. There is a NB and a SB rest area north of Pueblo and the SB side was recently rebuilt. Nice facilities.
As for the two you mentioned, yes they were closed but they needed work and there are stops close by. Just saying.
And to add to the discussion about fuel taxes, Colorado is another entity that hasn't increased fuel taxes in decades while everything else has increased ten fold. They did add a fee to registration renewels so they could repair some of our crummy bridges but that fee has ended I believe.

[NYCgrrl]

I-95 from Jersey to at least the start of MA is looking good rest stop wise but goodness talk about slow going. Upgraded rest stops abound. Nice to see an area of the country investing in the infrastructure but the regular signs warning you of slow traffic due to workers gets monotonous. I think work just started on the Merrit Pkwy but don't hold me to it and anyway doubt larger RVs are allowed on that road.

[rockhillmanor]

holstein13 wrote:

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. ...

:R:R

FUNDING, they CUT the FUNDING to the rest stops.

EACH state has it's own budget and funding. You would have to look up EACH state to see where, why and how the rest stops were closed.

Add to that the increased EPA pressure to reduce waste entering the eco system and you have CLOSED REST STOPS w/dumps. Not rocket science here.

[westernrvparkow]

IDman wrote:
WesternParkOwner, Usually I agree with you but cannot on this. How in the world can it cost nearly $1000 per day to maintain? Water, elec., toilet paper, trash removal?

And how can you spend $500,000 by putting up signs and barricades to close it. That is government waste, fraud, and inefficiency
at it's worst!

I suggested to CDOT to have volunteers man the stops. Was told that creates a liability for the state. They don't reason or analyze, just throw more money at everything...because it is OUR money, not THEIRS.

Hey, I was just using your numbers. I have no idea how much it costs to run a rest stop 24/7/365. But keeping them clean, supplied, insured, lit, supplied with water and sewer, patrolled and secured and kept in good repair isn't cheap.
I also have no idea how they spent $500,000 to close them. I would guess a bunch of that money goes to removing the services that otherwise could harm someone. Removing a septic system probably is expensive, especially if you use state workers. Same with shutting down and removing all the wiring, all the doors and windows and eventually removing the structure.

[CavemanCharlie]

I didn't read all 4 pages of this thread. Here in MN I haven't heard of any closed rest stops. But, you are not suppose to over night camp in them. And, because a woman was attacked in a rest stop back in the 80s' all MN rest stops now have a full time person stationed in them at all times.

[valhalla360]

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

Ironically, the recent drop in gas prices has helped increase taxes a bit. Fuel taxes per gallon not per dollar spent. The problem is we have gone thru a decade of fast rising gas prices that have driven efficiency up which means fewer gallon sold. Also with the economic downturn, there was a dip in miles driven. Funding from the gas tax has suffered particularly when inflation is accounted for.

In the end it's mostly funding and what the public demands. The public wants smooth roads without congestion. This has lead to state DOT management being rated on how smooth and congested the roads in their area are. Rebuilding a rest area doesn't help them meet their goals.

To the original question: Stop at a truck stop, mall, etc... if you just need a few minutes to figure out where you are going...or as we do...have a good idea of where you are headed in the morning and plug it into the GPS before you head out.

[bgum]

Source inflationdata.com several calculators are available.

[pennysmom09]

Old-Biscuit wrote:
Closed..........for all the reasons mentioned

As for 'planning'

You're in a 'self-contained RV'

Pull over at an exit/side road/wide spot.......and then use your facilities as needed.

5 yrs of FTng with a dog and a GF with small bladder.
You just pull over where safe.
Having spent 30+ yrs in CA-never counted on an Open Rest Area. Few and far.

This! We stop at rest areas if available, otherwise we find a very wide shoulder and or safe area. A couple of rest areas we stopped at were downright scary and felt the dangers of the shoulder were safer!

[IDman]

WesternParkOwner, Usually I agree with you but cannot on this. How in the world can it cost nearly $1000 per day to maintain? Water, elec., toilet paper, trash removal?

And how can you spend $500,000 by putting up signs and barricades to close it. That is government waste, fraud, and inefficiency
at it's worst!

I suggested to CDOT to have volunteers man the stops. Was told that creates a liability for the state. They don't reason or analyze, just throw more money at everything...because it is OUR money, not THEIRS.

[rk911]

holstein13 wrote:
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.

in a word....money or more correctly the lack thereof.

[westernrvparkow]

IDman wrote:
On I-25 between Castle Rock and Colorado Springs, we used to have a rest area on both sides NB & SB. The governor said it was costing $300K per year to maintain them (I bet) so the state spend $500K to close them down. Good government thinking, huh?

Now you drive from Pueblo to Ft. Collins without a rest area!

let's see, $300,000 per year or a one time cost of $500,000. I am no Warren Buffet, but that seems like a good financial decision. That appears to be good thinking, not our normal "Government Thinking".