But in some states, these roadside areas are disappearing.
Cash-strapped transportation agencies are shuttering the old ones to save money, or because they don’t attract enough traffic or are in such bad shape that renovating them is too costly. Or, the stops have been overtaken by tourist information centers, service plazas that take in revenue from gasoline and food sales, or commercial strips off interstate exits.
Florida, Michigan, Ohio and South Dakota are among the states that have closed traditional rest stops in the last two years. And a battle is brewing in Connecticut over a proposal to shut down all seven stops on its interstate highways to save money.
But advocates of maintaining traditional rest areas say even if motorists are offered flashier options for pit stops, the ones that sprung up as highways did are still needed for driver safety and convenience. Some view them as a tranquil, environmentally friendly alternative to crowded service plazas and commercial strips.
“Shutting them down would be the end of an era,” said Joanna Dowling, a historian who researches rest areas and runs the website RestAreaHistory.org. “Rest areas take you away from the road and the hecticness of travel and immerse you in the natural landscape.”
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10 comments:
A Maryland park ranger told me that they closed most rest stops around here (the kind without bathrooms) because that's where gays went to hookup. Seriously. They couldn't go to bars so they were using secluded rest stops. Little trails would meander back into the woods and that's where they would have their twisted fun.
Think about that. The LGBTQXYZ involved in another instance that inconveniences us. Why do we continue to give in to minority groups?
Most have become pickle palaces.
Keep the stops CLEAN and folks will stop...dirty, well that's no different than stopping at any fast food place or gas station.
Liberal men troll them.
They may be rare but still needed, if you ever have had your vehicle break down, some one not feel well, or just plain need a rest you will remember how much we miss them, all of us at one time or another.
How would a Maryland park ranger now that?
A lot of states have no places for truckers to park and rest anymore either and they have to stop at hour 14.
Don't stop at isle of white on rt 90 to see the bay , if you are a straight male.Gay degenerates hanging out , and are very forward!!
2:24 is right and with elogs now way around it. Truckers pull in a sit for the required timeframe and roll on. Now what will they do? Get harrased by law enforcement for being on private peoperty parking or have to sit on the shoulder causing traffic issues because people slam on brakes just because of a vehicle on the side of the road. What are they doing wrong? Why would we be able to maintain this so many years but now we cant manage to maintain as a country, roads, bridges and other infrastructure?
nothing new. they have been closing these for years, claiming they can't afford to maintain/staff them.
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