Rest Areas

[Kurbski]

No - they need to stop taking money from the highway fund and putting it into other crap in the state that has absolutely nothing to do with transportation.

I agree because we are already paying for it through fuel and taxes/fees so I did a google search on "highway funds being misappropriated" What is the heavy highway tax used for every year?
This just one of many Misappropriated Funds and the Bridge Collapse - HUMAN EVENTS

[repete]

Isn't that a state issue? Do you really what MORE federal regulation? I can see it now another gvmt agency Division of public Parking! More rules about no idleing anywhere and 24hr patrols to enforce it and to ease overcrowding and to be fair to all drivers a 6 hr parking time limit, never mind you need 10hrs.

I could go on but I gotta go to work now, hope the rest areas are still there

[geeshock]

It's been a while but I remember 2 very nice sized truck rest areas on I-81 n in Va less than 20 miles into the state was the first one. Did they clse that one down to? last time I paased it up they had it blocked off but didn't say anything about it being closed permanantly

[Mr. Ford95]

Geeshock, the truck only rest area on 81N at MM 13 just north of Bristol is listed as still open.

On 81 the rest area's listed that are closed by MM:

53 South
61 North
108 North
232 North and South
158 South
262 South

Safety Rest Areas and Welcome Centers

It's missing at least 1 rest area that is still open out on 64 in Western VA. Trucks only, eastbound 64 near MM 30.

[geeshock]

Thats good, at least they haven't totaly lost thier minds. I know many a nights that was the only place I could rest. all the truckstops in TN were filled to capacity many times.

[Malaki86]

Isn't that a state issue? Do you really what MORE federal regulation? I can see it now another gvmt agency Division of public Parking! More rules about no idleing anywhere and 24hr patrols to enforce it and to ease overcrowding and to be fair to all drivers a 6 hr parking time limit, never mind you need 10hrs.

I could go on but I gotta go to work now, hope the rest areas are still there

It's a state issue, but it's also a federal issue. The rest areas were closed on a FEDERAL interstate system. The FEDERAL interstate system also provides funding to the states to maintain & operate these highways. Therefore, they're miss-spending the FEDERAL funding, as well as the state funding.

As for the anti-idling, that's another issue altogether.

[repete]

It's a state issue, but it's also a federal issue. The rest areas were closed on a FEDERAL interstate system. The FEDERAL interstate system also provides funding to the states to maintain & operate these highways. Therefore, they're miss-spending the FEDERAL funding, as well as the state funding.

As for the anti-idling, that's another issue altogether.

That may be but do you really think they care or would do anything about if they did? Look at NY , the state comptroler just released a report stating that ONLY 30% of fedral highway money actully goes to roads and bridges and thats been going on for 20 YEARS!!
As far as the rest stops go are they really part of the interstate system? I've seen some that are taken care of by county workers, I believe even mabe even a town.

[Malaki86]

Since it's been going on for 20+ years, I guess it's ok then. It's always better for federal highway funding to go to pay for the local city water treatment plant then.

[GMAN]

I still think that it should be a criminal offense for governments to use funds collected for one purpose for another. Many states have robbed the highway trust funds in their states for years. That is misappropriation of public funds. I think that most states collect more than they need to make improvements on roadways. It is just easy pickings for these states. There is no one to whom they must answer. Personally, I would like to see IFTA dismantled and let states compete for fuel dollars. It would force them to be more competitive.

[wimpy]

Their closing all the rest areas in Arizona so the DPS has enough money to sit the side of the road/median and idle their cars so their not hot/cold while waiting to pull one of us over.

[Glad Hand]

The trucking companies need to get together to raise rates in order to compensate truck drivers for these additional hardships. That’s one of the biggest problems with the trucking industry, they don’t know how to justify their rates and only how to give away services for free and at the expense of the drivers.

[Mr. Ford95]

Quick Bump

Va. Gov.-Elect McDonnell to Reopen Rest Stops | NBC Washington

Why what a novel idea for free labor to man them. Wonder if a guard will be posted at each one though.

[jburd]

What's up with North Carolina and the lack of rest ares? I thought I was gonna have to stop in Mayberry and sleep with Otis in the drunk tank one night.

[Musicman]

Agreed! Though as a female driver, restrooms are *really* appreciated

5 gallon bucket and a roll of 13 gallon trash bags from Wally World and you'll never want for a restroom again. :-)

[jburd]

Everyone should have some type of "litter box"......I have a colapesable camping one

[Musicman]

I have to disagree. The states see closing them as a cost-cutting measure. It should be federal law that there are truck-accessible rest areas every so number of miles that are open 24 hours a day, with a certain number of parking spaces per rest area.

They do not see it as a cost cutting measure. They are simply doing this to throw a tantrum. When a child doesn’t get what he wants he chooses behavior that will draw the most attention. Same thing applies here. There a ton of more effective ways for the states to cut costs. Closing the rest areas is just the most visible thing they can do. Quite frankly, I’d be happy if they put up a “toll gate” and charged a couple dollars for maybe 12 – 14 hours of parking. It’d be worth it in some of the places. I also think it’d be worth them creating large trucks only parking areas (like the one on I-80 just west of the I-76 split in Nebraska) every 50 miles or so on the interstates. They could privatize the security and garbage services (meaning create private sector jobs) and charge a couple of bucks to park there as well. And I DO mean a couple of dollars... not $8 or $10 like some of the truck stops in the Northeast.

[GMAN]

The only problem with starting to pay these people is that once they find that people will pay to park they well start to raise prices. Just look what happened to the toll roads in the northeast. It seems like every time you turn around they go up on the tolls. I agree that these states could cut a lot of costs without touching the rest areas. They just don't want to make the hard decisions. It is not politically popular. They need to start cutting payroll. that is a great way to balance a budget. That is what is normally done in the private sector. The problem with these politicians is that they buy votes with taxpayer dollars. There are so many people feeding on the public trough that it would be difficult to start cutting people.

[Musicman]

The only problem with starting to pay these people is that once they find that people will pay to park they well start to raise prices. Just look what happened to the toll roads in the northeast.

I don’t think it would be like the toll roads. In many areas, using the toll roads is almost a necessity to get from place to place. If they raised the price of all the NYC bridges to $500 each way, trucks would still be lining up to pay the toll. Parking areas are always an option. The more they raise the price the fewer patrons they would have. As I’ve already said, I’d be willing to pay a couple bucks for the convenience of having a decent, dependable place to park. I wouldn’t pay much more than a couple bucks though. I’m managing now without the parking areas I proposed so it wouldn’t be too hard to stop giving them my business if the prices got out of hand.

[1catfish]

Their closing all the rest areas in Arizona so the DPS has enough money to sit the side of the road/median and idle their cars so their not hot/cold while waiting to pull one of us over.

did you read that az. was also closing all the state parks too?