REPORT: Virginia rankles motorists by closing half of all rest-stops amidst budget woes
Motorists traveling through Virginia take note: It's time to get used to crossing your legs just a wee bit tighter on long trips through the Old Dominion as the Virginia Department of Transportation has closed nearly half of all its interstate rest areas. The cited reason? Budgetary shortfalls... what else?
According to VDOT, the closure of these 18 rest areas will save $9 million per year and will be joined by delayed construction projects and a slew of laid off workers. Virginia politicians have apparently been arguing the issue for months and a suitable compromise has yet to be reached.
In addition to the obvious loss of restroom choices, critics argue that the shuttering of rest stops may have a negative impact on the safety of travelers as weary drivers and tired truckers will have far fewer places to stop for some shuteye or to get a quick coffee. With more and more states facing severe budget shortfalls, could your state be next? Click past the break for a press release and a full list of closed VA rest areas. Thanks for the tip, Robin!
[Source: Roanoke.com]
PRESS RELEASE:
REST AREA CLOSURES TO BEGIN TONIGHT
Map and list of rest areas and welcome centers
RICHMOND - The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) will close 18 rest areas around the commonwealth overnight tonight as crews implement planned cost-savings reductions.
In June, the Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) finalized plans to scale-back the number of rest areas VDOT maintains and operates from 42 to 23 as the agency grapples with a $2.6 billion revenue shortfall.
Eighteen of those are slated to close in the early morning hours of July 21. The final rest area to close, the Interstate 66 West Manassas Welcome Center will remain open through mid-September.
VDOT crews will use orange barrels and cones to block the entrance ramps of rest areas overnight tonight. Those who are already in rest areas will be allowed to remain until they finish their rest.
Once rest areas are clear of motorists, crews will block the exit ramps.
VDOT will also change interstate signs to indicate that the rest areas are closed and will adjust signs that guide motorists to the next available facility.
Electronic message signs will be used to give motorists advanced warning of the rest areas that are closed.
Crews will then begin disconnecting utilities, removing equipment, supplies and fixtures that can be reused in the 23 facilities that will remain open, and commence mothballing the closed facilities.
It will take several weeks to permanently close the buildings and secure them for their long-term closure. Crews will install large metal gates across entrance and exit ramps as each facility is fully decommissioned.
The 18 rest areas slated to close include:
* I-81 North Rural Retreat
* I-81 South Smyth
* I-81 North Radford
* I-81 South Troutville
* I-81 North Mt. Sidney
* I-81 South Mt. Sidney
* I-81 South New Market
* I-95 North Ladysmith
* I-95 South Ladysmith
* I-95 North Dale City (cars)
* I-95 South Dale City (cars)
* I-66 East Manassas
* I-64 East Goochland
* I-64 West Goochland
* I-85 North Dinwiddie
* I-85 South Dinwiddie
* I-85 North Alberta
* I-85 South Alberta
VDOT will operate the I-66 West Manassas Welcome Center through the summer travel season, since it was the only welcome center impacted by these closures.
VDOT will close the I-66 Welcome Center on Sept. 16, following the busy summer travel season.
Truck Parking Changes
In an effort to mitigate the impacts of these facility closings on trucks, VDOT will implement changes to its rest area truck parking restrictions on July 21.
The agency will remove a number of no parking signs at the remaining 23 rest areas and welcome centers to provide more than 225 legal truck parking spaces.
This will offset the total number of truck parking spaces lost at the closed facilities. VDOT will also remove signs that had restricted vehicles to two-hour parking limits.
Truck drivers will now be able to get their mandated 10-hours of rest in Virginia's rest areas.
New truck parking rules only limit parking for an entire overnight period. This means that trucks arriving in a rest area before sundown must leave the site prior to sunrise the following day. T
hose trucks arriving during the night or early morning hours must leave the site prior to sunrise the following full day.
VDOT Response to Transportation Revenue Shortfall
VDOT recommended in February a series of reductions to address a $2.6 billion revenue shortfall. These include reductions over the next six years of $2 billion to the construction program, $391 million to administrative and support programs), and $348 million in reductions to the maintenance and operations program.
VDOT will also reduce staffing by 1,000 full-time employees and 450 part-time employees as it seeks to reduce costs and address business changes.
The department collected feedback during 11 public meetings in March and early April. It then proposed final recommendations to the Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) after considering public input and completing additional analysis.
The CTB finalized these decisions and adopted VDOT's new $3.7 billion budget June 18. This triggered implementation of VDOT's service cuts, including the rest area closures.
A map of the affected rest areas is available at http://www.virginiadot.org/news/resources/Statewide/19_SRAWC_Closures.pdf.
To learn more detail about VDOT's service reductions, visit http://www.virginiadot.org/newsroom/default.asp#blueprint
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 7)
yacoub 1:07PM (7/23/2009)
"critics argue that the shuttering of rest stops may have a negative impact on the safety of travelers as weary drivers and tired truckers will have far fewer places to stop for some shuteye or to get a quick coffee"
That's okay I'm sure they'll find a way to blame the increase in accidents on speeding or cellphone usage, so they can continue the trend of increasing restrictions placed on freedoms, based on phony evidence or pseudo emergencies.
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Steve 2:28PM (7/23/2009)
Oh yeah...this is one more piece of the big conspiracy puzzle...
ale 6:42PM (7/23/2009)
Living in the hamptonroads area, and being related to a VDOT employee, this decision is entirely political, the past 10 years, everything used to be done VDOT has been outsourced or contracted to private contractors; the result: fat checks for the politican douchebags in Richmond and little money to fix our roads. So eat it up richmond, hope your ___ happy. Politicans 1 residents 0
Dan Tenore 12:01PM (7/24/2009)
Too bad nobody in Richmond has figured out a way to make the rest areas profitable (or at least "break even").
Install refueling stations and/or convenience stores, restaurants/coffee shops. Offer some services. This isn't rocket science: Connecticut, New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts do this, and it works!
Dakotasxt80 12:58PM (7/24/2009)
Well you know if it haddn't taken VDOT 35 years, YES 35 Years to fix the 15 mile strech of road between Newport News and the HRBT, or spent the time tring to find out how to fine drivers $3000.00 for a 1 mile an hour over the limit speeding ticket, maybe there would be more money for things like lights on the interstate, or the dirty rest areas.
aquatect 1:33PM (7/24/2009)
AMEN! Well put... It's refreshing to see that someone else can tell what's going on.
On a side note, it looks like there will be more sightings of the elusive "spitting trouser snake" along highways in Virginia, lol....
Mike7 1:08PM (7/23/2009)
Not only will they save money from the rest stop closures, they also make money by issuing more public urination citations. Win-win!
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Aki 2:44PM (7/23/2009)
Think of all the money they save from increased accidents with people falling asleep on the road. Oh wait...
Luis 1:09PM (7/23/2009)
don't complain, all you anti-tax people can't expect something for nothing!
and yacoub: driving is not a freedom, it's a privilege. nowhere in the US Constitution are you entitled to a right to drive.
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Level 1:17PM (7/23/2009)
Im anti tax and this is a perfect example of how they "pork spend" the money ...9 million for 18 rest stops?? who you fooling???? its not about they need more money in form of taxation its how corrupt they are in spending the money...
Trace 1:19PM (7/23/2009)
Maybe that is because they did not have any friggin vehicles in 1787!
They did have guns and look where they placed on the constitutional amendments top ten!
People should get something for their gas tax $$$.
BoxerFanatic 1:26PM (7/23/2009)
Actually, nowhere in the constitution does it say that the GOVERNMENT has control over how to tell you how to drive.
The Constitution is not a limit on the people, the constitution is a limit on the government.
The tenth Amendment says that any non-enumerated powers and duties are reserved for the states, and THE PEOPLE.
This is supposed to be a democratic republic, where the PEOPLE decide what goes and doesn't go. The government is federal, not national, in that the government doesn't dictate terms, the government is bound by it's own definition.
And BTW, this is a red-herring. As mentioned already, it is a ploy to make taxpayers feel the burn. They could cut all sorts of actual WASTEFUL SPENDING, but instead, they threaten schools, fire, police, and other visible services, the more vital the better. This is something not as vital, but nearly as visible.
Maybe actual responsibility, instead of perception game-playing might serve the people of Virginia, and similarly the rest of the country, better.
CB 1:30PM (7/23/2009)
Well said BoxerFanatic.
notYou 1:37PM (7/23/2009)
@Luis: "driving is not a freedom, it's a privilege. nowhere in the US Constitution are you entitled to a right to drive."
And nowehre in the Constitution are we entitled a right to breathe,open our eyes, rollerskate, think, eat, play sports, etc.
It's not your fault - you're obviously the product of a public education system. Otherwise, you would already know that the 9th Amendment states:
"The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people. "
Essentially meaning: whatever isn't explicitly listed therein is still a right - until you expressly surrender it.
Next time, understand your source material before you post. Your devaluing the average intelligence quotient around here.
Luis 1:50PM (7/23/2009)
Trying to defend something such as the "freedom" to drive is utter nonsense. No matter how you try and misconstrue it, fact remains that we as a country deem your driving privileges as such. The Constitution gave us the right to determine that privilege and the institutions to restrict it as necessary.
All you "freedom-loving" "free-market" psychopaths need to get your head out of the sand. We live in a democratic society and the rules we come up with are binding whether you like it or not.
As far as comments on the cost of 18 rest stops - $500k annually per stop is not outrageous. Salary and benefits for one staff member is roughly $30-40k, plus equipment, management, etc. Add on top of that materials for maintenance and upkeep, electricity and water and it adds up.
Cody 1:59PM (7/23/2009)
Shut up Luis.
Heimbachae 2:03PM (7/23/2009)
driving = privilage. much like fishing = privilage and open fires at campsites = privilage. it's just one more thing the government wants to control, and now they are putting the iron fist down on your bladders. can you feel it!? CAN YOU FEEL IT!!? THAT'S THE FEELING OF URINE!!!
bc 3:08PM (7/23/2009)
It's not as though these are closed toll roads. Maybe in the 1930s there was a need for the government to provide rest stops, but now you can get off at almost any exit and find a gas station, convenience store, or full-fledged truck stop. There is no compelling reason for the government to be competing with private enterprise in this area.
Probably the biggest impact this will have is that truckers will have fewer places to get blow jobs from married closet cases.
MikeW 3:31PM (7/23/2009)
Driving as commerce is a privilege (see trucking. They use our roads for their benefit)
Driving as travel is a right.
The idea of converting rights to privileges is just par for the course for the collectivists.
paul34 4:00PM (7/23/2009)
Oh, Luis. You never cease to be a source of entertainment.
I love how, regardless of whatever the actual topic at hand is, he always sneaks in some type of insult against "freedom lovers" and people who believe in silly things like "rights" and the "Constitution."
I recognize your brand of person, and you're the sort that hates when people start talking about the Constitution, rights, and common sense. You feel threatened and start lashing out... and people will agree with you because much of the media shares your emotional and quite frankly, non-American viewpoints.