Commercialization of rest areas on agenda at AASHTO meeting

In light of major budget shortages, many state DOTs have had to close rest areas, AASHTO said in a news release.

The Trucker News Services

4/30/2010

NATCHEZ, Miss. — Future prospects for allowing commercial enterprises to operate at highway rest stops will be discussed at the Spring Meeting of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials next month here.

John Halikowski, Arizona Department of Transportation director, will moderate the discussion regarding some states' desire to see a change in federal law to permit private businesses to operate at highway rest areas built after 1956.

Presently federal law only permits those rest stops constructed prior to the Interstate Highway Act of 1956 to operate on state-owned highway right of way.

The roundtable discussion is scheduled for 8-10 a.m. Saturday May 22.

The meeting runs from May 19 to May 23.

In light of major budget shortages, many state DOTs have had to close rest areas, AASHTO said in a news release.

“That can be problematic for safety and customer satisfaction,” the organization said. “Relaxing or changing the federal prohibition on commercialization of rest areas might allow state DOTs to enter into public/private partnerships that would allow a continuation and enhancement of services.”

The workshop will include the release of an updated survey of all the states on the closure issue, the number of rest areas that have been closed or face planned closings, and a presentation by the a former Federal Highway Administration official on legislation and regulatory options to help facilitate public/private partnerships at rest stops, AASHTO said.

The goal of this workshop is to explore every option under current law as well as explore the possibilities of changes to the law, a news release said.

Other key issues to be addressed at the meeting are the reauthorization of the federal highway and transit programs, climate change and energy legislation, performance management, "smart transportation," and intercity passenger rail.

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