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Targeted VDOT rest areas to close Tuesday, July 21 Date published: 7/7/2009
BY KELLY HANNON
The Virginia Department of Transportation will close 18 rest areas around the state on Tuesday, July 21. VDOT is closing some of the state's 42 rest areas to save $9 million a year in operational costs. VDOT is also cutting hundreds of positions, scaling back on mowing, ferry service and safety service patrols to save money. In the Fredericksburg region, rest areas on Interstate 95 northbound and southbound at Ladysmith will close in Caroline County. Rest areas for passenger vehicles at Dale City on I-95 northbound and southbound will also close. The Virginia Welcome Center in Fredericksburg will stay open. VDOT is adding 225 legal truck parking spaces at the rest areas that are remaining open. Also, it is lifting the two-hour parking limit at rest areas so truck drivers can get up to 10 hours of rest. A 19th Virginia rest area will close on Sept. 16. VDOT is keeping a welcome center open on Interstate 66 westbound in Manassas through the summer. Kelly Hannon: 540/374-5436
so since vdot's decision is to close these multiple rest stops, how about making more entrances for the hov lanes on the southbound side, so those of us whom don't have a cushy gov't job can get on after we have sat in traffic for and hour or so, burning our precious fuel, not being to go potty. when 6 o'clock pm rolls around.
You have to sit in traffic from Backlick rd all the way past the 126 everyday, and all of a sudden you got to go , gotta go gotta go gotta go right now, no where to go, get off 95 onto rt 1, sit in traffic with no where to go. it's obvious that vdot employees have a secret road with a bathroom that we don't know about, because if they had to sit in the traffic that the majority of us do, they would not close these facilities, that are used by not only Virginians but people from other states
Whenever I pass by, that one is crowded.
I still think that it is disgusting that our state has to revert to closing welcome centers/rest areas to balance a budget. This is not only a convenience issue, but a safety issue. I noticed while traveling during the 4th holiday that the rest areas were packed. What will happen to these travelers now. Why is our state government so against private travel centers? This makes no sense! What is the cost of destroying these centers? Stop this stupidity now!
I-95 and see people occasionally doing "their business" next to their car on the shoulder of hte highway. Now we'll be treated to this lovely sight more and more. I'm sure the business owners off the interchanges are going to love having more people run in to use their facilities and then leave again without patronizing them. Great!
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