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A month after rest areas close, business along I-95 see more bathroom traffic Date published: 9/5/2009
By KELLY HANNON Virginia used to pay for soap, toilet paper and water at the rest areas on Interstate 95 in Ladysmith. Since the rest areas closed on July 21, private business owners like Assadi Moghadam have been footing the bill. Moghadam's Friendly Mart gas station and convenience store at Thornburg is 10 miles from the shuttered rest areas, just off I-95. His station has clean, air-conditioned restrooms. Suddenly, in late July, his bathroom became one of the most popular items in the store. "My water bill is much higher," Moghadam said. He's also stocking up on toilet paper and paper towels more frequently. "They finish it faster," he said. Friendly Mart has not seen an equal increase in sales of gasoline, drinks, snacks, lottery tickets or cigarettes to defray the cost of substituting for rest areas. But Moghadam allows everyone to use the restroom, whether or not they buy anything. He feels badly they have to leave the interstate and hunt for a place to go in an unfamiliar area. "I'm concerned for the traveler," he said. Businesses clustered around The Commonwealth Transportation Board voted in June to close some rest areas to help trim $600 million from VDOT's budget over the next six years. Virginia expects to raise at least $2.6 billion less for transportation during that time, since the state is collecting less money through income streams like new vehicle sales, auto insurance premiums, gasoline taxes and home sales. VDOT is also laying off staff, consolidating administrative offices and scaling back on ferry service and median mowing. The Commonwealth Transportation Board faced intense pressure to keep all the rest areas open, but voted to close a percentage because the few dollars that remain must be spent on the physical roads where everyone must travel, said Cord Sterling, a Stafford supervisor on the transportation board.
The people might stop, but as the Friendly Mart says those people are not spending money there like was claimed would happen by Kaine and others who supported this. Before long these business' will stop being generous when they have to start going behind people who start trashing the bathroom and believe me, it will happen if it hasn't already. They will simply lock the door and put an Out of Order sign up or demand you purchase something first.
a way to restrict use of rest areas to liberals ...he would.
I hope the presidential limo has a potty just in case the president ever decides to ride to Fred to address the local chamber of commerce....
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