Richmond Editor

I usually don’t get too wrapped up into political issues, but this week’s news about Virginia closing numerous rest stops on its interstates is quite interesting. I really don’t know how I feel about this considering I travel portions of I-95, 66 and 81 every few months.

For truckers, I am sure this is a major inconvenience. Rest stops are just that for them – it’s a place to rest. With the closure of the rest stops, getting off the highway becomes a major issue with a lack of parking at many areas. It also presents a safety issue – instead of stopping where they usually stop, they might just press on a little longer. That could lead to fatigue, which could lead to a major accident.

For everyday drivers, though, is this really a big deal? While I travel three of the states’ interstates, I vaguely remember stopping at rest stops. If it’s really early in the morning or late at night, I feel safer stopping at a Sheetz or a McDonald’s to do my business. I’m not really “resting” when I stop. And the way this state is set up, I would image many everyday drivers are doing the same thing. It’s not like there are huge gaps of nothingness out there, with the exception of I-85.

Interstates are an interesting problem for states, not just Virginia. Unless it’s a toll road that has weird guidelines grandfathered in with interstate “rules,” rest stops cannot be commercialized and operated by a private entity. Essentially interstates are federal mandates actually paid for with mostly federal money, but it’s up to the state to maintain them. And the rest stops fall under state control, but federal rules don’t allow businesses to set up on a limited access exit to the rest stop.

(To understand the interstate system, click here to check out the Wikipedia entry. Not that I like Wikipedia for all the facts, but this entry does a pretty good job explaining how they work.)

I travel the Pennsylvania Turnpike about three times a year and it’s so nice to have a commercialized place to stop – there’s enough grass for my dog to do his business; the restrooms are generally clean; they’re open 24 hours a day; there’s decent food; and there’s plenty of parking for truckers to rest. The Pennsylvania Turnpike is an exception to the interstate rule (see that Wikipedia entry for an attempt at an explanation), but is it right for Virginia? If I managed a Sheetz in, say, Winchester, but a commercialized rest stop opened up 20 miles south of me, I’d probably be upset. That’s a lot of business probably lost. Or is it?

When traveling on the Pennsylvania Turnpike there are still plenty of places to stop if I wanted to. I just never have. However, prices on the turnpike are ridiculous – gas is more expensive; a slice of pizza is higher; and my travel necessity of sunflower seeds are about twice as high. I choose to pay for the convenience. If a rest stop was set up like that in Virginia, I’d probably do the same. It really comes down to a personal decision.

After all this I have a formed a relative middle-of-the-road opinion about the rest stops. I hope they reopen one day with a good plan in place. I don’t want to see them reopen for the sake of reopening. Clean them up a bit; make sure the water works – give me a reason to pee there. For now, have fun venturing off the interstate to do your duty.