Thought of this thread topic after seeing this example in the "Your preference for highway service stops?" thread.
Quote from: webny99 on February 10, 2022, 08:11:19 AM
There's also a time factor. For example, this new rest area/welcome center (https://www.google.com/maps/place/Rest+Area+New+York+Welcome+Center+I-190/@43.0193561,-78.9753241,16.5z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x89d36b49ebbd1141:0x28a077bb1fa02525!8m2!3d43.0189842!4d-78.973598) on I-190 is a great facility, but it doesn't have direct access to the highway so you end up wasting several minutes getting in and out, especially northbound.
Another similar example to that one I know of is I-270 WB in Missouri, where there is a welcome center off the first exit WB in the state (exit 34), and you have to make a few turns to get to it after exiting.
Where are some other locations of rest areas or welcome centers that don't have direct ramps off/on a freeway, and you need to exit off to another road (at a normal exit, with an exit number generally) to access the rest area?
Off the top of my head:
- I-10 MS Exit 2
- I-35 IA Exit 214
- I-35 MN Exit 249 (or 250)
- I-89 VT Exit 7
I'm pretty sure we've discussed this before because I remember discussions of the Florida rest area off Daniels Parkway near Fort Myers and the North Carolina rest stop in the median of I-40 in Duplin County that requires exiting to a local street for access, as well as multiple discussions of the West Gardiner Service Area on the Maine Turnpike that requires exiting to a local street and, if you don't have E-ZPass, getting a toll plaza receipt to use when you re-enter the Turnpike to avoid being charged a separate toll.
I'll edit this post to add a link if I find that discussion. Edited to add–I found three discussions, the first of which was a standalone thread.
https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=14043.msg2023024#msg2023024 ("Freeway rest areas not on the freeway")
https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=29631.msg2632088#msg2632088 (in the context of service areas on non-tolled highways; the thread devolved into one of HighwayStar's usual efforts to crucify anyone who dared disagree with his opinion)
https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=11342.msg2025002#msg2025002 (in the context of abandoned rest areas)
This situation is more common out west...
Other examples in the eastern US:
US 29 (future I-785) NC Welcome Center is at the NC 700 exit
I-77 WV Welcome Center leaving Ohio is at the WV 14 exit
US 70 (future I-42) just west of New Bern has one
US 17 at Shalotte NC is at the NC 130 exit
Quote from: Mapmikey on February 10, 2022, 10:16:30 AM
This situation is more common out west...
Other examples in the eastern US:
US 29 (future I-785) NC Welcome Center is at the NC 700 exit
....
US-29 bypassing Danville also has a fairly nice Virginia welcome center (https://www.google.com/maps/place/Danville+Welcome+Center/@36.5689081,-79.3760656,16.25z/data=!4m13!1m7!3m6!1s0x89abd6a4c39002fb:0x71613f7de985780!2sWallace,+NC!3b1!8m2!3d34.735724!4d-77.9952628!3m4!1s0x89ad4cbaa55d0dc3:0x262cea805359ed88!8m2!3d36.5724932!4d-79.3644738!5m1!1e1) up on a hill that you access via an exit.
There's this fun example....the rest area along the State Route 11 freeway in northeast Ohio. While it is directly on the freeway, northbound traffic must cross the southbound lanes at-grade to access the rest area. Also, there are no acceleration lanes when getting back onto the freeway in either direction. The freeway isn't very busy, but it's still dangerous.
MAP: https://goo.gl/maps/NBNMotmtj5Za6EPU8
Quote from: sandwalk on February 10, 2022, 10:57:23 AM
There's this fun example....the rest area along the State Route 11 freeway in northeast Ohio. While it is directly on the freeway, northbound traffic must cross the southbound lanes at-grade to access the rest area. Also, there are no acceleration lanes when getting back onto the freeway in either direction. The freeway isn't very busy, but it's still dangerous.
MAP: https://goo.gl/maps/NBNMotmtj5Za6EPU8
I see the speed limit is 70 mph on there. Interesting design!
I parked at this Michigan welcome center along I-75 in Mackinaw City, to get a picture of US23's northern end marker. A partial interchange connecting the north leg of I-75 to US Route 23 is there. The south leg of I-75 can connect via another partial interchange to the south. No matter what your angle is, though, you need to get onto Nicolet Street, a surface street, to reach the welcome center.
https://www.google.com/maps/@45.7741456,-84.734755,16.75z
Quote from: 1995hoo on February 10, 2022, 11:01:25 AM
Quote from: sandwalk on February 10, 2022, 10:57:23 AM
There's this fun example....the rest area along the State Route 11 freeway in northeast Ohio. While it is directly on the freeway, northbound traffic must cross the southbound lanes at-grade to access the rest area. Also, there are no acceleration lanes when getting back onto the freeway in either direction. The freeway isn't very busy, but it's still dangerous.
MAP: https://goo.gl/maps/NBNMotmtj5Za6EPU8
I see the speed limit is 70 mph on there. Interesting design!
Ohio has some expressways with a 70 mph, like a portion of US 30 (https://www.google.com/maps/@40.8233429,-83.0725746,3a,54.9y,81.13h,87.69t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sKZKF_efShy8pXvbc6P5qIA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192).
US 301 on MD's eastern shore has a rest area in the median (https://www.google.com/maps/@39.0790414,-75.9772992,547m/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en), with access from either direction requiring a left turn onto Hayden Clark Rd.
Also on the eastern shore, there's this oddball: US 50 west near Mardela Springs has a sign directing drivers to turn left at Wallertown Rd for a "rest area" (https://www.google.com/maps/@38.4617713,-75.7738259,3a,75y,269.83h,88.98t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sTXBzRe1TXjAV4-7J6-VTHg!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?hl=en)...which turns out to be just a few picnic tables & trash cans with no actual parking spots (https://www.google.com/maps/@38.46095,-75.77525,3a,40.5y,276.75h,90.14t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sUrTBZDTZgXxnfz2Vcx9x1w!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en). If you pull in here expecting a full rest area and can't wait any longer...pick a tree and aim downhill, I guess?
Quote from: Mapmikey on February 10, 2022, 10:16:30 AM
US 17 at Shalotte NC is at the NC 130 exit
Further north, US 17 near Washington NC has a rest area (https://www.google.com/maps/@35.4906917,-77.1034727,541m/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en) that requires turning onto Harding Rd.
Quote from: sandwalk on February 10, 2022, 10:57:23 AM
There's this fun example....the rest area along the State Route 11 freeway in northeast Ohio. While it is directly on the freeway, northbound traffic must cross the southbound lanes at-grade to access the rest area. Also, there are no acceleration lanes when getting back onto the freeway in either direction. The freeway isn't very busy, but it's still dangerous.
MAP: https://goo.gl/maps/NBNMotmtj5Za6EPU8
Several of MD's rest areas on US routes do this as well for the other direction, either via a direct left turn (US 301 south for the northbound welcome center past the Nice Bridge (https://www.google.com/maps/@38.3701138,-76.9610946,3a,75y,198.63h,87.28t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s6NWaxL0efTi4hpbv6T2R0w!2e0!7i16384!8i8192!5m1!1e1?hl=en)) or by posting signs to U-turn at the next intersection beyond (US 15 north for the southbound welcome center near Emmitsburg (https://www.google.com/maps/@39.7068772,-77.3127691,3a,75y,25.06h,84.03t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sWCt4Nfwb0hz2We9x5dREyg!2e0!7i16384!8i8192!5m1!1e1?hl=en), US 13 south for the northbound welcome center near Pocomoke City (https://www.google.com/maps/@38.0026058,-75.5428834,3a,75y,149.64h,87.22t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s21HLrDcfAt57gUioSiX5rw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192!5m1!1e1?hl=en)).
The Indiana Welcome Center in Hammond:
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.5709391,-87.4623879,3a,75y,3.56h,90.53t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sYVWPxSOJWhCTE_oBwKS4fQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
The one on I-40 in Duplin county is unique. And that could be because they wanted to save money by building one rest stop compared to two which all other highways in the state have.
Quote from: SkyPesos on February 10, 2022, 11:09:45 AM
Quote from: 1995hoo on February 10, 2022, 11:01:25 AM
Quote from: sandwalk on February 10, 2022, 10:57:23 AM
There's this fun example....the rest area along the State Route 11 freeway in northeast Ohio. While it is directly on the freeway, northbound traffic must cross the southbound lanes at-grade to access the rest area. Also, there are no acceleration lanes when getting back onto the freeway in either direction. The freeway isn't very busy, but it's still dangerous.
MAP: https://goo.gl/maps/NBNMotmtj5Za6EPU8
I see the speed limit is 70 mph on there. Interesting design!
Ohio has some expressways with a 70 mph, like a portion of US 30 (https://www.google.com/maps/@40.8233429,-83.0725746,3a,54.9y,81.13h,87.69t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sKZKF_efShy8pXvbc6P5qIA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192).
I know. I've driven US-30 from I-75 east to Trump Avenue in Canton and I cited that road in a prior thread in which kernals12 was ranting about grade-separated interchanges (https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=28799.msg2585588#msg2585588).
Bozeman MT and Anaconda MT have these.
Honestly though, I am not a fan of this concept at all. Rest areas should be as easy to use as possible, not requiring the use of exits that sometimes lead through a light to get there. They also seem to be a more recent trend, probabally because we have gotten to cheap to do it right and build one for each side of the freeway.
There's quite a few in Colorado. A partial list:
I-76 Julesburg
I-76 Wiggins
I-25 Prospect Road - Fort Collins
I-70 Georgetown
I-70 Shrine Pass Road (Vail Pass)
I-70 Edwards
I-70 Grizzly Creek
I-70 No Name
I-70 Rifle
Several on I-35 in Iowa.
Exit 4 Lamoni (MO border)
Exit 159 Dows
Exit 214 Northwood (MN border)
I forget exactly where off the top my head but there is one off of I-75 near Sarasota that requires leaving the Interstate to access
Also, I-10 in Chuckwalla Valley east of CA 177 has an off freeway rest area on Wiley's Well Road.
Quote from: zzcarp on February 10, 2022, 11:41:47 AM
There's quite a few in Colorado. A partial list:
I-76 Julesburg
I-76 Wiggins
I-25 Prospect Road - Fort Collins
I-70 Georgetown
I-70 Shrine Pass Road (Vail Pass)
I-70 Edwards
I-70 Grizzly Creek
I-70 No Name
I-70 Rifle
The I-70 welcome center in Fruita definitely comes to mind for Colorado. It requires not only exiting onto SH 340 but also navigating a pair of rather complicated multilane roundabouts.
Surprisingly I think there is only one Utah interstate rest area not on a direct ramp: I-70 at Ivie Creek, which requires exiting onto SR 76.
Another one that comes to mind is the Illinois welcome center on I-24, which is accessed by exiting onto US 45.
Another one near CO, I-25 Exit 4 in Wyoming.
(https://i.postimg.cc/NGWRM7mj/WY-Exit-4.png)
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on February 10, 2022, 11:58:28 AM
I forget exactly where off the top my head but there is one off of I-75 near Sarasota that requires leaving the Interstate to access
....
You're not perchance thinking of the abandoned (or perhaps never finished, I don't know) one next to the Myakka River near Venice (https://www.google.com/maps/@27.1136653,-82.3414074,16.04z), are you?
Wichita Falls, TX has one on US-287
I-77 welcome center in West Virginia at Princeton (requires exiting onto US 460).
I-26 welcome center in Tennessee northwest of the North Carolina state line (requires exiting onto Flag Pond Road).
I-24 welcome center in Kentucky at Paducah (this is the old Whitehaven Mansion and it requires using the southern C/D road at the US 45/US 62 exit).
Mountain Parkway rest area in Kentucky at Slade (requires exiting onto KY 11).
The US 50/OH 7/OH 32 rest area near Coolville, OH has a direct entrance ramp from US 50/OH 32 eastbound, but all other movements involve using CR 63 (old US 50). https://goo.gl/maps/f5ABaUcTiqvAJVFk7
Quote from: JayhawkCO on February 10, 2022, 12:48:55 PM
Another one near CO, I-25 Exit 4 in Wyoming.
(https://i.postimg.cc/NGWRM7mj/WY-Exit-4.png)
There's also one in Wyoming on I-90 at exit 199, as well as one that I found looking for it at exit 189.
Nevada has a few rest areas where the access is off-freeway.
- I-80 @ Trinity - This one is at the US 95 interchange (exit 83), and is located on US 95 immediately adjacent to the I-80 interchange.
- I-80 @ Cosgrave - This one is at the Cosgrave interchange (exit 158), and is located on the crossroad immediately adjacent to the interchange.
- I-80 @ Valmy - This is at the Valmy interchange (exit 216), and is just across a frontage road from the interchange.
The common denominator for all three of these is that they're small rest stops out in the middle of nowhere. It's more economical to have one rest area serve both directions especially when you'd already have an interchange there anyway. Why build two sets of ramps and amenities when it's not even a high use location?
Quote from: 1995hoo on February 10, 2022, 12:59:13 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on February 10, 2022, 11:58:28 AM
I forget exactly where off the top my head but there is one off of I-75 near Sarasota that requires leaving the Interstate to access
....
You're not perchance thinking of the abandoned (or perhaps never finished, I don't know) one next to the Myakka River near Venice (https://www.google.com/maps/@27.1136653,-82.3414074,16.04z), are you?
It definitely was active, I thought that I had a photo of it but I don't. It was along the west side of I-75 on what I believe was a 7X State Road.
Quote from: roadfro on February 10, 2022, 04:44:56 PM
Why build two sets of ramps and amenities when it's not even a high use location?
Because that is the best experience for motorists.
Quote from: HighwayStar on February 10, 2022, 04:48:06 PM
Quote from: roadfro on February 10, 2022, 04:44:56 PM
Why build two sets of ramps and amenities when it's not even a high use location?
Because that is the best experience for motorists.
That's not a criteria. Otherwise all ramps would be high speed ramps, all intersections would be interchanges, etc.
I believe the I-94 welcome center entering Wisconsin from Minnesota was off the Carmichael Road exit in Hudson, but it was moved 40 miles east to an on-freeway location near Menomonie around 2005.
Quote from: roadfro on February 10, 2022, 04:44:56 PM
It's more economical to have one rest area serve both directions especially when you'd already have an interchange there anyway. Why build two sets of ramps and amenities when it's not even a high use location?
My current theory is that exit ramp termini have caused HighwayStar a great deal of trauma at some point.
The Pennsylvania welcome center off I-84 requires getting off at Exit 53 and following US 209 briefly to access it.
Quote from: TheHighwayMan394 on February 10, 2022, 05:00:29 PM
I believe the I-94 welcome center entering Wisconsin from Minnesota was off the Carmichael Road exit in Hudson, but it was moved 40 miles east to an on-freeway location near Menomonie around 2005.
the other I-94 near IL has the both ramps and local road access
Quote from: jeffandnicole on February 10, 2022, 04:56:08 PM
Quote from: HighwayStar on February 10, 2022, 04:48:06 PM
Quote from: roadfro on February 10, 2022, 04:44:56 PM
Why build two sets of ramps and amenities when it's not even a high use location?
Because that is the best experience for motorists.
That's not a criteria. Otherwise all ramps would be high speed ramps, all intersections would be interchanges, etc.
Of course it is a criteria. The definition of criteria is as follows
a principle or standard by which something may be judged or decided.Motorist convenience is certainly a valid criteria, the fact that there are others does nothing to diminish that fact.
The question was
why would you? and that, like it or not, convenience is the reason you would. Obviously there is a cost tradeoff in doing so (though given that each facility needs only 1/2 the capacity I rather doubt the cost is as high as claimed, at least for a basic rest area).
Quote from: CtrlAltDel on February 10, 2022, 05:09:05 PM
Quote from: roadfro on February 10, 2022, 04:44:56 PM
It's more economical to have one rest area serve both directions especially when you'd already have an interchange there anyway. Why build two sets of ramps and amenities when it's not even a high use location?
My current theory is that exit ramp termini have caused HighwayStar a great deal of trauma at some point.
No, my answer to that is above, and the reason is inconvenience to travelers.
As to your theory, its not any trauma from exit ramp termini, and that is really not even sensible in the context of a rest area, regardless of where you put it, the exit ramp has to "terminate" at something right?
Quote from: Joe The Dragon on February 10, 2022, 09:12:10 PM
Quote from: TheHighwayMan394 on February 10, 2022, 05:00:29 PM
I believe the I-94 welcome center entering Wisconsin from Minnesota was off the Carmichael Road exit in Hudson, but it was moved 40 miles east to an on-freeway location near Menomonie around 2005.
the other I-94 near IL has the both ramps and local road access
This got me thinking of another subset of this topic: rest areas that serve multiple independent routes
-the I-35 Thompson Hill welcome center that froggie posted serves US 2 as well
-the welcome center in La Crescent, MN is accessible to and from I-90 and US 14/61
Quote from: JayhawkCO on February 10, 2022, 12:48:55 PM
Another one near CO, I-25 Exit 4 in Wyoming.
(https://i.postimg.cc/NGWRM7mj/WY-Exit-4.png)
I think Info Center/Rest Area would be better if it was white on blue instead of just white on green.
Quote from: TheHighwayMan394 on February 10, 2022, 09:42:49 PM
Quote from: Joe The Dragon on February 10, 2022, 09:12:10 PM
Quote from: TheHighwayMan394 on February 10, 2022, 05:00:29 PM
I believe the I-94 welcome center entering Wisconsin from Minnesota was off the Carmichael Road exit in Hudson, but it was moved 40 miles east to an on-freeway location near Menomonie around 2005.
the other I-94 near IL has the both ramps and local road access
This got me thinking of another subset of this topic: rest areas that serve multiple independent routes
-the I-35 Thompson Hill welcome center that froggie posted serves US 2 as well
-the welcome center in La Crosse, MN is accessible to and from I-90 and US 14/61
The Anaconda MT example serves both I-90 and MT 1.
Quote from: plain on February 10, 2022, 09:48:47 PM
Quote from: JayhawkCO on February 10, 2022, 12:48:55 PM
Another one near CO, I-25 Exit 4 in Wyoming.
(https://i.postimg.cc/NGWRM7mj/WY-Exit-4.png)
I think Info Center/Rest Area would be better if it was white on blue instead of just white on green.
It would be better if it was on the actual highway and you did not have to go through 2 roundabouts to get to it.
How about the one in Michigan on I-75 at exit 47C? To get to the welcome center one exit at Exit 47C, turn on Vernor Road, then turn on 21st street in Detroit. This does have a direct access from the Ambassador Bridge however.
Quote from: HighwayStar on February 10, 2022, 09:24:09 PM
Quote from: jeffandnicole on February 10, 2022, 04:56:08 PM
Quote from: HighwayStar on February 10, 2022, 04:48:06 PM
Quote from: roadfro on February 10, 2022, 04:44:56 PM
Why build two sets of ramps and amenities when it's not even a high use location?
Because that is the best experience for motorists.
That's not a criteria. Otherwise all ramps would be high speed ramps, all intersections would be interchanges, etc.
Of course it is a criteria. The definition of criteria is as follows
a principle or standard by which something may be judged or decided.
Motorist convenience is certainly a valid criteria, the fact that there are others does nothing to diminish that fact.
The question was why would you? and that, like it or not, convenience is the reason you would. Obviously there is a cost tradeoff in doing so (though given that each facility needs only 1/2 the capacity I rather doubt the cost is as high as claimed, at least for a basic rest area).
Of course, they could have built nothing and not even provide the rest area.
Quote from: roadfro on February 10, 2022, 04:44:56 PM
Nevada has a few rest areas where the access is off-freeway.
- I-80 @ Trinity - This one is at the US 95 interchange (exit 83), and is located on US 95 immediately adjacent to the I-80 interchange.
I used this when I drove 80 across Nevada several years back. Never again. No way that place had been cleaned in months, with shit and flies everywhere. Worse than most outhouses I've used in national forest or state park type places.
Two in South Dakota I am aware of:
1. I-29 at SD 50 (Exit 26), the Vermillion exit
2. The Ward Rest Area at exit 121 of I-29.
Quote from: JayhawkCO on February 10, 2022, 12:48:55 PM
Another one near CO, I-25 Exit 4 in Wyoming.
(https://i.postimg.cc/NGWRM7mj/WY-Exit-4.png)
exit 268 in fort collins. there used to be a rest area here, but now you go west a tad on prospect to get to it.
Quote from: TheHighwayMan394 on February 10, 2022, 09:42:49 PM
This got me thinking of another subset of this topic: rest areas that serve multiple independent routes
-the I-35 Thompson Hill welcome center that froggie posted serves US 2 as well
-the welcome center in La Crosse, MN is accessible to and from I-90 and US 14/61
Totally forgot the La Crosse example.
But on your tangent, and since I don't think it's been mentioned yet, the West Gardiner Service Plaza on the Maine Turnpike (I-95) requires exiting the turnpike and going through a roundabout at ME 9/126. So it also serves ME 9 and ME 126 as well as I-295 which has a diamond interchange with 9/126 immediately to the east.
There's one on I-40 in North Carolina between Wilmington and the Raleigh area. It's located in the median at an exit. I've stopped there before.
Quote from: hbelkins on February 11, 2022, 10:49:20 AM
There's one on I-40 in North Carolina between Wilmington and the Raleigh area. It's located in the median at an exit. I've stopped there before.
Duplin County. Third time someone has mentioned it in the thread. I guess that underscores tolbs17's opinion that it's "unique" if that many of us have taken notice of it!
I think a cousin of this would be rest areas or service plazas designed to serve both directions of the route, but with direct ramps. The new I-26 welcome center near Kingsport qualifies, as do an I-40 rest area in Tennessee between Lebanon and Cookeville, the Tamarack service plaza on the West Virginia Turnpike (which can also be accessed by local roads off of WV 3), and the Sideling Hill service plaza on the Pennsylvania Turnpike.
I'm a bit surprised there aren't more of these, but I guess it's cheaper to build two buildings than a bridge to make one facility accessible to both lanes.
If you have a wide enough median, you don't even need bridges. See this one on I-385 near Laurens, SC (https://www.google.com/maps/@34.5427367,-81.9695321,750m/data=!3m1!1e3).
Quote from: US 89 on February 11, 2022, 02:24:52 PM
If you have a wide enough median, you don't even need bridges. See this one on I-385 near Laurens, SC (https://www.google.com/maps/@34.5427367,-81.9695321,750m/data=!3m1!1e3).
This looks somewhat like what some turnpike agencies do for service plazas.
I note Florida's Turnpike puts the service areas in the median; they also don't set them up to prevent someone from making a U-turn.
Other service plazas I can think of off the top of my heard that allow access from both directions (though with barriers set up to prevent U-turns) are New Baltimore on the Thruway and Hickory Run and Allentown on the Northeast Extension in Pennsylvania. West Gardiner in Maine doesn't really count because it's on a local road and you exit the highway to reach it.
Quote from: froggie on February 11, 2022, 10:48:08 AM
Quote from: TheHighwayMan394 on February 10, 2022, 09:42:49 PM
This got me thinking of another subset of this topic: rest areas that serve multiple independent routes
-the I-35 Thompson Hill welcome center that froggie posted serves US 2 as well
-the welcome center in La Crosse, MN is accessible to and from I-90 and US 14/61
Totally forgot the La Crosse example.
I'm more surprised the pedantic wing of the board didn't jump on me for my sloppy "La Crosse, MN"...
And then there's Angola (https://www.google.com/maps/@42.6356435,-78.9886949,529m/data=!3m1!1e3), which in terms of facilities shared by both directions of traffic, I think is better than the other examples mentioned so far for several reasons:
1. Ramps are on the right so traffic doesn't have to enter/exit from the left lane
2. Doesn't require a massively wide median since parking isn't in the median
3. You get to walk over the highway in a covered bridge, which is pretty cool
4. For toll roads, it can't be used to U-turn since the bridges are pedestrian-only
So yeah, all of that is basically a long way of saying Angola is one of the best service areas there is. :biggrin:
Quote from: webny99 on February 11, 2022, 02:49:16 PM
And then there's Angola (https://www.google.com/maps/@42.6356435,-78.9886949,529m/data=!3m1!1e3), which in terms of facilities shared by both directions of traffic, I think is better than the other examples mentioned so far for several reasons:
1. Ramps are on the right so traffic doesn't have to enter/exit from the left lane
2. Doesn't require a massively wide median since parking isn't in the median
3. You get to walk over the highway in a covered bridge, which is pretty cool
4. For toll roads, it can't be used to U-turn since the bridges are pedestrian-only
So yeah, all of that is basically a long way of saying Angola is one of the best service areas there is. :biggrin:
This seems like a good design in a lot of ways. The bridge is probabally cheap enough to warrant using it in some cases so that the middle can host combined restaurant facilities.
^^^^
On the other hand, the two I noted on the Northeast Extension have the peculiarity that you get to drive on the left to enter and exit the service areas from the northbound carriageway, which is kind of interesting even if not necessarily all that special. You still exit and enter the highway on the right. (I've never stopped at Sideling Hill, but Google Maps indicates it works the same way.)
https://goo.gl/maps/72T1ZXPeGtSkqqxd6
(Edited to add: The ramp layout looks vaguely vulgar when seen on a map.)
Quote from: 1995hoo on February 11, 2022, 03:14:04 PM
On the other hand, the two I noted on the Northeast Extension have the peculiarity that you get to drive on the left to enter and exit the service areas from the northbound carriageway, which is kind of interesting even if not necessarily all that special. You still exit and enter the highway on the right. (I've never stopped at Sideling Hill, but Google Maps indicates it works the same way.)
https://goo.gl/maps/72T1ZXPeGtSkqqxd6
That's a reasonable design too, but I'm surprised they didn't install anti-glare blades on the wrong-way bridge. It certainly could be confusing for first-time users.
Quote from: webny99 on February 11, 2022, 03:34:26 PM
Quote from: 1995hoo on February 11, 2022, 03:14:04 PM
On the other hand, the two I noted on the Northeast Extension have the peculiarity that you get to drive on the left to enter and exit the service areas from the northbound carriageway, which is kind of interesting even if not necessarily all that special. You still exit and enter the highway on the right. (I've never stopped at Sideling Hill, but Google Maps indicates it works the same way.)
https://goo.gl/maps/72T1ZXPeGtSkqqxd6
That's a reasonable design too, but I'm surprised they didn't install anti-glare blades on the wrong-way bridge. It certainly could be confusing for first-time users.
That's an interesting point. I've never been there at night, but certainly driving on the other side creates an issue with headlight glare. Maybe it's such a short distance that they haven't perceived a problem. I do remember the last time we stopped at Hickory Run (June 2019) it was a rainy, foggy day on which reasonable drivers would be using headlights, but I just don't remember noticing any glare issues. The road wasn't too busy, so that surely contributed.
That covered bridge at the Thruway area you posted is pretty spiffy.
Edited to add: BTW, regarding median-located rest areas where you exit and re-enter the highway on the right, the well-known oddity on I-85 in North Carolina may be the most unique (https://www.google.com/maps/@35.8405454,-80.1294645,16.04z).
Maine Welcome Center off I-95 in Houlton requires exiting onto US-1.
Quote from: SkyPesos on February 10, 2022, 11:09:45 AM
Quote from: 1995hoo on February 10, 2022, 11:01:25 AM
Quote from: sandwalk on February 10, 2022, 10:57:23 AM
There's this fun example....the rest area along the State Route 11 freeway in northeast Ohio. While it is directly on the freeway, northbound traffic must cross the southbound lanes at-grade to access the rest area. Also, there are no acceleration lanes when getting back onto the freeway in either direction. The freeway isn't very busy, but it's still dangerous.
MAP: https://goo.gl/maps/NBNMotmtj5Za6EPU8
I see the speed limit is 70 mph on there. Interesting design!
Ohio has some expressways with a 70 mph, like a portion of US 30 (https://www.google.com/maps/@40.8233429,-83.0725746,3a,54.9y,81.13h,87.69t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sKZKF_efShy8pXvbc6P5qIA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192).
I love US-30 in Ohio, I've used it to shunpike before.
Quote from: Flint1979 on March 11, 2022, 06:38:56 AM
Quote from: SkyPesos on February 10, 2022, 11:09:45 AM
Quote from: 1995hoo on February 10, 2022, 11:01:25 AM
Quote from: sandwalk on February 10, 2022, 10:57:23 AM
There's this fun example....the rest area along the State Route 11 freeway in northeast Ohio. While it is directly on the freeway, northbound traffic must cross the southbound lanes at-grade to access the rest area. Also, there are no acceleration lanes when getting back onto the freeway in either direction. The freeway isn't very busy, but it's still dangerous.
MAP: https://goo.gl/maps/NBNMotmtj5Za6EPU8
I see the speed limit is 70 mph on there. Interesting design!
Ohio has some expressways with a 70 mph, like a portion of US 30 (https://www.google.com/maps/@40.8233429,-83.0725746,3a,54.9y,81.13h,87.69t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sKZKF_efShy8pXvbc6P5qIA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192).
I love US-30 in Ohio, I've used it to shunpike before.
We used US-30 a couple of years ago to go from Dayton to Canton (I-75 north to Beaverdam, then US-30 east to Canton). Hardly the most direct route, of course, but we'd already used the more direct Interstate route, so I wanted to go a different way. US-30 was a great road except for a work zone near Mansfield. Very relaxing drive, almost nobody on the road for most of the way.
Quote from: 1995hoo on March 11, 2022, 08:25:26 AM
Quote from: Flint1979 on March 11, 2022, 06:38:56 AM
Quote from: SkyPesos on February 10, 2022, 11:09:45 AM
Ohio has some expressways with a 70 mph, like a portion of US 30 (https://www.google.com/maps/@40.8233429,-83.0725746,3a,54.9y,81.13h,87.69t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sKZKF_efShy8pXvbc6P5qIA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192).
I love US-30 in Ohio ...
... US-30 was a great road ... Very relaxing drive, almost nobody on the road for most of the way.
Exactly this, except replace US-30 with
US-35. The section from Chillicothe to I-71 ranks very near the top of my favorite roads, and the
70 mph speed limit (https://goo.gl/maps/ueEjrA53MN2ehAFf8) is certainly among the reasons why.
Quote from: webny99 on February 11, 2022, 02:49:16 PM
And then there's Angola (https://www.google.com/maps/@42.6356435,-78.9886949,529m/data=!3m1!1e3), which in terms of facilities shared by both directions of traffic, I think is better than the other examples mentioned so far for several reasons:
1. Ramps are on the right so traffic doesn't have to enter/exit from the left lane
2. Doesn't require a massively wide median since parking isn't in the median
3. You get to walk over the highway in a covered bridge, which is pretty cool
4. For toll roads, it can't be used to U-turn since the bridges are pedestrian-only
So yeah, all of that is basically a long way of saying Angola is one of the best service areas there is. :biggrin:
These kind of features also exist on the Illinois Tollway Oases.
Quote from: 1995hoo on March 11, 2022, 08:25:26 AM
Quote from: Flint1979 on March 11, 2022, 06:38:56 AM
Quote from: SkyPesos on February 10, 2022, 11:09:45 AM
Quote from: 1995hoo on February 10, 2022, 11:01:25 AM
Quote from: sandwalk on February 10, 2022, 10:57:23 AM
There's this fun example....the rest area along the State Route 11 freeway in northeast Ohio. While it is directly on the freeway, northbound traffic must cross the southbound lanes at-grade to access the rest area. Also, there are no acceleration lanes when getting back onto the freeway in either direction. The freeway isn't very busy, but it's still dangerous.
MAP: https://goo.gl/maps/NBNMotmtj5Za6EPU8
I see the speed limit is 70 mph on there. Interesting design!
Ohio has some expressways with a 70 mph, like a portion of US 30 (https://www.google.com/maps/@40.8233429,-83.0725746,3a,54.9y,81.13h,87.69t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sKZKF_efShy8pXvbc6P5qIA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192).
I love US-30 in Ohio, I've used it to shunpike before.
We used US-30 a couple of years ago to go from Dayton to Canton (I-75 north to Beaverdam, then US-30 east to Canton). Hardly the most direct route, of course, but we'd already used the more direct Interstate route, so I wanted to go a different way. US-30 was a great road except for a work zone near Mansfield. Very relaxing drive, almost nobody on the road for most of the way.
I used it last summer going to Pittsburgh and it was a very enjoyable drive I really liked that drive. I could have used the Ohio Turnpike but as you can see in my post above I was shunpiking so it really came in handy and bypassed everything I wanted to skip. I may have hit some construction a little bit but it wasn't bad. I also used it before when I was county clinching in Ohio about two years ago that's when I discovered it as a good route to use. I like the 70 mph speed limit too.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on February 10, 2022, 04:45:14 PM
Quote from: 1995hoo on February 10, 2022, 12:59:13 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on February 10, 2022, 11:58:28 AM
I forget exactly where off the top my head but there is one off of I-75 near Sarasota that requires leaving the Interstate to access
....
You're not perchance thinking of the abandoned (or perhaps never finished, I don't know) one next to the Myakka River near Venice (https://www.google.com/maps/@27.1136653,-82.3414074,16.04z), are you?
It definitely was active, I thought that I had a photo of it but I don't. It was along the west side of I-75 on what I believe was a 7X State Road.
From what I can tell there were three such rest areas on I-75 in Southwest Florida. In addition to the one near Venice, there was one near Punta Gorda on Jones Loop Rd. and one in Fort Myers at Daniels Parkway near Southwest Florida International Airport. According to GSV, the Venice rest area has been closed since at least 2008. The Punta Gorda one closed in 2014 or 2015. The one in Fort Myers is still open.
When I-75 was built in in Southwest Florida in the late '70's not a whole lot of people lived along the corridor, so I'm sure FDOT built these rest areas as a cost-cutting move, and since these were rural areas access for drivers wouldn't be much of a problem. That's certainly not the case today. Although the one near Venice would still be easy as it sits at the end of a dead end road.
I stopped at one of these once about 20 years ago or so and it was kind of a pain to get off and back to the interstate.
Quote from: 1995hoo on February 11, 2022, 02:33:26 PM
I note Florida's Turnpike puts the service areas in the median; they also don't set them up to prevent someone from making a U-turn.
Back when the FL pike used tickets, I remember there being a sign reading something like "For authorized U-turns, please have your ticket stamped." The sign was posted just before a semi-circular road that connected the NB and SB parking areas.
Quote from: CtrlAltDel on February 10, 2022, 04:42:24 PM
Quote from: JayhawkCO on February 10, 2022, 12:48:55 PM
Another one near CO, I-25 Exit 4 in Wyoming.
(https://i.postimg.cc/NGWRM7mj/WY-Exit-4.png)
There's also one in Wyoming on I-90 at exit 199, as well as one that I found looking for it at exit 189.
Don't go to the Exit 189 one expecting anything more than a rest area, the true welcome center is at Exit 199. With it being off the interstate, I was able to bike to it with my folks one time (20-30 mile roundtrip if I remember right).
C. H. WARLOW REST AREA for CA 99 is off a side road from the Drive 23 exit
Wisconsin has another Welcome Center on I-94 at Wis 165 / Hwy Q in Pleasant Prairie where you do have to exit the freeway to get to it. However, there is a direct ramp back onto I-94 heading towards Milwaukee.
Quote from: hobsini2 on March 14, 2022, 08:10:54 PM
Wisconsin has another Welcome Center on I-94 at Wis 165 / Hwy Q in Pleasant Prairie where you do have to exit the freeway to get to it. However, there is a direct ramp back onto I-94 heading towards Milwaukee.
You don't
have to take the ramp directly to the welcome center to get there. You can follow the ramp to 104th Street and access the side entrance.
Another welcome center with multiple entrances is I-95 in Kittery. There's a regular ramp from the interstate and a side entrance to US-1. Here though there's no way to get to I-95 from the US-1 entrance.
Quote from: CtrlAltDel on March 14, 2022, 08:25:48 PM
Another welcome center with multiple entrances is I-95 in Kittery. There's a regular ramp from the interstate and a side entrance to US-1. Here though there's no way to get to I-95 from the US-1 entrance.
It looks possible to me, and Google says it's possible if you set a waypoint in the middle. Am I missing something?
This rest area on US-61/151 in Hazel Green, WI is accessed via the interchange for Hwy 11. The fact that it's relatively low traffic saves this from becoming a traffic nightmare, and allows it to serve double-duty for travelers headed to/from Hwy 11.
Oddly enough, this is the ONLY rest area on all of US-151 in Wisconsin, which is either 4-lane expressway or freeway (besides through Madison) for nearly 170 miles to the I-41 interchange.
https://goo.gl/maps/xq7GfTV6i7pNmcYM9
Quote from: 1 on March 14, 2022, 08:41:21 PM
Quote from: CtrlAltDel on March 14, 2022, 08:25:48 PM
Another welcome center with multiple entrances is I-95 in Kittery. There's a regular ramp from the interstate and a side entrance to US-1. Here though there's no way to get to I-95 from the US-1 entrance.
It looks possible to me, and Google says it's possible if you set a waypoint in the middle. Am I missing something?
I was going by memory, and I thought there were separate parking lots. But, looking at the map, you're right.
Quote from: CtrlAltDel on March 14, 2022, 09:17:17 PM
Quote from: 1 on March 14, 2022, 08:41:21 PM
Quote from: CtrlAltDel on March 14, 2022, 08:25:48 PM
Another welcome center with multiple entrances is I-95 in Kittery. There's a regular ramp from the interstate and a side entrance to US-1. Here though there's no way to get to I-95 from the US-1 entrance.
It looks possible to me, and Google says it's possible if you set a waypoint in the middle. Am I missing something?
I was going by memory, and I thought there were separate parking lots. But, looking at the map, you're right.
Per street view, the connection between the lots is for handicapped and authorized vehicles only (https://www.google.com/maps/@43.1293563,-70.7160743,3a,30.9y,257.13h,82.6t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s-AVAZWZTcsDXdlgQEus_og!2e0!7i13312!8i6656).
The Kentucky Artisan Center in Berea on I-75 requires exiting I-75 and then making a few turns. It is signed as a "Travelers' Center" on the interstate and the KY routes leading to it.
https://goo.gl/maps/UyRBXSALmEeyMa538
Not sure of direct ownership on it. @HB may know for sure its ownership structure.
Quote from: vdeane on March 14, 2022, 09:41:04 PM
Quote from: CtrlAltDel on March 14, 2022, 09:17:17 PM
Quote from: 1 on March 14, 2022, 08:41:21 PM
Quote from: CtrlAltDel on March 14, 2022, 08:25:48 PM
Another welcome center with multiple entrances is I-95 in Kittery. There's a regular ramp from the interstate and a side entrance to US-1. Here though there's no way to get to I-95 from the US-1 entrance.
It looks possible to me, and Google says it's possible if you set a waypoint in the middle. Am I missing something?
I was going by memory, and I thought there were separate parking lots. But, looking at the map, you're right.
Per street view, the connection between the lots is for handicapped and authorized vehicles only (https://www.google.com/maps/@43.1293563,-70.7160743,3a,30.9y,257.13h,82.6t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s-AVAZWZTcsDXdlgQEus_og!2e0!7i13312!8i6656).
Weirdly, no such restriction exists going from the I-95 to the US-1 direction (https://www.google.com/maps/@43.1291697,-70.7171098,3a,75y,36.58h,86.12t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1s6CNfoBVNj4M0bi8qtB64wA!2e0!5s20181001T000000!7i13312!8i6656).
Quote from: CardInLex on March 15, 2022, 11:49:35 AM
The Kentucky Artisan Center in Berea on I-75 requires exiting I-75 and then making a few turns. It is signed as a "Travelers' Center" on the interstate and the KY routes leading to it.
https://goo.gl/maps/UyRBXSALmEeyMa538
Not sure of direct ownership on it. @HB may know for sure its ownership structure.
I'm pretty sure Tourism runs it. It's worth noting that when I-75 was widened between Richmond and Berea, and that facility was built, two rest areas (one in each direction) were closed and demolished. The Artisan Center is not open 24-7 for restrooms. So it's not really a functional rest area in the traditional sense.
Quote from: hbelkins on February 10, 2022, 01:14:22 PM
I-24 welcome center in Kentucky at Paducah (this is the old Whitehaven Mansion and it requires using the southern C/D road at the US 45/US 62 exit).
Across the Ohio in Illinois, the Illinois Welcome Center at Metropolis is just east of I-24, using the US 45 exit and 45 South to connect to the Rest Area/Welcome Center
I-24 is signed W-E in IL but really runs N-S, and US 45 is signed N-S and stretches the length of the state, but at this interchange, 45 runs W-E
The Mississippi Welcome Center and Rest Area on I-20 in Vicksburg requires motorists to exit 1A, then turn onto or cross Washington Street to access.
Quote from: CtrlAltDel on March 15, 2022, 12:14:04 PM
Quote from: vdeane on March 14, 2022, 09:41:04 PM
Quote from: CtrlAltDel on March 14, 2022, 09:17:17 PM
Quote from: 1 on March 14, 2022, 08:41:21 PM
Quote from: CtrlAltDel on March 14, 2022, 08:25:48 PM
Another welcome center with multiple entrances is I-95 in Kittery. There's a regular ramp from the interstate and a side entrance to US-1. Here though there's no way to get to I-95 from the US-1 entrance.
It looks possible to me, and Google says it's possible if you set a waypoint in the middle. Am I missing something?
I was going by memory, and I thought there were separate parking lots. But, looking at the map, you're right.
Per street view, the connection between the lots is for handicapped and authorized vehicles only (https://www.google.com/maps/@43.1293563,-70.7160743,3a,30.9y,257.13h,82.6t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s-AVAZWZTcsDXdlgQEus_og!2e0!7i13312!8i6656).
Weirdly, no such restriction exists going from the I-95 to the US-1 direction (https://www.google.com/maps/@43.1291697,-70.7171098,3a,75y,36.58h,86.12t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1s6CNfoBVNj4M0bi8qtB64wA!2e0!5s20181001T000000!7i13312!8i6656).
I like the sign (https://goo.gl/maps/zYTYuCXFKTPEDfmz9) on the way to the building:
QuoteTRY WATER! Dry mouth? Fatigued? Headache? Try water... you may be dehydrated!
Quote from: ErmineNotyours on May 10, 2022, 06:35:22 AM
Quote from: CtrlAltDel on March 15, 2022, 12:14:04 PM
Quote from: vdeane on March 14, 2022, 09:41:04 PM
Quote from: CtrlAltDel on March 14, 2022, 09:17:17 PM
Quote from: 1 on March 14, 2022, 08:41:21 PM
Quote from: CtrlAltDel on March 14, 2022, 08:25:48 PM
Another welcome center with multiple entrances is I-95 in Kittery. There's a regular ramp from the interstate and a side entrance to US-1. Here though there's no way to get to I-95 from the US-1 entrance.
It looks possible to me, and Google says it's possible if you set a waypoint in the middle. Am I missing something?
I was going by memory, and I thought there were separate parking lots. But, looking at the map, you're right.
Per street view, the connection between the lots is for handicapped and authorized vehicles only (https://www.google.com/maps/@43.1293563,-70.7160743,3a,30.9y,257.13h,82.6t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s-AVAZWZTcsDXdlgQEus_og!2e0!7i13312!8i6656).
Weirdly, no such restriction exists going from the I-95 to the US-1 direction (https://www.google.com/maps/@43.1291697,-70.7171098,3a,75y,36.58h,86.12t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1s6CNfoBVNj4M0bi8qtB64wA!2e0!5s20181001T000000!7i13312!8i6656).
I like the sign (https://goo.gl/maps/zYTYuCXFKTPEDfmz9) on the way to the building:
QuoteTRY WATER! Dry mouth? Fatigued? Headache? Try water... you may be dehydrated!
I saw that earlier today in the "There's no way that is MUTCD-compliant" Facebook group.
Quote from: berberry on May 04, 2022, 06:40:01 AM
The Mississippi Welcome Center and Rest Area on I-20 in Vicksburg requires motorists to exit 1A, then turn onto or cross Washington Street to access.
I-10s Welcome Center is accessible from SR 607 near the Stennis Space Center.
Quote from: roadman65 on May 11, 2022, 09:25:11 AM
Quote from: berberry on May 04, 2022, 06:40:01 AM
The Mississippi Welcome Center and Rest Area on I-20 in Vicksburg requires motorists to exit 1A, then turn onto or cross Washington Street to access.
I-10s Welcome Center is accessible from SR 607 near the Stennis Space Center.
Mentioned at the beginning of the thread.