Next Rest Area (While Taking Other, Closer Freeways into Consideration)

[nwi_navigator_1181]

Good day, people. Just got back from a relaxing (and safe) excursion in the UP of Michigan (such a beautiful place). On the ride back home, I noticed something regarding rest areas.

On I-75 southbound near Grayling, there's a sign for an approaching rest area in a mile, along with the usual advisory on where the following rest area is located. However, this sign takes it a bit further: it gives an advisory not just for I-75 south, but also for US 127 south (the split is about five miles from that point).

In another state, I-40 eastbound in Tennessee gives an advisory for a rest area (the last one before entering Nashville), but then mentions distance to the next I-40 rest area. That sign takes into consideration that drivers might make other freeway transitions before reaching that point.

I ask this: what examples of these (or the opposite) do you guys have? Also, do you think they should take into consideration other freeways when advising drivers of the next rest area? Thank you in advance for your responses. Stay safe out there!

[TheHighwayMan3561]

Minnesota doesn't do this, but it doesn't really need to because of how little rural non-interstate freeway mileage it has (though obviously there are rest areas on non-interstates outstate).

[Flint1979]

The sign you mentioned for the Hartwick Pines Rest Area is the only one I've seen like that. My guess is because it's so close to the interchange they aren't sure which highway you will be continuing on. It might be only done in this region for MDOT too but I think there should be one on I-75 and US-23 at the Clio Rest Area since you are on both highways at that point and the split is 15 miles south of there.

[jmacswimmer]

On I-70 west approaching the South Mountain rest area in Maryland, the next rest area sign lists distances for both I-70 and I-68, which begins 40 miles from that point. (And then both highways have rest areas shortly beyond their split.)

[webny99]

Slightly off-topic because it doesn't pertain to rest areas specifically... but this sign is what came to mind. Information overload! 

As far as rest areas, New York doesn't do this either. There's not too many freeway/freeway junctions in the middle of nowhere where it would apply. I guess I-86 westbound at I-390 would be a potential location for such a sign.

[ErmineNotyours]

I always thought this sign was interesting: Rest Area, 10 Miles.  This is placed here to deter motorists from using the weigh station as a rest area.  What they don't say is that US 12 splits off from the freeway just before the rest area, and you're supposed to stay on SR 8.

[nwi_navigator_1181]

Here are some examples of when it would've been helpful to mention rest areas on other freeways:

US 131 Southbound (Michigan): the notification for the rest area being one mile away (in Big Rapids) mentions the next rest area being 39 miles away, beyond Grand Rapids and other major interstates with rest areas (I-96 and I-196 westbound to Holland). It's close enough to GR where a supplemental "Next Rest Area via"  sign would've sufficed here. It's one of these things that would be on a case by case basis.

Bonus Question: Have there been any "Next Rest Area"  signs that led you into another state? Example: on I-196 southbound, the advisory for the Saugatuck Rest Area mentions the next rest area being 80 miles away. That rest area? The Indiana Welcome Center on I-94 west, which is the last rest area on I-94 west (and the only one on I-94 in Indiana) until west of Milwaukee (unless you count tollway oases, which means the Lake Forest Oasis would be next).

[TheHighwayMan3561]

I always thought this sign was interesting: Rest Area, 10 Miles.  This is placed here to deter motorists from using the weigh station as a rest area.  What they don't say is that US 12 splits off from the freeway just before the rest area, and you're supposed to stay on SR 8.

I don't know that I've ever heard of anyone trying to use a weigh station as a rest area, but Minnesota occasionally posts mileage signs with the remaining distance to the next rest area in some instances, though far from all.

Bonus Question: Have there been any "Next Rest Area"  signs that led you into another state? Example: on I-196 southbound, the advisory for the Saugatuck Rest Area mentions the next rest area being 80 miles away. That rest area? The Indiana Welcome Center on I-94 west, which is the last rest area on I-94 west (and the only one on I-94 in Indiana) until west of Milwaukee (unless you count tollway oases, which means the Lake Forest Oasis would be next).

I find your example more intriguing because it crosses two states. Some states post "LAST REST AREA IN (state)"  but it's been a while since I've seen one of those. Heading eastbound on I-94 in Maple Grove, MN just before the Elm Creek area it gives 88 miles to the next rest area which is in Menomonie, Wisconsin.

[GenExpwy]

As far as rest areas, New York doesn't do this either. There's not too many freeway/freeway junctions in the middle of nowhere where it would apply. I guess I-86 westbound at I-390 would be a potential location for such a sign.

There is this on I-86 eastbound, approaching Painted Post.

(There is a rest area just before the I-86 wb / I-390 split, so no need for a Next Area sign there.)

[1995hoo]

Following on TheHighwayMan394's point, the southbound New Jersey Turnpike has always advertised the Clara Barton Service area as simply "LAST SERVICE AREA," not as the last one in New Jersey or on the Turnpike, even though there is, of course, another service area not much further down the road in Delaware. So that might be an example of a situation that's the opposite of what this thread is positing.

(Reminds me of the old joke about a man who's approaching the state line and sees a sign for a gas station reading "Last chance for 99¢ gas!" He checks his gas gauge and decides to fill up and while he's doing that, he asks the attendant what gas costs in the next state. "Oh, 'bout 75¢ a gallon.")

[ErmineNotyours]

Next rest area in another state: Next Rest Area 41 Miles, which would be the State Trees rest area just south of Portland, Oregon.

Next Rest Area 68 Miles.  Idaho.

[D-Dey65]

Bonus Question: Have there been any "Next Rest Area"  signs that led you into another state?

Plenty. If you're driving north on I-684 and you turn east onto I-84 in Brewster, the next rest area will be the Danbury Welcome Center in Connecticut.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:NB_I-684_Brewster_Rest_Area-2.jpg

Also, before you reach the northbound Georgia Welcome Center on I-95, there used to be a sign saying Next Rest Area 116 miles. That's the South Carolina Welcome Center.
https://www.google.com/maps/@30.7480764,-81.6520817,3a,75y,52.33h,101.62t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sPxbBX1UGkV_9iv1pZBKgnA!2e0!5s20110501T000000!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en

PS, I still say they should make the "Next Rest Area" sign a banner for the first Georgia Welcome Center sign.

[Beeper1]

The New York Thruway does this in the area of the mainline/Berkshire section junction. 

On the Berkshire Spur westbound, at the site of a long abandoned service area, there is a sign reading (dont remember the exact mileage):
NEXT SERVICE AREA
SOUTH TO NEW YORK  XX MILES
WEST TO BUFFALO  XX MILES

Similar signs are found on the mainline southbound near Exit 23 in Albany and on the mainline northbound approaching the New Baltimore plaza.

[jmacswimmer]

Bonus Question: Have there been any "Next Rest Area"  signs that led you into another state? Example: on I-196 southbound, the advisory for the Saugatuck Rest Area mentions the next rest area being 80 miles away. That rest area? The Indiana Welcome Center on I-94 west, which is the last rest area on I-94 west (and the only one on I-94 in Indiana) until west of Milwaukee (unless you count tollway oases, which means the Lake Forest Oasis would be next).

In my previous example of the I-70 rest area showing distances for both I-70 & I-68, the next rest area on I-70 is the Pennsylvania Welcome Center just north of Hancock.

On I-70 west approaching the South Mountain rest area in Maryland, the next rest area sign lists distances for both I-70 and I-68, which begins 40 miles from that point. (And then both highways have rest areas shortly beyond their split.)

[Revive 755]

Bonus Question: Have there been any "Next Rest Area"  signs that led you into another state? Example: on I-196 southbound, the advisory for the Saugatuck Rest Area mentions the next rest area being 80 miles away. That rest area? The Indiana Welcome Center on I-94 west, which is the last rest area on I-94 west (and the only one on I-94 in Indiana) until west of Milwaukee (unless you count tollway oases, which means the Lake Forest Oasis would be next).

When did the Rest Area at Pleasant Prairie (just north of the Illinois-Wisconsin border) close?

As to listing the next rest area on other freeways:  IMHO Illinois should do this on I-55 south of Bloomington-Normal.  While it is about 44 miles to the next rest area on I-55, the next rest area for traffic that uses I-39 is about 100 miles away.

[KCRoadFan]

As far as the 90/94 overlap in Wisconsin between Tomah and Madison - do the last rest areas before the split (in both directions) show the distance to the next one on both 90 and 94? I think they would have to do so.

[Revive 755]

As far as the 90/94 overlap in Wisconsin between Tomah and Madison - do the last rest areas before the split (in both directions) show the distance to the next one on both 90 and 94? I think they would have to do so.

Does not appear so for eastbound/southbound.

[ftballfan]

Here are some examples of when it would've been helpful to mention rest areas on other freeways:

US 131 Southbound (Michigan): the notification for the rest area being one mile away (in Big Rapids) mentions the next rest area being 39 miles away, beyond Grand Rapids and other major interstates with rest areas (I-96 and I-196 westbound to Holland). It's close enough to GR where a supplemental "Next Rest Area via"  sign would've sufficed here. It's one of these things that would be on a case by case basis.

Bonus Question: Have there been any "Next Rest Area"  signs that led you into another state? Example: on I-196 southbound, the advisory for the Saugatuck Rest Area mentions the next rest area being 80 miles away. That rest area? The Indiana Welcome Center on I-94 west, which is the last rest area on I-94 west (and the only one on I-94 in Indiana) until west of Milwaukee (unless you count tollway oases, which means the Lake Forest Oasis would be next).

The rest area on SB 131 following the Big Rapids one is north of Grand Rapids.

[Brandon]

As far as the 90/94 overlap in Wisconsin between Tomah and Madison - do the last rest areas before the split (in both directions) show the distance to the next one on both 90 and 94? I think they would have to do so.

No, they do not.  The next one is shown as 57 miles away.

[jdb1234]

Bonus Question: Have there been any "Next Rest Area"  signs that led you into another state?

I can think of three examples:

I-65 Northbound at Cullman, AL gives the distance to the Tennessee Welcome Center
I-75 Northbound south of Lake City, FL gives the distance to the Georgia Welcome Center
I-75 Southbound near Lenox, GA gives the distance to the Florida Welcome Center

[Brandon]

Bonus Question: Have there been any "Next Rest Area"  signs that led you into another state?

I-94 westbound, near Watervliet, Michigan: https://goo.gl/maps/G8FmJbKvzBxDKHBo8
45 miles to the next rest area at milepost 43.2.  That's for the one-and-only Indiana rest area on I-94.

[skluth]

On I-75 southbound near Grayling, there's a sign for an approaching rest area in a mile, along with the usual advisory on where the following rest area is located. However, this sign takes it a bit further: it gives an advisory not just for I-75 south, but also for US 127 south (the split is about five miles from that point).

It may be related to the highway's history. US 10 and US 27 (now US 127) operated as Temporary I-75 for several years in the 60s before the segment north of Standish to just south of Grayling was completed. Both were freeways at the time. This is just my speculation, however.

[jmacswimmer]

Bonus Question: Have there been any "Next Rest Area"  signs that led you into another state? Example: on I-196 southbound, the advisory for the Saugatuck Rest Area mentions the next rest area being 80 miles away. That rest area? The Indiana Welcome Center on I-94 west, which is the last rest area on I-94 west (and the only one on I-94 in Indiana) until west of Milwaukee (unless you count tollway oases, which means the Lake Forest Oasis would be next).

On I-95 south in VA approaching the Ladysmith rest area, the next rest area sign is referring to the North Carolina Welcome Center much further south.

To relate it back to the original point of this thread, I feel like this sign would be a good candidate for showing multiple freeways.  Long-distance traffic approaching Richmond could theoretically head 3 different ways:
-I-64 east (next rest area at New Kent, ~50 miles from Ladysmith)
-I-85 south (next rest area at Dinwiddie, ~70 miles from Ladysmith)
-Remain on I-95 (107 miles as noted above)

[roadfro]

Bonus Question: Have there been any "Next Rest Area"  signs that led you into another state?

The 1-mile advance sign for the I-80 WB Wadsworth Rest Area, a few miles west of Fernley, NV, shows 77 miles to the next rest area (although Google Maps shows it's actually closer to 70 miles). That rest area is the Donner Pass Rest Area, about 30 miles into California from the CA/NV state line. I always thought that notice was a bit interesting, because the driver is about 30 miles from Reno-Sparks at this point, which would seem more likely a place to stop than a rest area if someone needed it.

[amroad17]

Here are some examples of when it would've been helpful to mention rest areas on other freeways:

US 131 Southbound (Michigan): the notification for the rest area being one mile away (in Big Rapids) mentions the next rest area being 39 miles away, beyond Grand Rapids and other major interstates with rest areas (I-96 and I-196 westbound to Holland). It's close enough to GR where a supplemental "Next Rest Area via"  sign would've sufficed here. It's one of these things that would be on a case by case basis.

Bonus Question: Have there been any "Next Rest Area"  signs that led you into another state? Example: on I-196 southbound, the advisory for the Saugatuck Rest Area mentions the next rest area being 80 miles away. That rest area? The Indiana Welcome Center on I-94 west, which is the last rest area on I-94 west (and the only one on I-94 in Indiana) until west of Milwaukee (unless you count tollway oases, which means the Lake Forest Oasis would be next).

I-71 South in Oregonia, OH has a NEXT REST AREA 45 MILES sign for the Florence, KY rest area.  I-75 South in Monroe, OH has a NEXT REST AREA 41 MILES sign for the same Florence, KY rest area.