AARoads Forum

Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Advanced search  

News:

The AARoads Wiki is live! Come check it out!

Author Topic: Rest areas/welcome centers without direct ramps on/off freeway  (Read 7688 times)

SkyPesos

  • *
  • Offline Offline

  • Posts: 5086
  • I-80E to NYC, not Clarion, Dubois, Bloomsburg, etc

  • Age: 21
  • Location: Cincinnati
  • Last Login: March 18, 2024, 08:49:30 PM
Rest areas/welcome centers without direct ramps on/off freeway
« on: February 10, 2022, 10:04:45 AM »

Thought of this thread topic after seeing this example in the "Your preference for highway service stops?" thread.
There's also a time factor. For example, this new rest area/welcome center 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?

froggie

  • *
  • Offline Offline

  • Posts: 12911
  • Location: Greensboro, VT
  • Last Login: March 18, 2024, 11:08:21 PM
    • Froggie's Place
Re: Rest areas/welcome centers without direct ramps on/off freeway
« Reply #1 on: February 10, 2022, 10:10:20 AM »

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
Logged

1995hoo

  • *
  • Offline Offline

  • Posts: 16384
  • Age: 50
  • Location: Fairfax County, Virginia
  • Last Login: March 18, 2024, 04:22:06 PM
Re: Rest areas/welcome centers without direct ramps on/off freeway
« Reply #2 on: February 10, 2022, 10:11:18 AM »

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)
« Last Edit: February 10, 2022, 10:16:31 AM by 1995hoo »
Logged
"You know, you never have a guaranteed spot until you have a spot guaranteed."
—Olaf Kolzig, as quoted in the Washington Times on March 28, 2003,
commenting on the Capitals clinching a playoff spot.

"That sounded stupid, didn't it?"
—Kolzig, to the same reporter a few seconds later.

Mapmikey

  • *
  • Offline Offline

  • Posts: 4353
  • Co-curator with Froggie of www.vahighways.com

  • Age: 54
  • Last Login: March 18, 2024, 08:31:54 PM
    • Co-curator Virginia Highways Project
Re: Rest areas/welcome centers without direct ramps on/off freeway
« Reply #3 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
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
Logged

1995hoo

  • *
  • Offline Offline

  • Posts: 16384
  • Age: 50
  • Location: Fairfax County, Virginia
  • Last Login: March 18, 2024, 04:22:06 PM
Re: Rest areas/welcome centers without direct ramps on/off freeway
« Reply #4 on: February 10, 2022, 10:18:32 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 up on a hill that you access via an exit.
Logged
"You know, you never have a guaranteed spot until you have a spot guaranteed."
—Olaf Kolzig, as quoted in the Washington Times on March 28, 2003,
commenting on the Capitals clinching a playoff spot.

"That sounded stupid, didn't it?"
—Kolzig, to the same reporter a few seconds later.

sandwalk

  • *
  • Offline Offline

  • Posts: 221
  • Age: 39
  • Location: Ohio
  • Last Login: March 08, 2024, 11:46:39 AM
Re: Rest areas/welcome centers without direct ramps on/off freeway
« Reply #5 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
Logged

1995hoo

  • *
  • Offline Offline

  • Posts: 16384
  • Age: 50
  • Location: Fairfax County, Virginia
  • Last Login: March 18, 2024, 04:22:06 PM
Re: Rest areas/welcome centers without direct ramps on/off freeway
« Reply #6 on: February 10, 2022, 11:01:25 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!
Logged
"You know, you never have a guaranteed spot until you have a spot guaranteed."
—Olaf Kolzig, as quoted in the Washington Times on March 28, 2003,
commenting on the Capitals clinching a playoff spot.

"That sounded stupid, didn't it?"
—Kolzig, to the same reporter a few seconds later.

paulthemapguy

  • *
  • *
  • Offline Offline

  • Posts: 7289
  • nobody asked me

  • Age: 34
  • Location: Illinois
  • Last Login: March 18, 2024, 09:49:08 AM
    • Paul Across America
Re: Rest areas/welcome centers without direct ramps on/off freeway
« Reply #7 on: February 10, 2022, 11:05:42 AM »

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
Logged
Avatar is the last interesting highway I clinched.
My website! http://www.paulacrossamerica.com Now w/Ohio!
My USA Shield Gallery https://flic.kr/s/aHsmHwJRZk
TM Clinches https://bit.ly/2UwRs4O

National collection status: 361/425. Only 64 route markers remain

SkyPesos

  • *
  • Offline Offline

  • Posts: 5086
  • I-80E to NYC, not Clarion, Dubois, Bloomsburg, etc

  • Age: 21
  • Location: Cincinnati
  • Last Login: March 18, 2024, 08:49:30 PM
Re: Rest areas/welcome centers without direct ramps on/off freeway
« Reply #8 on: February 10, 2022, 11:09:45 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.

jmacswimmer

  • *
  • Offline Offline

  • Posts: 1486
  • BING BONG

  • Age: 27
  • Location: Maryland
  • Last Login: March 13, 2024, 04:24:20 PM
Re: Rest areas/welcome centers without direct ramps on/off freeway
« Reply #9 on: February 10, 2022, 11:13:26 AM »

US 301 on MD's eastern shore has a rest area in the median, 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"...which turns out to be just a few picnic tables & trash cans with no actual parking spots.  If you pull in here expecting a full rest area and can't wait any longer...pick a tree and aim downhill, I guess?

US 17 at Shalotte NC is at the NC 130 exit

Further north, US 17 near Washington NC has a rest area that requires turning onto Harding Rd.

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) or by posting signs to U-turn at the next intersection beyond (US 15 north for the southbound welcome center near Emmitsburg, US 13 south for the northbound welcome center near Pocomoke City).
Logged
"Now, what if da Bearss were to enter the Indianapolis 5-hunnert?"
"How would they compete?"
"Let's say they rode together in a big buss."
"Is Ditka driving?"
"Of course!"
"Then I like da Bear buss."
"DA BEARSSS BUSSSS"

abefroman329

  • *
  • Offline Offline

  • Posts: 4871
  • Age: 44
  • Location: Chicago
  • Last Login: October 17, 2023, 11:38:46 AM
Logged

tolbs17

  • *
  • Offline Offline

  • Posts: 0
  • Age: 21
  • Location: Greenville, NC
  • Last Login: March 31, 2022, 07:24:24 PM
Re: Rest areas/welcome centers without direct ramps on/off freeway
« Reply #11 on: February 10, 2022, 11:32:49 AM »

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.
Logged

1995hoo

  • *
  • Offline Offline

  • Posts: 16384
  • Age: 50
  • Location: Fairfax County, Virginia
  • Last Login: March 18, 2024, 04:22:06 PM
Re: Rest areas/welcome centers without direct ramps on/off freeway
« Reply #12 on: February 10, 2022, 11:33:37 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.

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.
Logged
"You know, you never have a guaranteed spot until you have a spot guaranteed."
—Olaf Kolzig, as quoted in the Washington Times on March 28, 2003,
commenting on the Capitals clinching a playoff spot.

"That sounded stupid, didn't it?"
—Kolzig, to the same reporter a few seconds later.

HighwayStar

  • *
  • Offline Offline

  • Posts: 1523
  • Location: Lilliput
  • Last Login: November 06, 2023, 10:56:26 AM
Re: Rest areas/welcome centers without direct ramps on/off freeway
« Reply #13 on: February 10, 2022, 11:35:10 AM »

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.
Logged
There are those who travel, and those who travel well

zzcarp

  • *
  • Offline Offline

  • Posts: 662
  • Age: 46
  • Location: Westminster, CO
  • Last Login: March 14, 2024, 10:10:00 PM
Re: Rest areas/welcome centers without direct ramps on/off freeway
« Reply #14 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
Logged
So many miles and so many roads

KCRoadFan

  • *
  • Offline Offline

  • Posts: 1067
  • Enthusiastic fan of roads, sports, and waterparks.

  • Age: 30
  • Location: Kansas City, MO
  • Last Login: Today at 12:05:21 AM
Re: Rest areas/welcome centers without direct ramps on/off freeway
« Reply #15 on: February 10, 2022, 11:47:12 AM »

Several on I-35 in Iowa.

Exit 4 Lamoni (MO border)
Exit 159 Dows
Exit 214 Northwood (MN border)
Logged

Max Rockatansky

  • *
  • Offline Offline

  • Posts: 24921
  • Age: 41
  • Location: Route 9, Sector 26
  • Last Login: Today at 12:44:16 AM
    • Gribblenation
Re: Rest areas/welcome centers without direct ramps on/off freeway
« Reply #16 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

Also, I-10 in Chuckwalla Valley east of CA 177 has an off freeway rest area on Wiley’s Well Road.
« Last Edit: February 10, 2022, 12:10:05 PM by Max Rockatansky »
Logged

US 89

  • *
  • Offline Offline

  • Posts: 6250
  • Your friendly neighborhood meteorologist

  • Location: Tallahassee, FL
  • Last Login: February 23, 2024, 09:23:28 AM
    • Utah Highways
Re: Rest areas/welcome centers without direct ramps on/off freeway
« Reply #17 on: February 10, 2022, 12:07:10 PM »

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.

JayhawkCO

  • *
  • Offline Offline

  • Posts: 9086
  • Age: 42
  • Location: Aurora, CO
  • Last Login: March 18, 2024, 11:00:22 PM
Re: Rest areas/welcome centers without direct ramps on/off freeway
« Reply #18 on: February 10, 2022, 12:48:55 PM »

Another one near CO, I-25 Exit 4 in Wyoming.

1995hoo

  • *
  • Offline Offline

  • Posts: 16384
  • Age: 50
  • Location: Fairfax County, Virginia
  • Last Login: March 18, 2024, 04:22:06 PM
Re: Rest areas/welcome centers without direct ramps on/off freeway
« Reply #19 on: February 10, 2022, 12:59:13 PM »

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, are you?
Logged
"You know, you never have a guaranteed spot until you have a spot guaranteed."
—Olaf Kolzig, as quoted in the Washington Times on March 28, 2003,
commenting on the Capitals clinching a playoff spot.

"That sounded stupid, didn't it?"
—Kolzig, to the same reporter a few seconds later.

HighwayStar

  • *
  • Offline Offline

  • Posts: 1523
  • Location: Lilliput
  • Last Login: November 06, 2023, 10:56:26 AM
Re: Rest areas/welcome centers without direct ramps on/off freeway
« Reply #20 on: February 10, 2022, 01:08:16 PM »

Wichita Falls, TX has one on US-287
Logged
There are those who travel, and those who travel well

hbelkins

  • *
  • *
  • Offline Offline

  • Posts: 19278
  • It is well, it is well, with my soul.

  • Age: 62
  • Location: Kentucky
  • Last Login: March 18, 2024, 04:15:45 PM
    • Millennium Highway
Re: Rest areas/welcome centers without direct ramps on/off freeway
« Reply #21 on: February 10, 2022, 01:14:22 PM »

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).
Logged


Government would be tolerable if not for politicians and bureaucrats.

Bitmapped

  • *
  • Offline Offline

  • Posts: 1181
  • Location: Morgantown, WV
  • Last Login: March 18, 2024, 09:36:44 PM
Re: Rest areas/welcome centers without direct ramps on/off freeway
« Reply #22 on: February 10, 2022, 01:54:34 PM »

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
Logged

CtrlAltDel

  • *
  • Offline Offline

  • Posts: 2788
  • Location: Central Texas
  • Last Login: March 18, 2024, 11:41:10 PM
Re: Rest areas/welcome centers without direct ramps on/off freeway
« Reply #23 on: February 10, 2022, 04:42:24 PM »

Another one near CO, I-25 Exit 4 in Wyoming.



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.
Logged
Interstates clinched: 4, 57, 275 (IN-KY-OH), 465 (IN), 640 (TN), 985
State Interstates clinched: I-26 (TN), I-75 (GA), I-75 (KY), I-75 (TN), I-81 (WV), I-95 (NH)

roadfro

  • *
  • *
  • Offline Offline

  • Posts: 4870
  • Age: 40
  • Location: Reno, NV
  • Last Login: March 17, 2024, 07:21:57 PM
Re: Rest areas/welcome centers without direct ramps on/off freeway
« Reply #24 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-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?
Logged
Roadfro - AARoads Pacific Southwest moderator since 2010, Nevada roadgeek since 1983.

 


Opinions expressed here on belong solely to the poster and do not represent or reflect the opinions or beliefs of AARoads, its creators and/or associates.