New York State Thruway

[seicer]

The company that has the contract for the service area has a service for cleaning; the restaurants are not responsible for that.

[kalvado]

The company that has the contract for the service area has a service for cleaning; the restaurants are not responsible for that.

My impression was that entire service area is under same management, whatever franchise they operate is still theirs. If I remember correctly, there were even signs "if this restroom needs attention, please come to McD counter"
So  a Starbucks-only day may be interesting in terms of people on deck (and revenue!).

[Rothman]

The first new Thruway service area just opened - Indian Castle just east of exit 29A.  It looks like they wasted no time in closing Oneida for its reconstruction.  It also looks like the website's map is lying about the chicken "food concepts" no longer being a thing, with Chick-fil-A and Popeyes still in the rotation; they're at the service areas that appear to have nothing more than Starbucks or Dunkin on the projected restaurants.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/first-revamped-thruway-rest-area-opens-in-central-ny-which-ones-will-open-next/ar-AA11iSMv#image=AA11j681%7C7

I drove past it yesterday.  Pretty ugly for a new building.

[Ted$8roadFan]

Any idea how old the Thruway service plazas are now?

[Flyer78]

Any idea how old the Thruway service plazas are now?

Most were rebuilt in the early 90s and managed by predecessor companies to what is now Applegreen.

Some were just expanded and not a total-rebuild.

[kalvado]

The first new Thruway service area just opened - Indian Castle just east of exit 29A.  It looks like they wasted no time in closing Oneida for its reconstruction.  It also looks like the website's map is lying about the chicken "food concepts" no longer being a thing, with Chick-fil-A and Popeyes still in the rotation; they're at the service areas that appear to have nothing more than Starbucks or Dunkin on the projected restaurants.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/first-revamped-thruway-rest-area-opens-in-central-ny-which-ones-will-open-next/ar-AA11iSMv#image=AA11j681%7C7

I drove past it yesterday.  Pretty ugly for a new building.

I saw New Baltimore the other day. Looks like they will finish the building by xmas. And yes, as ugly as it gets

[vdeane]

^ And the ones with the slanted roof and big windows are probably the better looking ones of these new ugly service areas, too!  It's a shame, the old ones look so nice.

In other news, Chittenango looks like its reopening is imminent, and Junius Ponds won't be long off.  I expect Seneca to close immediately upon Junius Ponds reopening, not only because that's what happened with Oneida (not sure why they didn't wait until after Labor Day), but because the barricades to close it are already staged.

The first new Thruway service area just opened - Indian Castle just east of exit 29A.  It looks like they wasted no time in closing Oneida for its reconstruction.  It also looks like the website's map is lying about the chicken "food concepts" no longer being a thing, with Chick-fil-A and Popeyes still in the rotation; they're at the service areas that appear to have nothing more than Starbucks or Dunkin on the projected restaurants.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/first-revamped-thruway-rest-area-opens-in-central-ny-which-ones-will-open-next/ar-AA11iSMv#image=AA11j681%7C7

Are there any specific lists published?
And I wonder if Chick -filla +Starbucks plasa would bother cleaning restrooms on Sundays... 

On the project map, if you click on the service area and switch to the "information" tab on the popup, it includes a list of projected restaurants (minus the chicken "food concepts", at least at some locations).  I can confirm that Indian Castle is indeed Starbucks/Popeyes, and also that Chick-fil-A will be coming to Chittenango (the sign is on the building already).

[Buffaboy]

On the I-190 lights thing (which I can't believe I asked about in February), I've noticed that the Jersey barriers appear to have a ton of sockets spaced dozens of feet apart up to I-90. I'm wondering if this is for future lighting, as I haven't been able to find it in Street View. Nor do I remember I-190 having lighting to begin with. (Edit: apparently there were)

With the service areas, I drove from Buffalo to Massachusetts a few weeks ago and saw a bunch of service stations going up. I didn't pay attention to which ones were under construction, but I saw steel frames in some places and finished buildings with signs up in others. I believe Chick-fil-A was one of the tenants. Nothing else stood out to me.

https://youtu.be/9476hJMSKEw

[vdeane]

I thought those buildings looked small, but wow.  It doesn't look like there's very much seating there.  How are people supposed to enjoy their meal, especially if EV charging means people will be there for a while?  Also, I hope there's the ability to add EV charging to every spot on the lot, because that's what they're going to need if everyone is going to be driving an EV.

[cl94]

On the I-190 lights thing (which I can't believe I asked about in February), I've noticed that the Jersey barriers appear to have a ton of sockets spaced dozens of feet apart up to I-90. I'm wondering if this is for future lighting, as I haven't been able to find it in Street View. Nor do I remember I-190 having lighting to begin with. (Edit: apparently there were)

190 had lighting that was removed after the windstorm last December due to structural issues with the poles. Once new poles are obtained, the lighting will be reinstalled.

Re: the service areas, all will be 100% managed by Applegreen, an Irish motorway service area operator which operates several similar facilities in Europe. Given the European roots, I'm curious if they'll be more like British/Irish service areas in how they're run. The old ones were a combo of McDonald's corporate, HMSHost, and Delaware North.

[Buffaboy]

Yeah the seating is pretty limited it seems, I wonder why. Maybe related to the pandemic?

I wonder if they'll bring European restaurants to the US with these service areas in the future.

[storm2k]

I wonder if they'll bring European restaurants to the US with these service areas in the future.

I highly doubt it. They're also part of the consortium that bought out HMSHost's service area businesses in other states (including the NJ Turnpike and the Garden State Parkway) and there's no real move to change what they have because I think they understand the American market enough to know what American motorists like. The move these days is 1-2 familiar fast food restaurants (the move is really towards Popeyes these days in a lot of places) with a mix of some somewhat but not too much higher end grab and go options.

As for the seating situation, I'll have to wait and see what it works out to be. I don't feel like these necessarily need to be cavernous places persay. I would assume they did some studies involving how long people stay and how much seating they need and go from there. I never felt like most of the service areas on the NJ Turnpike are honestly all that huge and it never seems to be a major issue. So who knows.

[kalvado]

Yeah the seating is pretty limited it seems, I wonder why. Maybe related to the pandemic?

I wonder if they'll bring European restaurants to the US with these service areas in the future.

This is a smaller service area to begin with. The traffic count is just about 25k daily on that stretch. I remember some similar-sized to this one on Masspike.
A stopped bus, though, would be a disaster...

This is how big that sitting area was in the previous version. A bit bigger, but not much, I believe.

[MASTERNC]

I wonder if they'll bring European restaurants to the US with these service areas in the future.

I highly doubt it. They're also part of the consortium that bought out HMSHost's service area businesses in other states (including the NJ Turnpike and the Garden State Parkway) and there's no real move to change what they have because I think they understand the American market enough to know what American motorists like. The move these days is 1-2 familiar fast food restaurants (the move is really towards Popeyes these days in a lot of places) with a mix of some somewhat but not too much higher end grab and go options.

As for the seating situation, I'll have to wait and see what it works out to be. I don't feel like these necessarily need to be cavernous places persay. I would assume they did some studies involving how long people stay and how much seating they need and go from there. I never felt like most of the service areas on the NJ Turnpike are honestly all that huge and it never seems to be a major issue. So who knows.

Did not realize the HMS Host business had been bought out.  Maybe they'll improve the variety on other toll roads so it's not just Roy Rogers or Burger King at every service plaza (looking at you, PA Turnpike).

[RobbieL2415]

I always thought the Thruway rest stop interiors looked like the inside of a Bugaboo Creek restaurant.

[seicer]

The new Indian Castle Service Area has opened: https://bigfrog104.com/take-a-look-the-first-ny-thruway-rest-area-is-completed-open/

- Was this one of the least visited service areas?
- There is very little indoor seating. Do they expect most people (including large crowds coming from buses) to eat outdoors? Or are they expecting that much traffic to be diverted to the lone drive-through for Starbucks? At least there is more outdoor seating which will be nice 6 months of the year.
- The hallway to the restrooms is only wide enough for one person and the restrooms are comically small. There are only four stalls. Competing for space in the hallway are entrances to the gender-neutral restrooms and the water fountain/bottling filling station.
- Parking is more plentiful.
- There are no showers at this location but others will include them.

I'm all on board with the new service areas, notably because they will include showers and updated amenities, but this seems to be a downscale of what was there.

[Rothman]

I've stopped at Indian Castle for gas frequently.

[seicer]

I swear the old plaza was larger.

[02 Park Ave]

There was a terrible fatal head-on collision on the Thruway in Orange County early yesterday morning.  Here is a link to an article, with videos, about it:


https://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/featured/2121672/shocking-dashcam-footage-wrong-way-driver-nearly-hits-hatzolah-volunteer-minutes-before-fatal-crash-on-thruway.html

[SignBridge]

Bad week on the Thruway in the downstate area. This afternoon the road was closed in both directions due to a low hanging wire in the West Nyack area. Westbound was backed up all the way across the Tappan Zee Bridge.

[Jim]

The new Indian Castle Service Area has opened: https://bigfrog104.com/take-a-look-the-first-ny-thruway-rest-area-is-completed-open/

- Was this one of the least visited service areas?
- There is very little indoor seating. Do they expect most people (including large crowds coming from buses) to eat outdoors? Or are they expecting that much traffic to be diverted to the lone drive-through for Starbucks? At least there is more outdoor seating which will be nice 6 months of the year.
- The hallway to the restrooms is only wide enough for one person and the restrooms are comically small. There are only four stalls. Competing for space in the hallway are entrances to the gender-neutral restrooms and the water fountain/bottling filling station.
- Parking is more plentiful.
- There are no showers at this location but others will include them.

I'm all on board with the new service areas, notably because they will include showers and updated amenities, but this seems to be a downscale of what was there.

I stopped here this evening when headed home from Ithaca, just to see the new setup.  I agree it's small, even smaller than I expected after reading this post a few days ago.  There can't be seating for more than 25-30 people inside.  One bus comes, and the building will be overwhelmed, especially the rest rooms, not that you'd be able to walk to them through the tiny area in front of the Popeye's and Starbucks.  I really hope many of the others will have a little more space to move around.  Notably missing is any of the New York history and tourism info that was prominent in most of the old buildings.

I saw that the WB service area just east of Syracuse is also open now, including what's now the closest Chick-fil-A to me that's not beyond airport security (until the ones announced for Clifton Park, Latham, and most recently North Greenbush actually happen).

[Rothman]

The new Indian Castle Service Area has opened: https://bigfrog104.com/take-a-look-the-first-ny-thruway-rest-area-is-completed-open/

- Was this one of the least visited service areas?
- There is very little indoor seating. Do they expect most people (including large crowds coming from buses) to eat outdoors? Or are they expecting that much traffic to be diverted to the lone drive-through for Starbucks? At least there is more outdoor seating which will be nice 6 months of the year.
- The hallway to the restrooms is only wide enough for one person and the restrooms are comically small. There are only four stalls. Competing for space in the hallway are entrances to the gender-neutral restrooms and the water fountain/bottling filling station.
- Parking is more plentiful.
- There are no showers at this location but others will include them.

I'm all on board with the new service areas, notably because they will include showers and updated amenities, but this seems to be a downscale of what was there.

I stopped here this evening when headed home from Ithaca, just to see the new setup.  I agree it's small, even smaller than I expected after reading this post a few days ago.  There can't be seating for more than 25-30 people inside.  One bus comes, and the building will be overwhelmed, especially the rest rooms, not that you'd be able to walk to them through the tiny area in front of the Popeye's and Starbucks.  I really hope many of the others will have a little more space to move around.  Notably missing is any of the New York history and tourism info that was prominent in most of the old buildings.

I saw that the WB service area just east of Syracuse is also open now, including what's now the closest Chick-fil-A to me that's not beyond airport security (until the ones announced for Clifton Park, Latham, and most recently North Greenbush actually happen).

There's always Cicero...

[cl94]

The new Indian Castle Service Area has opened: https://bigfrog104.com/take-a-look-the-first-ny-thruway-rest-area-is-completed-open/

- Was this one of the least visited service areas?
- There is very little indoor seating. Do they expect most people (including large crowds coming from buses) to eat outdoors? Or are they expecting that much traffic to be diverted to the lone drive-through for Starbucks? At least there is more outdoor seating which will be nice 6 months of the year.
- The hallway to the restrooms is only wide enough for one person and the restrooms are comically small. There are only four stalls. Competing for space in the hallway are entrances to the gender-neutral restrooms and the water fountain/bottling filling station.
- Parking is more plentiful.
- There are no showers at this location but others will include them.

I'm all on board with the new service areas, notably because they will include showers and updated amenities, but this seems to be a downscale of what was there.

The new service areas were allegedly sized based on traffic. Notably, Ramapo will be upsized when it is rebuilt, but several of the less-visited ones Upstate will be downsized. The old service areas were mostly one size and some of the locations were overbuilt relative to the traffic they received. I guess the thought is to maximize the area being used to reduce operating costs, but it removes some of the flexibility present in the old service areas in terms of the ability to handle an unexpected crush of people.

[Jim]

There's always Cicero...

Which was my stop just before Indian Castle.

[kalvado]

The new Indian Castle Service Area has opened: https://bigfrog104.com/take-a-look-the-first-ny-thruway-rest-area-is-completed-open/

- Was this one of the least visited service areas?
- There is very little indoor seating. Do they expect most people (including large crowds coming from buses) to eat outdoors? Or are they expecting that much traffic to be diverted to the lone drive-through for Starbucks? At least there is more outdoor seating which will be nice 6 months of the year.
- The hallway to the restrooms is only wide enough for one person and the restrooms are comically small. There are only four stalls. Competing for space in the hallway are entrances to the gender-neutral restrooms and the water fountain/bottling filling station.
- Parking is more plentiful.
- There are no showers at this location but others will include them.

I'm all on board with the new service areas, notably because they will include showers and updated amenities, but this seems to be a downscale of what was there.

The new service areas were allegedly sized based on traffic. Notably, Ramapo will be upsized when it is rebuilt, but several of the less-visited ones Upstate will be downsized. The old service areas were mostly one size and some of the locations were overbuilt relative to the traffic they received. I guess the thought is to maximize the area being used to reduce operating costs, but it removes some of the flexibility present in the old service areas in terms of the ability to handle an unexpected crush of people.

At least 2 standard layouts for old ones: restrooms to the right of main entrance, and restrooms all the way down the hall.
New ones seem to come in several "levels" - 2, 2A, 2B, 3 and 3B (maybe I missed something else). Level 3 could larger ones; renderings for 2B and 3 seem to be almost identical though. Not that those renderings are too informative, though; they posted a standard one with cars parked next to the building for Angola...
UPD: there are also Level 1 in DeWitt and Schuyler. Those seem to be glorified convenience stores.