I-17 Exit 252 would be your typical ranch exit if it weren't for the rest area off of it! Can anyone explain why ADOT put a rest area on an exit instead of the normal manner?
It is cool, though. :colorful:
1) Cheaper than building two smaller ones.
2) Safer than putting one in the median.
Wyoming has a few, especially on I-90 west of Gillette.
This seems to be SOP for Colorado as well, placing the rest areas at exits.
Quote from: HighwayMaster on July 30, 2011, 08:44:49 PM
Can anyone explain why ADOT put a rest area on an exit instead of the normal manner?
I've seen this setup elsewhere. The rest area on I-49 north of Opelousas, Louisiana is built at an exit, off the northbound side. In this case, the exit was built specifically for the rest area, as there's no intersecting road there at all. I have to imagine it's because of the marshy land in this area, which much have made it expensive to build one on each side.
I think there's also a rest area off an exit on I-75 in Florida, south of Ocala. Can't remember for sure on that one, though.
It is also a scenic view,
The I-24 welcome center in Paducah, KY is like that, too.
Mike
Quote from: mgk920 on August 17, 2011, 10:42:01 AM
The I-24 welcome center in Paducah, KY is like that, too.
Mike
As is one in your own backyard on I-94 at the Illinois border.
Iowa has one at the Dows I-35 Exit 159. Makes sense to do this and make one really nice rest areas than have two mediocre rest areas.
The MS rest area just east of the LA line is also at an exit (Diamondhead?) on the southside of the interstate.
I prefer rest areas at exits to those just off the travel lanes because alot of times the ra just off the travel lanes are noisy from passing traffic.
Also on I 10 in FL, there is a rest area off an exit @ Ponce de Leon, FL (exit 96?).
Quote from: allniter89 on August 31, 2011, 10:33:35 PM
The MS rest area just east of the LA line is also at an exit (Diamondhead?) on the southside of the interstate.
I prefer rest areas at exits to those just off the travel lanes because alot of times the ra just off the travel lanes are noisy from passing traffic.
Also on I 10 in FL, there is a rest area off an exit @ Ponce de Leon, FL (exit 96?).
The rest area off of Exit 2 doubles as the Mississippi Welcome Center. It is along MS-607.
The Florida 81 rest area is on the south side of Interstate 10, correct at Exit 96.
Quote from: rarnold on August 31, 2011, 09:18:18 PM
Iowa has one at the Dows I-35 Exit 159. Makes sense to do this and make one really nice rest areas than have two mediocre rest areas.
Iowa does it again on I-80 at LeClaire (Quad Cities area). The rest area is up on a hill, accessible via US-67.
The US 4 welcome center entering Vermont from NY is just off the highway on VT 4A.
Quote from: MeanMeosh on August 04, 2011, 10:05:54 PM
I think there's also a rest area off an exit on I-75 in Florida, south of Ocala. Can't remember for sure on that one, though.
Not in Ocala, but you
will find two of them in a couple of locations in Southwest Florida. What's interesting about Ocala though, is that it has three different sections; One for cars, one for RV's and one for Trucks & Tractor-Trailers. For most of them, the RV's share the Tractor-trailer sections.
In Maine, there is a rest area just off I-295 exit 17 along US 1 in Yarmouth.
There is a Welcome Center/Rest Area at Exit 53, right at the westbound on/off ramps (http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Matamoras,+Pike,+Pennsylvania&hl=en&ll=41.359352,-74.709649&spn=0.004139,0.006899&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=35.768112,56.513672&vpsrc=6&geocode=FYE8dwIdfSqM-w&t=h&z=17), on I-84 in Matamoras, PA.
Quote from: D-Dey65 on September 02, 2011, 06:45:09 PM
Quote from: MeanMeosh on August 04, 2011, 10:05:54 PM
I think there's also a rest area off an exit on I-75 in Florida, south of Ocala. Can't remember for sure on that one, though.
Not in Ocala, but you will find two of them in a couple of locations in Southwest Florida. What's interesting about Ocala though, is that it has three different sections; One for cars, one for RV's and one for Trucks & Tractor-Trailers. For most of them, the RV's share the Tractor-trailer sections.
The rest area in Punta Gorda is off of Exit 161 on I-75 ( I have stopped there a few times). There was one off the Daniels Parkway interchange in Fort Myers, not sure if it is still there.
The Welcome Center on I-80 is technically off Exit 53/Exit 310 in the Gap.
In Maine, the West Gardiner Service Plaza is off Exit 103 of I-95 and Exit 51 of I-295.
In Mass., the Barstable Service Plaza on US-6 is off Exit 6 at MA 132.
In Nevada, most of the rest areas along I-80 are off of exits and not on the mainline:
- Exit 83, US 95 Intg. – US 95 joins/leaves I-80 here, and its also the northern terminus for US 95 Alt along I-80. The rest area and separate truck parking are adjacent to the interchange on the two-lane US 95.
- Exit 158, Cosgrave Intg. – The exit appears to be built almost exclusively for a rest area. However, a frontage road terminates here and there are some crop circles nearby and a dirt road leading away from the interchange.
- Exit 187, Button Point Intg. – The rest area is off a short frontage road from the interchange. Like the previous one, there are a couple dirt roads leading away from the interchange that otherwise seems to be built for the rest area.
- Exit 216, Valmy Intg. – The site of Valmy is on the north side of the freeway, and the rest area is on the south side.
- Exit 373, (Pequop) Summit Intg. – A fairly spartan rest stop, one on each side of the freeway linked but linked via the interchange.
- Exit 410, West Wendover – This is actually a Nevada Welcome Center on US 93 Alt/BL 80 in West Wendover.
There are a couple directly off of the mainlines of I-80 though:
- West of Exit 43 at Wadsworth – There is a rest area westbound. The eastbound side has a truck inspection station which is often closed.
- West of Exit 261 – Rest areas along both sides of the mainline.
I-15 has a Nevada Welcome Center just off Exit 122 in Mesquite, (the first/last exit in Nevada). Other than a truck parking area somewhere between Mesquite and Las Vegas, that is the only rest area on I-15 in Nevada (the Welcome Center in Primm appears to have been shut down).
All other rest areas in Nevada are along two-lane roads or divided highways.
West Virginia does this twice, both on I-77. The short free section (9 miles) of I-77 North did not originally include a rest area or "welcome center", as Virginia had a northbound one paraleling its southbound"welcome center" just 10 miles south, and to not compete with the Turnpike's service area not 10 miles north. Many local politicians though this hurt tourism, but it was not possible to get on on the 9 mile section because there was no place with public utilities. Eventually the Turnpike constructed a "welcome center" that is in the parking lot of the Wal-Mart off the regular Exit 9. It is thus reachable from either direction on 77 and either diretion on US 460 (Corridor Q).
Later, the state began a program, still ongoing, to rebuild its rest areas, which all dated from the construction of the road (60s and 70s). The southbound "welcome center", and the parallel one northbound, near Parkersburg was however just sort of left "as is" and new place was build 15 miles to the south, just off an exit in what was a "park and ride" area.
I-75's welcome center in Sault Ste. Marie is off of Exit 394. I-75's welcome center in Mackinaw City is off of Exit 337.
S.P. mentioned the West Virginia example, and someone else mentioned the Whitehaven Mansion that serves as Kentucky's welcome center/rest area on I-24.
Kentucky has a rest area on the Mountain Parkway at Exit 33. I was there for the dedication as a young newspaper reporter, some 25 or so years ago.
I-40 between I-95 and Wilmington, NC has a rest area off an exit (though I don't recall which exit). What is notable about it though is the fact that it is located in the median of the freeway but still only accessible from the intersecting road.
Quote from: mgk920 on August 17, 2011, 10:42:01 AM
The I-24 welcome center in Paducah, KY is like that, too.
Mike
So is the nearby I-24 welcome center in Metropolis, IL.
TN has a welcome center just off I-40 on Riverside Dr. in Memphis, though it might be closed at the moment due to the recent MS River floods.
Southbound I-95 in Virginia has a car rest area (trucks have their own further south connected to a weigh station) located along the barrier-separated C/D lane near Dale City and Potomac Mills Mall.
PA welcome center on I-84 at the NY border.
Not quite the same thing as the original post, but there's that rest area on EB I-84 near Danbury, CT. You exit the freeway, then choose whether you want to exit to surface roads or go to the rest area. Then, on leaving the rest area, you can only go back to the freeway. I found this rather aggravating as there was a considerable traffic jam on I-84 that evening.
North Carolina also has:
US 29 SB Welcome Center is actually on NC 700, 1st exit heading south.
US 17 NB Welcome center is actually on NC 130 in Shalotte
Mapmikey
Quote from: vtk on September 05, 2011, 05:13:08 PM
Not quite the same thing as the original post, but there's that rest area on EB I-84 near Danbury, CT. You exit the freeway, then choose whether you want to exit to surface roads or go to the rest area. Then, on leaving the rest area, you can only go back to the freeway. I found this rather aggravating as there was a considerable traffic jam on I-84 that evening.
There's a rest area in/near Vancouver, WA on I-5 NB with the same setup.
IIRC, there used to be a service area on the New Jersey Turnpike northbound at Exit 13A with the same setup as well, but it was eliminated when they built the IKEA and/or outlet malls there a decade or two ago.
If you want to count welcome centers, you must exit I-20 to get to the Mississippi welcome center at Vicksburg.
Quote from: vtk on September 05, 2011, 05:13:08 PM
Not quite the same thing as the original post, but there's that rest area on EB I-84 near Danbury, CT. You exit the freeway, then choose whether you want to exit to surface roads or go to the rest area. Then, on leaving the rest area, you can only go back to the freeway. I found this rather aggravating as there was a considerable traffic jam on I-84 that evening.
Sounds like I-95 at Exit 1 and the Northbound Georgia Welcome Center.
There's one in Kentucky off I-75 in Berea. It's the only rest area on I-75 between Lexington and the Tennessee line.
Quote from: D-Dey65 on September 05, 2011, 10:01:23 PM
Quote from: vtk on September 05, 2011, 05:13:08 PM
Not quite the same thing as the original post, but there's that rest area on EB I-84 near Danbury, CT. You exit the freeway, then choose whether you want to exit to surface roads or go to the rest area. Then, on leaving the rest area, you can only go back to the freeway. I found this rather aggravating as there was a considerable traffic jam on I-84 that evening.
Sounds like I-
95 at Exit 1 and the Northbound Georgia Welcome Center.
This one used to have you leave the rest area and go back onto the exit ramp. go thru the stop sign at st marys road and then use the entrance ramp back to I95
Fixed quote tag
Quote from: jwolfer on September 09, 2011, 11:43:30 AM
This one used to have you leave the rest area and go back onto the exit ramp. go thru the stop sign at st marys road and then use the entrance ramp back to I95
I thought I saw evidence of a former ramp there. Anyway, I took an aerial shot of the Danbury Welcome Center on I-84 and it looks pretty cool. This is what I get for not having been to New England in nearly 30 years.
ME:
In addition to the two previously mentioned (I-295 in Yarmouth and the Maine Turnpike & I-295 in Gardiner), there is a Rest Area/Tourist Info Center off I-95 at Exit 302 in Houlton, about 3 or so miles from the US/Canadian border. Also of note, the NB I-95 welcome center in Kittery has access from both I-95 and US 1, and you can exit the facility and get to US 1, and vice versa.
NH:
On I-93 in Littleton, the Rest Area/Info Center is off Exit 44 and is also a Scenic Vista.
There are also several info centers just off various exits further south on I-93. RMcN identifies them as "rest areas" even though they're more regional info centers.
VT:
There's a Welcome Center off I-91 Exit 11 NB/12 SB in downtown White River Jct at the railroad station. This is also advertised from I-89 NB (from NH). Though I am not sure if this facility is still open - as of last week, the signs were covered up ("blue-out").
There seems to be more of a push in VT as of late to establish welcome centers off the highway, since in 2010 several more rest areas along I-89 and I-91 were closed.
That's all well and good if you're looking for info, but if you need to use the restroom or stop for a second without having to get off the highway, it's a downfall.
Quote from: vtk on September 05, 2011, 05:13:08 PMNot quite the same thing as the original post, but there's that rest area on EB I-84 near Danbury, CT. You exit the freeway, then choose whether you want to exit to surface roads or go to the rest area. Then, on leaving the rest area, you can only go back to the freeway. I found this rather aggravating as there was a considerable traffic jam on I-84 that evening.
HAHAHA, typical. Been there many times. Both through that area on I-84 and that rest area. I'm no stranger to any of the above, that part of 84 stops if someone breathes wrong.
Another one for the list exists off of Interstate 82 at Exit 80 in Prosser, Washington.
(https://www.aaroads.com/west/washington082/i-082_eb_exit_080_04.jpg)
In Connecticut the ramp for Exit 22 [Round Hill Road] is also the exit ramp to access the rest area.