Indiana Notes

[tdindy88]

I call BS on this. You can have expanded truck parking areas AND still provide a modest rest area with parking for cars along the highway. Look at the new rest areas along I-69 between Indianapolis and Fort Wayne and the new welcome centers they're building. They can do both. It's just INDOT doesn't want to. It all comes down to maintenance, they just don't want to have to maintain that many rest areas. INDOT is constantly trying to find ways to save money and having less stuff to actually have to spend money is one way of doing this. So while no one is going to stop you from parking at the new "truck-only" rest areas, what the state is hoping and now forcing you to do is get off an at interchange, stop at a gas station and restaurant and use them for your "rest stop" purposes. Probably all with the hope that you spur the local economy by buying something there.

Last week I traveled down to Louisville from Indy. I had to use the facilities twice on this trip, the first time I stopped at the US 50 exit in Seymour. There I had to navigate the cloverleaf interchange, drive up the first stop light, turn into a gas station, park there, navigate the store, work around the other people there who were shopping for something there and getting gas in the parking lot and then leave that gas station, turn at the traffic signal and go back through the interchange. The second place I stopped was the Henryville rest area, where I pulled off the highway, parked in a parking spot, went in to use the restroom, went back to my car and checked my phone for a few minutes before turning back onto the interstate and continuing on my way.

To me this second way seemed a bit simpler when it comes to just taking a short break. But Indiana doesn't see it that way, they want me to have to get off at an interchange, hope their facilities are actually good (of which now we are depending on ordinary employees of private businesses to maintain the toilets and not INDOT workers) and navigate the local and non-local traffic at that interchange. And with all this cost-saving, they still want to turn these highways into toll roads.

[Rothman]

With the exception of the first sb one why are all the rest areas on I-65 between Chicago and Indianapolis for trucks only? This isn't right those rest areas should be for all to use not just truck drivers. I am going to email the Govenor of Indiana about this. I hope others will do the same.

I will not.  Have no problem with truck parking.

[Revive 755]

Technically, the rest areas are open for everyone, BUT semi trucks need more parking because of their mandatory driving hours/rest periods... Before the rebuild of the rest areas, I have seen them parked on the shoulders on the ramps, which is a very dangerous place to park.

The signing certainly does not indicate them being open for everyone - example on NB I-65 north of IN 10.  Granted is not as specific as that for the rest area on EB I-4 east of Orlando:  Streetview.

These rest area restrictions could be considered another great example of the safety hypocrisy of DOT's - I don't think a gas station or fast food joint is going to like someone pulling off and taking a quick nap in their parking lot as they could at a rest area.  Nor is it a good thing when it seems there are more places restricting bathroom access these days.

[stevashe]

Technically, the rest areas are open for everyone, BUT semi trucks need more parking because of their mandatory driving hours/rest periods... Before the rebuild of the rest areas, I have seen them parked on the shoulders on the ramps, which is a very dangerous place to park.

The signing certainly does not indicate them being open for everyone - example on NB I-65 north of IN 10.  Granted is not as specific as that for the rest area on EB I-4 east of Orlando:  Streetview.

Yeah, that sign in Orlando is also white, which means it is a legal restriction. Meanwhile the Indiana sign is blue, so it's technically only a suggestion.