Massachusetts

[The Ghostbuster]

The rebuilt service areas will probably have new restaurant options. I know that previously the service areas had Burger King restaurants that were all replaced with McDonald's restaurants (save for the MA 128 Beverly Rest Area, which still has a Burger King).

[SectorZ]

The rebuilt service areas will probably have new restaurant options. I know that previously the service areas had Burger King restaurants that were all replaced with McDonald's restaurants (save for the MA 128 Beverly Rest Area, which still has a Burger King).

I miss Roy Rogers and I demand it back. Superior to the crap we have now. McDonald's and Burger King are the lowest common denominator of food.

Given this company got rid of Roy Rogers in NY, I won't hold my breath.

[kramie13]

Please get rid of these towers.  They ruin the view out in western MA!

[Rothman]

The rebuilt service areas will probably have new restaurant options. I know that previously the service areas had Burger King restaurants that were all replaced with McDonald's restaurants (save for the MA 128 Beverly Rest Area, which still has a Burger King).

I miss Roy Rogers and I demand it back. Superior to the crap we have now. McDonald's and Burger King are the lowest common denominator of food.

Given this company got rid of Roy Rogers in NY, I won't hold my breath.

Meh.  I'm not sad to see Roy Rogers go.

[Jim]

Meh.  I'm not sad to see Roy Rogers go.

Thinking of the Roy Rogers I remember from long ago, I was kind of sad to see go.  The Roy Rogers as it existed on the Thruway, especially toward the end, was no loss to me.  It used to be a regular stop at whichever I-87 northbound service area had one (Modena?) but I hadn't been there at all during its final several years after the prices seemed to increase as the quality decreased.

[shadyjay]

Let's just hope the plazas getting new buildings don't get the boxes like on the Thruway in some locations.  Those are just ridicuoulsy too small.  I can see perhaps Lee-WB and Blandford-EB getting new buildings, as those were built when the last upgrade took place (late 90s?).  Previously, those plazas only had fuel services.  When I stopped at Lee-WB last year, the restrooms were very small... only 1 or 2 stalls in the men's room. 

I'd like to see something done with the house/building at the entrance to Charlton-EB.  I think it used to house a visitor center.  Seems like wasted space right now.  Although it'll probably become a stand-alone drive-thru for Dunkin'.  Applegreen recently did this on the Connecticut Turnpike (I-95), putting in Starbucks standalones.  Yes, Applegreen manages the service plazas in CT, taking over from Project Service/Subway, who did the rebuilds several years back. 

[RobbieL2415]

The rendering of the new rest area in Barnstable is cartoonish. The MassDOT facebook page is a daily sludge of crap about climate change and the inside of this building has 30+' ceilings. They look nicer, but will be a bitch to properly heat and cool, and makes me wonder why they pretend to care about this stuff and then pull stunts like this.

Of course they'll mention it has some loftier standard for efficiency but forgot to mention it could have been much more efficient.

The current one has high ceilings, though.

[Ted$8roadFan]

It's official: MassDOT has selected Applegreen to redesign service areas on the Mass. pike (I-90), I-95/MA-128 and MA-24. This being Massachusetts, of course, there's a local angle with some controversy; a local company, Global Partners of Waltham was passed over for Applegreen.

[SectorZ]

It's official: MassDOT has selected Applegreen to redesign service areas on the Mass. pike (I-90), I-95/MA-128 and MA-24. This being Massachusetts, of course, there's a local angle with some controversy; a local company, Global Partners of Waltham was passed over for Applegreen.

https://www.bostonherald.com/2025/06/18/massdot-goes-with-irish-service-plaza-operator-over-local-objections/

A good writeup outlining the nonsense. MassDOT seemingly blames Global for the current dilapidated state of the rest areas but I don't think they've been running them long, like a year or so. Global locations like Alltown Fresh confirm for me that they know their stuff and could do a really good job with them. Knowing modern society, fresh made sandwiches and healthy food won't fly when people are used to McDonald's.

[hotdogPi]

Are rest areas on the Mass Pike even needed anymore? Ever since AET, it no longer costs extra to get off and back on.

[SectorZ]

Are rest areas on the Mass Pike even needed anymore? Ever since AET, it no longer costs extra to get off and back on.

Blandford, absolutely yes. In reality all the others save people 5-30 minutes not having to get off the highway. Even with Pike services existing, the Cumberland Farms in Framingham at 30/Speen St right off the Pike is enormously busy. Adding Pike travelers to that location, along with overloading an already busy intersection, would piss a lot of locals off.

However I am on board with having these service areas on non-turnpikes as well. If I get off on 2A in Lexington there is nothing within two miles of I-95 either direction that would fill that need, and if that rest area closed I doubt anyone would (or could with zoning) build something. So many gas stations that provide services are already owned by like five different companies (Global, Nouria, Energy North, Cumberland Farms, Speedway) so it's not like mom and pop gas stations are losing out. The only value proposition missing is the extreme price of gas at them, but c-store prices that (currently Global/Gulf) has are the same as their off-freeway locations.

So, for me, load up full-service rest areas every 20 miles on the interstates. I know that can't happen under current law, and likely will never change to allow it to happen. I'll enjoy my toll freeway/grandfathered freeway locations in the meantime. Just not to fill up with gas.

[Ted$8roadFan]

Usually in Massachusetts, the local company gets the sweetheart deal made behind closed doors and the outside company that gets shut out complains. Not this time. That's what makes this mini-kerfuffle somewhat remarkable.

The Commonwealth's other interstate/limited access highways definitely could use a few rest areas, or at least more truck parking. If it weren't for the grandfathered rest areas on 95/128, there'd be a lot more interstate traffic on local roads, since not every exit has gas or other services within a convenient distance to the highway. Many aren't designed to handle trucks or heavy volumes of cars. Of course, it probably won't happen anytime soon, but it's worth considering.

[Rothman]

Are rest areas on the Mass Pike even needed anymore? Ever since AET, it no longer costs extra to get off and back on.

Blandford, absolutely yes. In reality all the others save people 5-30 minutes not having to get off the highway. Even with Pike services existing, the Cumberland Farms in Framingham at 30/Speen St right off the Pike is enormously busy. Adding Pike travelers to that location, along with overloading an already busy intersection, would piss a lot of locals off.

However I am on board with having these service areas on non-turnpikes as well. If I get off on 2A in Lexington there is nothing within two miles of I-95 either direction that would fill that need, and if that rest area closed I doubt anyone would (or could with zoning) build something. So many gas stations that provide services are already owned by like five different companies (Global, Nouria, Energy North, Cumberland Farms, Speedway) so it's not like mom and pop gas stations are losing out. The only value proposition missing is the extreme price of gas at them, but c-store prices that (currently Global/Gulf) has are the same as their off-freeway locations.

So, for me, load up full-service rest areas every 20 miles on the interstates. I know that can't happen under current law, and likely will never change to allow it to happen. I'll enjoy my toll freeway/grandfathered freeway locations in the meantime. Just not to fill up with gas.

Every 20 miles?  That's certainly an opinion.

It's interesting to base service plaza need based upon current usage.  Makes you wonder about local alternatives, especially for truck services and parking.

[kramie13]

Are rest areas on the Mass Pike even needed anymore? Ever since AET, it no longer costs extra to get off and back on.

Lee (going east), Blandford (both directions), Charlton (both directions), and Westborough (going west) are all worthwhile since they are all located within a 10-mile gap between interchanges.

This article from WCVB Channel 5 states that 9 plazas will be completely torn down and rebuilt.  8 of them will be along the Mass. Pike.

[SectorZ]

Are rest areas on the Mass Pike even needed anymore? Ever since AET, it no longer costs extra to get off and back on.

Blandford, absolutely yes. In reality all the others save people 5-30 minutes not having to get off the highway. Even with Pike services existing, the Cumberland Farms in Framingham at 30/Speen St right off the Pike is enormously busy. Adding Pike travelers to that location, along with overloading an already busy intersection, would piss a lot of locals off.

However I am on board with having these service areas on non-turnpikes as well. If I get off on 2A in Lexington there is nothing within two miles of I-95 either direction that would fill that need, and if that rest area closed I doubt anyone would (or could with zoning) build something. So many gas stations that provide services are already owned by like five different companies (Global, Nouria, Energy North, Cumberland Farms, Speedway) so it's not like mom and pop gas stations are losing out. The only value proposition missing is the extreme price of gas at them, but c-store prices that (currently Global/Gulf) has are the same as their off-freeway locations.

So, for me, load up full-service rest areas every 20 miles on the interstates. I know that can't happen under current law, and likely will never change to allow it to happen. I'll enjoy my toll freeway/grandfathered freeway locations in the meantime. Just not to fill up with gas.

Every 20 miles?  That's certainly an opinion.

It's interesting to base service plaza need based upon current usage.  Makes you wonder about local alternatives, especially for truck services and parking.

The thing for me is how sparse space is for truckers relative to other parts of the country. Within 50 miles of me there are few bona fide truck stops, and even all of those are in New Hampshire (Portsmouth and Bow come to mind). At least for the types you see in other parts, there are "truck stops" per this page (https://www.truckstopsandservices.com/listcatbusinesses.php?id=19&state=18) but most of those can barely serve more than two trucks at a time.

[vdeane]

Are rest areas on the Mass Pike even needed anymore? Ever since AET, it no longer costs extra to get off and back on.

I did an off an on with respect to I-495 recently because it was more convenient relative to my trip length and lunch time, and because it's been a while since I've been to Five Guys.  Took 10 minutes to drive from I-495 to Five Guys on MA 114, through multiple intersections that are so bad that they make LOS F look good in comparison. Never doing that again.

This doesn't even get into how getting off/on a turnpike trumpets is clunky and removing the toll booth doesn't do much to help that for those of us who have had E-ZPass the whole time.  At least MassDOT uses all mainline barriers aggregated by trip, so getting off an on (shouldn't) cause E-ZPass statements to blow up any more than they already do (unlike the Thruway).

The thing for me is how sparse space is for truckers relative to other parts of the country. Within 50 miles of me there are few bona fide truck stops, and even all of those are in New Hampshire (Portsmouth and Bow come to mind). At least for the types you see in other parts, there are "truck stops" per this page (https://www.truckstopsandservices.com/listcatbusinesses.php?id=19&state=18) but most of those can barely serve more than two trucks at a time.

Indeed.  The recent Capital Region Truck Parking Study even comments on it:

As discussed previously in this report, the I-90 corridor between Albany and the Massachusetts
state line is one of the primary areas of concern for truck parking in the Capital Region. Most of
the truck parking facilities along this corridor are operating above 100% of their designated
capacity during peak overnight periods. Symptoms of this problem can be seen along Route NY22 in Canaan, just north of I-90. The two truck stops along this road – Love's and Ambest/Onvo
– are filled beyond their capacity during overnight hours on a typical weeknight. Overflow
parking takes place along the shoulders of NY-22 adjacent to these two truck stops, presenting
a safety concern for passing motorists as well as the accelerated deterioration of pavement
along the shoulders where the hard paved surface meets the landscaped roadside area.

This problem is exacerbated by the limited availability of truck parking along I-90 to the east in
Massachusetts. The eastbound and westbound service plazas on the Massachusetts Turnpike in
the Lee area are located approximately 8.5 miles from the state line. These two locations have
fewer than 15 designated truck parking spaces between them, and they accommodate
substantially more parked trucks outside marked spaces during peak overnight hours.

More than 35% of the trucks parked in the Love's and Ambest/Onvo truck stops and along the
adjoining roadway shoulders make their next stop in New England after departing from this
location.

[RobbieL2415]

Are rest areas on the Mass Pike even needed anymore? Ever since AET, it no longer costs extra to get off and back on.

I did an off an on with respect to I-495 recently because it was more convenient relative to my trip length and lunch time, and because it's been a while since I've been to Five Guys.  Took 10 minutes to drive from I-495 to Five Guys on MA 114, through multiple intersections that are so bad that they make LOS F look good in comparison. Never doing that again.

This doesn't even get into how getting off/on a turnpike trumpets is clunky and removing the toll booth doesn't do much to help that for those of us who have had E-ZPass the whole time.  At least MassDOT uses all mainline barriers aggregated by trip, so getting off an on (shouldn't) cause E-ZPass statements to blow up any more than they already do (unlike the Thruway).

I-495 notoriously signs a McDonald's for Exit 41 is 1.7 miles away from the ramp. You have to go into the center of Franklin to reach it. I could easily see out-of-towners getting lost trying to find it.