Abandoned Rest Areas

[GCrites]

Yes it was a small stand of trees. It was definitely small enough that it didn't have ramps going to it. Most likely it was always primitive and those old ones didn't need a large footprint.

[GCrites]

You can still see evidence of it on the 2006 historic aerial.

[KG909]

This one on the I-10 in Fontana, CA. It's been there for years and I'm not sure how long, but I think it's from the US70 and US99 days.
http://goo.gl/maps/8izmc

[lordsutch]

The parking areas (never full rest areas) on US 78 in Olive Branch, Miss. around milepost 5 have been closed for a few years now. Except for the Mississippi welcome center westbound, there's not a single rest area on all of what will be I-22, even though a couple in each direction would certainly be warranted (in addition to an Alabama welcome center and probably a Mississippi one eastbound too around Byhalia) even at today's highway speeds.

[Roadrunner75]

I pass by these a lot, at the very end of the NJ Turnpike Hudson Co. Extension (I-78) in Jersey City, now used for contractor equipment/storage:
https://www.google.com/maps?ll=40.6976,-74.075789&spn=0.003911,0.006539&t=h&z=18

The Garden State Parkway has a number of former rest areas, the most infamous of which is the rest area near Forked River where Robert Marshall had his wife bumped off:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_O._Marshall.  I believe it was here: https://www.google.com/maps?ll=39.806607,-74.227688&spn=0.005605,0.013078&t=h&z=17.  Before the widening a few years ago it was more obvious, and I believe technically open then even if its use was discouraged through no exit striping / lack of good signage if I recall correctly (and I would assume also by a state trooper who would probably roll in 10 seconds after you to find out what you're up to).  It's hard to pick it out now, and looks like your standard median break / white-SUV-with-lightbar parking.  To the north, on the NB side just south of NJ 70 (exit 88/89B), there was another small rest area on the right that one could identify through some concrete disappearing and reappearing from the woods, before it was obliterated with the widening project.

[jwolfer]

As I was perusing this thread I was thinking how Florida hardly ever closes a rest area, but instead have rebuilt and expanded the original 60's-era rest areas on I-75 and I-95.  This pair in Port Orange is the exception.

FDOT closed a pair on I-4 at mile 70 once sprawl had reached that far; retention ponds now sit there.

I am surprised  that the Longwood rest areas are still open ( just east(north) of exit 94. They are right in the middle of suburbia. Services at exits 92,94&98. There is always tons if trucks there when I go to work in the morning, that's probably why. But rest areas are known as cruising spots for men, all the more reason people want them closed.

[jwolfer]

On I-95 in St Johns County in FL. There are still 2 rest areas within less than 30 miles. The one father north is now in Jacksonville's fast growing suburban areas. Very close to an expanded exit for CR210 and there are 2 big truck stops on the exit. I see the days numbered for the rest area

[GCrites]

Diggin' through my old maps and they show it from '53 to '77. My next map is '85 and doesn't have it. Looks like it was on the north side of the road, just west of Pickerington Rd.

Per topo maps, it was. Was in this location. You can sort of tell where it was on old aerial imagery, but it was cleared between 2006 and what is currently on Google Maps, so no evidence remains.

Drove past here this morning and found out the land is for sale. Somebody could buy it and re-create a 1960s Ohio primitive rest area on their own. I bet you could do it for less than $20,000 if you didn't pave it.

[lepidopteran]

How about this one, on I-70 WB in Crystal Spring, PA, about 6 miles south of Breezewood.  It seems to be intact, but it's gated and has no signs or striping on the highway.  And if you look on GSV, are those outhouses to the right?

https://goo.gl/maps/SA2NL

I wonder if that, and the still-open area on the EB side about a mile north, were once signed as Scenic Views, until the trees grew enough to block the view.

[briantroutman]

How about this one, on I-70 WB in Crystal Spring, PA, about 6 miles south of Breezewood.  It seems to be intact, but it's gated and has no signs or striping on the highway.  And if you look on GSV, are those outhouses to the right?

https://goo.gl/maps/SA2NL

I wonder if that, and the still-open area on the EB side about a mile north, were once signed as Scenic Views, until the trees grew enough to block the view.

The last PA map I have that shows this rest area is 1980; it's absent from the 1989 map.

Looks nearly identical to this rest area (also closed) on I-80 northwest of Clearfield. I recall seeing mobile truck weighing and inspection operations taking place at this one, and I wouldn't be surprised if PennDOT had maintained the pavement at Crystal Spring for the same reason.

I doubt the WB Crystal Spring rest area was ever a Scenic View, though. Even without the trees, its location doesn't appear to allow much of a view. And I can't think of anywhere in PA where a Scenic Overlook (with no services) is signed as an exit from an Interstate–can anyone else? The closest I can recall is the new welcome center on US 15 that has "SCENIC OVERLOOK"  as an auxiliary plate in addition to "WELCOME CENTER" , but that's a full-fledged rest area.

[cpzilliacus]

Slate.COM: America's Quirky Rest Stops Are Vanishing

Before national chains like McDonald's and Dunkin Donuts largely supplanted them as destinations for relaxation and amusement, publicly funded rest stops were an integral part of driving for interstate travelers.

Ryann Ford started paying attention to rest areas while on assignment for Texas Monthly. After doing some research online, she learned how rest stops developed alongside the Interstate Highway System in the 1950s, but were being closed or demolished as the recession shrunk state budgets.

[roadfro]

I remember there used to be a rest stop in the early 80s on I-15 between Primm (called State Line back then) and Jean, Nevada, at milepost 5.  You can see the outline of it on Google maps
https://maps.google.com/maps?ll=35.67696,-115.376658&spn=0.014764,0.018539&t=h&z=16

I think they took it out when the Nevada Welcome Center was put in at exit 12 near the now demolished Nevada Landing Casino.  The Welcome Center has since been moved to Primm.

I did not know this, but you are right. NDOT historic maps show a rest stop existing at that location in the US 91/US 466 days, starting with the 1959 state highway map and continuing through the 1991-1992 edition. On the 1993-1994 map, the rest stop is removed and the Welcome Center station at Jean is included.

[busman_49]

Stumbled upon this one today...  It's on OH 11 north of Columbiana.  The rumor is that it was closed for construction in 2008 and never re-opened.  The aerial view shows all of the ramps in place; going to street view shows that the on-ramps no longer exist.
http://goo.gl/maps/P0JZc

[theline]

Forgive me if this one has already been posted. I'm way too lazy to check 138 posts. I'm not quite sure if it qualifies as abandoned. The state has clearly tried to close this one on US 30, just west of Ft. Wayne, by blocking it off with barrels at the entrance and exit on both sides. The barrels have been pushed aside and folks are clearly using the areas.

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.1255694,-85.2767655,425m/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en

I passed by last Saturday and didn't notice any vehicles on the north side then, although trees pretty effectively block the view. I didn't check the south side.

[GCrites]

Wait do you mean drivers are just parking there? Or more?

[NE2]

Wait do you mean drivers are just parking there? Or more?

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

[roadman65]

I-4 used to have one near Exit 33, until the current one between Exits 44 and 48 was opened.  The widening of  I-4 in the late 90's covered up the last remains of it.

In New Jersey on the Garden State Parkway, the Bus Inspection near Brick Township was a rest area at one time.  Also the maintenance area near where the Clark Grisswold Prank for the Exit 135 guide, was once the Madison Hill Rest Area and was closed for the "more" that was suggested.

[theline]

Wait do you mean drivers are just parking there? Or more?

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

It's hard to tell what drivers might be doing from the overhead shot. What goes on behind closed doors is none of my business. Like I said, I didn't spot any activity on Saturday.

[GCrites]

But it looks like the buildings are gone so no one is pooing in an unmaintained restroom.

[US71]

There was one on I 40 in Arkansas @ mm 109.

Someone was murdered there, so AHTD closed them (both directions) .

[Brandon]

There was one on I 40 in Arkansas @ mm 109.

Someone was murdered there, so AHTD closed them (both directions) .

Of course, let's close and remove anywhere anyone was killed.  I hate that philosophy.  When we're done, we'll have nowhere left.

[Roadrunner75]

While looking around for another "Where's Steve At?" adventure, I stumbled on this:
https://www.google.com/maps?ll=35.679313,-95.303457&spn=0.011783,0.026157&t=h&z=16
Looks like a rest area that never was.  Anyone know the story?

[NE2]

While looking around for another "Where's Steve At?" adventure, I stumbled on this:
https://www.google.com/maps?ll=35.679313,-95.303457&spn=0.011783,0.026157&t=h&z=16
Looks like a rest area that never was.  Anyone know the story?

The 1978 topo labels it as a rest area.

[GCrites]

I'm surprised more states don't use the single median rest areas to save money.

[cl94]

I'm surprised more states don't use the single median rest areas to save money.

Left exits are why they don't. Unsafe to have slow traffic entering on the left and it goes against driver expectation. There's a bit of art and psychology involved in road design.