Field guide to toll road service plazas

[lepidopteran]

A field guide to toll road service plazas.  Please add or correct as needed.

Highway configurations

One side, simple
This is the most common, with ez-off, ez-on ramps to access the plaza.  Amazingly enough, some of the ones on the NJTP require flyover ramps at both the egress and ingress to allow the inner car lanes access.
At least one location on the NJTP has an extra-tall median in the vicinity of the plaza, presumably to prevent motorists proceeding the opposite direction from stopping and climbing over to access the plaza.  The NYS Thruway sought to avoid this by posting signs that read something like "Service Area, this side, XX miles" ; today there's merely a grid of brand logos with XX miles below.

One side, ramp from other side
Rare.  At least two are on the PATP, including on the NE Extension.  Instead of using a conventional trumpet, a diverging diamond setup is used, with no need to realign the traffic from the "wrong-way"  arrangement.  There was also one on the NJTP for a special plaza for charter buses only, which did use a trumpet.

One side, crosswalk from other side
Only one I know of is the Ramapo plaza on the NYS Thruway.  However, the SB side has had some minimal services added, at least compared to the NB side, but the overhead crosswalk remains.

Both sides (back-to-back)
Same as simple one-side, but on both sides.  The PA Turnpike has some, and rumor has it that there's a "secret"  service tunnel connecting the two plazas.

In the median, simple
With this arrangement, the plaza is within a wide or widened median, and is accessed by left-hand on-and-off ramps.  I personally dislike these, as merging into the fast lane can be intimidating, along with aggressive tailgating before exiting.  But these are efficient from the standpoint of the highway authority, as you only need one plaza to serve both directions at that location.  Examples include:

• FL's Turnpike, complete with "authorized"  U-turn ramps if ticket is stamped inside
• DE Turnpike's lone plaza
• MD's JFK Expressway has 2, grandfathered from back when it was a toll road.  There is still a one-way toll on the Tydings Bridge, though, if that counts.
• At least two on the Garden State Parkway

In the median, crosswalk
Only example I know of is the Angola Travel Plaza on the NYS Thruway. Here, the plaza is in the median, but motorists park in lots outside the median on their respective sides.  Two overhead crosswalks provide access to the facility.  Of course, two separate gas stations are needed, since vehicles cannot access the median.

In the median, ramps
This setup would have both the plaza and the parking in the median, but accessed via right-hand exit ramps.  The closest example I know of is the Vince Lombardi Service Area on the NJTP.  However, this one is not in the median per se, but between two spurs of the same highway!  Nonetheless, it is accessible from right-hand ramps from all directions with a rather labyrinthine ramp network.

Over the highway
In this arrangement, vehicles exit via right-hand ramps, while the plaza itself is literally up over the highway, on an overpass-like structure.  Perhaps the most well-known of these is on Oklahoma's Will Rogers Turnpike.  Several others, under the name "Oasis" , may be found on the Illinois Tollway.
See also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridge_restaurant
--
Building structures
Early service plazas were often a colonial-looking stone building with a single vendor, namely a sit-down restaurant.  Howard Johnson's was famously the chosen vendor in NJ, PA, and OH.  Today, a multi-vendor "food court"  is the preferred arrangement (for particularly busy plazas, food items are merchandised in a "cafeteria"  setup).  As such, many plazas have been reconstructed with modern exterior finishes and "open"  interiors.  But at least one plaza on the PATP was converted to an open court while preserving the exterior stone facade.

Most plazas have one building for food service and one for fuel (or two, if they have two fuel vendors).  Some locations on the NJTP have a separate "snack bar"  structure for lighter fare like ice cream.  The Clara Barton plaza used to have a separate plaza building for charter buses, and the Vince Lombardi plaza appears to have a separate building for tractor-trailers (is this correct?)

Some non-tolled parkways in and around New York City have miniature fuel-only plazas.  These have minimal, hut-like brick (or concrete block?) structures.  Mobil is a frequent (if not the only) vendor; note that it was formerly known as Standard Oil of New York.

Signs
Formerly, advance signage for service plaza tended to merely mention "Food"  and "Fuel"  (one sign on the NJTP, possibly still standing, opted for the polysyllabic "Restaurant, Gasoline" ).  Today, a grid of brand names of the vendors found at the plaza are usually displayed on the approach signs.

Names
Many toll road authorities name their service plazas, as opposed to numbering them like exits.   Typically, plazas are named geographically.  One notable exception is NJ, which names the plazas after people native to the state.  The JFK Expressway in MD has "Maryland House"  and "Chesapeake House" .

[Brandon]

The Indiana Toll Road, like the New Jersey Turnpike, names its service areas after people from the state (Knute Rockne, George Craig, Ernie Pyle).  All of them were named this way, including the defunct snack bars (plazas #2, 4, & 6).

The Ohio Turnpike uses geographical names (Eire Islands), battles (Fallen Timbers), and people (Commodore Perry) for its service area names.

Both the Ohio Turnpike and the Indiana Toll Road use paired service areas exclusively.

The Chicago Skyway has a median service area next to the toll plaza.  It is not named.

One side, simple, is not the most common with the exception of a few eastern tollways (NJTP, Penna Tpk, NYS Thruway).  Paired or median seems far more common (Kansas Tpk, OK Tpks, FL Tpk, OH Tpk, IN Toll Rd, Western Ky Pkwy).

As for over the highway, the Illinois Tollway had them before the Will Rogers Turnpike, and I'd say they're probably more famous for this configuration as 5 out of 6 remaining ones are of this configuration, and most of them are near a major city.  They have one that is one side, ramp from the other side (DeKalb).  They use geographical names for the oases (Belvidere, Lake Forest, O'Hare, Hinsdale, and DeKalb; and formerly Des Plaines) with one person from the state (Lincoln).

Signage for the Illinois Tollway, Indiana Toll Road, and Ohio Turnpike is done as logo signage.

[route17fan]

A field guide to toll road service plazas.  Please add or correct as needed.

One side, crosswalk from other side
Only one I know of is the Ramapo plaza on the NYS Thruway.  However, the SB side has had some minimal services added, at least compared to the NB side, but the overhead crosswalk remains.

The Angola Service Area has a crosswalk over I-90 in western NY.

[1995hoo]

The New Baltimore plaza on the Thruway would fall within "one side, ramp from other side." The plaza is on the west side of the highway (southbound lanes) and northbound traffic reaches it via a trumpet-style ramp that crosses above the highway. If my memory is accurate, I believe the parking area is divided by curbs to prevent use of the service area for U-turns per the usual northeastern paranoia about such things.

[CtrlAltDel]

I think it might be a good idea to give some examples of the different types of travel plazas. So, I've given the lat and long of one of each.


One side, simple
Darien Service Plaza, Connecticut
41.080758,-73.461233

One side, ramp from other side
Trumpet
DeKalb Oasis, Illinois
41.900704,-88.739224

Diverging Diamond
Hickory Run Service Plaza, Pennsylvania
40.970372,-75.631388

One side, crosswalk from other side
Ramapo Travel Plaza, New York
41.152251,-74.189173

Both sides, back-to-back
Commodore Perry Service Plaza, Ohio
Erie Islands Service Plaza, Ohio
41.368508,-82.957594

In the median, simple
Delaware Welcome Center Travel Plaza, Delaware
39.662023,-75.691363

In the median, crosswalk
Angola Travel Plaza, New York
42.635687,-78.989137

In the median, ramps
Vince Lombardi Service Area, New Jersey
40.823013,-74.029613

Over the highway
O'Hare Tollway Oasis, Illinois
41.950506,-87.882839

[lepidopteran]

What would be a better name for

New York Parkway Minimalist
Belt Parkway
40.5927238,-73.9084827

[Beeper1]

There is also the Just off-highway, access via regular interchange category.  The best (and possibly only) example of this is the new West Gardiner Service Area on the Maine Turnpike.

[Pete from Boston]

What would be a better name for

New York Parkway Minimalist
Belt Parkway
40.5927238,-73.9084827

Not a toll road.  I'm not sure if the OP intended all state-leased commercial areas for this.  The Palisades, Grand Central, Hutch, Merritt, and Wilbur Cross all have candidates for what you describe. 

[Pete from Boston]

There is also the Just off-highway, access via regular interchange category.  The best (and possibly only) example of this is the new West Gardiner Service Area on the Maine Turnpike.

Funny, I expected to be there this weekend.  I recall actually leaving the rest area onto a local street thrn entering a ramp to complete some movements.

[lepidopteran]

New York Parkway Minimalist
Belt Parkway
40.5927238,-73.9084827

Not a toll road.  I'm not sure if the OP intended all state-leased commercial areas for this.  The Palisades, Grand Central, Hutch, Merritt, and Wilbur Cross all have candidates for what you describe.

I distinctly remember seeing some on the Jackie Robinson as well, over 30 years ago back in the Interborough days.  They seemed abandoned even then, but this looks like the remains of one.  40.6904814,-73.8886972

This raises a question: besides these NY parkways, and the JFK Memorial Hwy. in MD, how many instances are there of service plazas as we know them on non-tolled highways?

[TheStranger]

This raises a question: besides these NY parkways, and the JFK Memorial Hwy. in MD, how many instances are there of service plazas as we know them on non-tolled highways?

Two examples I can think of from formerly-tolled highways:

- the service areas on the Connecticut Turnpike, which has been toll-free for 31 years

- the one remaining service area on the Western Kentucky Parkway, near Beaver Dam:
http://goo.gl/maps/B5VK1

[Beeper1]

Massachusetts has some on older never-tolled freeways:
-Bridgewater NB/SB on MA-24
-Barnstable at Exit 6 off US-6
-Beverly on NB MA-128
-Newton and Lexington on I-95/MA-128

There used to be a few others that have since been closed, including:
-Georgetown NB/SB on I-95 (now just weigh stations)*
-Sturbridge WB on the old alignment of I-86/MA-15 (now just a vacant lot)
-Lancaster on MA-2 WB (now a regular rest area/info center)

*This was allowed as the roadway was just US-1 when originally opened.

[PurdueBill]

The Angola Service Area has a crosswalk over I-90 in western NY.

I think the Angola one is an "in the median, crosswalk" variety.

Is the smiley face in crack sealant still present in the eastbound lanes visible from the overpass?  It's been five years since I was in there.

The Chicago Skyway has a median service area next to the toll plaza.  It is not named.

I believe that at least one sign refers to it as the "Skyway Oasis" from what I recall passing through there several times.  Could be misremembering though...

Massachusetts has some on older never-tolled freeways:
-Bridgewater NB/SB on MA-24
-Barnstable at Exit 6 off US-6
-Beverly on NB MA-128
-Newton and Lexington on I-95/MA-128

There used to be a few others that have since been closed, including:
-Georgetown NB/SB on I-95 (now just weigh stations)*
-Sturbridge WB on the old alignment of I-86/MA-15 (now just a vacant lot)
-Lancaster on MA-2 WB (now a regular rest area/info center)

*This was allowed as the roadway was just US-1 when originally opened.

I think I remember one on Route 3 SB just north of the Braintree Split once upon a time as well, now just a cleared area. 

[Brandon]

The Chicago Skyway has a median service area next to the toll plaza.  It is not named.

I believe that at least one sign refers to it as the "Skyway Oasis" from what I recall passing through there several times.  Could be misremembering though...

That's the only "name" it has.  It's like saying "Toll Road Travel Plaza" or "Tollway Oasis".  It's not named for anyone or anything in particular (surprisingly, this being Chicago where even an interchange is named after former Mayor Jayne Byrne now).

[mapman1071]

This raises a question: besides these NY parkways, and the JFK Memorial Hwy. in MD, how many instances are there of service plazas as we know them on non-tolled highways?

Two examples I can think of from formerly-tolled highways:

- the service areas on the Connecticut Turnpike, which has been toll-free for 31 years

- the one remaining service area on the Western Kentucky Parkway, near Beaver Dam:
http://goo.gl/maps/B5VK1

Grand Central Parkway Between Northern Boulevard & 94th St -- Fuel Only
Hutchinson River Parkway between Bruckner Boulevard & East Tremont Avenue -- Fuel & Food

[PurdueBill]

The Chicago Skyway has a median service area next to the toll plaza.  It is not named.

I believe that at least one sign refers to it as the "Skyway Oasis" from what I recall passing through there several times.  Could be misremembering though...

That's the only "name" it has.  It's like saying "Toll Road Travel Plaza" or "Tollway Oasis".  It's not named for anyone or anything in particular (surprisingly, this being Chicago where even an interchange is named after former Mayor Jayne Byrne now).

True, but at least it's a unique name versus something like "FOOD-FUEL" or something.

[Pete from Boston]

Was the 86/15/84 WB area mentioned above as Sturbridge meant to refer to the one in Holland?  Was this a public rest area or simply a private restaurant along a state highway?  The last time I was at a Howard Johnson's in that area was probably 1978, and was more likely than not on the Mass Pike rather than 86, and I wouldn't remember anyway.

I recall from a recent discussion here that there was indeed a rest area on 93 near the Split in the location mentioned. 

[Beeper1]

The 84/15/86 area is near the Holland town line but is actually in Sturbridge.  It was indeed a Howard Johnsons, though it was probably already closed by 1978.  The new alignment of I-84 opened in that area 1975-ish, which is when it closed. 

This was indeed a public rest area (the state still owned the land until as recently as 2007 when they finally sold the lot at auction). When you look at it on HistorcAreals from when it was open, it has that unmistakable service plaza shape.

When the area closed when the new highway opened, Howard Johnson's simply rebuilt a few miles up the road to a private lot just off Exit 1. Later this became a Roy Rogers/Sbarro, which itself went out of business last year and now the building is just empty.     

The one on I-93/MA-3 in Quincy was also a Howard Johnsons.  I think that closed sometime in the early 80s.  The ones in Georgetown were closed when the highway was widened in the 70s.

I also forgot to mention there is a service area still open on MA-3 SB in Plymouth.  Has a McDonalds, if I recall.

[Ned Weasel]

One side, ramp from other side
Rare.  At least two are on the PATP, including on the NE Extension.  Instead of using a conventional trumpet, a diverging diamond setup is used, with no need to realign the traffic from the "wrong-way"  arrangement.  There was also one on the NJTP for a special plaza for charter buses only, which did use a trumpet.

Would a service plaza on one side with multiple overpasses serving the other side belong to a subset of this type, or would it belong to its own type?

The only example of which I know is the Kansas Turnpike's Topeka Service Area:
https://maps.google.com/maps?ll=39.018817,-95.508914&spn=0.019005,0.042272&t=k&z=15

Edit: I knew I was neglecting something significant:

In the median, ramps
This setup would have both the plaza and the parking in the median, but accessed via right-hand exit ramps.  The closest example I know of is the Vince Lombardi Service Area on the NJTP.  However, this one is not in the median per se, but between two spurs of the same highway!  Nonetheless, it is accessible from right-hand ramps from all directions with a rather labyrinthine ramp network.

The Garden State Parkway's Cheesequake Service Area!
https://maps.google.com/maps?ll=40.465038,-74.287105&spn=0.009371,0.021136&t=k&z=16

Not only is it truly in the median, but it also uses both left-hand and right-hand entrance and exit ramps.

[Pete from Boston]

The word "Cheesequake" always makes me hungry.

[roadman]

Massachusetts has some on older never-tolled freeways:
-Bridgewater NB/SB on MA-24
-Barnstable at Exit 6 off US-6
-Beverly on NB MA-128
-Newton and Lexington on I-95/MA-128

There used to be a few others that have since been closed, including:
-Georgetown NB/SB on I-95 (now just weigh stations)*
-Sturbridge WB on the old alignment of I-86/MA-15 (now just a vacant lot)
-Lancaster on MA-2 WB (now a regular rest area/info center)

*This was allowed as the roadway was just US-1 when originally opened.

In the "now closed" category, don't forget I-93/Southeast Expressway southbound at the MA 3 split in Braintree.  Drivers exiting this service plaza, which had a Mobil gas station and a Howard Johnson's restaurant, and wanting to access MA 3 southbound had to do a harrowing weave across five lanes of traffic.  The plaza was closed in 1985 as a condition of MassDPW receiving Federal funds for the 1984-1985 reconstruction of the Southeast Expressway.

I will also add that all service plazas in Massachusetts, including those on the Massachusetts Turnpike, originally had Howard Johnson's restaurants.

[roadman65]

I believe that all Massachusetts' service plazas were HoJos due to the chain originating in this state.

However, HoJo, when they were big, had some on the Garden State Parkway.  The Vauxhall Plaza did have one back in the 70's I remember seeing before Holiday House took them over later on in the late 70's.

[Pete from Boston]

I believe that all Massachusetts' service plazas were HoJos due to the chain originating in this state.

However, HoJo, when they were big, had some on the Garden State Parkway.  The Vauxhall Plaza did have one back in the 70's I remember seeing before Holiday House took them over later on in the late 70's.

I believe that all Massachusetts' service plazas were HoJo's due to HoJo's winning the contract.   This was the case in state after state that HoJo's did not originate in. 

[spooky]

I believe that all Massachusetts' service plazas were HoJos due to the chain originating in this state.

However, HoJo, when they were big, had some on the Garden State Parkway.  The Vauxhall Plaza did have one back in the 70's I remember seeing before Holiday House took them over later on in the late 70's.

I believe that all Massachusetts' service plazas were HoJo's due to HoJo's winning the contract.   This was the case in state after state that HoJo's did not originate in. 

Actually they put the names of all Massachusetts restaurant chains in a hat. Friendlys was PISSED when they lost that one.

[GCrites]

Does WV's beloved "Scamarack" count as a one side, ramp from other side?