Rest areas on non-freeway roads

[KCRoadFan]

On my ongoing cross-country Street View journey following US 20 from Newport, Oregon to Boston, I came upon a most interesting sight while traversing the empty, wide-open scrublands of Wyoming west of Casper: namely, it was one of those familiar blue "REST AREA" signs that dot the country's interstate highways - but on a two-lane road!

That made me wonder: where else throughout the country might one find official, state-designated rest areas on roads other than freeways? My guess is that most of them are found in environments similar to the example I gave: that is, in sparsely populated areas that are long distances from freeways and/or services such as gas stations (most commonly the case in Western states). Where, precisely, might other such rest areas be found?

[Great Lakes Roads]

The first thing that went to my mind when I was reading this post was the state of Ohio with some rest areas on non-freeway roads...

[TheHighwayMan3561]

Minnesota has a handful of these, mostly on expressway grade roads but a few on two-laners; MN 61 has a lot of rest areas, though some are closed in winter.

[Max Rockatansky]

AZ 87 near Rye and US 60/AZ 77 in Salt River Canyon pop to mind.  US 95 in Nevada has a bunch as does US 395 in California.

[CtrlAltDel]

There's a seemingly random one on WY-28 between Lander and Farson.



I visited it a few years ago. When I first got there, it felt abandoned, like there was no one around for miles, and I had a calm and peaceful lunch. Then, out of the blue, a motor coach pulled up, and then another, and then a third. At that point, the rest area turned into something of a madhouse, with a sizeable crowd of people talking, eating, taking pictures, and so on. Then, about twenty minutes later, they all left, and the rest area went back to being calm and peaceful, like nothing had happened. It made me wonder if I had imagined the whole thing.

[Max Rockatansky]

Some others that I'm remembering:

-  US 70 in the San Carlos Reservation in Arizona. 
-  US 19/98 in Florida
-  US 27 on the south shore of Lake Okeechobee. 

[michravera]

On my ongoing cross-country Street View journey following US 20 from Newport, Oregon to Boston, I came upon a most interesting sight while traversing the empty, wide-open scrublands of Wyoming west of Casper: namely, it was one of those familiar blue "REST AREA" signs that dot the country's interstate highways - but on a two-lane road!

That made me wonder: where else throughout the country might one find official, state-designated rest areas on roads other than freeways? My guess is that most of them are found in environments similar to the example I gave: that is, in sparsely populated areas that are long distances from freeways and/or services such as gas stations (most commonly the case in Western states). Where, precisely, might other such rest areas be found?

US-95 in western Nevada is two-lane conventional highway for most of the route and has at least one, if not two rest areas.

One very famous non-freeway rest area in California is on CASR-41/46 near Shandon. The Caltrans map https://dot.ca.gov/-/media/dot-media/programs/design/documents/srra-11-apx-c-all-maps-rev.pdf shows at least 8 other Rest Areas that are common to both directions which means that the road isn't divided at those points.

[GaryV]

Michigan has several Rest Areas in the UP on non-freeways:  US 2 near Naubinway and Garden Corners, and M-28 near Seney
Plus Welcome Centers and Rest Areas in Ironwood, Iron Mountain, Marquette and Menominee

There are a lot more Roadside Parks, which typically do not have flush toilets and often close in the winter.

[fillup420]

There is one on US 421 heading towards Wilmington NC. I used to drive there frequently and would use 421 as an alternate to I-40. I always loved this tiny little rest area. Sadly, it was closed last time I passed, and I can't imagine its going to be opened again...

https://www.google.com/maps/@34.8524591,-78.2605305,917m/data=!3m1!1e3

[SEWIGuy]

Wisconsin only has "Rest Areas" on four lane highways, but has numerous seasonal "Waysides" on two lane roads.  They generally have more "rustic" bathrooms and a few picnic tables.  I have seen some of these closed permanently in recent years.

[Max Rockatansky]

There are several on US 101 north of San Fransisco to the Oregon State Line.  US 199 has one at the south portal of the Collier Tunnel.  I recall stopping at one at the split of US 65 and US 82 at Lake Chicot in Arkansas.

[Rothman]

Pretty sure NY 13 has one between Ithaca and Cortland.

MA 116 used to have one just before you got to Sunderland Center on the south side of town.  I believe the pavement still exists and it's still used as some sort of maintenance lot, but the old rectangular blue "REST AREA" sign with a long horizontal arrow is long gone.

Pretty sure we've had this thread before.

[sprjus4]

Maryland has one along US-301 on the Eastern Shore between the Bay Bridge and Delaware.

IIRC, Virginia only has one of these, and it's located at the Virginia / Maryland state line along US-13 on the Eastern Shore. It's two-way, though Maryland has an opposite northbound only welcome center on its side of the border.

North Carolina has a number of these. Here's a few examples from a couple major routes in Eastern North Carolina I'm aware of off the top of my head...

NC-168 / US-158 has one half-way between Virginia and the Outer Banks, then one in the Outer Banks proper.
Similarly, US-64 has two between Williamston and the Outer Banks, then one in Manteo, just outside the Outer Banks. Interestingly enough, this 85 mile segment of largely arterial US-64 east of Williamston (with 25 miles built to freeway standards between Plymouth and Columbia) has 3 rest areas, though the 95 miles of US-64 that is fully built to freeway standards west of Williamston all the way to Raleigh has none.

US-17 has one south of the Virginia state line, and another one south of Washington. There's an additional one between Wilmington and Myrtle Beach, though it's positioned along the Shallote Bypass which is a freeway at that location, so it's a more traditional setup, though connects to an interchange to provide two-way access.

[GaryV]

Michigan has several Rest Areas ...

(Quoting myself)

I should have also noted that the Welcome Centers in Sault Ste Marie, Mackinaw City, Port Huron and Detroit are technically not on freeways, as you have to take an exit from the Interstate and travel on surface streets to get to the Rest Area.  I'm not even sure how you get to the Detroit one from a freeway; you cross the Ambassador Bridge and follow a surface street to get to it - it's in a building that looks like a strip mall.

[roadman65]

US 13 on the Delmarva at the MD- VA border.
US 231 at the AL- FL state line.
US 22 in Whitehouse, NJ. (Or had one).

[tdindy88]

Michigan has several Rest Areas ...

(Quoting myself)

I should have also noted that the Welcome Centers in Sault Ste Marie, Mackinaw City, Port Huron and Detroit are technically not on freeways, as you have to take an exit from the Interstate and travel on surface streets to get to the Rest Area.  I'm not even sure how you get to the Detroit one from a freeway; you cross the Ambassador Bridge and follow a surface street to get to it - it's in a building that looks like a strip mall.

Well the Port Huron one is definitely off of the freeway, I got off on it from I-69/I-94 a few years back. If I recall though the older welcome center was off of a street.

[webny99]

Presumably it's actual rest areas with facilities that are being looked for, and not just parking areas?

Parking areas are quite a bit more common: Here's one on NY 14A south of Penn Yan, NY.

[catch22]

Michigan has several Rest Areas ...

(Quoting myself)

I should have also noted that the Welcome Centers in Sault Ste Marie, Mackinaw City, Port Huron and Detroit are technically not on freeways, as you have to take an exit from the Interstate and travel on surface streets to get to the Rest Area.  I'm not even sure how you get to the Detroit one from a freeway; you cross the Ambassador Bridge and follow a surface street to get to it - it's in a building that looks like a strip mall.

Well the Port Huron one is definitely off of the freeway, I got off on it from I-69/I-94 a few years back. If I recall though the older welcome center was off of a street.

The Port Huron welcome center was replaced a few years ago when I-94 was reconstructed and widened by a new rest area / welcome center right on the freeway a mile or so west of the old location.

https://goo.gl/maps/7k2NiVEru7KfieNDA

[catch22]

Intersection of US-18/US-85 in Wyoming (Mule Creek Junction).

https://goo.gl/maps/4kbX7zJbLKyEPv6m9

[ftballfan]

OH 2 has a rest area just west of where the freeway section ends on the west side of Port Clinton

[US 89]

Utah has a handful on the state's larger rural US and state route corridors. US 6, 40, 89, 191, and SR 12 and 24 all have at least one.

[Max Rockatansky]

Utah has a handful on the state's larger rural US and state route corridors. US 6, 40, 89, 191, and SR 12 and 24 all have at least one.

Where are they on 12 and 24? 

[cl94]

In New York, US 20 / NY 5 has one along Seneca Lake in Geneva. That is the only normal state rest area in New York that is not located on a freeway or at an exit. A few towns in the Adirondacks also operate "rest areas", such as along NY 28 in Eagle Bay.

Vermont has a welcome center along US 2 in Allburg. New Hampshire has one along US 3 in Colebrook. Maine has one along US 302 in Fryeburg.

Pretty sure we've had this thread before.

We almost certainly have.

[hobsini2]

Wisconsin only has "Rest Areas" on four lane highways, but has numerous seasonal "Waysides" on two lane roads.  They generally have more "rustic" bathrooms and a few picnic tables.  I have seen some of these closed permanently in recent years.

The one on Wis 23/73 east of Princeton actually has a bit part with my family. My Great Uncle Ollie owned the farm that the wayside was built on.  Back in the 1950s or so, he sold some of the land to the state for the wayside.
https://www.google.com/maps/@43.8361072,-89.0833084,3a,75y,354.62h,84.38t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sYBomuftW7tcmRqFLJdjA4Q!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en

He also had sold a small parcel at the northwest corner of Wis 23 and Wis 73 that became the Acorn Ridge Motel.

[gonealookin]

US 95 in Nevada has a bunch as does US 395 in California.

US-95 in western Nevada is two-lane conventional highway for most of the route and has at least one, if not two rest areas.

Here's NDOT's map.  A few of these are nothing but a couple picnic tables and a trash can, as noted in the attached chart, like "Mountain House" near me, but most do have restroom facilities.