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Median Rest Areas

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Sir Hailstone - BOFH

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Aug 24, 2004, 11:25:43 AM8/24/04
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Are these still found anywhere outside of tollways/turnpikes [ex. the
Oases in Illinois] ??

I seem to remember this median rest area on I-70 somewhere in Mo-zoo-rah
and (H.B. you can verify this) the old Kentucky Turnpike had median
rest areas until the massive rebuild in the 1980's.

I've always thought median rest areas were a smart idea - one set of
facilities for both ways of traffic, but then you have to bridge them
back to the road or have slow traffic coming out in the left lane.

--
Mike

Michael G. Koerner

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Aug 24, 2004, 11:48:05 AM8/24/04
to

I-95 in NE Maryland has one.

--
___________________________________________ ____ _______________
Regards, | |\ ____
| | | | |\
Michael G. Koerner May they | | | | | | rise again!
Appleton, Wisconsin USA | | | | | |
___________________________________________ | | | | | | _______________

Corey Dukes

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Aug 24, 2004, 12:19:47 PM8/24/04
to
> > Are these still found anywhere outside of tollways/turnpikes [ex. the
> > Oases in Illinois] ??
> >
> > I seem to remember this median rest area on I-70 somewhere in Mo-zoo-rah
> > and (H.B. you can verify this) the old Kentucky Turnpike had median
> > rest areas until the massive rebuild in the 1980's.
> >
> > I've always thought median rest areas were a smart idea - one set of
> > facilities for both ways of traffic, but then you have to bridge them
> > back to the road or have slow traffic coming out in the left lane.
>
> I-95 in NE Maryland has one.

As well as in DE west of Wilmington.

--
Corey Dukes
Webmaster
http://www.delmarvahighways.com


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Pete from Boston

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Aug 24, 2004, 12:37:37 PM8/24/04
to
Corey Dukes wrote:

>>>Are these still found anywhere outside of tollways/turnpikes [ex. the
>>>Oases in Illinois] ??
>>>
>>>I seem to remember this median rest area on I-70 somewhere in Mo-zoo-rah
>>> and (H.B. you can verify this) the old Kentucky Turnpike had median
>>>rest areas until the massive rebuild in the 1980's.
>>>
>>>I've always thought median rest areas were a smart idea - one set of
>>>facilities for both ways of traffic, but then you have to bridge them
>>>back to the road or have slow traffic coming out in the left lane.
>>
>>I-95 in NE Maryland has one.
>
>
> As well as in DE west of Wilmington.
>

They're not uncommon on NYS parkways (untolled roads). There are two on
the Palisades, and one on the Hutch. They feature merges in and out on
the left.

The Garden State Parkway in NJ has a number of them as well, at least 4
I can think of, but it's a toll road and thus doesn't meet your criteria.

Jeff Kitsko

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Aug 24, 2004, 1:07:16 PM8/24/04
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"Sir Hailstone - BOFH" <Sir.NoSPAM...@yayhus.moc> wrote in message
news:X5JWc.450$0J6...@fe1.columbus.rr.com...

> Are these still found anywhere outside of tollways/turnpikes [ex. the
> Oases in Illinois] ??

The Kansas Turnpike uses that design for all of their service plazas. The
Oklahoma system has several: Stroud on the Will Rogers, Walters and
Chickasha on the H. E. Bailey, Muskogee North on the Muskogee, Lone Chimney
on the Cimarron, Antlers and Eufaula on the Indian Nation, and an un-named
on the Cherokee.

The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission had thought of using this design to
replace the existing service plazas, but nothing has been discussed lately.

--
Jeff Kitsko
Pennsylvania Highways: http://www.pahighways.com/
Ohio Highways: http://www.ohhighways.com/


Chris Bessert

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Aug 24, 2004, 1:14:09 PM8/24/04
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Sir Hailstone - BOFH wrote:

The Clare Welcome Center (which includes full rest area facilities,
too) on US-127/US-10 just north of Clare, Michigan is in the median of
that freeway.

http://www.terraserver-usa.com/image.aspx?t=1&s=10&x=3393&y=24288&z=16&w=2

Also, the parking and some facilities related to Multnomah Falls in
the Columbia River Gorge area on I-84/US-30 in Oregon is in the median
of that freeway, although the primary "services" are reached via a
paved pathway under the eastbound lanes, a very active railroad line
and by crossing the Historic Columbia River Gorge Hwy (old US-30) to
the Multnomah Falls Lodge. IIRC, there are restroom facilities in the
parking lot area in the median of the freeway here.

http://www.terraserver-usa.com/image.aspx?t=1&s=10&x=2844&y=25237&z=10&w=2

Later,
Chris

--
Chris Bessert
Bess...@aol.com
http://www.michiganhighways.org
http://www.wisconsinhighways.org
http://www.ontariohighways.org

US 71

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Aug 24, 2004, 1:22:28 PM8/24/04
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"Sir Hailstone - BOFH" <Sir.NoSPAM...@yayhus.moc> wrote in message
news:X5JWc.450$0J6...@fe1.columbus.rr.com...
> Are these still found anywhere outside of tollways/turnpikes [ex. the
> Oases in Illinois] ??
>

There's one on I-44 in Missouri about an hour out of St Louis.

Dave Filpus

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Aug 24, 2004, 1:35:22 PM8/24/04
to
In article <X5JWc.450$0J6...@fe1.columbus.rr.com>,

The median rest area on US-127/US-10 at Clare MI has been there for
decades. It was remodeled in the 1990's. It has left exits and ramps.

The last rest area on East I-40 at Warsaw NC is built in the median, but
traffic exits right and turns left at a stoplight onto the crossing
highway then turns again into the rest area. To get back onto the
freeway, traffic exits out onto the crossing highway and turns left at
the same stoplight onto the entrance ramps.

Sir Hailstone - BOFH

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Aug 24, 2004, 1:41:16 PM8/24/04
to
Jeff Kitsko wrote:

> "Sir Hailstone - BOFH" <Sir.NoSPAM...@yayhus.moc> wrote in message
> news:X5JWc.450$0J6...@fe1.columbus.rr.com...
>
>>Are these still found anywhere outside of tollways/turnpikes [ex. the
>>Oases in Illinois] ??
>
>
> The Kansas Turnpike uses that design for all of their service plazas. The
> Oklahoma system has several: Stroud on the Will Rogers, Walters and
> Chickasha on the H. E. Bailey, Muskogee North on the Muskogee, Lone Chimney
> on the Cimarron, Antlers and Eufaula on the Indian Nation, and an un-named
> on the Cherokee.
>
> The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission had thought of using this design to
> replace the existing service plazas, but nothing has been discussed lately.
>

The Indiana Toll Road has their service plazas on the right - like most.
The bummer of that IMO, is normally there are two plazas across the
highway from each other and many times the choice of FF places is
different. And my luck usually runs the plaza on the other side of the
road has the FF joint I'm wanting at that time :-)

... Breakfast at Holiday House near Shepherdsville, KY. --- memories.
--
Sir Hailstone - Bastard From Hell
known to a select few as just "Mike"

Eric Opperman

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Aug 24, 2004, 2:11:22 PM8/24/04
to
Sir Hailstone - BOFH wrote:

There's one on I-30 in Arkansas between Malvern and Arkadelpia.

--
Thanks for your time,

Eric Opperman
"I know I have to get up in the morning and put my underwear on first
and then put my pants on. I don't need people to tell me that." - wise
sage Shaquille O'Neal

Clayton Bigsby

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Aug 24, 2004, 3:22:53 PM8/24/04
to
TV's Chris Bessert wrote:
> The Clare Welcome Center (which includes full rest area facilities,
> too) on US-127/US-10 just north of Clare, Michigan is in the median of
> that freeway.
>
> http://www.terraserver-usa.com/image.aspx?t=1&s=10&x=3393&y=24288&z=16&w=2

While not on a freeway, the welcome center on US 59-71 north of Texarkana is
in the median.

http://terraserver-usa.com/image.aspx?t=1&s=10&x=2017&y=18569&z=15&w=2

--
If you don't like my lyrics you can press fast forward. - Jay-Z

Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never
stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and
neither do we. - George W. Bush

Peggy and Sam Inman

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Aug 24, 2004, 3:32:51 PM8/24/04
to
Eric Opperman wrote:

> Sir Hailstone - BOFH wrote:
>
>> Are these still found anywhere outside of tollways/turnpikes [ex. the
>> Oases in Illinois] ??
>>
>> I seem to remember this median rest area on I-70 somewhere in
>> Mo-zoo-rah and (H.B. you can verify this) the old Kentucky Turnpike
>> had median rest areas until the massive rebuild in the 1980's.
>>
>> I've always thought median rest areas were a smart idea - one set of
>> facilities for both ways of traffic, but then you have to bridge them
>> back to the road or have slow traffic coming out in the left lane.
>
>
> There's one on I-30 in Arkansas between Malvern and Arkadelpia.
>

There's one on I-385 in SC

Kevin Flynn

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Aug 24, 2004, 5:49:37 PM8/24/04
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Sir Hailstone - BOFH <Sir.NoSPAM...@yayhus.moc> wrote in message news:<X5JWc.450$0J6...@fe1.columbus.rr.com>...

Atlantic City Expressway, Frank S. Farley Service Plaza - Milepost
21.5. Just visited there on my family's junket to Cape May, DC and
Baltimore. Centered between the two mainlines.

Exile on Market Street

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Aug 24, 2004, 6:00:10 PM8/24/04
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"Corey Dukes" <corey...@REMOVElycos.com> wrote in message
news:7ImdnSAkd6k...@giganews.com...

> > > Are these still found anywhere outside of tollways/turnpikes [ex. the
> > > Oases in Illinois] ??
> > >
> >
> > I-95 in NE Maryland has one.
>
> As well as in DE west of Wilmington.

These two--three, actually; Maryland has two--are on a highway that is still
technically a toll road, the Kennedy Highway.


Nick C

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Aug 24, 2004, 6:11:03 PM8/24/04
to
Technically, the NYS Thruway uses a "hybrid" for its Angola service plaza
(near Buffalo). The parking and gasoline are on the right side of the road
for both directions. For restrooms and food, one must use enter a building
and use a walkway across the highway to access the main building in the
median.

"Sir Hailstone - BOFH" <Sir.NoSPAM...@yayhus.moc> wrote in message
news:X5JWc.450$0J6...@fe1.columbus.rr.com...

Scott M. Kozel

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Aug 24, 2004, 6:14:27 PM8/24/04
to

The Powhite Parkway in Richmond, Virginia, has an unbuilt median rest
area. The median widens out to several hundred feet wide at one point
between the main line toll plaza and Chippenham Parkway, and this
portion of the median is heavily treed; it can be seen in the 1966
engineering study _Richmond Expressway System_ that this was originally
intended to contain a lake with a scenic overlook and parking area
accessed by ramps to and from the left lanes of the parkway. The
highway itself was designed and built to accommodate this feature, but I
have not yet found any source that documents why it was never
developed. The Powhite Parkway has parkway-like design features along
much of its length, but it is a full-fledged expressway that allows
cars, buses, and large trucks, and it is an integral part of the
regional expressway system that handles local, regional, interregional,
and interstate traffic. The heavy traffic volumes (almost 100,000 AADT
today) would seem to make usage of such a median scenic overlook to be
problematical.

--
Scott M. Kozel Highway and Transportation History Websites
Virginia/Maryland/Washington, D.C. http://www.roadstothefuture.com
Philadelphia and Delaware Valley http://www.pennways.com

Richie Kennedy

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Aug 24, 2004, 7:03:04 PM8/24/04
to
"Jeff Kitsko" <webm...@tollspahighways.com> wrote in
news:8BKWc.51648$Fg5.2857@attbi_s53:

> "Sir Hailstone - BOFH" <Sir.NoSPAM...@yayhus.moc> wrote in
> message news:X5JWc.450$0J6...@fe1.columbus.rr.com...
>> Are these still found anywhere outside of tollways/turnpikes [ex. the
>> Oases in Illinois] ??
>
> The Kansas Turnpike uses that design for all of their service plazas.
> The Oklahoma system has several: Stroud on the Will Rogers, Walters
> and Chickasha on the H. E. Bailey, Muskogee North on the Muskogee,
> Lone Chimney on the Cimarron, Antlers and Eufaula on the Indian
> Nation, and an un-named on the Cherokee.

Actually, the Topeka Service Plaza (near the Shawnee/Douglas County line)
is now a right exit plaza on the north side with eastbound traffic coming
in via crossovers.

There is one rest area I-70 between Maple Hill and Paxico, in Waubunsee
county, that is in the median of I-70. Restroom facilities are in seperate
buildings, as the WB lanes go around a hill and the EB lanes cut on top of
it. All other rest areas in Kansas are on the right hand side.

--
Richie Kennedy
rou...@route56.com · www.route56.com
"There's always a stage and a beautiful babe to squeeze my lime..."

Marc Fannin

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Aug 24, 2004, 8:13:15 PM8/24/04
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Sir Hailstone - BOFH <Sir.NoSPAM...@yayhus.moc> wrote...

> Are these still found anywhere outside of tollways/turnpikes [ex. the
> Oases in Illinois] ??

I'm surprised nobody's mentioned I-85 in North Carolina, where the
median rest areas are to the right of the roadways because I-85 is in
a "wrong way" section there.

http://www.gribblenation.com/hfotw/exit_47.html

________________________________________________________________________
Marc Fannin|musx...@kent.edu or @hotmail.com| http://www.roadfan.com/

Rich Piehl

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Aug 24, 2004, 8:26:54 PM8/24/04
to
Sir Hailstone - BOFH wrote:

There are several on I-94 and I-29 in North Dakota. They used old tree
windbreaks from farms that were in the highway ROW as protection for the
rest areas.

Take care,
Rich

God bless the USA

--
Mathematical fact: 50% of people have below average intelligence.

- P. J. O'Rourke

Froggie

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Aug 24, 2004, 8:58:48 PM8/24/04
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> Are these still found anywhere outside of tollways/turnpikes [ex. the
> Oases in Illinois] ??

Given that the question relates to non-tolled facilities (*wagging his finger at
all the toll-road responses*), here's one that's not only on a non-tollway, but
on a non-freeway either: MnDOT is building a Rest Area and Welcome Center in
the new (and wide) median of MN 371 near Crow Wing CSAH 27 southwest of
Brainerd. When MnDOT widened this segment of MN 371 to 4 lanes over the last
couple years (completed early this summer), they created an extra-wide median,
roughly 1/3 mile, in this vicinity to accommodate the future rest area.

Froggie | Virginia Beach, VA | http://www.ajfroggie.com/roads/


Joe Blasi

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Aug 24, 2004, 9:27:22 PM8/24/04
to
The skyway has a full McDonalds with drive thru in the median by the toll
boths


Pat O'Connell

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Aug 24, 2004, 9:37:18 PM8/24/04
to
Sir Hailstone - BOFH wrote:
> Are these still found anywhere outside of tollways/turnpikes [ex. the
> Oases in Illinois] ??
>
> I seem to remember this median rest area on I-70 somewhere in Mo-zoo-rah

Well, I-44 in MO, not far from St Louis.

> and (H.B. you can verify this) the old Kentucky Turnpike had median
> rest areas until the massive rebuild in the 1980's.

There was one near Shepherdsville KY.

There are median rest/service areas on the Will Rogers (this one's like
an Illinois Tollway oasis) and Turner Turnpikes also. Kennedy Turnpikes
also?


>
> I've always thought median rest areas were a smart idea - one set of
> facilities for both ways of traffic, but then you have to bridge them
> back to the road or have slow traffic coming out in the left lane.

That's the problem.


--
Pat O'Connell
[note munged EMail address]
Take nothing but pictures, Leave nothing but footprints,
Kill nothing but vandals...

Comrade Mr Yamamoto

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Aug 24, 2004, 9:39:29 PM8/24/04
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http://mryamamoto.50megs.com/ct-trip-1/taconic-svc-area.htm

--
Comrade Mister Yamamoto
http://mryamamoto.50megs.com
"I's so evil, even my shadow don't follow me"

Michael P. Gronseth

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Aug 24, 2004, 9:52:05 PM8/24/04
to
On 8/24/04 3:22 PM, in article 2p1isfF...@uni-berlin.de, "Clayton
Bigsby" <watuzi...@yahoo.com> wrote:

> TV's Chris Bessert wrote:
>> The Clare Welcome Center (which includes full rest area facilities,
>> too) on US-127/US-10 just north of Clare, Michigan is in the median of
>> that freeway.
>>
>> http://www.terraserver-usa.com/image.aspx?t=1&s=10&x=3393&y=24288&z=16&w=2
>
> While not on a freeway, the welcome center on US 59-71 north of Texarkana is
> in the median.
>
> http://terraserver-usa.com/image.aspx?t=1&s=10&x=2017&y=18569&z=15&w=2

There is a new Welcome Center/Rest Area being built on MN 371 where it
widens back out to a 4 lane divided expressway north of Camp Ripley. The
northbound lanes swing wide right to curve around the rest area before
swinging back left to run along side a standard median.

-Michael

John David Galt

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Aug 24, 2004, 10:03:18 PM8/24/04
to
> Sir Hailstone - BOFH wrote:
>> I've always thought median rest areas were a smart idea - one set of
>> facilities for both ways of traffic, but then you have to bridge them
>> back to the road or have slow traffic coming out in the left lane.

Pat O'Connell wrote:
> That's the problem.

I-5 in northern California near the Oregon border has a shared rest area
that avoids this problem. It's not in the median: you come off at a
normal exit (exit 786, CA highway 96) and jog one short block west.

I much prefer this to the median method, since it doesn't impede widening
the freeway when (not if) that needs to be done later on.

Allen Seth Dunn

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Aug 24, 2004, 11:42:30 PM8/24/04
to

"Jeff Kitsko" <webm...@tollspahighways.com> wrote in message
news:8BKWc.51648$Fg5.2857@attbi_s53...

> "Sir Hailstone - BOFH" <Sir.NoSPAM...@yayhus.moc> wrote in message
> news:X5JWc.450$0J6...@fe1.columbus.rr.com...
> > Are these still found anywhere outside of tollways/turnpikes [ex. the
> > Oases in Illinois] ??
>
> The Kansas Turnpike uses that design for all of their service plazas. The
> Oklahoma system has several: Stroud on the Will Rogers, Walters and
> Chickasha on the H. E. Bailey, Muskogee North on the Muskogee, Lone
Chimney
> on the Cimarron, Antlers and Eufaula on the Indian Nation, and an un-named
> on the Cherokee.
>
> The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission had thought of using this design to
> replace the existing service plazas, but nothing has been discussed
lately.

It seems to me that that would be difficult. IIRC, the PA Turnpike is just
too narrow in so many places that it would be expensive because one or both
directions would have to me shifted, which is expensive, and then build the
facility, which would likely be expensive in and of itself. IMHO, a better
solution would be to renovate and build upward, say like a two-story
facility. Or in the one or two locations where the service plazas for each
direction are directly across from each other, maybe something like building
a closed-in pedestrian area to connect the two facilities.

me

unread,
Aug 25, 2004, 2:13:50 AM8/25/04
to
"Sir Hailstone - BOFH" <Sir.NoSPAM...@yayhus.moc> wrote in message
news:X5JWc.450$0J6...@fe1.columbus.rr.com...
> Are these still found anywhere outside of tollways/turnpikes [ex. the
> Oases in Illinois] ??
>
> I seem to remember this median rest area on I-70 somewhere in Mo-zoo-rah
> and (H.B. you can verify this) the old Kentucky Turnpike had median
> rest areas until the massive rebuild in the 1980's.

When you say the Kentucky Turnpike, do you mean I-65? I know that
was toll for at least part of the route. I remember the areas where there
used to be toll booths, and they had some center Oasis areas, with
gas stations and stuff, until it was rebuilt sometime in the 80's.


SP Cook

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Aug 25, 2004, 7:11:28 AM8/25/04
to
"me" <nos...@nospam.com> wrote in message

>
> When you say the Kentucky Turnpike, do you mean I-65? I know that
> was toll for at least part of the route. I remember the areas where there
> used to be toll booths, and they had some center Oasis areas, with
> gas stations and stuff, until it was rebuilt sometime in the 80's.

The section of I-65 between Louisville and Elizabethton was built as
the "Kentucky Turnpike" and opened in 1956, before I-65 even existed.
Tolls were removed in 1975 and a major rebuild in the 80s removed the
evidence of the toll-ectomy.

Kentucky: the honest state that removes tolls when bonds are paid
off.

SP Cook

I am NOT Gene Wood!

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Aug 25, 2004, 4:35:58 PM8/25/04
to
pac...@msn.com (SP Cook) wrote in message news:<da11e11e.04082...@posting.google.com>...

> "me" <nos...@nospam.com> wrote in message

> Kentucky: the honest state that removes tolls when bonds are paid
> off.

A priceless response.

Chris Bessert

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Aug 25, 2004, 5:58:37 PM8/25/04
to
Bobby Peacock wrote:

> pac...@msn.com (SP Cook) wrote:
>
>>Kentucky: the honest state that removes tolls when bonds are paid
>>off.
>
> A priceless response.

Followed by a useless response.

Jeff Carlyle

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Aug 25, 2004, 8:52:02 PM8/25/04
to


The Western Kentucky Parkway still has a rest/service area between exits 75
and 77.

--
// Jeffrey Carlyle - jef...@carlyle.org - http://www.jeffc.org/


Message has been deleted

Larry Harvilla

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Aug 26, 2004, 12:09:38 AM8/26/04
to
"Michael G. Koerner" <mgk...@dataex.com> wrote in message
news:412B6336...@dataex.com...

> Sir Hailstone - BOFH wrote:
> >
> > Are these still found anywhere outside of tollways/turnpikes [ex. the
> > Oases in Illinois] ??
> >
> > I seem to remember this median rest area on I-70 somewhere in
Mo-zoo-rah
> > and (H.B. you can verify this) the old Kentucky Turnpike had median
> > rest areas until the massive rebuild in the 1980's.
> >
> > I've always thought median rest areas were a smart idea - one set of
> > facilities for both ways of traffic, but then you have to bridge them
> > back to the road or have slow traffic coming out in the left lane.
>
> I-95 in NE Maryland has one.


Two, in fact: one around MP 80, the other at MP 96.

--
Larry Harvilla
E-mail: roads AT phatpage DOT org

also visit: http://www.phatpage.org/
Highways section in progress.


Larry Harvilla

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Aug 26, 2004, 12:14:34 AM8/26/04
to
"Sir Hailstone - BOFH" <Sir.NoSPAM...@yayhus.moc> wrote in message
news:05LWc.34126$cT6....@fe2.columbus.rr.com...

>
> The Indiana Toll Road has their service plazas on the right - like most.
> The bummer of that IMO, is normally there are two plazas across the
> highway from each other and many times the choice of FF places is
> different.


Negative on that. In any particular location (MP 22 -- Hardee's and
Fazoli's, MP 56 -- McDonald's and Dairy Queen, MP 90 -- Arby's and Dunkin
Donuts, MP 126 -- Hardee's and Fazoli's, MP 146 -- McDonald's and Dairy
Queen), the offerings are exactly the same on both sides of the Toll Road.

I am NOT Gene Wood!

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Aug 26, 2004, 12:28:03 AM8/26/04
to
Chris "I am NOT 'I am NOT Gene Wood!'" Bessert <bess...@aol.com> wrote in message news:<cgj22e$25pa$2...@msunews.cl.msu.edu>...

>Followed by a useless response.

This is "Chain Reaction", where one word leads to another... </Johnny Gilbert>

Sherman Cahal

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Aug 26, 2004, 12:54:28 AM8/26/04
to
Sir Hailstone - BOFH <Sir.NoSPAM...@yayhus.moc> wrote in message news:<X5JWc.450$0J6...@fe1.columbus.rr.com>...

> Are these still found anywhere outside of tollways/turnpikes [ex. the
> Oases in Illinois] ??
>
> I seem to remember this median rest area on I-70 somewhere in Mo-zoo-rah
> and (H.B. you can verify this) the old Kentucky Turnpike had median
> rest areas until the massive rebuild in the 1980's.
>
> I've always thought median rest areas were a smart idea - one set of
> facilities for both ways of traffic, but then you have to bridge them
> back to the road or have slow traffic coming out in the left lane.

The Western Kentucky Parkway has a median rest area. I believe it
includes a restaurant and a gas station. Jeff Carlyle would probably
know more about that since I have yet to travel the WK PKWY.

Alan Hamilton

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Aug 26, 2004, 12:55:24 AM8/26/04
to
There's one on I-8 in the middle of the sand dunes in
California.
<http://www.terraserver-usa.com/image.aspx?t=1&s=10&x=3488&y=18120&z=11&w=2>

I believe it was originally a roadside rest area for US 80.
When I-8 was built, the EB lanes were built around it.
--
/
/ * / Alan Hamilton
* * al...@arizonaroads.com

Arizona Roads -- http://www.arizonaroads.com

SP Cook

unread,
Aug 26, 2004, 7:30:15 AM8/26/04
to
she...@cahaltech.com (Sherman Cahal) wrote in message

>> The Western Kentucky Parkway has a median rest area. I believe it
> includes a restaurant and a gas station. Jeff Carlyle would probably
> know more about that since I have yet to travel the WK PKWY.


The last time I was out that way, which was 8 or so years ago, it was
a Jerry's restaurant, which is a Kentucky-only (AFAIK) chain similar
to Denny's, Shoney's, Frisch's, etc. Gas was Chevron, IIRC.

SP Cook

Sir Hailstone - BOFH

unread,
Aug 26, 2004, 9:48:24 AM8/26/04
to
Larry Harvilla wrote:

> "Sir Hailstone - BOFH" <Sir.NoSPAM...@yayhus.moc> wrote in message
> news:05LWc.34126$cT6....@fe2.columbus.rr.com...
>
>>The Indiana Toll Road has their service plazas on the right - like most.
>>The bummer of that IMO, is normally there are two plazas across the
>>highway from each other and many times the choice of FF places is
>>different.
>
>
>
> Negative on that. In any particular location (MP 22 -- Hardee's and
> Fazoli's, MP 56 -- McDonald's and Dairy Queen, MP 90 -- Arby's and Dunkin
> Donuts, MP 126 -- Hardee's and Fazoli's, MP 146 -- McDonald's and Dairy
> Queen), the offerings are exactly the same on both sides of the Toll Road.
>

Must have changed then. I remember them being different though it's been
a few years since I been on the Toll Road.

--
Sir Hailstone - Bastard Operator From Hell
known to a select few as just "Mike"

Larry Harvilla

unread,
Aug 27, 2004, 12:12:53 AM8/27/04
to
"Sir Hailstone - BOFH" <Sir.NoSPAM...@yayhus.moc> wrote in message
news:ISlXc.10157$0J6....@fe1.columbus.rr.com...


Gotcha. It seems like I'm on that road almost every week -- and I've seen
enough of their toll tickets to commit those fast-food places to memory. :)

Sir Hailstone - BOFH

unread,
Aug 27, 2004, 10:11:56 AM8/27/04
to
Larry Harvilla wrote:

>>>Negative on that. In any particular location (MP 22 -- Hardee's and
>>>Fazoli's, MP 56 -- McDonald's and Dairy Queen, MP 90 -- Arby's and
>
> Dunkin
>
>>>Donuts, MP 126 -- Hardee's and Fazoli's, MP 146 -- McDonald's and Dairy
>>>Queen), the offerings are exactly the same on both sides of the Toll
>
> Road.
>
>>Must have changed then. I remember them being different though it's been
>>a few years since I been on the Toll Road.
>
>
>
> Gotcha. It seems like I'm on that road almost every week -- and I've seen
> enough of their toll tickets to commit those fast-food places to memory. :)
>

Has the Indiana Toll Road does a rehab to those plazas in recent years?

Marc Fannin

unread,
Aug 27, 2004, 1:48:53 PM8/27/04
to
Sir Hailstone - BOFH <Sir.NoSPAM...@yayhus.moc> wrote...

> Larry Harvilla wrote:
>
> > Sir Hailstone - BOFH <Sir.NoSPAM...@yayhus.moc> wrote...

Not really a rehabilitation, but I do remember a change in facilities
about 10-15 years ago (IIRC the restaurants now are different than
they were when I moved east in 1987; e.g. there was Rax then). I
vaguely remember choices across from each other being different as
well before the change (though most often my family didn't stop at any
so it's tough to remember, maybe they were only different during the
transition from the 1980s choices to today's).

There *was* a rehab a long time ago, soon after INDOT took over the
highway in 1981, but there were no restaurants at all before the
rehab, so that wouldn't apply.

Lepidopteran

unread,
Aug 31, 2004, 2:42:27 PM8/31/04
to
Now that we've covered median rest areas/service plazas, how many
locations are there where a service plaza is located on only one side
of a turnpike/expressway/freeway, but drivers travelling in the
opposite direction can still access it via an exit/interchange
structure?

There are one or two like this on the Northeast Extension of the PA
Turnpike. Rather than a trumpet interchange, it's just two ramps with
a "wrong way" (driving on the left) setup.

On the NJTP, there is actually a trumpet interchange that allows
northbound traffic access to the Molly Pitcher service plaza. However,
it is marked "Official Use Only" and even the gore sign itself is a
State Police logo. I think when the Joyce Kilmer plaza opened one exit
away on the northbound side, the crossover to Molly Pitcher was no
longer considered necessary. But even before then, wasn't that
trumpet only opened to buses?

Note that north of Exit 8A on the NJTP, flyover ramps are needed to
get from the inside lanes to the service plazas.

US 71

unread,
Aug 31, 2004, 3:27:18 PM8/31/04
to

"Lepidopteran" <Lepidop...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:qhh9j09cm87gbnntd...@4ax.com...

> Now that we've covered median rest areas/service plazas, how many
> locations are there where a service plaza is located on only one side
> of a turnpike/expressway/freeway, but drivers travelling in the
> opposite direction can still access it via an exit/interchange
> structure?
>

If memory serves correct, there's on on I-40 in Arkansas between Little Rock
and Memphis. You exit and go UNDER the interstate to the Rest Area.

Sir Hailstone - BOFH

unread,
Aug 31, 2004, 3:30:16 PM8/31/04
to
Lepidopteran wrote:

> Now that we've covered median rest areas/service plazas, how many
> locations are there where a service plaza is located on only one side
> of a turnpike/expressway/freeway, but drivers travelling in the
> opposite direction can still access it via an exit/interchange
> structure?

E-W Tollway near Dekalb ***WAS*** a Oasis on one side and a bridge to
cross over. With the Oasis rehab projects I wouldn't know if that is
still the case.

Another is I-24 at the Kentucky-Illinois state line, in Paducah. The
rest stop is on the exit, and both sides use it. Whether westbound has
to get on the road then to the rest stop I'm not sure I've only stopped
when Eastbound.

--
Sir Hailstone - Bastard Operator From Hell
known to a select few as just "Mike"

"Management is like a tree full of monkeys. Managers look down on the
workers and see smiling faces. Workers look up and see nothing but
a$$h---s."

Monte Castleman

unread,
Aug 31, 2004, 6:16:37 PM8/31/04
to
>Now that we've covered median rest areas/service plazas, how many
>locations are there where a service plaza is located on only one side
>of a turnpike/expressway/freeway, but drivers travelling in the
>opposite direction can still access it via an exit/interchange
>structure?

It's pretty common to build rest areas at existing interchanges
nowdays; Iowa, Minnesota, and Wyoming are three states that come to
mind that use this setup frequently or occasionally.

The only place I know of where there is an interchange exclusively for
a rest area is at Chamberlain, SD.
--
--^\____
| / Monte Castleman, <<Spamfilter in Use>>
| / Bloomington, MN <<to email, remove the "q" from address>>
| |
| *| Visit my Minnesota Highways Page:
|_____\ http://home.earthlink.net/~northstarhighways

Marc Fannin

unread,
Aug 31, 2004, 6:43:56 PM8/31/04
to
Lepidopteran wrote:

> Now that we've covered median rest areas/service plazas, how many
> locations are there where a service plaza is located on only one side
> of a turnpike/expressway/freeway, but drivers travelling in the
> opposite direction can still access it via an exit/interchange
> structure?
>
> There are one or two like this on the Northeast Extension of the PA
> Turnpike. Rather than a trumpet interchange, it's just two ramps
with
> a "wrong way" (driving on the left) setup.

There is one on the mainline section as well (Sideling Hill).

I've seen quite a few of these in the Western U.S. (one that comes to
mind is the Sunset Point Rest Area at Exit 252 on I-17 in Arizona).

Dave Filpus

unread,
Aug 31, 2004, 7:36:55 PM8/31/04
to
In article <9N6Zc.10306$6o3....@newsread2.news.atl.earthlink.net>,
Monte Castleman <qmdcas...@earthlink.net> wrote:

>
> The only place I know of where there is an interchange exclusively for
> a rest area is at Chamberlain, SD.

On the West Virginia Turnpike, there is Tamarack. The exit for Tamarack
( Exit 45 ) gives access to a Service Plaza ( the only one on the WV
turnpike which is accessible from both directions ) and Tamarack, which
almost defies description. It has a convention center, a theater, art
galleries and permanent craft galleries, as well as a food court run by
the Greenbriar. There is access to a side road as well after driving
through the complex, but that is secondary. The interchange was built
for Tamarack.

Billy Riddle

unread,
Aug 31, 2004, 9:10:32 PM8/31/04
to
"Lepidopteran" <Lepidop...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:qhh9j09cm87gbnntd...@4ax.com...
> Now that we've covered median rest areas/service plazas, how many
> locations are there where a service plaza is located on only one side
> of a turnpike/expressway/freeway, but drivers travelling in the
> opposite direction can still access it via an exit/interchange
> structure?

Tennessee has one along I-40 near Center Hill Lake, at the Smith/Putnam Co.
line. Eastbound traffic must travel underneath I-40 to access the rest
area. This underpass also crosses over the Caney Fork River. There is also
a low clearance issue with this underpass, though most standard semi rigs
don't seem to have a problem with it. Wide loads are prohibited from it,
however.

Another note about TN rest areas: The Welcome Centers at state lines, as
well as the above mentioned facility along I-40, are operated by the
Department of Tourism and Economic Development, while the other Rest Areas
across the state are operated by TDOT. The facilities maintained by the
DTED, IMO, seem to be falling into disrepair. TDOT has been rebuilding
their facilities in recent years, and generally seems to keep their
maintenance up better.

I also know of one rest area along I-65 in northern AL that has an overpass
for southbound traffic. This one was built in the early 90's to fill the
void of there being very few rest areas on I-65 between Birmingham and
Nashville.

--
-Billy Riddle
Kingston Springs, TN
wriddle zero eight two at bellsouth dot net
God Bless America!!!


Jeff

unread,
Aug 31, 2004, 9:42:25 PM8/31/04
to
Lepidopteran <Lepidop...@aol.com> wrote in message news:<qhh9j09cm87gbnntd...@4ax.com>...


This service plaza formally was used by patrons from both sides of the
roadway. It was open to all traffic. A number of years ago, they
took away the access from the Northbound side, but as you mentioned
the ramps and bridge is still there, and marked as official use only.

IIRC, I did see something about the Turnpike allowing access to one of
their service plazas from both sides of the highway, but what bridges
need to be constructed and the specific service plaza eludes me right
now.

I am NOT Gene Wood!

unread,
Aug 31, 2004, 11:22:35 PM8/31/04
to
The rest area in Mackinaw City is on M-108, and accessible from both
NBD and SBD I-75.

DanTheMan

unread,
Sep 1, 2004, 12:01:36 AM9/1/04
to
Lepidopteran <Lepidop...@aol.com> wrote in message news:<qhh9j09cm87gbnntd...@4ax.com>...
> Now that we've covered median rest areas/service plazas, how many
> locations are there where a service plaza is located on only one side
> of a turnpike/expressway/freeway, but drivers travelling in the
> opposite direction can still access it via an exit/interchange
> structure?

I-87, on the New York State Thruway section, has a service area near
Exits 21A-22 somewhere... I think it's the New Baltimore service
plaza. Pretty basic concept - simple pair of ramps for the Southbound
side, and a half-trumpet with an overpass to get the northbound
traffic to the west side of the highway. The two halves of the parking
lot are totally seperated, so people can't reverse direction - I'm not
sure why, but the Thruway's pretty picky about this.

-Dan
--
WhereRoadsMeet.8k.com - The Website for Interchanges
New Updates Coming Soon

Chris Bessert

unread,
Sep 1, 2004, 12:14:49 AM9/1/04
to
I am NOT Gene Wood! wrote:

> The rest area in Mackinaw City is on M-108, and accessible from both
> NBD and SBD I-75.

It's also accessible from north- and southbound US-23, north- and
southbound Huron St, north- and southbound Mackinaw Hwy, north...
well, you get my point. The Mackinaw City Welcome Center is actually
not on the freeway. Instead, it's situated on parallel M-108/Nicolet
St, meaning you have to exit the freeway onto a surface street to
access the rest area and welcome center.

So, no special ramps, "one-side overpasses," wrong-way exits, etc.
were constructed to service this welcome center.

Later,
Chris

--
Chris Bessert
Bess...@aol.com
http://www.michiganhighways.org
http://www.wisconsinhighways.org
http://www.ontariohighways.org

Eric Opperman

unread,
Sep 1, 2004, 1:37:30 AM9/1/04
to
US 71 wrote:

There is. I guess it's the one at Forrest City, but I'm not completely
sure where...I just know I used it once.

--
Thanks for your time,

Eric Opperman
"I know I have to get up in the morning and put my underwear on first
and then put my pants on. I don't need people to tell me that." - wise
sage Shaquille O'Neal

Clayton Bigsby

unread,
Sep 1, 2004, 2:21:19 AM9/1/04
to

That's just west of the White River. There is a dirt access road that goes
from the rest area down to the river.

--
If you don't like my lyrics you can press fast forward. - Jay-Z

Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never
stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and
neither do we. - George W. Bush

Bob S

unread,
Sep 1, 2004, 9:16:27 AM9/1/04
to
Monte Castleman <qmdcas...@earthlink.net> wrote in message news:<9N6Zc.10306$6o3....@newsread2.news.atl.earthlink.net>...

> >Now that we've covered median rest areas/service plazas, how many
> >locations are there where a service plaza is located on only one side
> >of a turnpike/expressway/freeway, but drivers travelling in the
> >opposite direction can still access it via an exit/interchange
> >structure?
>
> It's pretty common to build rest areas at existing interchanges
> nowdays; Iowa, Minnesota, and Wyoming are three states that come to
> mind that use this setup frequently or occasionally.
>
> The only place I know of where there is an interchange exclusively for
> a rest area is at Chamberlain, SD.

The Funks Grove rest area on I-55 near Bloomington, IL has a similar
configuration. Northbound traffic exits and then goes under I-55 to
the rest area situated on the southbound side. However, each
direction has its own separate car and truck parking areas. At
Chamberlain there is one common parking area so it is possible to
change directions.

http://mapper.acme.com/?lat=40.359366&long=-89.110237&scale=11&theme=Image&width=3&height=3&dot=Yes

In Wisconsin, the Kenosha, Grant County, Hurley and Hudson rest
area/welcome centers are located off interchanges so they are
accessible from both directions.

Bob S

Bob S

Bob S

unread,
Sep 1, 2004, 9:38:37 AM9/1/04
to
Dave Filpus <dfi...@gmail.com> wrote in message news:<dfilpus-C85FA4...@news1-ge0.southeast.rr.com>...

The building architecture is unique and the landscaping is impressive
as well. Inside there are also studios where you can see the artists
at work. I liked the glass blowing exhibit. We enjoyed our visit to
Tamarack last year.

The Princeton welcome center at the south end of the WV Turnpike is
impressive too. It is located off an interchange. They also sell
West Virginia produced crafts and products.

Bob S

Keith

unread,
Sep 1, 2004, 9:51:49 AM9/1/04
to
Chris Bessert <bess...@aol.com> wrote in message news:<ch3ii5$o82$1...@msunews.cl.msu.edu>...

> I am NOT Gene Wood! wrote:
>
> > The rest area in Mackinaw City is on M-108, and accessible from both
> > NBD and SBD I-75.
>
> It's also accessible from north- and southbound US-23, north- and
> southbound Huron St, north- and southbound Mackinaw Hwy, north...
> well, you get my point. The Mackinaw City Welcome Center is actually
> not on the freeway. Instead, it's situated on parallel M-108/Nicolet
> St, meaning you have to exit the freeway onto a surface street to
> access the rest area and welcome center.
>
> So, no special ramps, "one-side overpasses," wrong-way exits, etc.
> were constructed to service this welcome center.
>
> Later,
> Chris

There is an rest area in Byron Center where all the murderers and
rapists hang out. I try to stay away from all Rest Areas due to so
many horror stories. I'll just get off at a normal exit for a normal
road.

Sir Hailstone - BOFH

unread,
Sep 1, 2004, 11:20:46 AM9/1/04
to
Billy Riddle wrote:

> I also know of one rest area along I-65 in northern AL that has an overpass
> for southbound traffic. This one was built in the early 90's to fill the
> void of there being very few rest areas on I-65 between Birmingham and
> Nashville.
>

There is?? Where? The welcome center (With the rocket) is southbound
I-65 only. Northbound has the Tennessee welcome center.

I can't place one being anywhere between the state line and Cullman, and
between Cullman and Warrior is pretty much nothingness and unless it was
built since 2000, there's no rest areas there.

Ron Bean

unread,
Sep 1, 2004, 11:59:59 AM9/1/04
to

Lepidopteran <Lepidop...@aol.com> writes:

>Now that we've covered median rest areas/service plazas, how many
>locations are there where a service plaza is located on only one side
>of a turnpike/expressway/freeway, but drivers travelling in the
>opposite direction can still access it via an exit/interchange
>structure?

The other option is parking lots on both sides with a pedestrian
overpass. AFAIK there are only a couple of these.
Heres a photo of one that was later town down:

http://www.panix.com/~rbean/oasis/ok/midway.html

Ron Bean

unread,
Sep 1, 2004, 12:01:16 PM9/1/04
to

Sir Hailstone - BOFH <Sir.NoSPAM...@yayhus.moc> writes:

>E-W Tollway near Dekalb ***WAS*** a Oasis on one side and a bridge to
>cross over. With the Oasis rehab projects I wouldn't know if that is
>still the case.

It's closed for construction. The gas station is supposed to
reopen this fall. My guess is that the restaurant construction
will be postponed until next year, but I could be wrong. No idea
what they're planning to build there.

Last time I was there, the overpass was in bad shape.

Jeff Kitsko

unread,
Sep 1, 2004, 12:17:18 PM9/1/04
to
"Lepidopteran" <Lepidop...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:qhh9j09cm87gbnntd...@4ax.com...
>
> Now that we've covered median rest areas/service plazas, how many
> locations are there where a service plaza is located on only one side
> of a turnpike/expressway/freeway, but drivers travelling in the
> opposite direction can still access it via an exit/interchange
> structure?

Sideling Hills Serivce Plaza on the mainline Turnpike, and Allentown and
Hickory Run Service Plazas on the Northeast Extension.

--
Jeff Kitsko
Pennsylvania Highways: http://www.pahighways.com/
Ohio Highways: http://www.ohhighways.com/


I am NOT Gene Wood!

unread,
Sep 1, 2004, 1:11:51 PM9/1/04
to
> It's also accessible from north- and southbound US-23, north- and
> southbound Huron St, north- and southbound Mackinaw Hwy, north...
> well, you get my point. The Mackinaw City Welcome Center is actually
> not on the freeway. Instead, it's situated on parallel M-108/Nicolet
> St, meaning you have to exit the freeway onto a surface street to
> access the rest area and welcome center.
>
> So, no special ramps, "one-side overpasses," wrong-way exits, etc.
> were constructed to service this welcome center.

I think exit 338 northbound constitutes a "special ramp", since it's
signed "Welcome Center/Rest Area" or some such.

-- Cactus Bob, who will be in Mackinaw City next week anyway

Chris Bessert

unread,
Sep 1, 2004, 3:14:00 PM9/1/04
to
Bobby Peacock wrote:

Here's how you know that Northbound Exit 338 is *not* a "special
ramp" intended only for Rest Area/Welcome Center traffic:

o It was originally signed as "Mackinaw City" when the freeway first
opened.
o It terminates at a state trunkline which, in turn, connects with
nearly every other public street in the state of Michigan. A
so-called "special ramp" would be one built expressly for the
Rest Area/Welcome Center -- this was not.
o It does not lead to the Rest Area/Welcome Center in question. One
has to turn right on M-108/Nicolet St and proceed southerly to
access the entrance of the Rest Area/Welcome Center.
o It is only, today, signed primarily for the Welcome Center to
reduce any potential confusion, as the previous northbound ramp
is for "M-108/Nicolet Ave - Mackinaw City". To have two off-ramps
BOTH sigend "M-108/Nicolet Ave - Mackinaw City" within 3/4 mile
of each other would be very confusing.
o Signing Northbound Exit 338 for the Welcome Center only helps to
reduce the copious amount of roadside sigage "clutter" extant in
the Mackinaw City area, for obvious reasons.
o Northbound Exit 338 is the northbound counterpart to Southbound
Exit 338, which is not signed solely for the Welcome Center/Rest
Area.

> -- Cactus Bob, who will be in Mackinaw City next week anyway

That's nice.

You Have a Real Nice Day Now,

Lepidopteran

unread,
Sep 1, 2004, 4:46:56 PM9/1/04
to
On Wed, 01 Sep 2004 15:59:59 -0000, rb...@shell.core.com (Ron Bean)
wrote:

>The other option is parking lots on both sides with a pedestrian
>overpass.

There's one like that on the NY State Thruway. The Sloatsburg service
plaza is on the NB side, with parking lots on both sides of the
highway and a pedestrian bridge to connect them. Some time ago,
service facilities with the name "Ramapo" were built on the SB side of
the Thruway at that point. Yet the pedestrian bridge still remains.

Would you believe that the Sloatsburg plaza is so busy that it
actually has its own parking deck? Heh, if it's THAT crowded, I'd
prefer to stop at the classic "Red Apple Rest" on (2-lane) NY-17
instead.

Billy Riddle

unread,
Sep 1, 2004, 8:49:34 PM9/1/04
to
"Sir Hailstone - BOFH" <Sir.NoSPAM...@yayhus.moc> wrote in message
news:iNlZc.273803$fv.2...@fe2.columbus.rr.com...

> Billy Riddle wrote:
>
>> I also know of one rest area along I-65 in northern AL that has an
>> overpass for southbound traffic. This one was built in the early 90's to
>> fill the void of there being very few rest areas on I-65 between
>> Birmingham and Nashville.
>>
>
> There is?? Where? The welcome center (With the rocket) is southbound I-65
> only. Northbound has the Tennessee welcome center.
>
> I can't place one being anywhere between the state line and Cullman, and
> between Cullman and Warrior is pretty much nothingness and unless it was
> built since 2000, there's no rest areas there.

RMcN shows this rest area being south of Cullman, just north of Exit 299 (AL
69). I don't get much deeper into AL than Huntsville very often, so I can't
be certain exactly when this thing was built. I know it had to be around as
early as the mid 90's.

A.K.

unread,
Sep 1, 2004, 9:05:44 PM9/1/04
to

Yeah.....it's New Baltimore.

Matthew E. Salek

unread,
Sep 1, 2004, 9:17:21 PM9/1/04
to
In article <9N6Zc.10306$6o3....@newsread2.news.atl.earthlink.net>,
Monte Castleman <qmdcas...@earthlink.net> wrote:

> >Now that we've covered median rest areas/service plazas, how many
> >locations are there where a service plaza is located on only one side
> >of a turnpike/expressway/freeway, but drivers travelling in the
> >opposite direction can still access it via an exit/interchange
> >structure?
>
> It's pretty common to build rest areas at existing interchanges
> nowdays; Iowa, Minnesota, and Wyoming are three states that come to
> mind that use this setup frequently or occasionally.

Also Colorado.

The one rest area in Colorado that sorta fits the idea of this thread is
the I-70 Vail Pass rest area (Exit 190). The interchange also serves
the Shrine Pass national forest road, but the exit is signed only with
blue "rest area" signs.

--
Matthew E. Salek, E.I. ** Spam filter in use. Remove numbers **
Aurora, Colorado ** from address to e-mail reply. **
http://www.mesalek.com

Rte66man

unread,
Sep 1, 2004, 10:35:17 PM9/1/04
to

"Monte Castleman" <qmdcas...@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:9N6Zc.10306$6o3....@newsread2.news.atl.earthlink.net...
> >Now that we've covered median rest areas/service plazas, how many
>>locations are there where a service plaza is located on only one side
>>of a turnpike/expressway/freeway, but drivers travelling in the
>>opposite direction can still access it via an exit/interchange
>>structure?
>
> It's pretty common to build rest areas at existing interchanges
> nowdays; Iowa, Minnesota, and Wyoming are three states that come to
> mind that use this setup frequently or occasionally.
>
> The only place I know of where there is an interchange exclusively for
> a rest area is at Chamberlain, SD.

The I35 rest area just north of Lamoni, IA has an modified trumpet
interchange strictly for the rest area on the east side of the interstate.
It also serves as a Tourist Information Center. No local access at all.

Rte66man


Rte66man

unread,
Sep 1, 2004, 10:39:08 PM9/1/04
to

"Monte Castleman" <qmdcas...@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:9N6Zc.10306$6o3....@newsread2.news.atl.earthlink.net...
> >Now that we've covered median rest areas/service plazas, how many
>>locations are there where a service plaza is located on only one side
>>of a turnpike/expressway/freeway, but drivers travelling in the
>>opposite direction can still access it via an exit/interchange
>>structure?
>
> It's pretty common to build rest areas at existing interchanges
> nowdays; Iowa, Minnesota, and Wyoming are three states that come to
> mind that use this setup frequently or occasionally.
>
> The only place I know of where there is an interchange exclusively for
> a rest area is at Chamberlain, SD.

Here is the link for the Terraserver image at Lamoni, IA. The overpass was
still under construction, but you can clearly see the dirt work:
http://terraserver.microsoft.com/image.aspx?t=2&s=13&x=267&y=2812&z=15&w=1

Rte66man


Tropicsprite

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Sep 1, 2004, 10:44:12 PM9/1/04
to
A new service plaza on the Kansas Turnpike (the I-70 stretch) just east of
Topeka is set up this way. It is north of the mainly, with ramp access from
both sides.

Now I have seen a rest area of US 19 in the Florida Panhandle that is just
like a state-run park, only REALLY dirty!

"Marc Fannin" <musx...@kent.edu> wrote in message
news:ch2uvc$2...@odbk17.prod.google.com...

Keith

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Sep 1, 2004, 11:12:41 PM9/1/04
to
Chris Bessert <bess...@aol.com> wrote in message news:<ch571p$23ri$1...@msunews.cl.msu.edu>...

Stop insulting Bobby!

Stanley Cline

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Sep 1, 2004, 11:19:07 PM9/1/04
to
On Wed, 01 Sep 2004 15:20:46 GMT, Sir Hailstone - BOFH
<Sir.NoSPAM...@yayhus.moc> wrote:

>I can't place one being anywhere between the state line and Cullman, and
>between Cullman and Warrior is pretty much nothingness and unless it was
>built since 2000, there's no rest areas there.

It's on the south side of Cullman, just before the start into Blount
County nothingness. :)

The directions of traffic crossing I-65 are flipped from the usual in
North America (they are separated by Jersey barriers).

| | ^ North
/| |
( | I-65 |
\=============>== into rest area
/==<============= out of rest area
( | I-65 |
\| |
| |

-SC
--
Stanley Cline -- sc1 at roamer1 dot org -- http://www.roamer1.org/
...
"Never put off until tomorrow what you can do today. There might
be a law against it by that time." -/usr/games/fortune

Stanley Cline

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Sep 1, 2004, 11:22:32 PM9/1/04
to
On Thu, 02 Sep 2004 03:19:07 GMT, I wrote:

>It's on the south side of Cullman, just before the start into Blount
>County nothingness. :)
>
>The directions of traffic crossing I-65 are flipped from the usual in
>North America (they are separated by Jersey barriers).

<snip ASCII art>

Actually, I *think* it's two separate bridges, but the ramps and the
way traffic crosses I-65 are certainly odd.

http://www.terraserver-usa.com/image.aspx?t=1&s=10&x=2562&y=18852&z=16&w=2

Allen Seth Dunn

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Sep 2, 2004, 12:45:04 AM9/2/04
to

"Stanley Cline" <sc1-...@roamer1.org> wrote in message
news:nr3dj0l4verfahtpn...@4ax.com...

> On Wed, 01 Sep 2004 15:20:46 GMT, Sir Hailstone - BOFH
> <Sir.NoSPAM...@yayhus.moc> wrote:
>
> >I can't place one being anywhere between the state line and Cullman, and
> >between Cullman and Warrior is pretty much nothingness and unless it was
> >built since 2000, there's no rest areas there.
>
> It's on the south side of Cullman, just before the start into Blount
> County nothingness. :)
>
> The directions of traffic crossing I-65 are flipped from the usual in
> North America (they are separated by Jersey barriers).
>
> | | ^ North
> /| |
> ( | I-65 |
> \=============>== into rest area
> /==<============= out of rest area
> ( | I-65 |
> \| |
> | |
>

As others have mentioned, the Sideling Hill Service Plaza on the Penna.
Turnpike is like this. I stopped in there once headed eastbound (with the
rest area being on the Westbound side) and it is the weirdest thing to be
able to look to your left and see Turnpike traffic flowing below you and
look to your right to see traffic leaving the rest area. This is especially
true if you're like me, and never traveled to Great Britain or Australia or
anywhere else with left-side driving.

Allen Seth Dunn

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Sep 2, 2004, 12:52:49 AM9/2/04
to

"DanTheMan" <twow...@email.com> wrote in message
news:6a5931be.04083...@posting.google.com...

Well, because it screws up the ticket system for one. The ticket system is
not set up so you can go to a service plaza and turn around, because often
times the ticket is different for each exit. Since there are no set toll
amounts at exits, one could theoretically enter and exit at the same toll
plaza exit if one wanted to and not pay your fair share of usage for the
road siince your net travel on the road would be zero. The same thing occurs
on the Penna. Turnpike at the Sideling Hill Service Plaza, where parking is
totally seperated with no access to the other direction. Now take MDs and
DE's median service plaza, even though those roads are tolled, since they
have set prices at the toll plazas, it's not a concern and you can turn
around in the service plaza if you discover you've missed your exit or
something.

Message has been deleted

Sir Hailstone - BOFH

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Sep 2, 2004, 9:20:13 AM9/2/04
to
Billy Riddle wrote:

>>I can't place one being anywhere between the state line and Cullman, and
>>between Cullman and Warrior is pretty much nothingness and unless it was
>>built since 2000, there's no rest areas there.
>
>
> RMcN shows this rest area being south of Cullman, just north of Exit 299 (AL
> 69). I don't get much deeper into AL than Huntsville very often, so I can't
> be certain exactly when this thing was built. I know it had to be around as
> early as the mid 90's.
>

Ah. This stretch of I-65 is undergoing renovations from Cullman to the
"new" sections north of Birmingham [most of you remember - the George C.
Wallace refusing to build sections] so it could have been the rest area
was closed during road work.

Marc Fannin

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Sep 2, 2004, 11:44:20 AM9/2/04
to
Lepidopteran wrote:

> Now that we've covered median rest areas/service plazas, how many
> locations are there where a service plaza is located on only one side
> of a turnpike/expressway/freeway, but drivers travelling in the
> opposite direction can still access it via an exit/interchange
> structure?

I forgot one obvious to me and mentioned here occasionally: The
at-grade rest area on the otherwise freeway Ohio SR 11 between US 6 and
US 322 on the east edge of the state, a holdover from when SR 11 was
mostly an expressway.

http://terraserver-usa.com/image.aspx?t=2&s=12&x=654&y=5751&z=17&w=1

(As is tradition, I will mention the other feature keeping SR 11 from
being Interstate-grade: the right-angle E-to-S and N-to-E ramps in the
I-90 cloverleaf. http://www.roadfan.com/ncash.html#9011 )

I am NOT Gene Wood!

unread,
Sep 2, 2004, 12:44:20 PM9/2/04
to
Chris Bessert <bess...@aol.com> brought up rather valid points in
message news:<ch571p$23ri$1...@msunews.cl.msu.edu>...

It seems like we've mentioned a couple other rest areas that are set
on a nearby road instead of on a freeway, even though the exit isn't
exclusively for the rest area...

For the record, it seems like there's a rest area on I-70 between
Effingham, IL and indianapolis, IN that at least has a connector to
both sides.

Keith

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Sep 2, 2004, 11:02:25 PM9/2/04
to
wachov...@yahoo.com (I am NOT Gene Wood!) wrote in message news:<c0697d58.04090...@posting.google.com>...


Look Bobby, I stuck up for you by saying the horrible truth on how
these people think of you. If you don't want to believe the truth,
that's your problem.

Bill Mitchell

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Sep 3, 2004, 6:29:00 PM9/3/04
to
kh...@jersey.net (Jeff) wrote in message

>
> IIRC, I did see something about the Turnpike allowing access to one of
> their service plazas from both sides of the highway, but what bridges
> need to be constructed and the specific service plaza eludes me right
> now.

"The Vince", or the Vince Lombardi Rest Area has access to and from both directions.

Keith

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Sep 3, 2004, 7:57:19 PM9/3/04
to
sirke...@hotmail.com (Keith) wrote in message news:<ca5da64.04090...@posting.google.com>...

B
U
M
P
!
!

John Mara

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Sep 4, 2004, 7:57:15 PM9/4/04
to

"Allen Seth Dunn" <f...@ftc.gov> wrote in message
news:4136a72b$0$19725$61fe...@news.rcn.com...

> Well, because it screws up the ticket system for one. The ticket system is
> not set up so you can go to a service plaza and turn around, because often
> times the ticket is different for each exit. Since there are no set toll
> amounts at exits, one could theoretically enter and exit at the same toll
> plaza exit if one wanted to and not pay your fair share of usage for the
> road siince your net travel on the road would be zero.


They could always set a price for exiting at the interchange where you
entered. I would suggest double the minimum toll. New Baltimore is between
exits 21B and 22. The toll is 35 cents. They could charge 70 cents.

John Mara

Alan Hamilton

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Sep 5, 2004, 9:31:21 PM9/5/04
to
On Sat, 04 Sep 2004 23:57:15 GMT, "John Mara" <john...@nycap.rr.com>
wrote:

The problem is that you'd get people trading tickets at the service
plazas if it would result in a reduced toll for both.
--
/
/ * / Alan Hamilton
* * al...@arizonaroads.com

Arizona Roads -- http://www.arizonaroads.com

Eric C. Near

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Sep 5, 2004, 10:17:36 PM9/5/04
to
The Ohio Turnpike does something similar to this. If you exit at the
same exit where you entered, you pay the maximum toll for your vehicle
class.
==============================================================

Eric C. Near - Burlington, OH
Guitarist, Crossing Jordan http://www.xingjordan.com
Organist, First Baptist, Ironton, OH http://www.fbcironton.org
#roadgeek - DeadGuyPerez

To reply, REMOVE and NOSPAM go away.

==============================================================


-----= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =-----
http://www.newsfeeds.com - The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World!
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Larry Harvilla

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Sep 12, 2004, 11:28:44 PM9/12/04
to
"Lepidopteran" <Lepidop...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:qoccj0liv7u009a2d...@4ax.com...


You forgot the even more obvious one on the Thruway: the Angola service
plaza, between Buffalo and the PA line. All food facilities are located in
a building within the median of the Thruway; parking lots and separate fuel
facilities are set up on each side of the highway, with pedestrian bridges
between each parking area and the median.

Actually, I believe the Sloatsburg plaza has a parking deck to facilitate
mass transit. ISTR seeing at least a couple non-chartered (i.e., NJ Transit
and a couple others) highway coaches providing regularly scheduled
passenger service to and from that plaza.

--
Larry Harvilla
E-mail: roads AT phatpage DOT org

also visit: http://www.phatpage.org/
Highways section in progress.


Comrade Mr Yamamoto

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Sep 13, 2004, 4:46:18 AM9/13/04
to
Sloatsburg has a two-storey car park-though it's not specifically for
transit use as far as I know. That area also has a conference center
IIRC. There is a pedestrian overpass linking the Ramapo area on the
other side of the Thruway-which is unique.

--
Comrade Mister Yamamoto
http://mryamamoto.50megs.com
also http://mryamamoto.50megs.com/rochester/rochester1.htm
"I's so evil, even my shadow don't follow me"

bryce....@gmail.com

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Jan 6, 2014, 12:58:50 PM1/6/14
to
On Tuesday, August 24, 2004 10:25:43 AM UTC-5, Sir Hailstone - BOFH wrote:
> Are these still found anywhere outside of tollways/turnpikes [ex. the
> Oases in Illinois] ??
>
> I seem to remember this median rest area on I-70 somewhere in Mo-zoo-rah
> and (H.B. you can verify this) the old Kentucky Turnpike had median
> rest areas until the massive rebuild in the 1980's.
>
> I've always thought median rest areas were a smart idea - one set of
> facilities for both ways of traffic, but then you have to bridge them
> back to the road or have slow traffic coming out in the left lane.
>
> --
> Mike

In Missouri there is a median rest area on I-44 near St Clair. I-70 also has a median rest area in Paxico, KS. Kansas also has the Kansas Turnpike, where all six service areas were in the median (one was later closed and replaced with a non-median facility)

H.B. Elkins

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Jan 6, 2014, 2:42:28 PM1/6/14
to
In article <3f66ba94-5710-4b4d...@googlegroups.com>,
bryce....@gmail.com says...
>
>On Tuesday, August 24, 2004 10:25:43 AM UTC-5, Sir Hailstone - BOFH wrote:
>> Are these still found anywhere outside of tollways/turnpikes [ex. the=20
>> Oases in Illinois] ??
>>=20
>> I seem to remember this median rest area on I-70 somewhere in Mo-zoo-rah=
>=20
>> and (H.B. you can verify this) the old Kentucky Turnpike had median=20
>> rest areas until the massive rebuild in the 1980's.
>>=20
>> I've always thought median rest areas were a smart idea - one set of=20
>> facilities for both ways of traffic, but then you have to bridge them=20
>> back to the road or have slow traffic coming out in the left lane.
>>=20
>> --
>> Mike
>
>In Missouri there is a median rest area on I-44 near St Clair. I-70 also ha=
>s a median rest area in Paxico, KS. Kansas also has the Kansas Turnpike, wh=
>ere all six service areas were in the median (one was later closed and repl=
>aced with a non-median facility)


Wow -- blast from the past. A 10-year-old thread!


--
To reply by e-mail, remove the "restrictorplate"

H.B. Elkins

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Jan 6, 2014, 2:42:55 PM1/6/14
to
>On Tuesday, August 24, 2004 10:25:43 AM UTC-5, Sir Hailstone - BOFH wrote:
>> Are these still found anywhere outside of tollways/turnpikes [ex. the=20
>> Oases in Illinois] ??
>>=20
>> I seem to remember this median rest area on I-70 somewhere in Mo-zoo-rah=
>=20
>> and (H.B. you can verify this) the old Kentucky Turnpike had median=20
>> rest areas until the massive rebuild in the 1980's.
>>=20
>> I've always thought median rest areas were a smart idea - one set of=20
>> facilities for both ways of traffic, but then you have to bridge them=20
>> back to the road or have slow traffic coming out in the left lane.
>>=20
>> --
>> Mike
>

richard

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Jan 6, 2014, 3:26:52 PM1/6/14
to
I'll bet he has his news reader set to display posts by subject rather than
date.
But then I noticed he's using google groups and probably hadn't notice the
date of the post.

Larry Sheldon

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Jan 6, 2014, 7:54:59 PM1/6/14
to
On 1/6/2014 1:42 PM, H.B. Elkins wrote:

> Wow -- blast from the past. A 10-year-old thread!

Wow -- the duplicate message thing!

--
Idioten aangeboden. Gratis af te halen.
h/t Dagelijkse Standaard

Andrew M. Saucci, Jr.

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Jan 6, 2014, 10:04:21 PM1/6/14
to
The Belt Parkway in Brooklyn, NY west of Flatbush Avenue, and the
Grand Central Parkway in Queens west of Francis Lewis Blvd still have their
original median service areas. The rest of the New York City and Long Island
parkways had them too, but they have long been closed and/or demolished. The
gasoline was always more expensive, and the left-hand re-entries were
dangerous. The pavement for one on the Meadowbrook State Parkway remains
south of Merrick Rd, but the buildings are gone and it is posted with "No
Parking" signs, rendering it useless for resting. Some arterials are
actually routed along a pair of one-way streets with businesses between the
two streets, which gives a very similar effect. US 22 in New Jersey east of
I-287 does this for a while. I think US 130 in New Jersey also has such a
section. The Taconic State Parkway might have one or two left north of I-84.

><bryce....@gmail.com> wrote in message
>news:3f66ba94-5710-4b4d...@googlegroups.com...
Message has been deleted

hanc...@bbs.cpcn.com

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Jan 8, 2014, 12:49:09 PM1/8/14
to
On Monday, January 6, 2014 10:04:21 PM UTC-5, Andrew M. Saucci, Jr. wrote:

> The Belt Parkway in Brooklyn, NY west of Flatbush Avenue, and the
> Grand Central Parkway in Queens west of Francis Lewis Blvd still have their
> original median service areas. The rest of the New York City and Long Island
> parkways had them too, but they have long been closed and/or demolished.

I remember the old ones--the headhouses were built as handsome stone buildings, as part of the classy look Moses intended for his parkways. But in the 1970s they were rather run down. Parts of the Belt Pkwy in those years looked less like a 'parkway' and more like an urban expressway through a wasteland.


Side bit of telephone trivia: In the Hollis neighborhood near Francis Lewis Blvd, postwar growth was so rapid that some folks had 8 digit phone numbers, and the dial system was set up to handle them. Someone could have a number like HOllis 5-10253. Further, back then, there were many party lines and they were made unique by a letter suffix, eg HOllis 5-2635J. That also used 8 digits as the suffix J was dialed. This lasted for a few years and then new exchanges were built, using the conventional 2L-5D arrangement (eg KL 5-2368).


Paul D. DeRocco

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Jan 8, 2014, 11:07:03 PM1/8/14
to
> On 1/6/2014 11:42 AM, H.B. Elkins wrote:
>
> Wow -- blast from the past. A 10-year-old thread!

That's long enough that the answer to the question may have changed.

--

Ciao, Paul D. DeRocco
Paul mailto:pder...@ix.netcom.com

Paul D. DeRocco

unread,
Jan 8, 2014, 11:12:25 PM1/8/14
to
>> On Tuesday, August 24, 2004 10:25:43 AM UTC-5, Sir Hailstone - BOFH wrote:
>>
>> Are these still found anywhere outside of tollways/turnpikes [ex. the
>> Oases in Illinois] ??
>>
>> I seem to remember this median rest area on I-70 somewhere in Mo-zoo-rah
>> and (H.B. you can verify this) the old Kentucky Turnpike had median
>> rest areas until the massive rebuild in the 1980's.
>>
>> I've always thought median rest areas were a smart idea - one set of
>> facilities for both ways of traffic, but then you have to bridge them
>> back to the road or have slow traffic coming out in the left lane.

> On 1/6/2014 9:58 AM, bryce....@gmail.com wrote:
>
> In Missouri there is a median rest area on I-44 near St Clair. I-70 also
> has a median rest area in Paxico, KS. Kansas also has the Kansas
> Turnpike, where all six service areas were in the median (one was
> laterclosed and replaced with a non-median facility)

I-84 at Multnomah Falls in Oregon. No facilities between the two sides
other than parking, but there's a pedestrian tunnel leading under the EB
side to the falls area. You can use it to change directions if you want.

awg...@gmail.com

unread,
May 12, 2014, 10:53:00 AM5/12/14
to
On Tuesday, August 24, 2004 11:25:43 AM UTC-4, Sir Hailstone - BOFH wrote:
> Are these still found anywhere outside of tollways/turnpikes [ex. the
> Oases in Illinois] ??
>
> I seem to remember this median rest area on I-70 somewhere in Mo-zoo-rah
> and (H.B. you can verify this) the old Kentucky Turnpike had median
> rest areas until the massive rebuild in the 1980's.
>
> I've always thought median rest areas were a smart idea - one set of
> facilities for both ways of traffic, but then you have to bridge them
> back to the road or have slow traffic coming out in the left lane.
>
> --
> Mike

Can You guys think of any Median Tandem Truck Stop Areas? Or know of any in construction due to new ITS tolling systems? Thansk for the help!

richard

unread,
May 13, 2014, 1:37:28 PM5/13/14
to
Sad you're replying to a 10 year old post.
Why not just start a new thread?

To answer your question, there no commercial truck stops in medians on
either interstates or other highways as the right of way belongs to the
state.
The only truck stops that are in medians, are on toll roads and operated by
the toll road.
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