VA announces possible closing of some rest areas

Stupid speed limits and enforcement in the name of safety (not), because of revenue.

Cutting on safety (rest areas), because of cost.

Way to go...

Looks like I'll have to start carrying a Porta-Potty in the back of the car.

the McWee-Wee (McDonalds) POI. They're more plentiful and the restrooms are usually cleaner.

They are looking into the possibility of privatizing them (the rest stops that is). But there's a decades old law that prevents them currently from charging for anything more than pay phones and vending machine snacks and drinks.

They will need to change the law so that a private operator would be able to sell more things that would make it profitable to run them.

They are expected, however, to get resistance from the food and fuel retailers at the exits.

The State of Maryland, though, just privatized two of their rest stops and I believe the figure I saw was that they were bringing in $40 million a year. So that's some incentive right there.

Which 2 rest stops?

The article I read did not specify.

Here's a link to the online version of the article.

http://hamptonroads.com/2009/04/antiquated-federal-law-limit...

Note that it will literally take an act of Congress to be able to do this as it is a Federal law that currently prevents the privatization.

That article is not online anymore. See:

http://www.dailypress.com/news/virginia/dp-va--virginiarests...

While it's not universal, I've noticed that Eastern rest areas have commercial vendors providing meals etc. In the West, we are lucky to get a place to park, close our eyes and pee (NO, not at the same time). Some let a local charity serve coffee and accept donations. Not saying either is better, just different.

The Rest Areas on the East Coast that have commercial companies running them are all on toll roads. The non-tolled Interstates and highways are prevented from offering these services by federal legislation - it was part of the Highway Act.

In some states even the ability of local groups to offer "coffee stops" is being stopped due to concerns about someone spilling free coffee in their lap and suing the state "because they allowed it to happen."