Where is the latest US POI rest area file?

I was sitting at a rest area on the Garden State Parkway in Galloway, NJ and the 255 didn't show a rest area. It is one that has fast food, bathrooms and gas ... maybe it is known as something else by Garmin but nothing shows up as a POI emblem. I don't know if this file has it either but certainly Garmin didn't have it.

The Rest Areas Combined file has had the coordinates modified on the "location" to the entrance of the rest areas. This insures that proximity alarms will activate properly.
The built-in Rest Areas cannot give a Proximity alarm !

Most users set their proximity alarms to 1-2 miles which gives ample warning for a rest area.
I suggest you read the tutorial for the file !

cool thanks, i usually stop when i need gas.

how do you set the proximity alarm to 1-2 miles?

thanks

Run POI Loader in Manual Mode instead of Express Mode and you will be prompted to set whatever alerts you wish.

The Rest Areas Combined POI file has been updated today to Ver.I. The file now has 1983 locations.
15 Additions/Deletion/Corrections were made in 7 states (AL,AR,CA,FL,NJ,OK,WI)
One of the things we are starting to see is closure of Interstate rest areas near the exiting border of states where there is a rest area in the adjoining state within a reasonable distance.

What are you going to do after Ver.Z? Maybe AA, AB, AC... or A1, B1, C1?

Maybe by the time I reach the end of the alphabet I'll have it right !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh, you've got it right!!! Its just that the states keep messin' with you.

Great job, but one suggestion: Every time you change the filename, it forces the users to change the icon filename (and of the mp3 filename if present) or, alternatively, to change the POI filename itself by removing the version info. I recommend that you keep the version number/letter out of the filename. The "modified date" in file properties is enough to make sure it is the most recent file. Most other POI files do it that way.

The rest areas in Indiana on US 30 near Arcola IN (west of Fort Wayne) are closed as of 1/31/09. No reason given. I do know that the state is in the process of closing down several rest areas.

Will do the research and make any changes to the Master file as necessary. Since I just updated file at POI Factory today it'll be a few weeks before any further update is made re: Indiana Rest Areas.

I'm sorry but since this file is being maintained by me as a volunteer, I prefer to have the revision level in the title as it helps me to keep track. There are almost 2000 locations in the file and users send me inputs quite often so knowing which revision they are using helps me.
I personally do not mind changing a file title name by altering a letter or simply removing part of the file name. I have to do it everytime I use POI Verifier to check the file.
I'm afraid you will just have to suffer thru modifying the file name or not use the file.

Thanks EagleOne - following is excerpt from newspaper in Indiana
"The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) plans to close the I-69 southbound Flat Creek rest park at mile marker 92 and both US 30 east and westbound Arcola rest areas at mile marker 123. The closures will occur in mid January."
Will be removed from Master File for next update.

The "Rest Areas Combined" POI file has been updated to Version J on 2/26/2009

There are 45 changes in this revision in 7 states (CA,CO,IN,MD,NC,OH,WA).
This brings the total "locations" to 2004 !

A new category is being added to the info.
When Trucks are not allowed to use a Rest Area or other location I will try to put (NT) in front of the info.

Just wanted to get this update in on my anniversary week. Been a member of this fine community for 2 years this week.

Stay safe !

MrKenFL

Thanks for your great work!

Thanks for your hard work, MrKenFL!

Congrats and may you continue to be a member many more years.

My wife thanks you for all your hard work.

This is the first POI I have loaded and it is so useful to us on our trips. Thanks for taking the time to volunteer and put this information together.

Gee, I may be out of business (Rest Area Combined File) if this keeps up.

Excerp from the Roanoke (VA) Times today:

"Residents and state lawmakers urged state highway leaders Tuesday to reconsider a proposal to close more than half of the interstate rest areas in Virginia, saying they are too valuable to barricade.

Officials spent more than two hours hearing public opposition to a plan announced last month to close 25 of 41 rest areas as part of a massive cost-cutting effort. In addition, officials are devising plans -- also unpopular -- to reduce highway department offices, roadside mowing and safety service patrol services after July 1. Construction and staff cuts are already under way, all in response to the downward economy."

As part of this, it is my understanding that they are thinking of closing 11 out of 14 Rest Areas on I-81 in VA.

Sad ! (And dangerous)

The Rest Areas Combined POI file has been updated on 3/30/2009 to Version K.
This update includes 16 additions/deletion/corrections in 5 states (AZ, FL, KS, ME, NC).
This brings the total number of coordinates to 2009.
(not a typo)

Starting in June, I will start going thru each state, probably 2-3 per month, to re-verify each location's coordinates and to add as many Rest Areas as possible on roadways other than Interstates.

Before that, I will be heading out on a 7000 mile driving trip thru 24 states. I'm sure I will have changes to make after that trip. I will be in contact via my laptop but with limited total access.

EDIT:

Mea Culpa

I forgot to include the updated file on the first upload - sorry for any inconvenience.

Corrected now !

I appreciate your help. This is important when one travels long distance.

The Rest Areas Combined POI file has been updated to Version L on 4/20/09.
The file now contains 2024 entries. 28 changes were made in 8 states (AZ, KS, MI, NM, NY, OK, VT, WI).
Included in this count were 18 additions.
The reason this is being issued early is that we are heading out shortly on an extended driving trip and I wanted to get this update out before we left.

I will go download it now.

So, I should replace my old REST AREA file, that I have had for about a year, with this new one?

Only if you want to have 400 or so changes to the file that have been made in the past year !
The file has been updated monthly in that time frame !

Version M of the Rest Areas Combined POI file has been uploaded as of 6/1/09.

There were about 36 changes made which increased the total locations to 2053.

Locations in 11 states were effected,
AL, IN, LA, MO, NC, NH, NM, NY, OH, TX & VA

MrKenFL - you're running out of version letters. Hope you're working on a "modified" version scheme.

Seriously though, thanks for all the hard work you put into keeping this file updated. We all appreciate it - I know I do

Version N of the Rest Areas Combined POI file has been uploaded as of 6/29/09.

There were 14 changes made which increased the total locations to 2060.

Locations in 4 states were effected,
MS, NC, OK, TX

Deleted -- I was looking at rev M

I downloaded Version M for my daughter to use on a trip from Winnipeg, MB to East Troy, WI. I loaned her my GPS and she has not used one before.

She said it worked well to St. Cloud, MN. After that following I-94 she said it missed two or three Rest Areas and that also some new ones were being built.

She is not aware of how to check them or mark them so this is the best information I can give at the moment.

Thank you for the continuing updates. H.

I will recheck I-94 Rest Areas before next update .

Thanks for the input !

MrKen - Don't know if you saw this news item, but Virginia is closing half its rest areas, effective July 21. Here is a link which lists the areas to be closed.

http://www.myfoxdc.com/dpp/news/local/070609_virginia_to_clo...

Thanks Gary,

I was aware they were considering closing a lot of areas but not this large. I had mentioned much earlier that they were considering closing 12 on I-81 alone but I guess public outcry tempered some of that !
It's too bad - $9-10M out of billion dollar state budgets seems to be a ---hole in a snowdrift, especially with all the "Stimulus" $$$$$$ floating around. And what about the people that staff and maintain these areas - more unemployment.
And what about the safety concerns with tired drivers, especially the truckers.

I'll input all the changes before the next update.

The Combined Rest area file will be updated very shortly today to Ver.O
There are 82 significant changes which include 24 additions, 21 deletions (closures), and 37 corrections. These effect 10 states (AR, CA, CO, ID, ME, MN, NH, OK, VA, WI). CA & VA(closures) had the greatest number of changes.
The corrections are typically updating the status of existing Rest Areas that have been closed, or have closed, for renovation or repairs. These locations are not removed from the file since must closures are temporary but are simply shown as closed. The corrections may also just be that changes have been made to the listed facilities available at a rest area.
In additions MANY changes have been made to location coordinates to separate opposing direction rest areas to minimize extra alerts.
The changes in this update (Ver.O) bring the number of locations to 2063.

I'm going on a couple of road trips next month, so this will ve very handy. Thanks for your hard work!

Just FYI, VA and AAA and someone else are working trying to keep those rest areas open, or get them opened, so adding a note to those that they are closed will be advantageous.

Hopefully we can get them reopended by a private contractor.

Edit: just heard on the news that only 18 are closing tomorrow. The official list of closings is here:
http://virginiadot.org/newsroom/statewide/2009/rest_area_clo...

I had the official list from VA DOT and the 17 that are closing tomorrow are removed from Ver.O of the Rest Areas Combined file which was put on POI Factory today. The 18th Rest Area isn't scheduled to be closed until after Labor Day.

Good deal. I had heard first it was 21 to close, then 18, less 1. Apparently I was hearing wrong, they were to close 18 on the 21st.

these rest areas files are great. thanks for compiling to all.

I am updating the Rest Areas Combined file to Ver. P a few days early as it is quite a large update and I wanted to get it out prior to people heading back to college, taking their kids to college etc. etc. etc.

Anyway, this update includes over 125 significant changes plus an additional 200 plus sets of coordinates were finessed for increased accuracy.
There are 47 additions, 7 deletions and over 75 corrections made to the file in 10 states. The states are AL, AR, CO, GA, IA, ID, IN, KY, NJ, TX.

With this update I have completed going thru 5 states completely again to try to add ALL Rest Areas for Interstate, US, State, County Roads. I hope to complete this effort on an additional 2-3
states per month.

All users who submitted inputs have been thanked individually.

What a monumental task! Thanks for all your hard work!!

Your hard work is appreciated!

This is a great file and there is a lot of hard work behind it.

The Rest Areas Combined POI file has been updated to Version Q. The changes bring the total locations to 2107.
There were 8 additions, 4 deletions and 7 corrections which involved 7 states (AL, CO, CT, KY, NJ, TN, TX).

I was unable to go thru detailed analysis of any additional states this month. I hope to get back on track next month.

As always - this update was run thru POI Verifier II before submittal.

All users who submitted inputs were thanked individually !

When you load this new csv file version on your unit, remember to also change your icon filename to RestAreasCombined(Ver.Q).bmp

The "Rest Areas Combined" POI File has been updated to Ver. R
There are 26 additions/deletions/corrections to the file involving 5 states. (AZ, DE, FL, MO, OH)
The total count has deceased by 1 Rest Area but this is a little deceiving.
The majority of the corrections were made with AZ Rest Areas where AZ DOT says they are "temporarily"
closing a large number of areas. I have changed the wording in the File for these Rest Areas to "TEMP CLOSED-REST AREA............. ".
When is this insanity going to stop?
They say "Oh it's OK - you can use the MacDonalds or little Gas Station right off the Highway. I'm sure these facilties will like 15-20 Tractor Trailers parked in their lot and/or cars parking for resting purposes.
IMHO, a dangerous situation is developing where drivers will drive without the opportunity to take little Power Naps - this is especially true with the truckers.
Sorry, but I had to vent !

Looks like the new governor of Virginia has pledged to re-open all or most of the closed rest areas as soon as he takes office. This was a bad decision on the part of the existing governor to close them. Glad to see someone with a little common sense.

If you hear or see anymore on this subject please post info or send to my contact e-mail.

Would really appreciate that.

MrKenFL