INDIANA – The Indiana Department of Transportation has unveiled a comprehensive 10-year strategy aimed at revitalizing interstate rest areas and welcome centers throughout the state.
The plan involves a substantial investment exceeding $600 million, with the goal of upgrading 21 rest areas and welcome centers by 2030.
Truckers noted that rest area parking designed for 48-foot trailers is inadequate for today’s 53-foot trailers, impacting turning radius and overall usability.
The plan will result in more than 1,100 additional semi-trailer parking spaces across the state, benefiting not only truck drivers but also motorists, buses, and recreational vehicles.
INDOT’s improvement efforts will encompass multiple aspects, including buildings, restrooms, water fountains, picnic areas, vending services, and a variety of traveler-related amenities.
INDOT currently operates 17 rest area locations, with 28 separate rest area facilities on Indiana’s interstate highways. Eleven rest area locations have buildings on both sides of the interstate (22 buildings) while eight sites are located on only one side of the interstate.
Each INDOT rest area and welcome center contains parking lots and driveways, various building types, restroom facilities, water fountains, picnic areas, vending services, numerous other site amenities, and a variety of tourism/traveler-related services.
Vending services for INDOT rest areas and welcome centers are provided by the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration division of Blind and Visually Impaired Services in accordance with Indiana Code. Local tourist organizations operate tourist information services through the Indiana Tourism Commission at the welcome centers.
INDOT rest areas and welcome centers have parking areas allotted for buses, tractor-trailer trucks, and recreational vehicles. INDOT rest areas/welcome centers currently have 1,444 semi-truck parking spaces across the state – an average of 48 parking spaces at each facility.
Rest areas/welcome centers are highly regulated by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). Since FHWA funding is used to build rest areas, a number of federal laws govern the use of rest areas. Federal law prohibits the commercialization and privatization of rest areas. Federal law prohibits access to the rest areas/welcome centers from a private business or commercial location as well as access from a local road, either by vehicle or a pedestrian walkway.
