Virginia Plans Project to Add Truck Rest Areas on Interstates
Virginia will launch a pilot program this month to convert unused state property next to interstate highways into truck-only rest areas, Gov. Bob McDonnell (R) said.
American Trucking Associations and the Virginia Truck Association praised the pilot program in a joint statement, urging other states to consider similar actions.
The first such rest area will open Monday on Interstate 66 in Warren County, the governor said in a statement. The state will run a 90-day pilot program using the rest area, followed by a 60-day evaluation period, during which the rest area will remain open.
The area will be open to trucks at all times during the pilot. It is paved, but there will be no building and no lighting. The governor said turning the lot into truck parking comes at a “minimal cost” to the state.
Pending the results of the initial pilot, Virginia will consider truck-only parking at other sites along interstates.
