Connecticut rest area buildings closing earlier

Excerpt from the Record Journal. While rest areas in Southington and Wallingford will remain open for parking, the buildings are now closing earlier, to the dismay of some truck drivers. In July, the state Department of Transportation announced six highway rest area buildings, including those in Southington and Wallingford, would be open on shortened schedules…

truck-rest-area-parking

Excerpt from the Record Journal.

While rest areas in Southington and Wallingford will remain open for parking, the buildings are now closing earlier, to the dismay of some truck drivers.

In July, the state Department of Transportation announced six highway rest area buildings, including those in Southington and Wallingford, would be open on shortened schedules from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day beginning on Sept. 30. The shortened hours are expected to save the state about $2 million a year.

While building hours are shorter, motorists are still permitted to park at the rest areas at any time. In February, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy proposed closing the Southington and Willington rest areas on Interstate 84. The proposal did not pass.

The Southington rest area building has bathrooms and vending machines. Portable toilets were outside the building Tuesday.

Joe Sculley, president of the Motor Transport Association of Connecticut, said the decision is “not ideal, but it’s better than other alternatives.”

“It was definitely better than what was initially proposed,” Sculley said. “The fact that they will all still be accessible for drivers to pull in, park, and sleep, that is definitely good that the DOT was able to work that out.”

Read the full article.

Posted in