The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) will be closing the bulk of its highway rest areas, effective October 19. With 18 current “pit stops” available, RVers and other snowbirds traveling the Grand Canyon State will soon have but five to choose from. Caught in a budget crisis, ADOT is relying on commercial businesses to take up the slack when the shutdown occurs.
In a brochure released by the agency, ADOT says, “This is a very difficult decision, and ADOT understands this change will not be easy for the traveling public. There are commercial facilities in the vicinity of each rest area that may be utilized by the traveling public desiring to take a break in their travels. We thank everyone for understanding and patience. Please be sure to plan ahead before traveling.”
May heaven help the parents of little children who haven’t quite got the business of planning potty stops down to a science.
This entry was posted on Friday, October 9th, 2009 at 3:18 pm and is filed under Arizona, Rest Areas. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Obviously, as Canadian travelers we don’t and probably should not have any say in what the ADOT feel they must do. However, I want to say that we Canadian travelers (snowbirds alike) have truly appreciated your wonderful rest stops. We’ve been able to pull over in our rig and have a rest, take advantage of the tourist information offered, perhaps use the facilities and meet some great people along the way. We’re very sorry to see them being shut down. A sad sign of the current economic times.
Very sad news and a totally lack of consideration for the travellers who contribute to one of the most important part of Arizona’s economy. Guess just another reason why I now go to TEXAS
Not only does this affect RVers and vacationers but what about all off those commercial rigs out there. This really hits them the hardest. They can not just pull of at just any exit and find a place to park those big rigs. Not every town has the facilitys for the truckers.
Hmmm, oddly enough, the sites that are being closed are near a commercial establishment that pays taxes to the state of Arizona during these tough economic times. Reminds me of an earlier issue where the State of Maine, due to the lobbying efforts of “commercial establishments”, proposed banning of “rest areas” by RV’ers at such places as the parking lots of L.L. Bean in Freeport, Maine. That proposal was defeated.
I was planning to RV from PA to AZ this winter. I will change my plans and return to Florida!