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[Mobile]

My wife and I had a real different experince on a recent trip down I 94 each and every rest stop sign eg: next reststop 45miles and when we got up to the

reststop there was a big sign saying it was closed, as we got further down the road the next one was 85 miles, but when we got to it the same sign saying

reststop closed,this was on the July 4th weekend and our Canadian July 1st long weekend ! I do feel that there should have been signs stating that all of the reststops along the interstate were closed. Most travelers would not be aware of this and as many may have to use the toilet it would present a great problem.we went from I 29 at Fargo ND to Maple Grove MN, and each and every one was closed, we caught a newscast and they where saying it was because of the govt cutbacks, and no roadworks,and other cutbacks! As a male I don't have the same problem that a senior or a lady or a family with kids would have. So now you know be prepared ! ! I have a question is this happening in any other states ? ?

from: ( MOBILE ) Winnipeg MB. Canada

[cimmer]

It is happening in Minnesota due to the government not agreeing on a balanced budget. All nonessential government services have been stopped, including all rest stop ran by the state, which is all of them along the interstates. They will not be reopened till the budget is passed, so anyone traveling thru Minnesota should be prepared to use other locations for rest stops.

 

Rick F.

[abnormalwon]

I agree that cutback on non essential services is needed. It seems to me that this could generally be accomplished by simply removing the personal deemed required to 'man' these rest stops, this does not seem to require locking them down. I realize this is probably elderly logic however by leaving the facilities unlocked, 'unmanned', but powered up with water running travelers could stop by and utilize the facilities. This would require putting up signs notifying everyone that the facilities need to be "SELF" maintained so leave it as clean or cleaner than when you got it, plus the state simply adds or maintains the plethora of over priced vending machines and I am fairly sure enough dough will roll in to cover the cost of water and electric. Now I realize there will be a break in period where you will have a good number of slobs out there who will not make the effort to 'self' maintain however this might be a good test of our "American" spirit and ingenuity. Trust me I feel that there are enough of us out there who are willing to step up and be heard if they see lazy bums simply not being responsible.

 

Just my two cents.

[etcswjoe]

I have not used a rest stop in years, I always prefer to pull off and stop at a service station or restaurant just feel safer. I understood the need for rest stops years ago but I think they have past their usefulness. I do like the "Rest stops" in Florida and Illinois that are Oasis, they are privately ran and have Gas, food, etc.

[CaptainJoe]

I quit using them also.

The only reason to stop at one is for their free maps.

Like to take a b-room break, get gas and streech all in one stop, otherwise you just get to stop again in a few minutes..

 

 

[Marcarl]

Just my opinion,,, but if you don't check these areas at least 4 times a day or have someone man them,,,,,, it would be a rats nest and sh*t hole in a matter of 24 hours. The reason rest stops are a clean as they are, is because there is someone to clean things up,,,, not the reason that people don't make it dirty.

[latchkey]

yes , now days their more slobs then we can keep up with. unmaned they go to hell so fast you wouldnt feel safe to stop. theyed become the lowlife hang outs real fast.

[Trader]

plus the state simply adds or maintains the plethora of over priced vending machines and I am fairly sure enough dough will roll in to cover the cost of water and electric.

 

Unattended vending machines would be smashed and all cash and goods stolen within the first 48 hours. The cost of monitering & security measures would be rediculous

 

To man these sites, 24/7 would require 8 people.

2 per shift, so they can have their contracted breaks plus at least one more for relief for holidays.

Even if it was only during daylight hours, you would still need 6 people to man it 16 hours a day.

And of course the state workers would need a full wage, benefits ....I doubt the vending machines would cover all that

 

Now I realize there will be a break in period where you will have a good number of slobs out there who will not make the effort to 'self' maintain however this might be a good test of our "American" spirit and ingenuity..

 

Have you seen the conditions of many public bathrooms? And these are supposedly maintained!!!!!! Human nature in this world is "someone else will do it"

Kids kick over outhouses, paint graffitti, carve messages into wooden structures or worse.

 

This might work in a perfect world....but we aren't there yet! (Check out Dan.2:44)

[Condor]

I've used rest stops for years and have never had a problem like all ths soothsayers are posting here. Back in the '80's I did use one down in Missippippi one time and while in there a couple of black kids snickered at me. After coming out I noticed there were two men's entrances right next to each other and ealized I'd gone into the 'wrong' one....

 

On the closed rest stops. Same thing here in Kalifornia. The family drove down I-5 to Disneyland in SoCal about three weeks ago and ran into the same problem. Closed reststops all the way with no warnings.... Thanks God for truck stops...

[Carbon_One]

I've seen a bunch of rest stops closed for construction going thru Ohio last year but so far on my trips this year they've been open. Seeing as we'll be using I-94 heading to Cody, Wy and back a goodly portion of our trip I'm interested in if they'll still be closed and in what states.

For the most part I've found rests stops in pretty good conditions. The service centers with fuel and food areas are nice thou.

Larry

[IH Truck Guy]

The only rest area open in Minnesota that I know of is the one on Hwy.371 between Little Falls and Brainerd...

The local Chamber of Commerce is manning it to keep it open...

 

On a side note to any truck drivers,it seems as though they have closed the St.Croix scales.Barricaded off.....Due to the budget mess...

Wait,I think I'm shedding a tear....NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[MikeWa]

They (gov) like to cut the things that people will notice and be inconvenienced by. It puts pressure on us to give them more money. As if there would ever be enough. If they (gov) would stop giving our money away in the form of foreign aid I might be more sympathetic. For now I would just like to fire most of congress and the executive branch along with them.

Mike