Rest areas: On the endangered list?

'Jodie' takes a break          Rest Area - Troutsville, Virginia
Photos:  Jill Pixley
 

At the end of my last article, I was driving solo out of Virginia. Before I continue into Tennessee, join me as I make a quick stop into one of the havens of our highway system; the often-overlooked yet much-appreciated Rest Area. Perhaps a rest stop isn't as majestic as the Rocky Mountains or as breathtaking as Niagara Falls, but when you have been driving for hours and need to stretch your legs, use a restroom or just take a break from road fatigue, there is no more welcome sight than the familiar blue and white sign that reads Rest Area - Next Exit.

While rolling south on Hwy 81 in Virginia, my Toyota Camry, Jodie, didn't need gas in her tank or air in her tires. I didn't need food, drink or lodging. I just needed a restroom. So, instead of begging a store clerk for a bathroom key, I pulled my car off the Interstate into a roadside oasis in Troutsville, VA that was simply beautiful. Strong words, I know, for what some might consider a glorified restroom, but this little corner of Troutsville offered so much more; a manicured picnic area with grills, open spaces to walk and rest pets, clean bathrooms in a charming brick building (with incredible turbo-hand dryers that practically peeled the paint off the wall), and maps of the surrounding area.

Rest Area - Cleburne County, Alabama

Sadly, I recently learned that this rest area in Troutsville, along with 17 other rest areas in Virginia, was closed in July 2009, due to budget cutbacks. This action has created controversy on both sides of the road. AAA Mid-Atlantic Motor Club has come out swinging against such closures, citing safety as the primary concern.

Since federal law prohibits franchising these rest areas to private operators if the stops are directly on an interstate highway, even if Virginia wanted to privatize, the law would have to change. And Virginia isn't the only state facing such closures. Colorado, Maine, Vermont and Louisiana have all had closings, and closures in other states are an imminent threat.

Joanna Dowling, a historical consultant whose research focuses on the development of Interstate rest areas and who has created a website for rest area buffs, sees the closings from a cultural perspective. "I think we're talking about mid-20th century transportation heritage. It's the family road trip. It's traveling through the night to get somewhere and having to sleep for three hours in your car. What we're losing is more than roadside bathrooms."

Rest Area - Jackpot, Nevada

Of course, not all rest areas are alike. Some could be rented out for private parties, while others might benefit from the wrecking ball. The Welcome Center in Cleburne Co., Alabama offers rocking chairs on a wrap-around deck, while the site in Jackpot, Nevada sticks to the basics. But, whether five-star or bargain-basement, it is safe to say that these stops are a noteworthy piece of the highway ecosystem both culturally and historically. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the opening of the nation's first rest area in Ohio and this week, the national radio program This American Life dedicates its entire hour-long show to interviews captured in a single day at a single rest stop on the New York State Thruway.

Try doing that at 65 m.p.h.