Congress is considering a bill that will allow state rest areas to house restaurants and convenience stores.
The bill was introduced to Congress last week by Jim Banks, Representative of Indiana, and Joe Courtney, Representative of Connecticut
According to Journal Gazette Indiana, not only would allowing private businesses to operate within state rest areas make food and other amenities more convenient to motorists during highway travel, but it could improve the overall infrastructure of the roadways.
“Giving states the option to commercialize rest areas would create a new source of revenue for long-term infrastructure needs and provide drivers with a smoother travel experience,” said Banks. Advocates of the bill claim that providing the states with money for infrastructure improvement could preserve and expand the rest stop parking already available to travelers, especially for truck drivers.
The National Association of Truck Stop Operators, along with other privately owned rest stops, are strongly opposed to the passing of this bill, as they believe that the competition brought on by the bill will force many small, family owned businesses to shut down.
Currently, the law still dictates that the commercialization of any rest stop on an interstate developed after 1956 is prohibited. This law was originally put in place to aid small businesses that depend on highway travel, such as truck stops, restaurants, and convenience stores.
Should the new bill pass, it will give those who spend the most time on the road, such as commercial truckers, significantly more eating and shopping options at state-run rest stops.
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