Win some, lose some

New truck stops continue to pop up across the nation, but the idea of truck parking is not popular in some parts of the country. Below is a roundup of some of the good, the bad and the ugly in the world of truck parking.

Connecticut rest area expands truck parking

The Connecticut Department of Transportation is increasing the number of truck parking spaces at its Middletown rest area on Interstate 91 northbound. There will be 11 additional parking spaces at the rest area. At $3 million, that comes to more than $270,000 per parking spot, but the project also includes provisions for associated drainage, stormwater management, site circulation, site access and site utility modifications.

Texas also expanding truck parking at rest area

Not to be outdone, the Texas Department of Transportation is adding truck parking spaces to both northbound and southbound Interstate 35 rest areas in Salado, which is about halfway between Austin and Waco. More than 100 additional parking spots are included in the project: 52 more spaces northbound (81 total) and 51 at the southbound rest area (80 total).

Onvo travel center opens in Pennsylvania

Onvo’s new store in Pottsville, located off Exit 119 on Interstate 81, is its biggest location so far and includes 36 truck parking spaces. According to C-Store Dive, that’s just the start. Onvo has plans for 80 more parking spots. There are also laundry facilities, three showers and six diesel pumps. The Shenandoah Sentinel points out the travel center is right by a ramp where truckers park despite No Parking signs, so this truck stop is definitely needed.

New Love’s in Colorado will be truckless

Alamosa County Commissioners gave Love’s Travel Stops the green light to move forward with a new location near the U.S. Route 160 and state Route 17 intersection. But there’s a catch: Part of the deal is no overnight truck parking. Adding insult to injury, Love’s agreed to include three overnight RV parking spaces. Essentially, this will be a gas station where trucks are not welcome.

New Love’s in Missouri … with truck parking

A new Love’s Travel Stop has opened in Fredericktown, located at 1500 Highway 72 West, which is right off U.S. Route 67, Exit state Route 72. More than 60 truck parking spaces are included at this location, which also has laundry facilities, four showers, a Cat Scale and five diesel bays.

California county moves forward with travel center

The Yolo County Planning Commission gave its blessing to a large project that includes a truck stop, restaurants, a truck dealership, truck repair, a convenience store, fuel lanes, charging stations, “travel-related retail,” a 60-room motel and, more importantly, overnight truck parking. The 100-acre project will be located off Interstate 5 in Dunnigan, which is about 40 miles north of Sacramento.

Another California county rejects truck stop

Meanwhile in San Benito, county officials have decided not to move forward with a proposal that would have put a truck stop off state Route 129 just south of San Jose.

Although the idea is not popular among residents, there appears to be some controversy within the county’s Board of Supervisors. According to KION, some county officials may not have properly followed procedure, opening the county up for a lawsuit. As of late January, no lawsuit had been filed.

Illinois village blocks TA truck stop

TravelCenters of America decided to pull the plug on a new truck stop in Mahomet after NIMBY resistance and thumbs down from the village’s Planning and Zoning Commission. The project would have created more truck parking along Interstate 74 just west of Champaign. A WCIA report from November suggested there was plenty of support, but a NIMBY petition with 1,000 signatures overrode any positive momentum, prompting TA to wave the white flag.

Amazon ruins it for everybody

Haverhill, Mass., is cracking down on truck parking and has raised fines from $25 to $50 – and it’s because third-party Amazon drivers are parking wherever they want, according to WHAV. Amazon has told drivers where to park, but they park wherever they can. WHAV reported that Amazon is thinking about buying property for a place for drivers to park, which should have been a thing in the first place. Some jurisdictions across the country are thinking about laws requiring a minimum number of truck parking spaces for new industrial developments, and this is exactly why.

NYC officials continue attack on truck parking

New York City has been anti-truck-parking for years, and there is no sign of that calming down anytime soon. Late last year, NYC Councilwoman Nantasha Williams introduced a bill that would limit truck parking in the Big Apple to no more than 90 minutes. Of the 51 council members, 22 have sponsored the bill. Fortunately, it has been sitting in committee for months. Meanwhile, the NYPD conducted a parking enforcement blitz in Staten Island, towing 10 trucks and issuing 10 summonses. The good news is that the NYPD also summonsed and towed an RV habitual offender, so at least the city is being consistent with the rules. LL