The Missouri Department of Transportation announced two rest areas will be permanently closed and converted to commercial vehicle parking facilities.
On March 16, the southbound Platte County Interstate 29 rest area in Dearborn, Mo., and the Clinton County Interstate 35 rest area in Clinton, Mo., will be closed to all motorists as work on the facilities begins.
No vehicles will be allowed to park at the facilities until they reopen.
According to MoDOT, the project is expected to be completed by the end of October 2023.
“When truckers can’t find parking off the road, they resort to parking on the interstate access ramps and this creates a safety hazard,” Marty Liles, MoDOT northwest district engineer, said in a news release. “By converting the rest areas to truck parking, we’re able to help meet the needs of commercial vehicles while decreasing the costs associated in the renovation and upkeep of traditional rest areas.”
Emery, Sapp & Sons has been contracted by MoDOT on the $3.8 million project which will include the removal of the rest area buildings and installation of vault toilets, in addition to the truck parking spaces.
The southbound rest areas on Interstate 29 in Platte County and I-35 in Clinton County will be closing permanently on March 16.
The rest areas will be converted into truck parking.
For more information about the upcoming closures: https://t.co/q8dAfMPIrd pic.twitter.com/dAn0rW0VhT— MoDOT Northwest (@ModotNorthwest) March 9, 2023
The MoDOT news release stated that commercial vehicles account for approximately 35% of the annual daily traffic on Missouri interstates. In addition, of the 141 sites near interstates in Missouri, 87 are at or above capacity during peak hours, while 23 are between 80-100% full, said MoDOT.
Throughout the state, MoDOT currently maintains seven welcome centers, 14 rest areas and 24 truck-only parking sites along seven interstates.
Detailed information about the rest areas modification project is available here. LL
