Several truck parking projects were included the announcement of some $4.2 billion in federal infrastructure funding. Combined the projects will create 260 new truck parking spaces.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced the funding from two major discretionary grant programs, the National Infrastructure Project Assistance (Mega) grant program and the Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) grant program, both of which have historic levels of funding thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
According to the DOT, a total of 44 projects were selected in this round of funding, including projects that improve safety, mobility, and economic competitiveness, constructing major bridges, expanding port capacity, redesigning interchanges, and more.
Truck parking projects included in the funding are:
- $17.9 Million – Ohio Truck Parking Expansion Project Ohio Department of Transportation Trumbull and Preble Counties. The project will repurpose two closed rest areas as new truck parking facilities; one on I-70 eastbound near New Paris with 100 truck parking spaces, and the other on I-80 eastbound near Hubbard with 38 truck parking spaces. The project will incorporate video surveillance and the parking areas will be incorporated into the Truck Parking Information Management System, providing real-time parking information to drivers.
- $12.5 million – I-43 Safety Rest Areas and Truck Parking Expansions Wisconsin Department of Transportation Manitowoc County. The project will replace both the Rest Area 51 Maribel and Rest Area 52 Denmark facilities along I43 in Manitowoc County, Wisconsin. Each of the sites would include razing and construction of a new rest area building, maintenance garage, and parking lots for both automobiles and trucks. The capacity of truck parking would increase by a total of 72 stalls. Lighting will be replaced throughout both facilities, ingress/egress roadways will be reconstructed to accommodate the addition of truck parking stalls, pavement will be improved, and a substandard beam guard will be removed. Additionally, the project will incorporate the rest areas into the state’s Truck Parking Information Management System.
- $275 million – I-80 East Lane Addition and Shoulder Widening Nevada Department of Transportation Washoe County, Nevada. The project will widen I-80 from Vista Boulevard to USA Parkway between the Reno/Sparks metro area and Tahoe Reno Industrial Center. Improvements include one additional lane in each direction, shoulder widening, bridge reconstruction, new pavement, and ITS facilities.This project will parking create 50 new truck parking spots.
Todd Spencer, president of the Ower-Operator Independent Drivers Association thanked Buttigieg for the funding for funding the projects.
He said, “Lack of safe truck parking has been a top concern of truckers for decades and as a truck driver, I can tell you firsthand that when truckers don’t have a safe place to park, we are put in a no-win situation. We must either continue to drive while fatigued or out of legal driving time, or park in an undesignated and unsafe location like the side of the road or abandoned lot. It forces truck drivers to make a choice between safety and following federal Hours-of-Service rules. OOIDA and the 150,000 small business truckers we represent thank Secretary Buttigieg and the Department for their increased focus on resolving an issue that has plagued our industry for decades.”
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