Diners, Fuel Pumps Eyed for Interstate Rest Stops
Federal law now prohibits commercial activity at interstate rest stops. But acting at the request of state transportation officials, Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-Redlands) is pushing a pilot program that would allow gas stations and burger joints to open at some rest areas in California.
“Many of California’s rest stops are in such disrepair that drivers avoid them as unsanitary and unsafe,” Lewis said. “I believe the state should do what it can to fix this problem, and this pilot program should show whether it is feasible to turn these duties over to private vendors in exchange for doing some business there.”
The move has attracted opposition from the National Assn. of Truck Stop Owners, which represents more than 1,100 businesses. It has mobilized to keep the nation’s interstates gas- and burger-free.
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