Vermont plan to close rest areas met with angst

SHARON, Vt. — The state of Vermont's plan to close four highway rest areas in a cost-cutting move is getting a chilly reception from motorists.

"If you don't want us peeing in the woods, you better have some place open for us," said Donna Decoteau, 64, of Worcester, Mass., who stopped for coffee and a break at a rest area on Interstate 89.

Facing a projected $60 million budget gap, the state announced plans Monday to close Interstate 89 rest areas in Highgate, Sharon and Randolph, and an Interstate 91 rest area in Hartford.

Doing so would save about $1 million annually, according to Gerry Myers, commissioner of the state Department of Buildings and General Services.

The move, which was proposed by Gov. Jim Douglas' administration Monday, still has to be approved by Vermont lawmakers. In addition to the impact on motorists, 12 jobs _ 10 of them occupied _ would be eliminated.

For many, the rest stops serve both as places to answer nature's call and sources of information _ about Vermont, its myriad small businesses and attractions, and weather conditions.

With free coffee, free Wi-Fi access, maps of Vermont and wall displays loaded with brochures from ski areas, bed-and-breakfast inns and museums, the rest areas offer more than a toilet to weary travelers.

"Vermont has great rest areas," said Lisa Wagner, 45, of York, Maine, on her way out of the Randolph rest area with a cup of coffee in hand.

The "travel representatives" who staff the buildings from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily serve as both custodians and roadside ambassadors. They clean commodes, give directions and welcome Vermont visitors, among other things.

"They definitely should be kept open," said tractor-trailer driver Wayne Thomas, 60, of Charlestown, N.H., who pulled into the Interstate 89 rest stop in Sharon to use the bathroom Tuesday. "Nothing's worse than seeing somebody on the site of the highway, going to the bathroom. It's embarrassing for a family."

Motorists won't be the only ones affected by the proposed closings. If the Randolph facility closes, motorists seeking a stop in that neck of the woods would likely head to a McDonald's restaurant and Rinker's Mobil, a gas station and convenience store.

"We are going to be hopping. The line for the bathroom will probably be longer than the line for the gas," said Gail Lund, a cashier at Rinker's Mobil.