Please help improve this article or section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion. This article has been tagged since April 2007.

Rest area on northbound Interstate 81 at milepost 262 in Rockingham County, Virginia.

A rest area, travel plaza, rest stop, or service area is a public facility, located next to a large thoroughfare such as a highway or expressway, at which drivers and passengers can refuel, eat, and rest. Other names include rest and service area (RSA), service station, resto, service plaza, and service centre. Facilities include park-like areas, fuel stations, restrooms, and restaurants. Rest areas are common in the United States, Canada, Australia and parts of Europe and Asia. Image File history File links Wiki_letter_w. ... Rest Stop is a 2006 horror film, scheduled to be released direct-to-video on October 17, 2006. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2272x1704, 796 KB) File links The following pages link to this file: Rest area ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2272x1704, 796 KB) File links The following pages link to this file: Rest area ... Interstate 81 (abbreviated I-81) is an interstate highway in the eastern part of the United States. ... Location in the state of Virginia Formed 1778 Seat Harrisonburg Area  - Total  - Water 2,210 km² (853 mi²) 6 km² (2 mi²) 0. ... This article or section cites very few or no references or sources. ... A typical expressway in Santa Clara County, California. ... An Australian park A park is any of a number of geographic features. ... Fuel Stations are points at which vehicles operating on gasoline, diesel, natural gas, or hydrogen can stop at in order to refuel. ... Flush toilet A toilet is a plumbing fixture devised for the disposal of bodily wastes, including urine, feces, menses and vomit. ... Toms Restaurant, a restaurant in New York made familiar by Suzanne Vega and the television sitcom Seinfeld A restaurant is an establishment that serves prepared food and beverages to order, to be consumed on the premises. ... World map showing the location of Europe. ... World map showing the location of Asia. ...

General information

Generally, the standards and upkeep of rest areas facilities vary. Rest areas also have parking areas allotted for buses, tractor-trailer trucks (big rigs) and recreational vehicles (RVs). Underground parking garage at the University of Minnesota. ... A Go North East bus parked in a lay-by in Tyne and Wear, England An articulated bus (or bendibus) operated by the CTA in Chicago, Illinois, USA. A bus is a large road vehicle designed to carry numerous passengers in addition to the driver and sometimes a conductor. ... semi-trailer truck with sleeper behind the cab. ... A camper built on a light truck chassis. ...

Many government-run rest areas tend to be located in remote and rural areas where there are practically no fast food or full-service restaurants, gas stations, motels, and other traveler services nearby. The location of rest areas are usually marked by a sign on the highway; for example, a sign may read "Next Rest Stop - 10 Kilometres". Sign in a rural area in Dalarna, Sweden Qichun, a rural town in Hubei province, China An artists rendering of an aerial view of the Maryland countryside: Jane Frank (Jane Schenthal Frank, 1918-1986), Aerial Series: Ploughed Fields, Maryland, 1974, acrylic and mixed materials on apertured double canvas, 52... Fast food is food prepared and served quickly at a fast-food restaurant or shop at low cost. ... Toms Restaurant, a restaurant in New York made familiar by Suzanne Vega and the television sitcom Seinfeld A restaurant is an establishment that serves prepared food and beverages to order, to be consumed on the premises. ...

Driving information is usually available at these locations, such as posted maps and other local information. Some rest areas have visitor information centers or highway patrol or state trooper stations with staff on duty. There might also be drinking fountains, vending machines, pay telephones, a gas station, a restaurant or a convenience store at a rest area. Many rest areas have picnic areas. Rest areas tend to have traveler information in the form of so-called "exit guides", which often contain very basic maps and advertisements for motels and tourist attractions. A map is a simplified depiction of a space which highlights relations between components (objects, regions) of that space. ... A highway patrol is either a police agency created primarily for the purpose of overseeing and enforcing traffic safety compliance on roads and highways, such as the California Highway Patrol, or a detail within an existing local or regional police agency that is primarily concerned with such duties, such as... ... The Jet dEau fountain in Lake Geneva in Geneva The Samson fountain at Peterhof near St Petersburg: the lion is the heraldic animal of Peter the Greats enemy, Sweden A traditional fountain is an arrangement where water issues from a source (Latin fons), fills a basin of some... A vending machine is a machine that provides various snacks, beverages and other products to consumers. ... The telephone is a telecommunications device which is used to transmit and receive sound (most commonly speech) across distance. ... Modern gas station A filling station, gas station or petrol station is a facility that sells fuel for road motor vehicles – usually petrol (US: gas/gasoline), diesel fuel and LPG. The term gas station is mostly particular to the United States of America and Canada, where petrol is known... Toms Restaurant, a restaurant in New York made familiar by Suzanne Vega and the television sitcom Seinfeld A restaurant is an establishment that serves prepared food and beverages to order, to be consumed on the premises. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Friends and family gather for a picnic in a public park in Columbus, Ohio, c. ... Holiday Inn Great Sign Exterior of a Howard Johnsons motor lodge. ... A tourist attraction is a place of interest where tourists visit. ...

Privatized commercial rest areas may take a form of a large service center complete with a gas station (or petrol station in Britain) , arcade video games and recreation center, and fast food restaurant, cafeteria, or food court all under one roof immediately adjacent to the freeway. Some even offer business services, such as ATMs, fax machines, office cubicles and internet access. Modern gas station A filling station, gas station or petrol station is a facility that sells fuel for road motor vehicles – usually petrol (US: gas/gasoline), diesel fuel and LPG. The term gas station is mostly particular to the United States of America and Canada, where petrol is known... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Centipede by Atari is a typical example of a 1980s era arcade game. ... This article needs cleanup. ... One of a number of cafeterias at Electronic City campus, Infosys Technologies Ltd. ... Food court at the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City in Arlington, Virginia. ... Outdoor ATMs may be free-standing, like this kiosk, or built into the side of banks or other buildings An automatic teller machine, automated teller machine (ATM) or cash machine is an electronic device that allows a banks customers to make cash withdrawals and check their account balances without... A Samsung fax machine Fax (short for facsimile, from Latin fac simile, make similar, i. ... A cubicle desk forms an integral whole with the five or six foot high partitions that separate it from the neighbors. ...

Safety issues

Many rest areas have the reputations of being unsafe with regard to crime, especially at night, since they are situated in remote areas. California's policy is to maintain existing public rest areas, but no longer build new ones due to the cost and difficulty of keeping them safe.^{[citation needed]}

North America

United States

California "NO SOLICITING" rest area sign.

In the United States, rest areas are typically non-commercial facilities that provide parking, restrooms and, occasionally, vending machines. Some may have information kiosks and picnic areas but they rarely have anything else. They are maintained and funded by the Departments of Transportation of the state governments. For example, rest areas in California are maintained by Caltrans. An exception to the typical rest stop in the US is in the eastern half of the country, particularly along toll roads, where some "rest stops" are more like commercial travel plazas than the spartan rest stops one finds along most highways. Image File history File links Unbalanced_scales. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... The Department of Transportation (DOT) is the most common name for a government agency in North America devoted to transportation. ... A state government is the government of a subnational entity in nation-states with federal forms of government, which shares political power with the federal government or national government. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ... Caltrans logo The soaring ramps in the stack interchanges favored by Caltrans often provide stunning views. ...

Rest stops are usually specifically designed to not compete with nearby travel-related businesses. In fact, rest stops are rarely built near urban areas where ample parking and restrooms can be found at local restaurants and other businesses (A rest stop near Jean, Nevada was removed after a casino complex that provided free truck parking opened a short distance away). Some states, like California, have laws explicitly prohibiting leasing space to businesses at rest stops.^[1] A federal statute passed by Congress also prohibits states from allowing private businesses to occupy rest areas along Interstate highways. The relevant clause of 23 U.S.C. § 111 states: Jean is a small community that is located on I-15 about 5 miles from the Nevada-California state line. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ... The United States Code (U.S.C.) is a compilation and codification of the general and permanent federal law of the United States. ...

The State will not permit automotive service stations or other commercial establishments for serving motor vehicle users to be constructed or located on the rights-of-way of the Interstate System.

The original reason for this clause was to protect innumerable small towns whose survival depended upon providing roadside services; because of it, private truck stops and travel plazas have blossomed into a $171 billion industry in the United States.^[2] The clause was immediately followed by an exception for facilities constructed prior to January 1, 1960, many of which continue to exist as explained further below. January 1 is the first day of the calendar year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. ... 1960 (MCMLX) was a leap year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1960 calendar). ...

Therefore, the standard practice is that private businesses must buy up land near existing exits and build their own facilities to serve travelers. Such facilities often have signs several hundred feet tall that can be seen from several miles away (so that travelers have adequate time to make a decision). Real property is a legal term encompassing real estate and ownership interests in real estate (immovable property). ... High-capacity freeway interchange in Los Angeles, California. ...

In turn, it is somewhat harder to visit such private facilities, because one has to first exit the freeway and navigate through several intersections to reach a desired restaurant's parking lot, rather than exit directly into a rest area's parking lot.

Example of blue guide sign indicating services available at next exit, near Reno, Nevada.

Special blue signs indicating gas, food, lodging, camping and attractions at an exit can be found on most freeways in North America. Private businesses are permitted to add their logos to these signs by paying the government a small fee. Image File history File links Americanexitservicessigns. ... Image File history File links Americanexitservicessigns. ... City nickname: The Biggest Little City in the World Founded May 9, 1868 County Washoe County Mayor Bob Cashell Area  - Total  - Land  - Water 179. ...

Attempts to remove the federal ban on privatized rest areas have been generally unsuccessful, due to resistance from existing businesses that have already made enormous capital investments in their existing locations.^[3]

For example, in 2003, President George W. Bush's federal highway funding reauthorization bill contained a clause allowing states to start experimenting with privatized rest areas on Interstate highways. The clause was fiercely resisted by the National Association of Truck Stop Owners (NATSO), which argued that allowing such rest areas would shift revenue to state governments (in the form of lease payments) that would have gone to local governments (in the form of property and sales taxes).^[4] NATSO also argued that by destroying private commercial truck stops, the bill would result in an epidemic of drowsy truck drivers, since such stops currently provide about 90% of the parking spaces used by American truck drivers while in transit. George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the 43rd and current President of the United States, inaugurated on January 20, 2001. ... The National Association of Truck Stop Owners (NATSO) is a Washington-based trade association of 1200 members belonging to the travel plaza and truckstop industries. ...

Welcome centers

A type of rest area often located near state borders in the United States is sometimes called a welcome center. Welcome centers tend to be larger than a regular rest area, and typically to have an employee on hand to provide travel information during peak travel times. Also, some welcome centers contain a small museum or display of information about the state. Because air travel has made it possible to enter and leave many states without crossing the state line at ground level, some states, like California, also have official welcome centers inside major cities far from their state borders, often at airports. A visitor center is a place where visitors to a location can get information on the areas attractions, lodging, maps, and other items relevant to tourism. ... The Louvre Museum in Paris, one of the largest and most famous museums in the world. ...

Exceptions

The Highway Oasis near Belvidere, Illinois.

Entering and exiting a toll road for traveler's services is probematic. For this reason, "rest stops" on turnpikes are often commercialized travel centers providing gas, restaurants and shops as well as parking and restrooms, even when such businesses are nearby off the toll road. This way there is no need for tracking who has already paid the toll when re-entering the toll road after visiting a roadside business, etc. The Florida's Turnpike is a major example of this, with private food and gas companies at rest stops. It should be noted that Florida's Turnpike is a state highway, not an interstate. Other examples are the Tollway oases found along toll roads in northeast Illinois. Nearly all of these rest areas are built on top of a bridge over the highway, and they are full service rest stops. One highway oasis is built alongside the highway instead of over it. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Belvidere is a city in Boone County, Illinois, United States. ... Floridas Turnpike is a toll road that runs 312 miles (497 km) down the Florida peninsula through 11 counties, from US 1 in Florida City to Interstate 75 at Wildwood. ... The Belvidere Oasis An Illinois Tollway oasis is a type of service plaza that is found along interstate highways that are toll roads in Illinois. ...

The John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway through Maryland and Delaware, the Massachusetts Turnpike, Oklahoma's various turnpikes, New York State Thruway, Pennsylvania Turnpike, New Jersey Turnpike, Garden State Parkway, Ohio Turnpike, Indiana Toll Road, West Virginia Turnpike, Kansas Turnpike, Connecticut Turnpike, Merritt Parkway through Connecticut and Maine Turnpike also have rest areas with extensive services. These roads share their toll road nature and the service areas allow motorists to eat and fuel their vehicles without having to exit the highway and pay tolls. The John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway (also known as JFK Memorial Highway) is a 50-mile section of Interstate 95 traversing northeastern Maryland from the northern Baltimore City line to the Delaware State line where it meets the Delaware Turnpike. ... Official language(s) None (English, de facto) Capital Annapolis Largest city Baltimore Area  Ranked 42nd  - Total 12,407 sq mi (32,133 km²)  - Width 90 miles (145 km)  - Length 249 miles (400 km)  - % water 21  - Latitude 37°53N to 39°43N  - Longitude 75°4W to 79°33... Official language(s) None Capital Dover Largest city Wilmington Area  Ranked 49th  - Total 2,491 sq mi (6,452 km²)  - Width 30 miles (48 km)  - Length 100 miles (161 km)  - % water 21. ... View of the Turnpike from an overpass by Boston University, facing east (towards central Boston). ... The New York State Thruway (officially the Governor Thomas E. Dewey Thruway) is a limited-access toll highway in the U.S. state of New York. ... This Pennsylvania state route article needs to be cleaned up to conform to both a higher standard of article quality and accepted design standards outlined in the WikiProject Pennsylvania State Highways. ... The New Jersey Turnpike is a toll road in New Jersey and is one of the most heavily traveled highways in the United States. ... The Garden State Parkway is a 174. ... The westbound Ohio Turnpike The Ohio Turnpike (officially the James W. Shocknessy Ohio Turnpike) is a publicly-built toll east-west expressway across northern Ohio. ... Indiana Toll Road Length: 156. ... The West Virginia Turnpike is a toll road in the US state of West Virginia. ... The Kansas Turnpike is a tolled freeway that lies entirely within the U.S. state of Kansas. ... The Connecticut Turnpike, more currently known as the Governor John Davis Lodge Turnpike, is a freeway in Connecticut that runs from Byram to South Killingly. ... Merritt Parkway in autumn. ... It has been suggested that this article be split into multiple articles. ... The Maine Turnpike runs from Kittery to Augusta and is a toll road for all of its length except for a short section in Kittery and York. ...

Some states, such as Ohio, allow nonprofit organizations to run a concession trailer at rest areas offering limited food options. Official language(s) None Capital Columbus Largest city Columbus Largest metro area Cleveland Area  Ranked 34th  - Total 44,825 sq mi (116,096 km²)  - Width 220 miles (355 km)  - Length 220 miles (355 km)  - % water 8. ...

Canada

Most of the service centers in Canada are situated in the provinces of Ontario and Quebec, along their 400-Series and Quebec Autoroute networks. Motto: Ut Incepit Fidelis Sic Permanet (Latin: Loyal she began, loyal she remains) Capital Toronto Largest city Toronto Official languages English Government - Lieutenant-Governor James K. Bartleman - Premier Dalton McGuinty (Liberal) Federal representation in Canadian Parliament - House seats 106 - Senate seats 24 Confederation July 1, 1867 (1st) Area Ranked 4th... Motto: Je me souviens (French: I remember) Capital Quebec City Largest city Montreal Official languages French Government - Lieutenant-Governor Lise Thibault - Premier Jean Charest (PLQ) Federal representation in Canadian Parliament - House seats 75 - Senate seats 24 Confederation July 1, 1867 (1st) Area Ranked 2nd - Total 1,542,056 km² - Water... The 400-series Highway network in Southern Ontario. ... The Autoroute system in the province of Quebec, Canada, is a network of expressways which operate under the same principle of controlled access as the Interstate Highway System in the United States or the 400-Series Highways in neighbouring Ontario. ...

Ontario

The service centers for Highway 401 were mostly built around 1962. Two more service centers (for eastbound and westbound) were added between Cambridge and Guelph in 1989. In 1993-94, two were placed at the ends of the Greater Toronto Area with one serving eastbound traffic in Mississauga and another for westbound traffic just outside Oshawa; this was to allow travelers to relieve themselves before encountering expected traffic jams inside the heart of the GTA. The Mississauga travel center was closed on September 30, 2006.[4] There are currently no more planned to be constructed. Highway 401 (named the Macdonald-Cartier Freeway and The Kings Highway No. ... 1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar). ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Two (along Highway 400, just south of Barrie, Ontario) are planned to be torn down when the freeway is widened around 2008-2009, and another service station at Cookstown has since been expanded into an outlet mall. Highway 400 as part of the 400-series network The Kings Highway 400, more commonly known as Highway 400 or the 400, is a key north-south 400-Series Highway linking Toronto to Central and Northern Ontario. ... Motto: The People are the City, Barrie Means Business (advertising campaign) Location of Barrie, Ontario Coordinates: Country Canada Province Ontario Established (town) 1837 Established (city) 1853 Government  - Mayor Dave Aspden  - Council Barrie City Council  - MPP Joe Tascona (PCO)  - MP Patrick Brown (CPC) Elevation 76 m (249. ... 2008 (MMVIII) will be a leap year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2009 (MMIX) will be a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Cookstown Town in south central Ontario, about 80 km north of Toronto via the Highway 400. ...

Highway 417 has a pair of service centers near Highway 34. Highway 417 as part of the 400-series network Highway 417 is a 400-Series Highway in Ontario. ... Highway 34 is a highway in eastern Ontario which travels south from Hawkesbury to join Highway 417 south of Vankleek Hill. ...

The service centers in Ontario have private restaurants and establishments. Most of them used to be independently operated; however during the early 1990s they were taken over by major chains such as Wendy's, Tim Horton's, Mr. Sub, and Nicholby's Express convenience stores (there are few McDonald's, while Burger King used to be at the Woodstock before the service station was rebuilt). They also have gas stations (most commonly Esso, followed by Shell, and less commonly Petro-Canada), washrooms, picnic areas, vending machines, and arcade games. For the Australian ice cream chain, see Wendys Supa Sundaes. ... Tim Hortons (written without an apostrophe) is the largest coffee and doughnut chain in Canada. ... Mr. ... McDonalds Corporation (NYSE: MCD) is the worlds largest chain of fast-food restaurants, primarily selling hamburgers, chicken, french fries, milkshakes and soft drinks. ... Burger King (often abbreviated to BK) is a large international chain of fast food restaurants, predominantly selling burgers, french fries, soft drinks, desserts, and various sandwiches. ... Modern gas station A filling station, gas station or petrol station is a facility that sells fuel for road motor vehicles – usually petrol (US: gas/gasoline), diesel fuel and LPG. The term gas station is mostly particular to the United States of America and Canada, where petrol is known... An Esso Station in Stabekk, Norway An Esso-branded service station, with On the Run convenience store, in Kanata, Ontario. ... Petro-Canada is a Canadian oil and gas firm headquartered in Calgary, Alberta. ... A vending machine is a machine that provides various snacks, beverages and other products to consumers. ... Centipede by Atari is a typical example of a 1980s era arcade game. ...

Reese's Corner at the intersection of Highway 21 South and Highway 7 is often considered a service centre; even since Highway 7 was bypassed by the freeway Highway 402, 402 travelers can reach it via Exit 25. Lastly, truck inspection stations (which are more frequent than service centres) can be used by travelers. Highway 21 is an Provincial Highway in Ontario, Canada which begins at Highway 402 (Ontario) at the south, to Highways 6 and 26 in Owen Sound at the north. ... The Kings Highway No. ... Highway 402 as part of the 400-series network Highway 402 is a 400-Series Highway in southwestern Ontario, Canada that runs 103 km (64 miles) from the Blue Water Bridge in Point Edward (a suburb of Sarnia) and Highway 401 in London. ... United States A weigh station is a check point located near the borders of most states (and some within states near highway interchanges) in the United States to check freight carrier compliance with fuel tax laws and weight restrictions. ...

Quebec

In Quebec, the service centers are known as restos and are located along their Autoroutes, and many of their provincial highways. Only two have gas stations or restaurants; though most of the remainder have vending machines or canteens. This is a list of highways maintained by the government of Quebec. ...

Alberta

The Province of Alberta also has service centers along the Trans-Canada Highway/Highway 1, and along Highway 2, with a service center along the Northbound carriageway of Highway 2, near Wetaskiwin, and the Southbound service center located in Airdrie. There is also a service center in the town of Valleyview, Alberta, near the village, along Highway 43, near the town, and junction with Highway 49. The Trans-Canada Highway is a federal-provincial highway system that joins all ten provinces of Canada. ... Highway 1 is southern Albertas primary east-west highway. ... 2 Highway 2 is the most important provincial highway in the Canadian province of Alberta. ... Wetaskiwin is also the name of a federal electoral district. ... Airdrie is a city in Alberta, Canada, located just north of Calgary within the Calgary-Edmonton Corridor. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Highway 43 is the main highway stretching from the Yellowhead just directly west of Edmonton to the Alberta/British Columbia provincial border. ... 49 Alberta provincial highway 49 is a short highway located in north western Alberta running north-south from the town of Valleyview to the village of Donnely, then east-west to the British Columbia border, where it is continued by BC Highway 49 to the town of Dawson Creek. ...

British Columbia

British Columbia has many services centers on its provincial roads, particularly along the Yellowhead Highway/Highway 16, the Coquihalla Highway/Highway 5, and on Highway 97C, the first service centers built in the province. One notable curiosity is a service center built along Highway 118: it is a minor road connecting two towns to the Yellowhead Highway (Hwy. 16). The Yellowhead Highway is a major east-west highway connecting the four western Canadian provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. ... British Columbia provincial highway 16 is the B.C. section of the Yellowhead Highway. ... British Columbia provincial highway 5, known locally as the Southern Yellowhead Highway, is a north-south route in the southern part of the province. ... Highway 5, also known as Route 5 and the Southern Yellowhead Highway, is a north-south route in the southern part of British Columbia, Canada. ... British Columbia provincial highway 97C, the Okanagan Connector, forms part of an important link between the Lower Mainland and the Okanagan valley around Kelowna. ... British Columbia provincial highway 118, the Central Babine Lake Highway (signed as Topley Landing Road), is a 50 km-long minor spur of the Yellowhead Highway. ...

Other

The Prairie Provinces (Saskatchewan, Manitoba) have rest stops located along the Trans-Canada Highway (Highway 1, however, they are simply places to rest, or go to the washroom; they are not built to such high standards as the 400-Series Highways of Ontario, or the Interstate Highways of America. Map of the Canadian Prairie provinces, which include boreal forests, taiga, and mountains as well as the prairies (proper). ... Motto: Multis E Gentibus Vires (Latin: From many peoples strength) Capital Regina Largest city Saskatoon Official languages English Government - Lieutenant-Governor Gordon Barnhart - Premier Lorne Calvert (NDP) Federal representation in Canadian Parliament - House seats 14 - Senate seats 6 Confederation September 1, 1905 (Split from NWT) (9th (province)) Area Ranked 7th... Motto: Gloriosus et Liber (Latin: Glorious and free) Capital Winnipeg Largest city Winnipeg Official languages English and French, per mandate of the Constitution Act 1982 Government - Lieutenant-Governor John Harvard - Premier Gary Doer (NDP) Federal representation in Canadian Parliament - House seats 14 - Senate seats 6 Confederation July 15, 1870 (5th... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The 400-series Highway network in Southern Ontario. ... A typical rural stretch of Interstate highway, with two lanes in each direction separated by a large grassy median, and with cross-traffic limited to overpasses and underpasses. ...

Nova Scotia has constructed a small number full-fledged service centers along its 100-Series Highways. Motto: Munit Haec et Altera Vincit(Latin) One defends and the other conquers BC AB SK MB ON QC NB PE NS NL YT NT NU Capital Halifax Largest city Halifax Regional Municipality Official languages English Government - Lieutenant-Governor Mayann E. Francis - Premier Rodney MacDonald (PC) Federal representation in Canadian... The 100-Series Highways of Nova Scotia are a series of expressways, Super-2s, and fully-divided freeways. ...

In New Brunswick, the only rest areas are roadside parks with picnic tables and washrooms operated as a part of the provincial park system, but many have closed due to cutbacks. Occasionally, litter barrels are also found along the side of the road. Motto: Spem reduxit (Hope restored) BC AB SK MB ON QC NB PE NS NL YT NT NU Capital Fredericton Largest city Saint John Official languages English, French (the only constitutionally bilingual province in the country) Government - Lieutenant-Governor Herménégilde Chiasson - Premier Shawn Graham (Liberal) Federal representation in... // Alberta Aspen Beach Provincial Park Beauvais Lake Provincial Park Big Hill Springs Provincial Park Big Knife Provincial Park Bow Valley Provincial Park Calling Lake Provincial Park Carson-Pagasus Provincial Park Chain Lakes Provincial Park Cold Lake Provincial Park Crimson Lake Provincial Park Cross Lake Provincial Park Cypress Hills Provincial Park... A waste container (known more commonly in British English as a dustbin and American English as a trash can) is a container, which is usually made out of metal or plastic. ...

Europe

United Kingdom

Main article: Motorway#Motorway service areas

The term "rest area" is not generally used in the United Kingdom. The most common terms are motorway service areas (MSA), motorway service stations or simply motorway services. As with the rest of the world, these are places where drivers can leave a motorway to refuel, rest, or take refreshments. Almost all the MSA sites in the UK are owned by the Department for Transport and let on 50-year leases to private operating companies. Motorway symbol in UK, France and Ireland. ... In the United Kingdom, the Department for Transport is the government department responsible for the transport network. ...

Lay-bys

The term lay-by is used in the United Kingdom to describe a roadside parking or rest area for drivers. In the U.S. the usual term is turnout. The word turnout can refer to: Voter turnout A railroad switch or point This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ...

Lay-bys can vary in size from a simple parking bay alongside the carriageway sufficient for one car only, to substantial areas that are separated from the carriageway by verges and can accommodate dozens of vehicles.

Lay-bys should be marked by a blue sign with a white letter P on it. There should also be advance warning of lay-bys to give drivers time to slow down safely. In practice, many local authorities neglect to maintain these signs to an adequate degree, and may be missing entirely. YOU SUCK!!!!! ... This article is about the color. ...

Mobile catering is provided in some larger lay-bys. Such vendors operate from converted caravans, trailers or coaches, and generally offer much better value for money than roadside restaurants. As such these tend to be popular with truckers. A travel trailer or caravan is a small trailer in which people can live and travel simultaneously. ... A custom made camper trailer A boat on a trailer The same trailer empty A Trailer is an unpowered vehicle pulled by a powered vehicle. ... // Original meaning and etymology The original meaning of the term coach was: a horse-drawn vehicle designed for the conveyance of more than one passenger — and of mail — and covered for protection from the elements. ... A trucker is a person who is employed as a truck driver (particularly of semi-trailers). ...

Lay-bys are beneficial to road safety as they provide somewhere safe for drivers to stop, whether they wish simply to rest, check directions, make a phone call, stretch their legs, or take refreshments. The field of road safety is concerned with reducing the numbers or the consequences of vehicle crashes, by developing and implementing management systems ideally based in a multidisciplinary and holistic approach, with interrelated activities in a number of fields. ...

Many roads in the United Kingdom do not have sufficient lay-bys and drivers may have to journey for many miles to find one.

Some lay-bys have been closed off by councils because of problems caused by travellers or vagrants.

Some lay-bys have parking restrictions to prevent lorries using them as overnight parking, or as a long term storage area for trailers.

Some motorways that don't have hard shoulders have a lay-by - despite it being illegal to stop on the carriageway of a motorway.

A new version of a lay-by is coming into place. Emergency Refuge Areas (ERAs) are being used on the M42. At rush hour, its new high-tech signs can open the hard shoulder to traffic, and ERAs then operate as lay-bys. They will have cameras so operators can give an arriving vehicle help (if it's broken down, giving them help on joining the road (as there is no-where to build up speed), etc) and the cameras also detect motorists needlessly stopping. They come with a good amount of space away from the carriageway (when the hard shoulder is not in use) and new emergency phones, that as well as a phone have text messaged replies for the hard of hearing, and 8 different languages. For other uses of the term M42, please see M42. ... A hard shoulder or simply shoulder is a reserved area alongside the verge of a road or motorway. ...

Overhead restaurants

The Sungai Buloh Overhead Restaurant on the North-South Expressway Northern Route in Malaysia.

An overhead bridge restaurant (OBR) or overhead restaurant is a special rest area with restaurants above the expressway. Unlike typical laybys and RSAs which are only accessible in one-way direction only, an overhead restaurant is accessible from both directions of the expressway. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1020x665, 152 KB) This image is of a magazine cover, and the copyright for it is most likely owned by either the publisher of the magazine or the individual contributors who worked on the cover depicted. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1020x665, 152 KB) This image is of a magazine cover, and the copyright for it is most likely owned by either the publisher of the magazine or the individual contributors who worked on the cover depicted. ... NSE Northern Route E1 List of Interchange, Layby and rest and service area of NSE northern route (Thailand-Malaysia Border) Duty free complex (Bukit Kayu Hitam Checkpoint) (Bukit Kayu Hitam toll plaza) Changlun Jitra Utara (Jitra toll plaza) Kepala Batas Layby (north bound) Jitra Selatan Kepala Batas Layby (south bound... A typical restaurant in uptown Manhattan A restaurant is an establishment that serves prepared food and beverages to be consumed on the premises. ...

Other countries

Honshu Shikoku contact bridge, a rest station at Big Naruto bridge.

In Malaysia, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia and Turkey, rest areas have prayer rooms (musola) for Muslims travelling more than 90 km (marhalah). Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... A Muslim is a believer in or follower of Islam. ...

In Japanese English, a rest area is called a "parking area". Wasei-eigo (和製英語 wasei eigo, lit. ...

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Rest areas

• Diner
• Lay-by
• Truck stop
• Highway oasis
• Illinois Tollway oasis

Image File history File links Commons-logo. ... The Wikimedia Commons (also called Wikicommons) is a repository of free content images, sound and other multimedia files. ... A diner in Freehold Borough, New Jersey This article is about a type of restaurant. ... The term lay-by is used in the United Kingdom to describe a roadside parking or rest area for drivers. ... A truck stop is an eating establishment, usually located near a busy road, with a large parking area for trucks and other heavy vehicles. ... The Belvidere Oasis A highway oasis is a type of service plaza that is found along interstate highways that are toll roads. ... The Belvidere Oasis An Illinois Tollway oasis is a type of service plaza that is found along interstate highways that are toll roads in Illinois. ...

References

External links

• TAB-MSAs Motorway Services Info
• Motorway Services Trivia website