State highway officials want to shut down the busiest rest stop in the state and let the private sector serve the pit-stop needs of the traveling public.
"There's a big demand for dollars for other things," said John Quick, the Utah Department of Transportation's chief engineer for transportation planning.UDOT planners are recommending razing the aging American Fork rest area, just south of the Exit 279 interchange on I-15. The southbound area has been closed since last month because the septic tank system isn't working, said Merrell Jolley, UDOT Region 3 operations engineer. It will not reopen.
The northbound rest stop will remain open until the Utah Transportation Commission decides whether to close it.
The rest area was built in the 1960s when the now bustling area was rural. Planners say the cost of bringing it up to modern standards would be about $6 million, and that its services are duplicated nowadays by any number of gas stations, restaurants and convenience stores from Spanish Fork to Salt Lake City.
Jolley said the rest areas are old and worn out. Rebuilding the septic tank systems or tying into a sewer system are costly propositions. Also, the rest rooms, picnic tables and grounds are expensive to maintain, he said. The areas are cleaned twice a day seven days a week.
Even though the rest areas are heavily used, Jolley said, they have outlived their usefulness.
UDOT does not count rest-areatraffic, but Quick said the stop is the most-used of the state's roadside rest areas and visitor centers. It is on the most heavily traveled road in Utah. According to UDOT's most recent traffic counts - from 1994 - average daily traffic along I-15 at American Fork is about 68,000 vehicles a day.
Pleasant Grove police were not aware that UDOT wants to blockade the rest areas, but welcome the chance to see them removed from their patrol beats. Pleasant Grove provides police service for Lindon.
"It wouldn't break my heart if they were closed down," said Lt. Tom Paul.
Drug deals, vandalism and sex solicitation routinely occur in the rest areas.
Clint Topham, deputy director of UDOT, said administrators feel there are better ways to spend money as congestion continues to outpace road improvements along the Wasatch Front.
Topham said another argument for closure is the burgeoning commercial development that is steadily occurring along the interstate.
"The discussion going on with (the Utah Transportation Commission) is about whether or not it's appropriate to have rest areas like this where it's become more urban in nature and where those services are available at every interchange."
UDOT is seeking public comments on whether to relocate, refurbish or rebuild the two areas. Suggestions can be made by calling UDOT Region 3 in Orem at 227-8000.