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AMES, Iowa – The Iowa Department of Transportation has released its long-term plans for the state’s rest areas system and it includes closing some sites while upgrading others.

The plan calls for the DOT to spend just over $100 million in the next 30 years.

The DOT says it has been gathering data for the plan since 2012, when an initial management study was done. In 2016 the DOT found the most recent data gathered was consistent from 2012’s study and began formulating recommendations.

The DOT took into consideration surveys from those who use the rest area facilities, traffic counts, parking utilization, and other public input from online public meetings and social media comments. It also considered the cost to upgrade and maintain the rest areas, some of which have been in operation for 50 years or more.

In 2019 the DOT used all of the information and data collected to formulate the plans for the future of Iowa’s rest areas. The DOT is now proposing the closure of eight full-service sites and 10 parking only sites, while also planning to make upgrades and expand at 12 other currently existing sites.

The final recommendations include having 30 of the 38 existing full-service rest areas stay open, with upgrades coming to 12 of the older sites before 2033.

The full-service and parking-only rest areas being closed will remain open until the end of their usable lives, says the DOT, which will be before 2028.

While the changes and upgrades mean a loss of truck parking sites at some locations, the DOT says the plan will add 247 truck parking spots throughout the system.

The recommended closings are:

I-29

• Missouri Valley NB Rest Area
• Missouri Valley SB Rest Area
• Mondamin NB Parking Only
• Mondamin SB Parking Only
• Salix NB Parking Only
• Sergeant Bluff Nb Rest Area
• Sergeant Bluff SB Rest Area

I-35

• Osceola SB Parking Only
• St. Charles SB Parking Only
• St. Charles NB Parking Only
• Huxley SB Parking Only(already removed, consistent with the DOT Rest Area Plan)
• Story City SB Rest Area (Potential Closure)
• Story City NB Rest area
• Story County SB Overlook Parking Only
• Northwood NB Parking Only

I-80

• Avoca EB Parking Only

I-880

• Loveland EB Rest Area
• Loveland WB Rest Area

The DOT says though the southbound Story City rest area is included as a proposed closure, because it was recently constructed it will remain open through 2049 or later and plans for closure will be re-evaluated at that time.

The locations for recommended expansion at existing sites are:

I-29

• Pacific Junction NB Rest Area
• Pacific Junction SB Rest Area
• Onawa NB Rest Area
• Onawa SB Rest Area

I-35

• Osceola NB Rest Area
• Osceola SB Rest Area
• Clear Lake NB Parking Only
• Clear Lake SB Parking Only

I-80

• Underwood WB Rest Area
• Minden EB Parking Only
• Minden WB Parking Only
• Mitchellville EB Rest Area
• Mitchellville WB Rest Area
• Victor EB Rest Area
• Victor WB Rest Area
• Wilton EB Parking Only
• Wilton WB Parking Only
• Davenport EB Rest Area
• Davenport WB Rest Area

I-380

• Cedar Rapids SB Rest Area