1968 NATIONAL REST AREA USAGE STUDY
REST AREAS ARE REQUIRED ON THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS TO PROVIDE SAFE STOPPING PLACES. YET THE COST OF CONSTRUCTING AND MAINTAINING REST AREAS WITH TOILETS, PICKNICKING FACILITIES, DRINKING WATER AND OTHER FACILITIES IS VERY HIGH, AND IT IS CERTAINLY NOT DESIRABLE TO CONSTRUCT MORE FACILITIES THAN NEEDED. THE 1968 NATIONAL REST AREA USAGE STUDY WAS UNDERTAKEN TO ASSIST IN DETERMINING REST AREA NEEDS IN TERMS OF FACILITIES AND SPACING BY MEASURING THE PRESENT DEMAND FOR AND CHARACTERISTICS OF THE USE OF EXISTING REST AREAS. A DETAILED INVENTORY AS OF JANUARY 1, 1968, REVEALED A TOTAL OF 6,756 REST AREAS ON THE FEDERAL-AID AND STATE PRIMARY HIGHWAY SYSTEMS, OF WHICH 784 WERE ON THE RURAL INTERSTATE AND 5,972 ON THE OTHER SYSTEMS. A TOTAL OF 78,619 INTERVIEWS WERE CONDUCTED DURING THE SUMMER OF 1968. OF THIS TOTAL, 68,415 INTERVIEWS WERE COMPLETED ON THE INTERSTATE SYSTEM AND 10,204 ON THE OTHER SYSTEMS. SOME OF THE SIGNIFICANT FINDINGS SHOW THAT APPROXIMATELY 4 TIMES AS MANY VEHICLES STOP AT REST AREAS WITH TOILETS THAN THOSE WITHOUT TOILETS, APPROXIMATELY TWO-THIRDS OF ALL PERSONS ENTERING REST AREAS USE THE TOILETS, IF AVAILABLE; AND USE OF REST ROOM, REST, AND EAT, IN RESPECTIVE ORDER OF IMPORTANCE, ARE THE PRINCIPAL PURPOSES FOR STOPPING. /AUTHOR/
- Record URL:
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Supplemental Notes:
- Paper sponsored by Committee on Roadside Development and presented at the 49th Annual Meeting. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
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Authors:
- Litz, Leon E
- Lieder, Nathan
- McCann, Howard
- Publication Date: 1970
Media Info
- Media Type: Digital/other
- Features: Figures; References; Tables;
- Pagination: pp 1-5
- Monograph Title: Roadside development and maintenance
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Serial:
- Highway Research Record
- Issue Number: 335
- Publisher: Highway Research Board
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Data collection; Demand; Facilities; Interviewing; Roadside rest areas; Spacing; Surveys; Toilet facilities
- Uncontrolled Terms: Characteristics; Eating; Rest
- Old TRIS Terms: Rest stops; Toilets
- Subject Areas: Design; Environment; Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; Terminals and Facilities;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 00204818
- Record Type: Publication
- Files: TRIS, TRB
- Created Date: Jun 11 1971 12:00AM