REHABILITATION OF INTERSTATE SAFETY REST AREAS IN IOWA
Four pairs of safety rest areas on Iowa's Interstate Highway System were constructed and available for public use during 1966. These rest areas were built before a design guide was available. In upgrading these facilities, they had to be completely accessible to the handicapped and, in addition, were to provide additional parking, ground lighting, waste water dump for recreational vehicles, waste water pond or lagoon improvements, sidewalks to tables, rest room upgradings, additional landscaping, and general upgrading of outdated items. In the first contract, the design guide indicated that an additional parking facility was needed for 52 cars and 22 trucks at each site. This was not practical based on existing topography. The final design provided for 36 cars, 10 recreational vehicles, and 16 trucks at each site. The parking was less than desirable because of the topography. The high price tag of $1000000 for modifications was high compared with the original $250000 to construct the entire complex. The lagoons needed to be improved as part of the total contract, which originally cost $14500 to build. Due to changes in the environmental requirements, the refurbished lagoons cost $199000. In subsequent improvements, it was noted that the lagoons would require enlargement and appropriate arrangements would have to be made. An alternate solution considered was the replacement of the five conventional water closets with microphor low-water-volume toilet fixtures in each building. This was done in subsequent rest areas and water use has been reduced 45 percent or more. Rest area rehabilitation is a challenge, particularly when total costs are considered. For future rest area rehabilitation, I recommend the Federal Highway Administration Technical Advisory Publication T-5140.8 (August 10, 1979), Rest Area Design Charts, which is based on data developed by Minnesota officials. This is an excellent planning and design tool. (Author)
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- Summary URL:
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Availability:
- Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0309032199
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Supplemental Notes:
- Proceedings of the Symposium on Roadside vegetation management and manipulation Program, August 3-8, 1980, San Antonio, Texas, sponsored by Committee on Roadside maintenance and Committee on Landscape and Environment Design. Appeared in Transportation Research Record No. 805, Roadside Maintenance. 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:
- Dolling, H
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Conference:
- Symposium on Roadside Vegetation Management and Manipulation
- Location: San Antonio Texas
- Date: 1981-8-3 to 1981-8-8
- Publication Date: 1981
Media Info
- Media Type: Print
- Pagination: p 9
- Monograph Title: Roadside maintenance (includes proceedings of Symposium on Roadside Vegetation Management and Manipulation)
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Serial:
- Transportation Research Record
- Issue Number: 805
- Publisher: Transportation Research Board
- ISSN: 0361-1981
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Accessibility; Construction; Costs; Design; Improvements; Lagoons; Lighting; Parking; Persons with disabilities; Roadside rest areas
- Uncontrolled Terms: Construction costs
- Geographic Terms: Iowa
- Subject Areas: Construction; Design; Environment; Finance; Highways; Planning and Forecasting; Society; Terminals and Facilities; I21: Planning of Transport Infrastructure;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 00342156
- Record Type: Publication
- ISBN: 0309032199
- Report/Paper Numbers: Proceeding
- Files: TRIS, TRB
- Created Date: Dec 22 1981 12:00AM