Wyoming closing 10 rest areas

[tx2sturgis]

Normally, I don't start threads in this forum about the transportation and trucking industry, but here is an exception.

Wyoming is closing ten rest areas, which will affect truck drivers, but also might need some attention by our community of RVers and others who may be planning on these rest areas to be open as they pass thru Wyoming.

Here is the text of the article:


"If you travel through or to Wyoming, you’re trip planning better include a careful look at where to park because the state is closing 10 rest area to save money.

Effective June 15, the state will close the rest areas to reduce spending by the Wyoming Department of Transportation. A WDOT spokesman said the closings will eliminate a total of 80 truck parking spaces.

The rest areas that will close include:

Lusk on US 18
Guernsey on US 26
Greybull on US 14-16-20
Moorcroft on Interstate 90
Star Valley on US 89
Ft. Steele on Interstate 80
Sundance on Interstate 90
Upton on US 16
Orin Junction and Chugwater, both located on Interstate 25

WDOT, like other state agencies, was directed by Gov. Mark Gordon to cut spending by 20%."



Source:

https://www.truckersnews.com/wyoming-closing-10-rest-areas-80-truck-parking-spots/

 

[user 423]

There will probably be other states that do the same.

 

[ProfessorChaos]

Closing rest areas makes no sense in dealing with COVID-19 in fact it can lead to more sleepy drivers and accidents.

 

[B and C]

States don't have the revenue coming in to support everything so everything gets a cut. Money doesn't grow on trees, even for the states.

 

[wayne49]

Priorities. There are always Fed notes printed for perpetual wars abroad. There are always Fed notes to hand out to a small nation in the Mideast. More Fed notes to bailout bankers multiple times.

 

[B and C]

The stock market says the economy is recovering already. It will take awhile for the taxes to start rolling in again as people go back to work and start spending again.

 

[maki2]

Closing rest areas makes no sense in dealing with COVID-19 in fact it can lead to more sleepy drivers and accidents.

The cost savings measures are not being done to reduce the number of cases of Covid 19.  They are being closed in response to budget cuts. Covid 19 measures have reduced the amount of tax revenue coming into the state coffers from retail sales, from fuel taxes, from the taxes on motels. While at the same time spending went up to help with the logistics of having to put Covid 19 measures into place. This is happening in every state in the US, it is happening around the world. This is part of the economic impact of Covid 19 that is in the news. All government departments agencies are being mandated to find places to cut back on expenses. Among the way they are doing that is to lay off employees and close non essential services.  

I don't know what their exact criteria was to choose which were the best rest stops to keep open and which ones could be closed resorting in the least impact. But no doubt there is some discussion on that you could find with internet research. Other state facilities such as some of the campgrounds, parks and other types of recreation areas might also end up being closed. It really can't be helped. They can't raise taxes to fix a budget shortfall in an instant as raising  takes  legislative action. But they can do closures and layoffs without new legislation.

 

[crofter]

Here comes down the economy with a big crashing sound!  S c a t t e r ! ! !

And watch where you step by those rest areas. I am predicting a bumper crop of sagebrush due to excess fertilizer spread around there.
-crofter

 

[crofter]

.... Covid 19 measures have reduced the amount of tax revenue coming into the state coffers from retail sales, from fuel taxes, from the taxes on motels.

FYI Wyoming state fund comes from energy industry oil & gas production, unlike other states. Also Wyoming did not shut down like other states did. Don't know why they are closing those rural rest areas, but you do need those safer marked spots to pull off during the blizzards. I agree, more wrecks on the highway will be the result.
-crofter

Description: links to articles
https://county17.com/2020/04/15/state-should-hold-the-line-on-oil-and-gas-taxes-regulations/

https://www.wsgs.wyo.gov/energy/oil-gas-facts

 

[crofter]

Looks like BLM land is open in Wyoming, so that is an alternative to the rest area if you are travelling through.
-crofter

Description: link to BLM  Wyoming site.
https://www.blm.gov/programs/energy-and-minerals/oil-and-gas/about/wyoming

 

[jacqueg]

Priorities. There are always Fed notes printed for perpetual wars abroad. There are always Fed notes to hand out to a small nation in the Mideast. More Fed notes to bailout bankers multiple times.

That's true. But it isn't the feds who maintain rest areas, even on interstate highways. It's the states.

 

[jacqueg]

The stock market says the economy is recovering already.  It will take awhile for the taxes to start rolling in again as people go back to work and start spending again.

Actually, I don't think the stock market is a good measure of how well the economy is working for ordinary people. It IS a good measure of how well life is going for certain big players. 

And of course, if your retirement plan is based on holding shares in the stock market, you have a vested interest in how well those players are playing. But plenty of people don't have those retirement plans.

 

[B and C]

The stock market has alway been a pretty good gauge of how well the economy is doing. It sure took a hit in February when covid hit. May not have a direct bearing on those working other than when it is good, there are generally more jobs to be had. As the market comes back, the jobs come back. With things opening up, the jobs are there.

What is your gauge for how well the economy is doing?

 

[bonvanroulez]

It's kind of sad to see these closures. Wyoming rest areas are usually very nice and park-like. They have staffed information booths. I believe I've visited all of the rest areas on the list and even stayed overnight at a few.

But these rest areas were built in a time before commercial "travel centers" like Love's and Flying J, and gas stops with convenience stores that have been built at every town or highway exit. So it's easy to see how the state can view the rest areas as redundant to the commercial locations making them a target for cost reduction and budget cuts. I can imagine those rest areas will remain closed permanently, a casualty of changing times.

 

[LERCA]

Couldn’t they start charging a little for them? Yeah I come from a state that charges for everything but it keeps things open. So far anyway.

 

[B and C]

Charging at the point of use would make people not want to stop. I know I wouldn't. Haven't been to cali in a long time. Way to expensive there.

 

[LERCA]

Funny you say that because I used to go every summer to a village in Western NY an hour south of Buffalo. Small university town 6 hours from NYC.Hotels and B&Bs cost the same as California and supermarkets and roadside stands more. Nowhere near as much choice for cheap healthy foods especially fruit and veggies. Independent delis inside of markets, gas stations etc ( we don’t have anything similar) sandwiches were way more.Fast food places the same, gas almost the same, clothes the same (except no tax)
Plus the most offensive thing toll roads everywhere we only have them in OC and you don’t have to take them. So I didn’t see any difference in price except real estate. When I’ve traveled it’s been like that other than real estate nothing was much cheaper than here. Except housing and that’s catching up in big cities.
We have a lot of competition here for things like manicure/pedicures, massages etc and that actually brings down prices.

 

[user 423]

If you google "highest cost of living in 2020", you'll find differing studies/results.

Cali, Hawaii and New York are usually the top three. No surprises there.

Arzona is #24.

Texas is at #37.

 

[B and C]

Ny can't grow the stuff you grow or get from nearby. Everything there has to be pretty much shipped or trucked in.

Another place I haven't been and won't go. You seem to like the high density population, high cost of living areas.

 

[maki2]

The stock market has alway been a pretty good gauge of how well the economy is doing.  It sure took a hit in February when covid hit.  May not have a direct bearing on those working other than when it is good, there are generally more jobs to be had.  As the market comes back, the jobs come back.  With things opening up, the jobs are there.

What is your gauge for how well the economy is doing?

It is too soon to gauge economic results from Covid 19 because the Covid 19 impact is still literally only a few months old.