Six rest areas on interstate highways in New York State will be closed this fall due to budget cuts. The closures affect several NYSDOT rest stops on Interstates 81, 87, 88 and 90, and do not impact any travel plazas located on the New York State Thruway.


This year's state budget calls for NYSDOT to save $500,000 this fiscal year and $1 million annually in subsequent years through rest area closures.

NYSDOT anticipates continuing operations at its 32 other rest areas on State Route 17 and Interstates 81, 84, 86, 87, 88, 390 and 684, barring the need for further cost cutting measures.

State officials say these are six of the state's oldest, smallest and least-efficient rest areas. Affected rest areas will be closed as of November 1 or December 1, based upon the expiration of existing maintenance contracts.

State highway rest areas scheduled to be closed as of Monday, Nov. 1, include:

* Brewerton/Hastings on I-81 southbound between exits 31 and 32 in Oswego County, just north of Syracuse, Onondaga County. Restroom facilities there will be closed, but the location will continue to be used for roadside commercial vehicle inspections. The nearest rest areas are on I-81 southbound 46 miles to the north in Watertown, Jefferson County, and 65 miles to the south at Whitney Point, Broome County. The nearest commercial rest area is 10 miles away in Syracuse.

· Schodack on I-90 westbound between exits 11 and 12 in the town of Schodack, Rensselaer County, just east of Albany, Albany County. Restroom facilities there will be closed, but the location will continue to be used for roadside commercial vehicle inspections. The nearest rest areas are 30 miles to the east in Lee, Massachusetts, on I-90 westbound; 32 miles to the northwest on I-87 northbound in Clifton Park, Saratoga County; or 36 miles west to the Pattersonville Travel Plaza on I-90 - the New York State Thruway -- westbound between Exit 26 (Schenectady West) and Exit 27 (Amsterdam). The nearest commercial truckstop is four miles away off of Exit 12 of I-90.

Highway rest areas scheduled to be closed as of Wednesday, Dec 1, include:

* Lewis on I-87 (the Adirondack Northway) southbound in Essex County between exits 31 and 32, about 40 miles south of Plattsburgh, Clinton County. The nearest rest areas are the Beekmantown rest area, 40 miles to the north in Clinton County, and the High Peaks rest area, which is 23 miles south in the town of North Hudson, Essex County. The closest commercial truckstop is in Lewis, Essex County, within 2 miles of the rest area.

* Schroon Lake northbound on I-87 between exits 27 and 28 near the village of Schroon Lake, Essex County. The adjacent southbound Schroon Lake rest area was previously closed on June 4th after the septic tank failed and remains closed. The nearest rest areas are the High Peaks rest area 17 miles to the north in North Hudson, Essex County, and the Glens Falls rest area, 39 miles to the south in Warren County. The closest commercial truckstop also is in Glens Falls, 42 miles to the south.

* Worcester on I-88 eastbound between exists 18 and 19 near the city of Oneonta, Otsego County. Restroom facilities there will be closed, but the location will continue to be used for roadside commercial vehicle inspections. Heading east, the nearest rest areas are on I-90 eastbound 47 miles away and on I-90 westbound 50 miles away. Heading west, the nearest rest area is the Unadilla rest area on I-88 eastbound, about 33 miles away. The closest commercial truckstop is in Oneonta, within 20 miles of the rest area.

* Wells Bridge on I-88 westbound between exits 11 and 12 in Delaware County, near the city of Oneonta, Otsego County. Restroom facilities there will be closed, but the location will continue to be used for roadside commercial vehicle inspections. The nearest rest area is the Owego rest area, 70 miles away on Route 17 westbound. East of Wells Bridge is the East Worcester rest area on I-88 westbound, about 36 miles away. The closest commercial truckstop is within 5 miles of the rest area, off of Exit 12.