The Virginia Department of Transportation has posted electronic message signs announcing rest area closures slated for July 21.
The state plans to shutter 19 of its 42 rest stop facilities in an effort to save $9 million in 2010 and address its $2.6 billion revenue shortfall.

On July 21, crews will also remove a number of no parking signs at the remaining 23 rest areas to provide more than 225 legal truck parking spaces. This will offset the total number of truck parking spaces lost at the closed facilities.

The DOT will also remove the current two-hour parking restriction in favor of a no-overnight-parking one. This means that trucks arriving in a rest area before sundown must leave the site prior to sunrise the following day. Those truck arriving during the night or early morning hours must leave the site prior to sunrise the following full day.

"These are hard decisions for us to make," said David Ekern, VDOT commissioner, "but we must prioritize our limited funding to emergency response and maintaining our roads and bridges. We have worked with the trucking, tourism and commuter communities to ensure that those impacted are aware of the impending changes and to address adverse impacts wherever possible."

Rest stops with truck parking that will close include:

* Goochland east- and west-bound on I-64
* Manassas east- and west-bound on I-66
* Radford, I-81 northbound
* Mt. Sidney, I-81 north- and south-bound
* Smyth, I-81 southbound
* Troutville, I-81 southbound
* New Market, I-81 southbound
* Alberta, I-85 north- and south-bound
* Dinwiddle, I-85 north- and south-bound
* Ladysmith, I-95 north- and south-bound

A map of the affected rest areas is available in PDF format at www.virginiadot.org/news/resources/Statewide/19_SRAWC_Closures.pdf