Re: Is it true that the Feds mandate "free" rest areas?

On Mar 30, 5:11 am, John Lansford <jlnsf...@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Larry G <gross.la...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
On Mar 29, 4:36 pm, John Lansford <jlnsf...@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
woll...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Garrett Wollman) wrote:
In article <okavs4th0ftv3m6rji6vin30j6k4mju...@xxxxxxx>,
John Lansford  <jlnsf...@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Yes it's state subsidized.  The businesses don't construct the
buildings,

Yes they do.

they don't own the land.

Big shock: those sorts of businesses very frequently the land they sit
on, regardless of the sort of road that land is located on.  It's not
an effective use of capital to own the land, and there are many
companies whose sole business is owning the land under convenience
stores, fast-food restaurants, and so on.  (That's the principal
business most restaurant franchisers are in; McDonald's makes more
money from rent than it does from selling food.)

You said earlier the state owns the land.  Is that correct or not?

What about utilities and upkeep?  I doubt the businesses pay for them
either.

Perhaps you should learn something about how the business works before
you go spouting off about how you *think* it works.

You're right; I was asking questions about whether they paid for these
things or if the state did, and provided my opinion on them.  Thanks
for clearing that up.  I still don't think it's a great idea for the
state to allow private businesses to operate out of service plazas or
rest areas on non-tolled interstates, though.  

There's plenty of options already out there without prostituting the
rest areas for a few bucks; I've driven in Northern Virginia on I-95
and other interstates and never had any trouble getting to a business
whenever I needed to, despite Larry's complaints.

we have local primary roads .. essentially ruined from curb cuts and
median cross overs - that the business lobbied for...  after the road
was essentially crippled .. for transportation.. the local leaders
lobbied for a bypass road.

Those same local officials are the ones that you want to give highway
construction money to.  Do you see a problem with this yet?

As for your problem, access management can still help some of those
local roads, but the businesses will fight it tooth and nail and local
officials and VDOT would need to get on the same page to get it done.
Given how much disagreement and discourse there is between them
though, I doubt it would ever take place.

the best opportunity to affect/influence local land use and
transportation decisions is to hold local elected officials
accountable.

that is a better approach than expecting some unelected person trying
to convince the local officials to do the "right" thing.


.

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