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Time Limits In Public Rest Areas 25 Special Investigation Report
Table 7. Public rest area truck parking time limit restrictions.
State Parking Time Limit Reason for Time Limita
Alabama Prohibits overnight parking, unofficially
recommends 4 hours
1) Not adequate parking for all drivers to
get some rest.
2) Security
Delaware 75 spaces with limits during the day, 25
spaces with no limits
Limited number of spaces available
Florida 3 hours Prevent people from camping
Georgia No limits but discourages overnight parking
and sleeping
Lack of sufficient parking
Illinois 3 hours Give the police a reason to be able to
control activities and remove people from
the public rest area that limit the use of the
facilities by others.
Kentucky 4 hours in regular public rest areas, 24 hours
in two new truck rest havens at inspection
stations (five more havens planned)
Shortage of spaces
Louisiana Discourages overnight parking and
encourages use of private truck areas
Prevent people from camping
Minnesota 6 hours 1) Discourage overnight camping
2) Serve as public safety stop intended to
be short-term
3) Serve fatigued motorists by giving them
adequate time to refresh before continuing
with their trips
4) Allow the department of transportation to
identify abandoned vehicles
5) Control use of park-and-ride facilities
Nebraska 5 hours 1) Encourage turnover because of lack of
parking
2) Discourage camping
Nevada 18 hours Prevent camping
New Jersey 2 hours on New Jersey Turnpike, Garden
State Parkway, and Atlantic City Expressway
1) Free up spaces
2) Prevent camping
New York 2 hours Idling restrictions to reduce air pollution
Pennsylvania 2 hours Prevent illicit activity
South Carolina 2 hours Not enough spaces
South Dakota 3 hours 1) Lack of parking
2) Keep people from using the public rest
area as a campground
Tennessee 4 hours 1) Free up spaces
2) Prevent problems with campers and
homeless
Virginia 2 hours Provide adequate parking for all drivers
Washington 8 hours 1) Discourage camping
2) Public safety
3) Increase availability of parking spaces
a Safety Board investigators contacted each State, which provided the reasons for the time limits.
