Columbus, Ohio – Ohio is expanding truck parking throughout the state to give drivers more room to rest and take breaks while keeping the economy moving.
The state has launched an initiative to add parking for commercial trucks at 33 sites across 19 counties, including five in Allen and Auglaize counties. The project will create over 1,400 parking spaces across the state, including those large enough to accommodate semis and trailers. Ohio is one of the largest freight corridors in the United States and Canada, with 60 percent of both countries’ populations within a day’s drive.
“When we enter or exit a rest area, we frequently see trucks literally parked along the berm, not where they should be, and truckers make that decision not because it’s where they want to park, but because there isn’t enough space. When they get tired or go over their allotted time, they must stop. It is about safety. It is about improving the lives of our truckers and, frankly, keeping everyone safe when anyone drives, whether in a truck or a car. When you get tired, you don’t have to be on the road. Gov. Mike DeWine, R-Ohio, said you should get off the road.
The local expansion sites include the eastbound and westbound rest areas on U.S. 30 in Allen County, the eastbound infield at Willipie Street and U.S. 33 in Wapakoneta, and the eastbound and westbound rest areas on U.S. 33 in Auglaize County. Once completed, Ohio will lead the nation in the total number of long-term truck parking spaces on state-owned land.
