Motorists looking for rest along Interstate 84 will soon no longer be able to find it in Danbury.
The Department of Transportation announced last week in a press release that it will close a number of rest areas around the state over the next two years, including one in Danbury. The closures were built in to the new year's budget and are expected to save about $1.3 million a year in staff and maintenance costs, according to the DOT.
"It is anticipated that private roadway services located off the interstates will be sufficient to handle the traveler needs," the DOT press release said.
The closure in Willington take effect July 1 of this year. The rest, including those in Danbury, Southington, North Stonington, Middletown and Wallingford, go into effect on July 1, 2012, the press release stated.
The Hartford Courant is reporting that the moves are part of the Malloy administration's effort to shut down all seven of Connecticut non-commercial rest areas by 2013. The same article mentions that closing the rest areas will also save $14 million in improvements scheduled for the facilities.
The rest areas were all built in the 1960s as part of the Interstate Highway System.
