Plan would commercialize rest areas

July 12, 2012 at 12:00a.m.

COLUMBUS

Transportation officials will begin reviewing paperwork later this month from groups interested in commercializing the state’s rest areas.

One plan would focus on advertising and sponsorships of 45 interstate rest stops, while the other could lead to restaurants and other development of five existing areas among the state’s nearly 60 non-interstate stops.

The plan of both is to generate funding to cover maintenance costs and to help pay for road-construction projects elsewhere in the state.

“We’re going to be aggressive with our plan in order to maximize our revenue-generating abilities and to reduce this maintenance cost that ODOT incurs each and ever year,” said ODOT spokesman Steve Faulkner.

The Ohio Department of Transportation earlier unveiled the “Sponsorship, Maintenance and Advertising Revenue Targeted” program, known by the acronym “SMART,” as a means of covering part of the $50 million it spends annually to maintain the 104 rest areas across the state.

The program will enable businesses and groups to pay for the naming rights or sponsorships of rest stops along interstates. It will not include restaurants and other commercial endeavors at those stops due to federal restrictions on such activities.

“There’re going to be all kinds of things that could be conducive to businesses to advertise and to draw people into that location or into that town,” Faulkner said. “We believe there’s going to be a market for it.”

ODOT also is seeking proposals for commercial development of five rest stops in Athens, Hocking and Pickaway counties, all located along U.S. routes that aren’t interstate highways. Those rest areas fall outside of federal restrictions on commercialization and could end up housing restaurants or other retail operations.

Paperwork for both programs is due later this month, and ODOT will review applicants’ qualifications before making a final choice, Faulkner said.