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Duffy awards $62 million for truck parking in 5 states
Kentucky, Wyoming, Louisiana, Mississippi and Illinois will use funds to address parking shortages
Key Takeaways:
- Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy on July 7 announced $62 million for truck parking projects in five states within $1.73 billion in federal infrastructure grants.
- Industry leaders, including ATA President Chris Spear, said chronic parking shortages raise safety risks and costs, underscoring the need for expanded capacity and technology upgrades.
- States will use funds to add and improve truck parking and systems, while ATA urged Congress to approve an additional $200 million in pending appropriations.
The trucking industry is lauding Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy’s $62 million investment to add safe parking spaces for drivers in five states.
Duffy announced July 7 that $1.73 billion in federal grants for 127 infrastructure projects includes funding to alleviate truck parking shortages in Kentucky, Wyoming, Louisiana, Mississippi and Illinois.
“The impact of these dollars will be felt in communities nationwide for years to come,” Duffy said.
The funds were awarded through the Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development grant program.
American Trucking Associations President Chris Spear praised the federal investments that will help truckers find safe parking. He said a chronic lack of available truck parking creates public safety risks and raises consumer costs.
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Spear
“We appreciate Secretary Duffy’s commitment to addressing this long-standing problem,” Spear said. “When drivers finish their shift, they deserve to know that they will be able to find a safe place to sleep that night. Congress can help build on this investment by approving the $200 million for truck parking included in this year’s appropriations bill.”
Kentucky will receive $25 million in federal funds to offset a $54.8 million project to build new truck parking slots at seven existing rest areas on four major interstate freight corridors along interstates 75, 71, 65 and 64.
The project includes adding enhanced Truck Parking Information Management Systems at all the sites, new pavement and handicap-accessible truck parking spaces.
A $22.1 million grant was awarded for a Mississippi Interstate 10 freight corridor truck parking expansion project. The state intends to add truck parking and technology improvements along the interstate at the Hancock County Welcome Center. Parking spaces would increase from the current 20 to 74. The location would also be equipped with Truck Parking Availability System technologies, roadside dynamic parking availability signs and fiber-optic infrastructure.
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“When drivers finish their shift, they deserve to know that they will be able to find a safe place to sleep that night," Spear said. (Bim/Getty Images)
Illinois plans to spend its $13.1 million grant on a $26.3 million effort to rebuild and expand truck parking at the Fort Massac and Salt Kettle rest areas. Fort Massac improvements include demolishing and building up to four family-assist restrooms, as well as increasing truck parking stalls from 19 to 64.
The Salt Kettle site will have up to 41 new truck stalls and other road improvements.
The Louisiana Department of Transportation was awarded $640,000 to fund an $800,000 truck parking study along I-12 and I-10. The goal is to evaluate truck parking demand to determine possibilities for adding capacity at publicly owned locations.
Wyoming transportation planners will receive a $1.4 million grant to cover most of the costs for a Winter Truck Parking Action Plan to prioritize potential truck parking solutions along Wyoming’s interstate system.
In a recent related development, federal and state transportation officials in Florida emphasized trucking safety while breaking ground on a project that will bring more than 900 truck parking spaces to the Interstate 4 freight corridor.
