Connecticut to reopen all rest areas 24/7

Starting next month, rest areas in Connecticut will once again be open to drivers 24 hours a day.

On Friday, June 28, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont announced that all seven of the state’s rest areas would resume 24/7 operations starting on July 1. Funding to keep the rest areas open all day was included in a budget bill signed into law last week.

“While certainly well intentioned, I believe the move to shut our state’s rest areas was penny wise and pound foolish,” Governor Lamont said. “We have to make the necessary investments to attract people to visit and return to our state. This is a small but meaningful step toward making Connecticut more attractive to visitors and our residents alike.”

Due to budget constraints, Connecticut started closing down the rest area buildings in the evening and overnight hours in 2016, restricting access to indoor restroom facilities. Drivers who visited the rest area in off-hours were forced to use porta-potties, which were reportedly not well-maintained.

“My agency has always felt that our seven rest areas are important safety amenities for travelers and truckers,” CTDOT Commissioner Joe Giulietti said. “While I’m proud of the fact that we managed to at least keep them open in the face of financial adversity, our residents and visitors to our state deserve better than portable bathrooms. This has been a long time coming, and I thank Governor Lamont for helping to get us the resources we needed.”

Connecticut’s seven rest areas are in the following locations:

• I-84 Danbury EB past Exit 2
• I-84 Southington EB past Exit 28
• I-84 Willington EB past Exit 69
• I-84 Willington WB past Exit 70
• I-91 Wallingford SB past Exit 15
• I-91 Middletown NB past Exit 19
• I-95 North Stonington SB past Exit 93