No relief for travelers

Sideling Hill rest rooms closing

Jeffrey Alderton

CUMBERLAND — Interstate travelers routinely relying on use of the rest rooms at the Sideling Hill rest area of Interstate 68 will soon have to find other facilities to relieve themselves.

Located 10 miles west of Hancock in Washington County, the well-used facilities are scheduled to close in January and remain closed until April, according to the Maryland State Highway Administration.

But the I-68 rest areas — where no vehicular traffic will be allowed beginning Jan. 1 — are not the only ones affected by the state’s economic downturn.

“Beginning Dec. 7, in order to continue providing rest area services during challenging economic times, the State Highway Administration is modifying service hours to primarily daytime hours at several rest areas. Only one, sparsely used rest area is permanently closed. These tough decisions save the state more than $567,000 in operational costs such as lighting, water, staffing and supplies,” read a statement on the SHA Web site detailing the modified schedules for the state’s rest stops.

The SHA lists the hours of operation for SHA-operated rest centers at http://www.roads.maryland.gov/NewsDetails.aspx?ID=9.

SHA spokesman Dave Buck said the rest area announcement was made as part “of a larger budgetary announcement by the governor late last month.”

The sole permanent closing pertains to the U.S. Route 219 scenic Cove Overlook area near Keysers Ridge in Garrett County. The facility, located 2.5 miles from I-68, was officially closed Monday by the SHA. The parking lot will remain open.

At the I-68 Youghiogheny Overlook at Friendsville in Garrett County, the facility offers no night hours. Its hours of operation are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Delegate LeRoy Myers said Monday he was not aware that the Sideling Hill rest center rest rooms would be closed.

But he said he hopes highway signage will “be changed to accommodate travelers” and let them know of the modified hours of operations or closings so that motorists have advance notice before arriving at the rest stops.

“It's a bad situation that we can’t even provide a much-needed rest stop. It's kinda bittersweet. You think on one hand the dollars have to be saved — government is big business — when things get tough you have to find ways to save money.

“If this decision is between closing a rest stop or whether a person is being clothed or fed, we just have to do it,” said Myers.

Sen. George Edwards said Monday afternoon he was disappointed to be notified recently of the rest room closings at Sideling Mountain.

“I’m disappointed, but the fact of the matter is we have a very tough financial situation. But I would hope the state would put signs up right away to notify people ahead of time that they have opportunities to use rest rooms at businesses in Hancock, which is 10 miles away. It could be beneficial by motorists stopping and making purchases while they are there,” said Edwards.

The state senator also said he is hopeful that rest room hours at Sideling Hill would be restored to a year-round schedule should economic conditions begin to improve.

Buck said signage would be installed later this month on I-68 to inform of the Sideling Hill rest stops being closed. In addition, other signs will be placed by the SHA to direct motorists to alternate exits for food, fuel and services.

Contact Jeffrey Alderton at jlalderton@times-news.com.