State Departments of Transportation (DOTs) are pushing back, insisting that federal support isn’t just needed for building new truck parking—it must also cover ongoing operations and maintenance. AASHTO (American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials) emphasized that without aid for upkeep, parking facilities may become unusable, undermining drivers’ safety and system resilience.
AASHTO urges Congress to enable flexible, formula-based funding to ensure every state can address truck parking challenges effectively. Streamlining environmental reviews and permitting processes is also vital for speeding up freight infrastructure projects. Alongside AASHTO, Nevada DOT highlighted how winter closures—like those on I-80 at Donner Pass—amplify shortages and called for integration with the National Multimodal Freight Network to prioritize maintenance and operations as well as construction.
States also believe the federal government should set baseline standards for both parking availability and rest area quality, while encouraging local governments to work with private developers when public solutions aren’t feasible. The bottom line: building parking lots isn’t enough—keeping them open, safe, and functional requires sustained funding and smarter regulation.
