Two I-85 rest areas to close

By ARIEL HART

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

The state Department of Transportation is permanently closing two of the 19 highway rest areas it maintains, both on I-85 in North Georgia.

The I-85 northbound stop in Franklin County and the southbound one in Gwinnett County are scheduled to close Aug. 25, DOT spokeswoman Teri Pope said in a statement.

“Many factors have gone into the decision to close these rest areas,” District Engineer Russell McMurry, who oversees that area, said in the statement. “Criminal activity is rising at these locations. Safety is definitely a factor in this decision. Private development along the interstate now provides the services offered by rest areas. The condition of the rest areas has deteriorated, and the cost to maintain them is high.”

The DOT’s budget is severely strained, and cutting back at other rest areas is still a possibility, DOT spokesman Mark McKinnon said. The two being closed are among the oldest and most expensive to maintain, he said.

Barricades will be placed at the entrances, and vehicles will not be allowed on the sites.