Transforming Highway Service Plazas in Connecticut: Expanded Services on the Way Following Mobil Pull-Out

Whether it's a blue sign stating "Service Area" or "Rest Area", Connecticut motorists know it's an indication that relief is up ahead allowing them to pull off the highway to use the restroom, get a quick bite to eat, fuel up the car, and possibly buy a souvenir. While those pulling off in Massachusetts and New Jersey have experienced brand new or recently renovated facilities, the 23 service plazas Connecticut along Interstate 95 and 395 (also known as the Greenwich-Killingly Turnpike and more commonly as the Connecticut Turnpike) as well as Route 15 (also known as the Merritt Parkway and the Wilbur Cross Parkway) were mainly built in the 1940's and 1950's and haven't seen a major renovation since the mid 1980's. Blueprints of the service plazas show the former one and two car garages that used to be used when service plazas featured auto repair facilities.

According to the Connecticut Department of Transportation Request for Proposal Report, Interstate 95 service plazas are located on the northbound and southbound sides of the highway in Darien, Fairfield, Milford, Branford, and Madison while Route 15 service plazas are located on both sides of the highway in Greenwich, New Canaan, Fairfield, Orange, and North Haven.

The three Interstate 395 service plazas are located on the northbound and southbound sides in Plainfield and along the southbound side in Montville.
According to WFSB, the Mobil gasoline stations at each of these service plazas will soon close after its contract with the state expires in October 2009.

It's possible that many fuel companies may look at this opporunity because of the profit to be gained. For example, according to the DOT Request for Proposal Report, the I-95 Darien Northbound Service Plaza has a five-year average of annual fuel sales of 5,552,572 gallons while the I-95 Milford Southbound Service Plaza has a five-year average of annual fuel sales of 5,007,122 gallons and the I-95 Madison Southbound Service Plaza has a five-year average of annual fuel sales of 3,242,530 gallons.

It is uncertain, at this point, whether McDonald's will renew its contract when it also expires in October 2009.

In an effort to provide expanded fuel, food, retail, and tourist services for travelers, the Connecticut DOT is seeking a contractor that would rebuild, expand, and modify service plazas to create an environment that is "inviting, comfortable, safe, and clean," according to the report.

The report seeks a contractor, like Sodexho Marriott or HMS Host that would be able to put together such a mix, including a replacement gasoline company to take over the Mobil gas stations.

While creating fuel and a variety of food, retail, and beverage choices is important to the agency, the report states that "the State seeks to increase the economic viability for each of these Facilities which should result in an increasing revenue stream to the State as well as a favorable return to the Prime Contractor."

Making a request to be the new contractor for Connecticut's service plazas should be quite an attractive offer since some of the most heavily areas of Interstate 95 exceeds 79,000 vehicles and currently only a maximum of about 7 percent stop to utilize the services in the service plazas.

In fact, 52 million gallons of fuel and over $56 million of food, beverages, and retail goods are purchased annually at the facilities.

The Darien I-95 Northbound service plaza, the busiest one along Interstate 95, has a 5-year average between 2003 to 2007 of $9,572,125 for annual food and non-fuel revenues. Along Interstate 395, the Plainfield Southbound has a five-year average of $896,809 for annual food and non-fuel revenues while Route 15's busiest service plaza is the one located in Greenwich Northbound and Southbound with a combined five-year average of $1,928,781 for annual food and non-fuel revenues.

"The State believes that a modern, well designed, and inviting environment will enable the Prime Contractor to generate much greater revenues and, at the same time, provide a welcoming environment for the recreational and business traveler."

According to the New Haven Register, DOT spokesman Kevin Nursick called the contract end dates to be "an opportunity to improve, enhance, and develop the current service plaza infrastructure to meet the needs of the motoring public."

It is possible the contractor would expand smaller service plazas such as the 5,973-square-foot Madison facility on I-95 Northbound, 5,554-square-foot Branford facility on I-95 Southbound. It may expand the smallest facilities, which are on average 3,000-square-feet each, along Interstate 395.

While the first two facilities offer only one restaurant option for travelers, the later three only offer travelers diesel, fuel and convenience store services.

Specifically, facilities DOT has earmarked for re-development and possible expansion due to business needs and available land include I-95 North in Darien, I-95 South in Madison, I-395 South in Montville, I-395 North in Plainfield, I-395 South in Plainfield, Route 15 North in New Canaan, Route 15 South in New
Canaan, Route 15 North in Fairfield, Route 15 North in Orange, Route 15 South in Orange, Route 15 North in North Haven, and Route 15 South in North Haven.

DOT's report encourages a contractor to develop a variety of food services similar to what currently exists at the state's larger service plazas along Interstate 95 which, in addition to McDonald's, also offer travelers several other food choices.

Those currently include Original Pizza of Boston, Sandella's, Faber retail store, sunglass kiosk, LavAzza, Edy's Ice Cream, and several different types of snack and beverage vending machines.

Nearby states that offer a variety of services to travelers include Massachusetts (Mass Pike), New Jersey (Garden State Parkway and New Jersey Turnpike), and Pennsylvania (Pennsylvania Turnpike).

Since Route 15, also called the Merritt Parkway, is a National Historical Landmark, the report states that the contractor is encouraged to make interior changes only to those service plazas which are about 2,500-square-feet.

Specifically, the DOT is requesting the contractor allow all service plazas to feature completely renovated restrooms along with vending machines, ATM's, public telephones, and free Wi-Fi internet hookups.

The DOT is requesting the future contractor to enhance tourist information services at Route 15 Northbound in Greenwich and I-95 Northbound in Darien.

The report fails to discuss the future of several aging state-owned highway rest areas and information centers which, according to the Connecticut DOT Rest Area list, include a rest area/Connecticut Welcome Center in Westbrook on I-95 North near exit 65, a rest area/Connecticut Welcome Center in North Stonington on I-95 South near exit 93, a rest area in West Willington on I-84 East near exit 69, a rest area/Connecticut Welcome Center in West Willington on I-84 West near exit 70, a rest area/Connecticut Welcome Center in Danbury on I-84 East near exit 2, a rest area in Southington on I-84 East near exit 28, a rest area in Middletown on I-91 North near exit 19, and a rest area in Wallingford on I-91 South near exit 15.

Those rest areas primarily consist of passenger car and truck parking, pay telephones, restrooms, picnic areas, and vending machines while the welcome centers feature staff that provide assistance to visitors who can take a number of brochures about attractions and businesses throughout the state.

They also fail to address recommendations made in an executive report which called for new rest areas on I-395 in Thompson (with Welcome Center), I-91 in Enfield (with Welcome Center), Route 2 in Bozrah, Route 9 in Haddam as well as new truck facilities on I-95 in Waterford, I-84 in Newton, and I-91 in Windsor Locks and Hartford.