The two I-65 rest parks in Bartholomew County will undergo renovations in the spring of 2025 to better serve the trucking industry.
The number of parking spaces specifically for semis will be increased by 31 spaces at the southbound facility, located three miles south of Taylorsville. An additional 38 spaces for commercial truckers will be added at the northbound rest park, according to Indiana Department of Transportation spokeswoman Sidney Nierman.
Because of the large number of available break opportunities for the general public at most interchanges, an INDOT plan revised in November calls for both rest parks to be converted into truck-parking-only facilities.
Currently, the southbound rest park averages 100 trucks daily between 10 p.m. and 7:59 a.m., while the average daily traffic count at the northbound facility is 1,150, the plan states. Comparisons complied by INDOT indicate these figures are among the highest in the state.
“We are aware of the need for additional truck parking across the state,” Nierman said. “This plan is a way that INDOT can help alleviate this issue and provide safe locations with more ample parking for truck drivers to stop and take a break.”
In Indiana, truck drivers must take a 30-minute break after eight consecutive hours of driving. They may not drive more than 60 hours on duty within a seven-day period, or more than 70 hours on duty within an eight-day period. Once drivers either of those limits, they must take at least 34 consecutive hours off duty.
Besides additional parking spaces for semis, the renovations south of Taylorsville will include a truckers bathroom and the addition of a vending machine area, the INDOT spokeswoman said. Ancillary work will include the addition of a ADA-compliant ramp, she added.
While Nierman could not say how old the existing rest areas in Bartholomew County are, an INDOT website states the average age of most rest areas is 28 years.
