A research study was conducted to determine the required design for rest areas with particular emphasis on comfort stations. Many sources of information were used: personal visits with department of transportation rest area professionals in six states, telephone surveys of officials in twelve other states, visits to other agencies that maintain comfort stations, literature surveys, complaint and commendation letters received from users of texas rest areas, rest area surveys, visits with legal counsel for the texas department of highways and public transportation, and visits to texas rest areas and interviews of maintenance personnel. A summary of current design criteria is presented for site size, location, spacing, and lighting; building design and layout; interior building design; plumbing fixtures;and operations and maintenance. Recommendations are made for designin these areas an example design of a rest area is presented. Thispaper appears in transportation research record no. 1224, Rest areas, wetlands, and hydrology.
Abstract