This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Tourism in Utah is a large part of our state's GDP. We have spent the past two summers on numerous road trips through our neighbor states and the Midwest. I'm so amazed at all the rest areas in these states.
They have clean bathrooms, covered picnic areas, self-service vending machines, grassy areas for pet exercise and helpful maps and information. Compare this to Utah's "public private partnerships." They have one or no uncovered picnic tables, restrooms (sometimes clean) at the back of large stores selling "tourist trash" and no areas for pets.
Other states provide a place to take a quiet break or nap. All our signs about drowsy driving don't help when there is no place except a busy truck stop to take a rest. Are we so arrogant about our tourist attractions that we don't have to have attractive, non-mercantile rest areas?
Charles and Karol Berwald
Layton