Maryland SHA expands truck parking at I-95 welcome center

The State Highway Administration opened 39 new truck parking spaces at the Howard County rest area.    The Maryland State Highway Administration last week expanded truck parking at a rest area and welcome center along I-95 in Laurel, Md.
   The SHA created 39 new parking spaces for tractor-trailers, nearly tripling available truck parking, in an attempt to reduce illegal and unsafe truck parking on shoulders and ramps, as well as damage to the surrounding pavement, and increase safety.
   The project, which nearly tripled available truck parking, also included upgrading to energy-efficient LED lighting and was funded by a $5.5 million grant from the Federal Highway Administration. SHA contracted Ardent Company, LLC of McLean, Va. for the construction, which began in summer 2013 and is expected to be completed in the spring.
   SHA Administrator Melinda B. Peters said in a release that the expansion would decrease damage to the surrounding pavement caused by illegal parking and increase safety. “This expansion improves safety by providing additional spaces for truck drivers who have reached their hours-of-service limit or are staging for deliveries, preventing them from parking along the shoulders and ramps of southbound I-95,” said Peters.
   The Maryland SHA also offers an interactive map and mobile application to help truck drivers locate both regular and weather-emergency truck parking locations.