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December 6, 2024

DOT plans $31M statewide truck parking expansion to address shortage

Contributed A truck parking expansion project that just broke ground in Middletown.
By Andrew Larson

On a late-summer morning in 2013, a 20-year-old man was driving a Honda CRV westbound on Interstate 84 in Southington when he drifted into the right shoulder and struck the parked tractor-trailer.

He and his 17-year-old passenger died at the scene. The car was totaled.

The truck driver received a ticket for improper parking, but was not charged in connection with their deaths.

Preventable crashes have become a top concern in Connecticut, with a record number – 367 – people killed on roadways in 2022. The number of fatalities dipped to 303 in 2023, but is expected to rise to around 330 this year.

While most crashes do not involve trucks, some do – and the state Department of Transportation is offering a solution.

For years, truck drivers have had to contend with a severe shortage of parking in Connecticut.

Overnight truck parking spaces at rest stops fill up quickly. Privately owned truck stops are few and far between, and have limited capacity, too.

It’s not uncommon for cross-country truckers, who are required to log a certain amount of rest per day, to park on the side of the highway because they have no other option.

The DOT is working to fix the problem by building 183 new truck parking spaces at locations in Middletown, Madison, Southington, Southbury and Vernon. 

The DOT announced the $31 million initiative on Friday.

Currently, Connecticut has about 420 truck parking spaces at public service plazas and rest areas. The project will increase that number to 602 – a 43.3% increase.

The first phase has begun at the Middletown rest area on Interstate 91 northbound. It will add 11 new truck parking spaces.

The rest of the project will be completed in phases over several years.

“During the COVID-19 pandemic, we heard truckers loud and clear when they called for more places to safely park on state highways,” DOT Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto said. “We are excited to begin these projects to improve safety for the trucking community, which keeps our economy moving.”

Lack of truck parking has been a longstanding problem.

“The truck parking shortage has plagued the trucking industry for decades, and the consequences of insufficient capacity are as wide ranging as they are severe,” said John Blair, president of the Motor Transport Association of CT. “The scarcity of truck parking spaces across the country decreases safety for all highway users, exacerbates the industry longstanding workforce challenges, diminishes trucking productivity and results in unnecessary greenhouse gas emissions.”

He added: “The effort here in Connecticut will undoubtedly make our roads safer.”

The state will cover the cost of the project.

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