Bush Signs Bill Repealing Rest-Stop Commercialization

President Bush last week signed legislation that repeals a law allowing commercialization of rest areas along federal highways.

The rest-area commercialization repeal is part of a broader law maicing several changes in 2005 s highway authorization that supporters said will clear the way for

The bill also orders the Department of Justice to investigate how a $10 million earmark for an interchange on Interstate 75 in Florida was included in the 2005 bill Bush signed, although neither the House nor Senate voted on the amendment.

"The technical corrections bill ...provides a green light that will unleash up to $1 billion into the economy, creating tens of thousands of jobs," said Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), chairwoman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. "Infrastructure investment is one of the best ways to stimulate our economy - it creates American jobs and helps American businesses."

Rep. James Oberstar (D-Minn.), chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and chief sponsor of the new law, said he was "very pleased" it had been signed, adding that the funding freed up by the corrections will "help create or sustain approximately 40,000 family-wage, highwayrelated construction jobs."

President Bush signed the bill June 6. Earlier, the Office of Management and Budget had said the administration strongly opposed the bill, which passed the Senate by an 88-2 vote and the House by a 358-51 vote (4-28, p. 4).

The bill repealed a section of the 2005 law, known as SAFETEA-LU - the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act - which would have allowed the installation of commercial equipment to reduce truck engine idling at public rest areas.

The provision repealing rest-area commercialization was supported by NATSO, an association representing truck stops, which viewed it as the first step toward fully commercializing rest stops, a move that would hurt its members.

"Rest area commercialization would be devastating to travel centers, truck stops, restaurants, gasoline stations, convenience stores and lodging establishments that depend on interstate traffic for their business," said NATSO spokeswoman Mindy Long. "There are 50% fewer food, fuel and truck service facilities in the 66 counties that currently have commercialized rest areas, compared with counties without commercialization.

"NATSO is certain that full-scale rest area commercialization would cause hundreds of truck stops and travel plazas to close their doors," she said, "resulting in decreased tax revenue for states and counties, fewer jobs for the local community, and lost truck parking spaces and food and fuel options for professional drivers."

Long said that the federal government does allow commercialization of rest stops built before 1960.

Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska), inserted the $10 million Florida highway interchange item into the 2005 bill when he was Transportation Committee chairman. Critics have said it violated congressional rules.