FLAGSTAFF – The Meteor Crater Rest Area on Interstate 40 east of Flagstaff has reopened to travelers in time for holiday travel after the Arizona Department of Transportation completed a renovation of the facility.

The rest area, which was closed in January of this year, received upgrades to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act, improvements to the water/wastewater system, as well as architectural, electrical, mechanical rehabilitation and resurfacing of the parking lot.

During most of the $3.5 million project, Meteor Crater Rest Area remained partially open for commercial truck parking only while the facility was renovated. 

This work was part of a project that included the renovation of the Painted Cliffs Rest Area on I-40 near the New Mexico state line. That work was completed in September 2020.

FLAGSTAFF – The Meteor Crater Rest Area on Interstate 40 east of Flagstaff has reopened to commercial truck parking only after the Arizona Department of Transportation completed resurfacing the parking lot.

The rest area facilities remain closed as crews continue with upgrades to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act, improvements to the water/wastewater system, as well as architectural, electrical, mechanical rehabilitation and site work.

During the closure, the nearest traveler facilities will be in Flagstaff and Winslow. Commercial trucks are allowed to park at the Meteor Crater Rest Area. Message signs placed on I-40 in each direction approaching the rest area will advise drivers of this.

This work was part of a project that included the renovation of the Painted Cliffs Rest Area on I-40 near the New Mexico state line. That work was completed in September 2020.

FLAGSTAFF – Added parking restrictions are planned later this week for the Meteor Crater Rest Area on Interstate 40 east of Flagstaff. The facility has been open to commercial truck parking while under renovation since the beginning of the year, but beginning Sunday, Aug. 15, the parking lot will close to all vehicles to allow for further improvements. 

As part of the ongoing project to renovate the rest area, located at milepost 235, crews will close the parking lot in order to replace the pavement and restripe the parking spaces. The parking lot will be closed until the fall.

The nearly $3.5 million renovation project also includes upgrading the facility’s electrical, mechanical and water/wastewater systems as well as site improvements. Construction is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

During the closure, the nearest traveler facilities will be in Flagstaff and Winslow. 

This work is part of a project that included the renovation of the Painted Cliffs Rest Area on I-40 near the New Mexico state line. That work was completed in September 2020.

PHOENIX – The Meteor Crater Rest Area on Interstate 40 between Flagstaff and Winslow in northern Arizona has closed for a nearly $3.5 million renovation project that’s expected to be completed by the fall.

While closed to the traveling public, the rest area will remain open for commercial truck parking only. Message signs placed on I-40 in each direction approaching the rest area will advise drivers of this.

Work planned for the rest area, located at milepost 235, includes upgrades to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act, improvements to the water/wastewater system, as well as architectural, electrical, mechanical rehabilitation and site work.  

During the closure, the nearest traveler facilities will be in Flagstaff and Winslow. 

This work is part of a project that included the renovation of the Painted Cliffs Rest Area on I-40 near the New Mexico state line. That work was completed last September.

PHOENIX –  Faced with the delicate balance of keeping people safe and the economy going during the pandemic, Governor Doug Ducey and the Arizona Department of Transportation made moves to assist the trucking industry to keep the supply of essentials like groceries and medical supplies flowing to Arizona communities.

In April, ADOT issued new rules that temporarily allowed commercial vehicles providing direct assistance to COVID-19 relief efforts to operate with a gross weight up to 90,000 pounds without an overweight permit. The normal limit is 80,000 pounds.

This included, among other essential items, medical supplies related to the diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19, supplies necessary for community safety and preventing the spread of COVID-19 and food and household items for emergency restocking of stores. 

In addition to raising weight limits to allow for more essential supplies into Arizona, ADOT initiated a few vital rest area-related projects to help support commercial vehicles.

ADOT temporarily reopened two long-closed rest areas near Flagstaff exclusively for commercial vehicles in early April. ADOT crews quickly prepared the Christensen Rest Area on Interstate 17 and the Parks Rest Area on Interstate 40 to offer parking, portable toilets and handwashing facilities for long-haul truckers. The reopening of these rest areas provided an additional 44 parking spaces for commercial vehicles.

Both Christensen and Parks plan to re-close in early January.

Nearly 100 permanent truck parking spaces were added to two rest area locations along Interstate 40 by mid-summer. Haviland Rest Area received 38 new parking spaces between its two facilities, while Meteor Crater Rest Area received 56 spaces at its facilities. The Haviland project was fast-tracked specifically in response to the COVID-19 pandemic while the parking spaces at Meteor Crater were added to an existing project to renovate both the Meteor Crater Rest Area and the Painted Cliffs Rest Area.

And if all of that wasn’t enough, Governor Ducey also issued an Executive Order in April allowing food trucks to operate at several ADOT rest areas in order to provide long-haul truckers carrying those essentials with nutritious food while aiding the food truck business during the pandemic. 

ADOT supported the Executive Order by setting up a food-truck permitting program so food truck owners could apply for permits to operate at specific rest areas to serve truckers and travelers alike. 

ADOT is committed to serving its customers even during unprecedented times like what was seen during 2020. For more information, visit azdot.gov. For resources and information about Arizona’s response to COVID-19, visit ArizonaTogether.org.