Gov. Ned Lamont announced Friday that Connecticut’s seven state-operated highway rest stops — including one in North Stonington — will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, starting Monday, the start of a new fiscal year.

State Sen. Cathy Osten, D-Sprague, hailed the announcement in a news release. “Nine days into the start of the 2019 legislative session, I introduced a bill, Senate Bill 713, to re-open Connecticut’s highway rest stops on a 24/7 basis,” Osten said. “Less than six months later that is now a reality."

"Re-opening these rest stops has not only been supported by the public for obvious reasons, but by the trucking industry, local chambers of commerce — even the Connecticut Airport Authority," she said. "We need rest stops open 24/7 for truckers to take federally mandated breaks, for families and individuals traveling overnight to make a safe stop, and for the convenience of all travelers during daylight hours.”

Staffing levels at the rest stops were reduced Oct. 1, 2016, in response to budget cuts, limiting the seven locations to one-shift, daytime operation. While the rest areas technically remained “open” around the clock, the indoor facilities were closed to the public for the remaining two evening and overnight shifts, necessitating the sole use of outdoor portable restroom facilities during unstaffed hours.

The state had been spending about $500,000 per year to staff the rest stops for seven hours a day. Staffing them 24 hours a day will cost an additional $1.2 million, bringing the total cost to $1.7 million annually. 

The seven rest areas are in the following locations:

• I-84 Danbury, eastbound past Exit 2

• I-84 Southington, eastbound past Exit 28

• I-84 Willington, eastbound past Exit 69

• I-84 Willington, westbound past Exit 70

• I-91 Wallingford, southbound past Exit 15

• I-91 Middletown, northbound past Exit 19

• I-95 North Stonington, southbound past Exit 93