Ohio rest areas getting tourism glow-ups
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Displays of Columbus area attractions at the I-70 rest area near Hebron. Photos: Tyler Buchanan/Axios
Ohio wants its rest areas to be more than bathroom and vending machine stops.
- The state is turning dozens of them into full-on tourism centers, each highlighting nearby attractions and historical sites across the state.
Driving the news: Gov. Mike DeWine cut the ribbon last Thursday on a re-designed rest area on I-70 westbound in Licking County.
What's inside: We visited the morning of DeWine's event and were wowed by an entire section featuring the nearby Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks, which was named last year to the UNESCO World Heritage List.
- Large photos suggest places in Columbus to visit, with some, like COSI and Short North, featuring QR codes leading to more information.
The intrigue: A large screen also displays travel alerts and a rotation of Ohio Department of Transportation highway traffic cameras.
What they're saying: The "whole idea" is to get travelers to spend more time in the Buckeye State, ODOT spokesperson Matt Bruning tells us.
- He envisions a driver headed from Indianapolis to Pittsburgh being inspired by the Earthworks exhibit to make a detour to Newark or at least plan a future trip.
The big picture: Forty-five rest areas are getting this tourism upgrade, Bruning says.
- That includes 33 existing stops being torn down and rebuilt from scratch, and 12 (like the one in Licking County) getting remodeled.
Zoom in: Two in Fayette County along I-71 will reopen later this year.
- Nearly a dozen more on various Central Ohio highways are set to reopen through 2026.
