This is pretty exciting!! Renovations are coming to most of the Rest Stops/Service Areas on the New York State Thruway! With those renovations come some new food options for those of us who travel the Thruway. And here's the exciting part. Chick Fil-A, Shake Shack, Panera, Popeyes, Burger King, Panda Express, Starbucks, Dunkin' and more will be included. As of right now, we don't know which food options will be where, but here's hoping Chick Fil-A makes it to one of the Service Areas near us. I would settle for New Baltimore, since it seems that the Guilderland Rest Stop is not on the renovation list. But since I do travel here and there, especially now that it's safe to do it, I'll travel wherever I can to get one of those great Chick Fil-A sandwiches. Heck, I love Shake Shack too! And those other restaurants sound great. According to the Times Union, renovations will begin this month, with ten service areas closing at the end of July
Shake Shack and Chick-fil-A are among the new restaurants that will be included in therenovationsof New York State Thruway service areas.
Additional expanded food options include Panera, Popeyes, Burger King, Panda Express, Starbucks, Dunkin’ Donuts, Applegreen Convenience Store and Taste NY farm markets, the state initiative highlighting locally-grown products. Specific locations for the food sites have yet to be announced.
The Thruway Authority on Wednesday announced the$450 million projectto remodel the service areas will begin this month.
Ten service areas will close on July 29 for the first phase of work, the first significant development taking place at the stations since the 1990s, the authority said.
Among the first will be the New Baltimore areas, south and northbound. In 2022, Pattersonville, between the Scotia and Amsterdam exits, will see construction.
Of the 27 service area restaurant buildings, 23 will be rebuilt, with significant upgrades and renovations coming to the other four.
Thruway officials dubbed the renovations as a “new travel experience."
The new amenities will include picnic and play areas, pet walking areas and electric vehicle charging stations designed to further the state’s goal of expanding the infrastructure across the state
Funds come from a public-private partnership with Empire State Thruway Partners, according to the Thruway Authority, and no toll dollars or state tax dollars are being used. The service areas were originally built in the 1950s.
Fuel services will remain available at all locations during construction. Service areas closing on July 29 include:
- Ardsley (I-87 northbound)
- Plattekill (I-87 northbound)
- New Baltimore (I-87 northbound and southbound)
- Indian Castle (I-90 eastbound)
- Iroquois (I-90 westbound)
- Chittenango (I-90 westbound)
- Junius Ponds (I-90 westbound)
- Clifton Springs (I-90 eastbound)
- Clarence (I-90 westbound)
- Pembroke (I-90 eastbound)
Construction is expected to begin in 2022 at the following locations:
- Sloatsburg (I-87 northbound)
- Ulster (I-87 southbound)
- Pattersonville (I-90 westbound)
- Oneida (I-90 eastbound)
- Seneca (I-90 westbound)
- Scottsville (I-90 eastbound)
“This expansive project will modernize the buildings and amenities, provide diverse and healthy food options with new restaurants and Taste NY products, and enhance the amenities for the commercial trucking industry,” said Authority Executive Director Matthew J. Driscoll in a statement.
Photo: AFP via Getty Images