The widow of a murdered Schoharie County truck driver is helping legislators keep a Worcester I-88 rest area open for weary drivers.
Hope Rivenburg of Fulton joined Senator Jim Seward and Assemblymen Pete Lopez and Marc Butler Wednesday at the rest area to draw attention to the state’s plan to close it as of December 1.
Ms. Rivenburg’s husband, Jason, was shot to death at an unlighted gas station in South Carolina last year when he stopped his rig to rest.
Since then, Ms. Rivenburg and her family have been promoting the federal “Jason’s Law,” which would create safe, long-term parking for commercial vehicles.
Though closing the Worcester rest area isn’t linked to Ms. Rivenburg’s federal push, she said the projected closure runs counter to the theme.
“The state needs to do its part to protect truck drivers so other families do not have to experience the horrible loss that I have,” said Ms. Rivenburg, as supporters held signs backing the measure nearby.
The state Department of Transportation announced several weeks ago that it would close the Worcester eastbound rest area and five others around the state as a cost-cutting move.
But state legislators countered Wednesday that the savings aren’t worth the risk to truck drivers and others.
“Sacrificing life-saving rest areas like this one is totally inappropriate,” Senator Seward said.
“The cost savings versus the risk shouldn’t even be in the same conversation,” Assemblyman Lopez added.
Closing the Worcester rest area would leave only one eastbound rest stop––in the Afton area––on I-88 between Binghamton and Albany.
That’s insufficient for truck drivers who are required by law to take a 10-hour rest break, Ms. Rivenburg said.
“This puts truck drivers at risk,” Senator Seward added.
Kendra Adams, executive director of the state Motor Truck Association, pointed out that New York campaigns against “drowsy driving,” and closing rest areas flies in the face of that campaign.
Truck drivers must have rest areas available “to get their mandated time off and sleep so that they may operate in the most safe, efficient and compliant manner possible,” Ms. Adams said.
Faced with a budget gap, the state must save money, Assemblyman Lopez admitted, but closing rest areas isn’t the way to go.
The state could get prison inmates to mow the grass “and maintain this small structure” and could also install solar panels to cut utility costs, he added.
“Wasteful spending is a target-rich field,” Assemblyman Lopez said. “There are many other areas we could cut.”
Bruce Layman, field representative for Green Thumb Environmental Beautification, confirmed that maintenance costs are low.
Green Thumb workers maintain state rest areas, said Mr. Layman, who attended Wednesday’s press conference.
The four Worcester workers work no more than 26 hours per week, make $8 an hour and have no benefits other than disability insurance and workers’ compensation.
The workers get two and a half days’ vacation per year.
Most of them are elderly and retired, just looking for something to do, Mr. Layman said.
“If they close this, they’d be out of a job,” he said. “I might be able to relocate them, but I don’t know.”
Assemblyman Lopez said he and Senator Seward were to meet with DOT Monday to discuss the closures.
Noting the importance of keeping the areas open, Senator Seward urged everyone to support Jason’s Law at the federal level.
Besides Worcester, other rest areas targeted for closure are on I-88 westbound in Wells Bridge, Schroon Lake northbound on the Northway, Lewis southbound on the Northway, Brewerton southbound on I-81 and Schodack westbound on I-90.