The Amarillo district of the Texas Department of Transportation is considering closing 41 picnic areas as a way to save more than $369,000 per year in maintenance costs.

However, Paul Braun, public information officer for TxDOT, told Land Line that this decision and the effect it may have on truck drivers who count on these sites to pull off and rest is not being taken lightly.

Braun added that if the shelters and trash receptacles are removed, which costs more than $9,000 per site to maintain, truckers will still have access to the pull-off areas.

“It’s a safety issue. If they are being used, darn right, we are going to keep the parking areas open,” Braun said.

He said there isn’t a firm deadline as to when a decision will be made on the picnic areas. Braun said two have been closed already, and a decision has been made to keep a few more open because of their historical significance. The Amarillo district is working with some local groups and communities to possibly take over the maintenance at some of the picnic area locations.

Braun said that each county within his district and others have to take a look at how they plan to save money. Some may want to cut expenses elsewhere and not cut maintenance funding at the picnic areas, which are located mainly in rural areas in the state.

There are a total of 665 picnic areas in Texas, according to the TxDOT website.

“Whether they close picnic areas or not, that’s up to their district engineer, but ours has decided this is the way we may be able to save some money,” Braun said.

While long-haul truckers won’t have an opportunity to weigh in on the possible picnic area closures, Braun said district officials plan to poll local law enforcement and officials to find out if these sites are being used regularly. Those answers could affect whether some sites will remain open.

“We also have a responsibility to the traveling public to make the roads safe, and we certainly don’t want to close anything that may cause a safety hazard. So we have to be careful and take this process slow,” Braun said.

– By Clarissa Kell-Holland, staff writer
clarissa_kell-holland@landlinemag.com