Specialty and competitive programs
Safety rest areas
MnDOT's Safety Rest Area Program funds construction, repair and rehabilitation of rest areas and waysides. Rest areas support commercial freight movements, serve as a countermeasure to drowsy driving, and promote state and regional tourism as well as providing convenient time-saving services for travelers.
MnDOT focuses investment in rest area projects that:
- Eliminate an unsafe highway shoulder stop
- Occur at a critical location for commercial trucks
- Occur at a strategic location for promoting the state and state tourism
- Provide another safety function
- Are situated at the desired 50-60 mile spacing on the Rest Area Service Network as a countermeasure to drowsy driving and for other highway safety purposes
MnDOT Rest Area Program identifies capital investment candidate projects based on the physical condition of rest area buildings and pavements, accessibility and building code compliance, partnership potential and availability of alternative funding sources.
MnDOT Districts also identify rest area capital investment projects. These typically focus on the physical condition of rest area vehicular pavements and ramps. These projects typically use one-time funding.
What’s been selected?
Related links
- Historic Roadside Properties Program
- Highway Safety Improvement Program – Metro
- Highway Safety Improvement Program – Greater Minnesota
How the projects scored
The construction costs shown on this list represent a rough estimate based on limited information available at the time selection decisions were made. Actual construction and delivery costs will change over time as projects go from a concept through the project development process and are eventually constructed. View more detailed scores (Excel).
Last updated June 2024
| Score | Route | Location | Year planned (FY) | Construction cost estimate for planning purposes | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 90 | I-94 | Hansel Lake *** | FY32 | $15,250,000 | New Fergus Falls rest area (Lake Iverson & Hansel Lake replacement) |
| 90 | I-94 | Lake Iverson (E.B.) *** | FY32 | $15,250,000 | Lake Iverson was demolished due to flooding and needs to be developed in a new location. A new Fergus Falls rest area will replace Lake Iverson & Hansel Lake |
| 75 | I-94 | Burgen Lake (W.B.) | FY25 | $7,605,000 | Building rehabilitation and expansion |
| 55 | I-94 | St. Croix TIC (W.B.) | FY24 | $8,250,000 | Building and site reconstruction |
| 50 | MN60 | Watonwan River | FY28 | $12,000,000 | Building, Site, and Vehicular Pavement Improvements |
| 50 | I-35 | Forest Lake (S.B.) | Not Selected | Unknown | District roofing, storefront and restroom improvement project. Maintenance project. |
| 50 | I-35 | Thompson Hill TIC (S.B.) | Not Selected | Pavement reconstructed in 2021 | |
| 45 | I-90 | Adrian (W.B.) ** | Not Selected | Unknown | |
| 45 | US2 | Fishers Landing TIC | Not Selected | Unknown | |
| 45 | US169 | Minnesota Valley | Not Selected | Unknown | |
| 35 | I-90 | Adrian (E.B.) ** | Not Selected | Unknown | |
| 35 | US10 | Central Minnesota TIC | Not Selected | Unknown | |
| 35 | US2 | Oak Lake | FY23 | $2,300,000 | Improve pedestrian accessibility |
| 30 | I-94 | Big Spunk Lake (E.B.) | FY27 | $3,400,000 | Pavement reconstruction and truck parking expansion. |
| 30 | I-90 | Beaver Creek TIC (E.B.) | Not Selected | Unknown | |
| 30 | US10 | Daytonport | Not Selected | ||
| 30 | US169 | Rum River | Not Selected | Unknown | |
| 25 | I-35 | Albert Lea TIC (NB) | Not Selected | Unknown | |
| 25 | I-90/US61 | Dresbach TIC (W.B.) | Not Selected | Unknown | |
| 25 | I-90 | Enterprise (E.B.) | Not Selected | Unknown | |
| 25 | I-94 | Fuller Lake (W.B.) | Not Selected | ||
| 25 | US53 | Anchor Lake | Not Selected | Pavement reconstructed in 2021 | |
| 20 | I-35 | Beroun Vicinity * | Not Selected | Unknown | A new rest area is needed in the Beroun vicinity to meet program spacing objectives on southbound I-35. A location has yet to be determined. |
| 20 | US2 | Cass Lake | Not Selected | Unknown | |
| 20 | MN60 | Worthington T.I.C. | Not Selected | Unknown | |
| 20 | I-35 | Culkin (N.B.) | Not Selected | Unknown | |
| 15 | I-94 | Lake Latoka (E.B.) | Not Selected | Unknown | |
| 15 | I-90 | Marion (W.B.) | Not Selected | Unknown | |
| 15 | I-94 | Middle Spunk Lake (W.B.) | Not Selected | Unknown | |
| 15 | I-35 | New Market (S.B.) | Not Selected | Unknown | |
| 15 | MN371 | Brainerd Lakes Area Welcome Center | Not Selected | Unknown | |
| 10 | I-35 | Straight River (S.B.) | Not Selected | Pavement reconstructed in 2021 | |
| 10 | I-90 | Blue Earth (E.B.) | Not Selected | Unknown | |
| 10 | I-90 | Blue Earth (W.B.) | Not Selected | Unknown | |
| 10 | MN61 | Gooseberry Falls | Not Selected | Unknown | |
| 10 | MN61 | Grand Portage Visitor Center | Not Selected | Unknown | |
| 10 | I-90 | Hayward (E.B.) | Not Selected | Pavement reconstructed in 2020 | |
| 10 | I-35 | Kettle River (N.B.) | Not Selected | Unknown | |
| 10 | US61 | Lake Pepin | Not Selected | Unknown | |
| 10 | I-94 | Moorhead TIC (E.B.) | Not Selected | Unknown | |
| 10 | MN61 | Tettegouche | Not Selected | Unknown | |
| 5 | I-94 | Elm Creek (E.B.) | FY24 | Unknown | Site ADA improvements |
| 5 | I-94 | Enfield (E.B.) | FY26 | $2,700,000 | |
| 5 | I-35 | Goose Creek (N.B.) | Not Selected | Unknown | Pavement reconstruction and truck parking expansion. |
| 5 | I-35 | Heath Creek (N.B.) | Not Selected | Pavement reconstructed in 2021 | |
| 5 | I-35 | Straight River (N.B.) | Not Selected | Unknown | |
| 5 | I-35 | General Andrews (S.B.) | Not Selected | Unknown | |
| 0 | I-90 | Clear Lake (E.B.) ** | Not Selected | ||
| 0 | I-90 | Des Moines River (W.B.) ** | Not Selected | ||
| 0 | US10 | Frazee | Not Selected | Unknown | |
| 0 | I-90 | Highforest (E.B.) | Not Selected | ||
| 0 | I-90 | Oakland Woods (W.B.) | Not Selected | Pavement reconstructed in 2021 |
NOTES:
* A rest area is needed in the Beroun vicinity to meet program spacing objectives on southbound I-35. This is on hold until after existing rest areas brought into good condition and ADA compliant.
** The Adrian rest areas are in very poor physical condition and need replaced however, by reconstructing the Des Moines River and Clear Lake rest areas the Adrians could be demolished. This would allow MnDOT to accomplish the objective of consolidating rest areas.
*** Lake Iverson was demolished due to flooding and needs to be developed in a new location.