A Way To Improve the Turnpike and Parkway rest areas

by: IndependentNJ

Sat Apr 24, 2010 at 03:30:01 PM EDT

With all the talk about James Simpson, I was thinking, why not get rid of all the yucky fast food at these service areas and replace them with...

Diners and liquor stores!!!

Diners are the quintessential local business in New Jersey, and I believe that the Turnpike and Parkway rest areas could benefit from having diners. Though diner food isn't exactly healthy, its STILL better that all the fast food crap that's at the rest areas.

In addition, I think there should also be liquor stores in the Parkway/Turnpike rest areas. New Hampshire has had them for many years and I think NJ would benefit, for liquor sales tend to be high profit and NJ has very reasonable taxation of adult beverages. Think of the out of state revenues.

We could replace the entire food court with a liquor store, and then contract some local businesspersyn to put a small diner on the service area property.

IndependentNJ :: A Way To Improve the Turnpike and Parkway rest areas

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A Way To Improve the Turnpike and Parkway rest areas | 4 comments

A terrible idea (0.00 / 0)

Are you serious? Our highways are already overcrowded, sometimes unsafe, and frequently frustrating. The last thing we want is people having easy highway access to stock up their car (and belly) with beer and liquor. Even if most people would keep their bottles sealed, why risk the enhanced opportunity for dui driving. The fact that New Hampshire does it in no way sways me, just as Arizona's new immigrant profiling policies don't sway me. Tell me that 80% of the US freeways and turnpikes do it, and maybe I'll give it further thought.

I'm OK with diners on the highway or, even better, more variety of restaurants as currently one rest stop is much like the other and serves a lot of unhealthy junk food.

"The work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die." - Sen. Ted Kennedy

by: Bill Orr @ Sat Apr 24, 2010 at 20:59:39 PM UTC

by: you @ soon

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True (0.00 / 0)

Alcohol could be a concern, however, this would be a completely off-premises license. I don't see people drinking in the parking lots of liquor stores or getting one to go.

It is no different from having a liquor store off any other roadway.

-Jordan O

http://pinelandsprogressive.blogspot.com

by: IndependentNJ @ Sat Apr 24, 2010 at 21:10:04 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

sales tax-free clothing too (0.00 / 0)

Maybe we could put a Macy's or Ross Dress for Less in the first and last rest stop.

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by: Hopeful @ Sun Apr 25, 2010 at 00:25:00 AM UTC

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That's actually (0.00 / 0)

A great idea

Of course, we'd have to find some space, but I think we could get it.

One good idea would be to put a ped bridge over the turnpike, and have the building on one side be a diner and the other a liquor store.

My ideas for the new rest areas (note that I would retain gas stations/convenience stores/gift shops in all areas):

-Clara Barton/John Fenwick (diner on one side, Ross Dress For Less on the other, ped bridge)
-Walt Whitman (one side only, diner plus Flying Fish Outlet*)
-J. Fenimore Cooper (same as Walt Whitman)
-Richard Stockton/Woodrow Wilson (diner on one side, liquor store on the other [Joe Canal's?], ped bridge)
-Molly Pitcher Service Area (one side only, diner plus River Horse outlet*)
-Joyce Kilmer Service Area (same as Molly Pitcher)
-Thomas Edison/Grover Cleveland (diner on one side, liquor store on the other, ped bridge)
-Alexander Hamilton (diner as well as Cricket Hill outlet*)
-Vince Lombardi (diner as well as Ross Dress For Less)

*I've decided in some of the areas closer to breweries, perhaps said breweries could be given special permission to operate stores where they can sell their beer + branded gifts.

-Jordan O

http://pinelandsprogressive.blogspot.com

by: IndependentNJ @ Sun Apr 25, 2010 at 01:32:42 AM UTC

[ Parent ]