I-5 Rest Area Re-Opens North of Eugene, Nov. 6

Eugene- The Travel Information Council (TIC) is excited to announce the Oak Grove Safety Rest Area, on I-5 north of Eugene, has reopened to visitors with a brand-new restroom facilities. The new construction, on both the north and southbound sides of the rest area triple the capacity of the buildings they replaced. Daphnee Legarza, Rest Area Program Administrator for TIC explained, “The original restroom facilities at Oak Grove were inadequate for the amount of traffic the rest area receives. During peak summer travel, as well as during college football season, long lines of travelers waiting to use the restrooms were common.” In 2018, over half-a-million people used the restrooms on each side of the Oak Grove Safety Rest Area. “We are focusing on making strategic improvements to our rest area facilities that will better meet the needs of Oregon’s motorists and visitors to our state well into the future,” says TIC Executive Director, Jim Denno. Funding for this building project was approved by the Oregon Legislature in 2017 as part of statewide transportation system upgrades included in ”Keep Oregon Moving” HB 2017. Oregon Legislators set aside funding for rest area improvement with the goal of improving and repairing inadequate infrastructure. Safety rest areas are a vital component to improving driver safety and reducing accidents by giving drivers a convenient place to stop, rest and refresh. The Travel Information Council is a semi-independent state agency located in Salem. TIC manages most of the highway rest areas in Oregon. TIC also helps motorists find essential services through blue highway logo signs and administers two state heritage programs: Oregon Historical Markers and Oregon Heritage Trees.