Saved from previous closure several times during its 25-year life in its current structure, the Westbrook Rest Area and Welcome Center is the smallest rest stop on Interstate 95 in Connecticut. In a Rest Area and Service Plaza study report, problems with the 2,349 square-foot facility seemed to outweigh its positive aspects. It’s the only rest area building not open 24 hours in the state. The report noted that the “welcome center hours are seasonal, sporadic, and dependent on staffing. The welcome center was closed during our visit, with literature visible through locked glass doors. Other than a road map, there were no brochures or other information in the lobby to inform visitors when the welcome center is closed”. The Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development website states that hours of operation for the center are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Memorial Day to Labor Day, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Labor Day to Columbus Day and Thursday thru Sunday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Columbus Day to Memorial Day. During its closed times, a note on the door advises travelers to use portable toilets. “The site approach for the visitor center is not impressive, the off-ramp from Rt. 95 places visitors at the windowless sidewall of the building with limited signage. Although porta-potties are well screened by landscaping, they are one of the first impressions for the visitor before they get out of their car,” the report states. The report also stated that the facility “has no architectural features that would associate it with Connecticut or New England. The non-durable exterior materials (vinyl siding and asphalt roof singles) do not convey as sense of permanence/quality and provoke an image of generic residential development.” The only compliments in the report centered on the good maintenance of the interior along with the fact that the restrooms had skylights and tall ceilings. The property’s small size is another issue as it’s bordered by the Tanger Outlet Mall and has no room to expand. While the report initially had supported merging the welcome center with the Madison I-95 service plaza, the Town of Westbrook voiced its opposition. The report stated they support more truck parking, enhanced tourism information services, and more attractive picnic areas. While the Westbrook rest area has vending machines, pay phones were since removed and should be reinstalled. In the end, the Rest Area and Service Plaza study team stated “some upgrades may be possible, but there are land constraints, so they will be at a small scale. The plan includes replacing the building with a more modern building.” The report recommends the new building include ATM’s and Wi-Fi service. They also recommend preserving the existing gardens, focusing on increased safety for vehicles and pedestrians, and include linear truck parking spaces at the same location where trucks park illegally today. While federal law prohibits the addition of food and gas services to highways receiving federal highway funds, our legislators should lobby for an exemption so that improvements get started immediately so that we can create a more welcoming image for tourists.
