Florida and Colorado Among States Expanding Public Truck Parking Supply
Florida and Colorado plan to add hundreds of public truck parking spaces by the end of 2028, with Florida adding 917 spaces along I-4 and Colorado adding 50 spaces on I-25. Federal and state governments are addressing the nationwide truck parking shortage through grants and construction projects, while private companies like Love's Travel Stops are also expanding their parking networks.
Key Takeaways
- Colorado and Florida will add hundreds of new public truck parking spaces combined by the end of 2028.
- Florida is adding 917 spaces across four counties along Interstate 4 (I-4); Colorado is building a new public rest area with 50 truck parking spaces on Interstate 25 (I-25) near Pueblo.
- Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Administrator Derek Barrs said of the Florida project that the new spaces will reduce dangerous roadside parking, calling the investment a solution to one of the most persistent challenges truck drivers face while strengthening the safety and efficiency of freight movement in central Florida.
Deep Dive
Colorado and Florida are among several states seeking to add truck parking spaces and improve technology to help commercial drivers find spots, along withMinnesota、WashingtonandWisconsin。
According to the announcement, construction has begun on three projects in Florida's Seminole and Volusia counties, with completion expected by mid-2027. Two additional projects in Osceola and Orange counties are set to begin sometime next year.
Florida received$180 millionin Rebuilding American Infrastructure grants from the U.S. Department of Transportation for its truck parking projects. According to the announcement, 95% of Florida's consumer goods are transported via I-4.
Colorado's public rest area project will break ground next fall and is expected to be completed by fall 2028, Amber Shipley, a spokesperson for the state's Department of Transportation, said in an email to Trucking Dive.
As state and federal agencies work to address thenational truck parking shortageprivate companies are also expanding services for commercial drivers and offering more parking spaces.
For example, Love's Travel Stops is undergoing a$700 million expansion and renovation planLove's spokesperson Caitlin Jensen said in an email to Trucking Dive that as of July 1, Love's has opened 10 new locations and completed updates to 18 existing ones. The company's plan includes opening seven more locations this year and renovating an additional 30 sites.
Jensen said Love's has added 991 truck parking spaces to its network so far this year, bringing its total available free truck parking spaces to 51,556. The company's expansion and renovation plan calls for adding 1,500 truck parking spaces to its network by 2026.