Going Along the Highway

I made a quick trip to New York City this weekend, and, being the deep, insightful thinker that I am, I have made one very startling observation. Times Square in Manhattan is cleaner, much, much cleaner, than your average Virginia rest stop.
I’m usually right happy with Virginia. It’s centrally located, which mean you can get out of the state and to some really cool places in short order. Even within the state, we have mountains and beaches and natures and history and culture and all that good stuff. So, all in all, Virginia is okay.
But, the rest stops in Virginia suck sewage down their dirty pipes and that’s about all they’re good for. Why is it that Maryland, Delaware, and New Jersey have such great rest stops and we have these putrid, cold, uninviting shanties along the Interstate?
I would say that the very utilitarian rest stops in Virginia are what you might expect to find in some Communist country, but I’ve been to China and the public restrooms there are much nicer than what you’ll find at Virginia’s rest stops. (Side note to the gang of 54 – hope you’re reading this)
When you get north of Virginia, you find rest stops along the Interstate that have restaurants, gift shops, ice cream counters, Starbucks, and very, very clean, warm restrooms. In Virginia, you get vending machines and metal urinals. You get signs warning you that the water in the restroom is unfit for consumption. You get lurking places for every unclean beast-like wanderer who might chance along the highway. I mean there’s some filthy vermin hanging out in the Virginia rest stops. They’re almost as bad as what you’ll find in the city of Richmond’s main library.
I really would like to know why we can’t have some of these nice rest stops that are maintained by corporate business that make money off of us travelers. And, it’s really not like the travelers are being gouged. In fact, along the New Jersey Turnpike, gasoline prices were about 15 to 20 cents cheaper per gallon than what you’ll pay in the Richmond area. And, as far as food, it’s not the cheapest, but it ain’t bad. Besides, I’d pay a few extra pennies for the privilege of using a clean restroom. Virginia’s rest stop restrooms stink. And, again, I don’t understand why. Well, scientifically, I understand the reason why.
I can’t imagine it costs New Jersey more to provide what they provide than what it costs Virginia to give us these horrid rest stops. In fact, I’m guessing they make a few bucks off their rest areas. Why can’t we do that?
The Baby Boomer generation is taking to the road more than ever, as they approach retirement. And, if there’s one thing a Baby Boomer appreciates it’s a convenient bathroom with plenty of warm seats. Or, am I in some sort of IBS isolation on this one? I think not.
I’m not trying to start some kind of movement here. Oops, poor choice of words. I’m not trying to make some political statement. I just don’t understand why Virginia always has to be the last state to catch up with the times. I think our rest stops have always been inferior; it just never mattered quite so much as it does now. But next time that I’m heading north and get the urge, I’m going to try and wait ‘til I get up north. After all that’s kinda what the north has been doing to us for years.