Exploring Rockland: The Newly Opened Thruway Rest Area

By Rockland Daily Staff

As reported here, the New York State Thruway Authority announced the reopening of the Ramapo Service Area, which opened to the public this week.

Rockland Daily visited the rest area yesterday afternoon and found a beautiful, magnificent facility, one that was well worth the wait.

It features a huge parking area outside, a modernized look, breathtaking design, cozy seating areas both indoors and outdoors, a variety of beautiful shops, nice and clean bathrooms, digital tourism kiosks, and even a small play area for kids to enjoy.

The new rest area, under construction for some time as part of a $450 million project to develop and modernize 27 service areas on the Thruway, is located on the NYS Thruway Southbound between exit 16 and exit 15A, near Sloatsburg.

The original Ramapo Service Center opened in 1958 and underwent construction in 2000. When developed as part of the Thruway centers in the mid-1950s, the plazas were built an average of 40 miles apart to accommodate driving times and convenience for public access.

While many were not in favor of redoing both sides of the Thruway centers simultaneously and losing double the service at once, we can now enjoy this newly opened one while looking forward to the completion and opening of the service center across the highway.