Truck parking plans

Access to truck parking is key to the safe and efficient movement of goods in and around Washington state. Truck drivers need to park in safe and legal areas to rest and meet federal hours of service regulations, wait for shipment appointments, and park during unforeseen circumstances such as roadway closures or extreme weather.

Washington state does not have sufficient truck parking spaces and is ranked among the lowest in the country for truck parking availability. It is difficult for truck drivers to plan their trips due to changing travel times, long wait times at ports and shippers, and uncertainty about whether truck parking will be available when needed. A lack of truck parking can force truck drivers to park in less than ideal locations, creating an unsafe environment for truck drivers, other highway users, and the surrounding communities. It also affects the economy and business operations, can be harmful to the environment, and damages pavement and other infrastructure not meant for truck parking.

Truck Parking Implementation Plan

In 2023, the Washington State Legislature directed WSDOT and the Washington State Freight Mobility Strategic Investment Board (FMSIB) to:

• Develop strategies to address truck parking needs at WSDOT-owned and operated safety rest areas on the I-90 and I-5 corridors.
• Identify opportunities to provide additional truck parking through partnerships with cities, counties, ports and private entities.
• Develop an implementation plan for the specific actions to take to increase truck parking capacity in the near-term.

A Truck Parking Implementation Plan report will be submitted to the Transportation Committees of the Legislature by December 1, 2024. The Legislature will then determine next steps for moving to construction of identified projects. The timeline for these decisions will be affected by the availability of funding, local support, and project readiness. Therefore, this project initially focuses on:

• Identifying the areas with the greatest truck parking needs.
• Identifying possible solutions in those areas.
• Categorizing the projects and actions into short-term (1-2 years), medium-term (3-4 years), and long-term (5-6 years) timelines.

Community engagement related to this plan will be underway starting in May 2024. Those interested in receiving email information on how to be involved should subscribe to Projects-Freight Plans email alerts. 

Near-term truck parking solutions

I-5 Truck Parking Information Management System (TPIMS)

WSDOT is partnering with the Oregon Department of Transportation and Caltrans in California to provide truck drivers with real-time parking availability information along the entire I-5 corridor through all three states. In January 2024, the states were awarded a $12.3 million federal INFRA grant, which when combined with state contributions, provides for a total project budget of $20.5 million for all three states.

Technology will be installed to provide real-time truck parking information at 54 public truck parking facilities along the I-5 corridor. Each state will determine the best data collection technologies for their state -- including radar detection, in-ground sensors, or video detection. 

This information will be available directly to truck drivers through in-cab systems, online apps and websites, and dynamic signs along the highway that display real-time information.

This project is anticipated to be complete and operational in 2027.

Expanding current facilities

WSDOT's Office of Capital Facilities is evaluating opportunities to expand truck parking at 24 safety rest areas and 18 vehicle inspection sites along I-5 and I-90. The total budget for analysis of these expansions is $1.2 million. These interstate highways are major trucking corridors, connecting Washington's freight network with national and international markets. Truck parking availability was identified as a major concern for drivers, particularly along these two highways in WSDOT's 2022 Freight System Plan.

Innovative partnerships

WSDOT's Innovative Partnership Division is coordinating with local governments, ports and private entities to develop recommendations for state assistance with expanding truck parking availability. This includes identifying private land parcels for potential truck parking development, where the state can provide assistance, including land acquisition, land use evaluation, and others potential solutions. Recommendations from this analysis will include cost and project delivery estimates. The total budget for this work is $2.5 million.

Previous truck parking analyses

2021 Washington Truck Parking Workshop

WSDOT and the Federal Highway Administration convened a series of truck parking workshops for stakeholders and government officials to discuss how the state's truck parking shortages may be addressed. Details can be found in the Synopsis of 2021 Washington Truck Parking Workshop (PDF 222KB). This is an overview of the discussion and recommendations made by the participants and not a formal WSDOT report.

2022 Freight System Plan

WSDOT's 2022 Freight System Plan includes an appendix specifically focused on truck parking. It contains a truck parking inventory, a truck parking needs review, and an analysis of truck parking conditions.

2022 Truck Parking Action Plan

The Washington State Legislature's Joint Transportation Committee (JTC) developed a Truck Parking Action Plan that recommends various options and strategies to address the shortage of truck parking in the state. It includes specific next steps for the highest priority actions and was the basis for several of the truck parking initiatives now occurring.