Toll Road Operator Reaches Deal on Travel Plazas

The Indiana Toll Road was built in the mid-1950s.

Listen to this story

Subscriber Benefit

As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe Now

This audio file is brought to you by

0:00

0:00

Loading audio file, please wait.

Speed
1.00

• 0.25
• 0.50
• 0.75
• 1.00
• 1.25
• 1.50
• 1.75
• 2.00

The operator of the Indiana Toll Road has announced an agreement regarding upgraded travel plazas along the toll road. ITR Concession Co. LLC says Philadelphia-based Sunoco LP (NYSE: SUN) and Maryland-based HMSHost will operate its eight remaining travel plaza locations.

The $70 million project includes the demolition and rebuilding of the travel plaza buildings in Portage, Rolling Prairie, Elkhart and Howe. There are two buildings in each location, on the eastbound and westbound sides of the toll road. ITRCC and both companies are contributing to the funding for the project.

"The new plazas will be a great ‘welcome to Indiana’ as well as providing for the travel needs of our customers," said ITRCC Chief Executive Officer Ken Daley. "We are happy to provide ITR customers with these travel plaza improvements which, along with our PUSH project, are investments in safety, customer service, and Indiana."

Sunoco will be the sole operator of the Portage and Elkhart locations. Those facilities will be rebuilt into fuel and convenience stores. Sunoco will also operate the fuel stations at the Rolling Prairie and Howe locations, which will be rebuilt into full-service plazas. HMSHost will operate and manage the restaurant facilities at those locations. 

ITRCC began Phase 1 of the project last year with the closing of the Fremont travel plazas. Demolition of those buildings, which will not be replaced, began last month.

ITRCC says the new travel plazas will feature new restaurants, free Wi-Fi, expanded truck parking and competitive fuel prices. The construction schedule is below:

• Phase 1: Oct. 1, 2015; Fremont travel plaza buildings and fuel stations (MP 146) permanently closed. Demolition began April 2016.
• Phase 2: July 2016 – fall 2016; Portage (MP 22) travel plazas demolished and rebuilt into fuel/convenience stores.
• Phase 2a: Late summer 2016 – spring 2017; Howe (MP 126) plazas demolished and rebuilt into full-service plazas.
• Phase 3: Spring 2017 – fall 2017; Rolling Prairie (MP 56) travel plazas demolished and rebuilt into full-service plazas.
• Phase 4: Fall 2017 – spring 2018; Elkhart (MP 90) travel plazas demolished and rebuilt into fuel/convenience stores.       

You can find more information on the project by clicking here.