Pennsylvania is moving to address the truck parking space shortage with a statewide initiative expected to add more than 1,200 new spots across 133 locations by the end of 2026.

Pennsylvania Department of Transportation secretary Mike Carroll recently announced 10 new parking spots along four I-79 on-ramps in Erie County. The sites mark the start of the state’s first broad expansion of designated truck parking outside traditional rest-area or facility construction, according to a news release.

PennDOT is designating areas on interstate on-ramps, weigh stations used by Pennsylvania State Police, and other segments of highway right-of-way where the agency says there are no sight-distance or safety issues.

Carroll said the initiative is aimed at improving safety and helping drivers comply with federal hours-of-service rest requirements, which continue to be strained by the nationwide lack of legally compliant parking.

PennDOT and state police staff worked together to identify sites that could be designated quickly and cost-effectively. The spaces will be marked with newly installed truck-parking signage.

Potential sites

The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission is also evaluating opportunities for more than 600 additional spaces across its system. Potential sites include emergency pull-offs, interchange on-ramps and service-plaza ramps. As the turnpike transitions to open road tolling, officials say interchange redesigns may create new truck-parking capacity as well.

To support drivers seeking available spaces, PennDOT has added a new “Public Truck Parking” layer to 511PA.com and the 511PA smartphone app. The map displays existing parking options and will include newly designated PennDOT and turnpike locations as they open.