WASHINGTON — The U.S. DOT says it will spend $6 million to expand commercial truck parking capacity on five U.S. interstates.

These highways include Interstate 15 in Utah, I-10 in Mississippi, I-5 in Oregon, I-40 in Tennessee and I-81 in Pennsylvania.

The funds will go toward adding parking spaces as well as developing innovative ways to keep truck drivers up to date on space availability along these freight corridors.

Priority will be given to jurisdictions that demonstrate a severe shortage of truck parking in the corridor; and demonstrate that their proposed projects are likely to have positive effects on highway safety, traffic congestion or air quality.

Projects that would be funded include constructing safety rest areas that include commercial vehicle parking or constructing commercial vehicle parking facilities adjacent to commercial truckstops and travel plazas.

Other options include improving existing facilities to commercial vehicles; promoting the availability of publicly or privately provided commercial vehicle parking; constructing turnouts for commercial vehicles; making capital improvements to public truck parking facilities to allow year-round use; and improving the geometric design of interchanges to improve access to parking facilities.