Gov. Doug Ducey wants the federal government to allow Arizona to partner with private businesses to build new facilities at highway rest areas.
Ducey asked U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao in a letter released Friday to waive a 1950s-era law barring private activities at rest stops in all but 14 states. That would allow Arizona to start a pilot project with private companies that could build business facilities at existing rest stops along interstate highway or put in new ones.
The Republican governor points to several other states that are using public-private partnerships to provide "better, safer, more modern rest stop facilities." A partnership could also bring in revenue to the state.
The association representing truck stop owners, NATSO, opposes privatization. It says such moves jeopardize private businesses.
