TRANSPORTATION

Each facility is protected by security personnel during evening and nighttime hours. Most of the rest areas provide family restrooms for travelers who may need companion assistance to make use of the facilities. The facilities in our Welcome Centers and Interstate Rest Areas are open and maintained 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for your comfort and convenience. The State of Florida's Welcome Centers, Rest Areas and Turnpike Service Plazas are generally equipped with public pay phones for use by travelers; facilities that do not offer pay phone services are equipped with call boxes to be used in case of emergency. Overnight camping is not permitted, but visitors may stay for up to three hours.

The Florida Department of Transportation is currently offering Free Wireless Internet (WIFI) access at all of its Welcome Centers as well as the Columbia County Rest Area facility, and the Turkey Lake Service Plaza on the Turnpike. Once the public is connected, the user will have 15 minutes of free internet access followed by a subsequent period of up to 90 minutes of paid internet access. Following that, they will have a two‐hour shut‐out period that does not permit the same laptop to access the internet again at that rest area for two hours. The WIFI is currently being provided in a test environment and will be monitored for potential permanent status for the future.

Comment cards are available at each Rest Area and Welcome Center facility across the State of Florida; several of those facilities are now offering texting from your mobile device as an acceptable form of voicing a comment about your recent experience at a Florida Rest Area or Welcome Center. The participating facilities are: Escambia County Welcome Center, Hamilton County Welcome Center, Nassau County Welcome Center, Pinellas County Rest Area, Polk County Rest Area (Eastbound/Westbound), Santa Rosa County Rest Area (Westbound), and St. Lucie County Rest Area (Northbound/Southbound). You can learn how to submit your text message comments at each of those participating facilities or you can click the facilities links provided above to submit your comments (via Text Message as well). Please let us know about your visit to our Rest Area or Welcome Center so we may serve you better.

While traveling through the State of Florida you can always call 511 for the most up-to-date traffic information. Be sure to visit the 511 Website to register yourself for even more specific information related to your area. Other regulations and restrictions may be found in this document Chapter 14-28.002 (Florida Administrative Code Rule) and online at the Florida Administrative Code Website.

Tourist information is available in our Welcome Centers from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, seven days a week including holidays (except Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas). Welcome Centers are operated by Visit Florida, Inc. (FLAUSA), the official travel planning agency of the State of Florida. Welcome Centers are located at entrances to the State on I-10, US 231, I-75 and I-95.

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