PITTSBURGH, Nov. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- The four Roadside Rest areas in
District 11 along I-79 in Allegheny and Lawrence County will receive the
Outstanding Service Award for fiscal year 1996-1997 recognizing outstanding
achievement and extraordinary service as voted by commuters and travelers that
visit the rest stops.
    This is the fourth consecutive year the District has won this award.
    Secretary of Transportation Bradley L. Mallory congratulated the District
Operation for this unprecedented achievement: "We strive to be a customer
focused organization in everything we do, both on and off the road.  This well
deserved award for the District from our customers is welcomed and will
motivate us to continue our efforts on our road to excellence."
    The criteria for this award includes a rating of all "excellent" and
"good" responses on questionnaire cards motorists complete and mail to the
Bureau of Maintenance and Operations in Harrisburg.  The questionnaires grade
the quality of signing, cleanliness and sanitation, supplies, parking,
information available and attitude of personnel.
    Over 1.5 million people visit these four rest stops every year and are a
major contribution by The Department of Transportation to the over $1 billion
a year tourism and travel industry in Western Pennsylvania.  On an average day
60,000 vehicles travel I-79 past the rest stops including 14% Semi-Trailers
traffic and 2,000 buses.
    A brief presentation of the service award to rest area manager Joe
DiPietro and staff will occur at the I-79 southbound Bridgeville Rest Area at
9:30 a.m., on Wednesday, November 19.  A second presentation will occur at
1:30 p.m., at the southbound I-79 Rest Area in Lawrence County.

                         REST AREA FACTS AT A GLANCE

    -- Staffed for the Department of Transportation by employees of the
Pennsylvania Industries for the Blind & Handicapped, 24 hours-a-day,
365 days-a-year at a cost of $435,550.
    -- 1.5 million visitors a year (over 10 million vehicle trips pass by a
       year)
    -- August is peak month with over 207,000 visitors
    -- Visitors use 5,000,000 gallons of water a year (equal to what
       57 families of 4 would use a year)
    -- 188,918 cans of soda purchased
    -- 151,214 cups of coffee
    -- 209,770 candy bars, gum and snacks purchased

Link to this page: