Thruway Authority

History of Thruway Service Areas

The reconstruction and redevelopment of the Thruway’s 27 service areas marks a significant milestone for the Thruway Authority and for the millions of customers that rely on these amenities each year. The original construction of these facilities began in the mid-1950s and opened to the traveling public by the turn of the decade. When opened, concessionaires offered a variety of services including cafeteria style food, coffee shops, and snack bars.

	Travel Plaza/Service Area	Milepost	Direction	Opened	Reconstructed
1	Ardsley	6.1	NB	04/19/1957	04/23/1992
2	Sloatsburg	33.2	NB	05/28/1957	09/03/1992
3	Ramapo	33.2	SB	1958	2000
4	Plattekill	64.8	NB	1956	12/28/1992
5	Modena	65.8	SB	1957	07/29/1993
6	Ulster	96.2	SB	1957	06/30/1993
7	Malden	103.3	NB	1956	08/31/1993
8	New Baltimore	127.1	NB & SB	04/03/1957	12/01/1992
9	Guilderland	152.8	EB	07/29/1955	05/26/1993
10	Pattersonville	168.2	WB	08/12/1955	02/03/1992
11	Mohawk	172.0	EB	1957	06/03/1994
12	Iroquois	209.9	WB	1957	03/29/1993
13	Indina Castle	209.9	EB	04/08/1957	03/29/1993
14	Schuyler	227.1	WB	1956	07/01/1994
15	Oneida	244.0	EB	1957	06/07/1993
16	Chittenango	266.3	WB	07/29/1955	08/01/1991
17	DeWitt	279.5	EB	1957	06/02/1994
18	Warners	291.5	WB	1957	09/24/1993
19	Port Byron	310.2	EB	1957	09/30/1993
20	Junius Ponds	323.8	WB	03/04/1955	04/19/1993
21	Clifton Springs	337.1	EB	08/04/1955	02/15/1992
22	Seneca	349.5	WB	1957	09/30/1991
23	Scottsville	365.7	EB	1957	06/15/1991
24	Ontario	375.6	WB	07/29/1955	10/18/1993
25	Pembroke	397.4	EB	1957	03/16/1992
26	Clarence	412.1	WB	1957	10/10/1991
27	Angola	447	EB & WB	1959	1993

 

• 1954 – Construction begins on eight travel plazas (Ramapo, Guilderland, Pattersonville, Schuyler, Chittenango, Junius Ponds, Clifton Springs, Ontario)
  
• 1955 – First travel plazas open on New York State Thruway, offering a variety of services including cafeteria style food, coffee shops, and snack bars. Original concessionaires included Buddies Food Service, Ohio Hot Shoppes, The Chefs, Interstate United, and Riese Enterprise, among others.
  
• 1959 – Angola travel plaza, accessible to eastbound and westbound traffic, completed and open to travelers. All 27 travel plazas open to travelers.
  
• 1985 - Marriott Travel Plazas (now HMS Host) acquired Howard Johnson’s and the 26 travel plazas it operated on the Thruway.  This occurred prior to the expiration of Howard Johnson’s contract, so Marriott secured a contract extension until 2005. 
  
• 1986 - McDonald’s Corporation began operating the Angola Travel Plaza.  Prior to that, it was operated by Interstate United.
  
• 1988 - Marriott (HMS Host) studied the potential for increased sales at 24 of the 26 Travel Plazas it operated.  The study showed the potential for a 70% increase in revenue based on a public desire for name brand concepts and more modern facilities.  
  
• 1989 - The original Travel Plazas, built between 1954 and 1956, were determined to be obsolete and unsuitable to attract name brand food concept vendors, so in 1989 Marriott proposed 2 options: remodel and expand the existing structures or completely replace them. Later that year, new designs for each plaza were presented for Authority approval.  The concept was to provide Adirondack-style structures of 11,000 sq. ft. or 15,000 sq. ft. 
  
• 1990 - An RFP was issued for the 10 former Marriott Travel Plazas and McDonald’s Corporation became the concessionaire for all of these locations.
• 1990 – 1994 – Reconstruction and remodeling takes place at all 27 travel plazas.

Service Area Historic Photos

Service Areas