Two rest areas on Interstate 43 in Manitowoc County have been reopened
Wisconsin Department of Transportation Secretary Kristina Boardman, Wisconsin Motor Carrier Association President Dan Johnson, and Wisconsin Council on Physical Disabilities committee member Julie Blasky convened near Maribel to celebrate the completion of two new rest areas that increased truck parking and improved accessibility for travelers.
The rest areas near Maribel and Denmark were originally built in 1980 and were inadequate for semis, with only 20 parking stalls and outdated facilities.
There are now 56 truck parking spaces at both northbound and southbound facilities and a staging area for oversized and overweight vehicles.
WisDOT also modernized the safety rest area facilities to feature better lighting, dedicated indoor space for vending options, drinking fountains with water bottle fillers, and ADA-compliant restrooms.
Construction on the rest areas began in April 2025 and cost $20.4 million.
Some of the money came from a $12.5 million federal grant.
The I-43 rest areas officially opened to travelers yesterday.
WisDOT plans to rebuild the two safety rest areas along Interstate 41 near Theresa and Lomira in Dodge County.
