Roadside Infrastructure and Rest Areas Concepts in Lithuania

Safety rest areas (RAs) provide travellers and drivers safe and convenient facilities to rest themselves before continuing with their journey. The establishment of rest areas on major roads may help to decrease number of accidents caused by drivers' fatigue, to ensure parking place for short breaks and long-term stop of cargo vehicles, to reduce the excess travel time and, of course, to improve the overall travel comfort. Well designed and customers friendly rest areas with improved secure parking opportunities is a necessity in all countries. This article analyzes types of roadside rest areas, rest area arrangement and recreation facilities infrastructure on Lithuanian roads. These basic rest area services must be open and available to all users. The recommended rest areas are socioeconomically feasible and environmentally friendly and safe.