# Texas Picnic Areas



## CdnOutback (Apr 16, 2010)

While traveling from La Feria, TX to San Antonio we stopped at a "Picnic Area" along US-83. I must say that Texas needs to do a better job with these places. The garbage was everywhere and it STANK! I looked like no one had cleaned it for a long time. Their rest areas a well kept so why not do the same with these.


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## TexanThompsons (Apr 21, 2009)

Alot of those have lost funding for upkeep in recent years and have started relying on the adopt-a-highway program for upkeep. Needless to say, it doesn't bode well for those places. For those of us from TX, we usually avoid them at all costs as they have become places that you don't necessarily want to stop for any amount of time.


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## GlenninTexas (Aug 11, 2004)

Wow, I've stopped at a number of picnic areas in Texas and have never found one that was littered. I haven't been to any in far south Tx though.

Regards, Glenn


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## GO WEST (May 25, 2009)

People dump loads of household trash at these kinds of places. Some are regularly dumped on, and others are not. Not all are trashed. This plus the fact that Texas has a budget crunch means that Texas public parks do not get the funding they used to or that they need. If it wasn't for the volunteers in our state parks, many would shut down or have services curtailed even more. It's too bad, but reality strikes.


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## bka4tcu (Aug 18, 2010)

Several years ago the state built a number of massive rest areas, tearing down the old ones. The thinking was we build massive new safety rest stops and the other facilities will not get as much use and will not need as much upkeep, so the state can concentrate manpower and available resources on the new rest areas. The rumor was that each of these sites had a price tag of $7million+.

Now the state has a hard time keeping them up due to the previously mentioned budget woes. So, roadside picnic areas and other state owned public areas along the highways have been the unintended victim of the budget. Volunteers work hard to keep the places up, but they are only out there once a month or so. Unfortunately, someone may decide to dump there trash there the day after the volunteers clean it up and the mess sits there for a month.


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## mswalt (Sep 14, 2004)

I'm just guessing here, but when you consider how many miles of roads Texas has, especially so many in rural areas,coupled with the budget crunch all states are experiencing, I just don't see how they could possibly keep up with all those "picnic areas." It's unfortunate, but a must. I never used them, anyway. I'd much prefer to stop at a travel stop area.


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