Spotlight: Final Service Area Is Completed in the Hudson Valley
The multi-year project that saw countless rest stops on the New York State Thruway rebuilt and remodeled has finally been completed after the finishing touches were put on the Modena Service Area.
The recent ribbon-cutting ceremony marked a new era for the Thruway, with the $450 million project overhauling 23 out of 27 service areas under new Applegreen branding by Empire State Thruway Partners. Here's what to expect at Ulster County's newest rest stop:
New Hudson Valley Rest Stops on the New York State Thruway
While the Modena travel plaza is the most recent Hudson Valley service area to receive an upgrade, it certainly wasn't the first. The Plattekill Service Area was one of the first to undergo renovations in 2023, and the Sloatsburg Service Area (the 19th to be remodeled) is officially the largest service area in New York State. But back to Modena...
New Restaurants at Modena Service Area in Ulster County, NY
The brand new travel plaza offers a slightly different lineup than neighboring stops. While the neighboring Plattekill Service area includes Starbucks and Chick-fil-A, for example, the brand-new Modena location offers a Dunkin' (complete with a drive-thru) and Popeyes. A Burger King franchise was also open in time for Modena's ribbon-cutting ceremony, with Pret and Auntie Anne's listed as "coming soon".
Funding for New York State Thruway Service Area Project
The massive overhaul was funded entirely through private investment, with the New York State Thruway Authority reiterating to residents that no tax or toll dollars were spent on the multi-year project. Take a walk through history below to see what rest stops looked like in New York back in the 1950s.
What New York State Thruway Rest Stops Looked Like in the 1950s
Gallery Credit: Boris
What Restaurants Are Being Added to New York State Thruway Rest Stops?
Gallery Credit: Kaylin
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