Abstract
Abstract Rest areas for highways are one of the important highway services to meet the needs, requirements, and activities of highway users and motorized vehicles. This paper discusses the problem of the weak and deteriorating infrastructure of service stations and highway rest areas linking Libyan cities. Consequently, this problem causes an increase in the number of accidents on highways because of fatigue suffered by the travellers. This paper aims to detail a guideline for designing standard highway rest areas. This effective tool will reduce the rates of serious accidents on highways in Libya and create comfortable and accessible services facilities distributed regularly on both sides of the highways. From this standpoint, this paper raises a number of questions through which it sheds light on all types, components, standards, characteristics, and services provided by the rest areas. The methodology adopted in this paper is the inductive approach to a number of strategies that have been used to develop highway rest areas in several countries around the world. It also uses the analytical method for collecting data by questioning users of the Sixty’s Rest House located on the Nalut Road, Libya, using the two types of tools, the questionnaire and the interview. This paper concludes that it is necessary to develop this type of service facility through the improvement of existing rest areas and the establishment of new rest areas. Each rest area should follow the requirements of the modern era in highway services, according to the standard guidelines for planning, distribution, and design outlined in this paper. Keywords: rest areas, highways, users, traffic, security, criteria.