Seneca Service Area Reopens on the Thruway Westbound in Ontario County

Service Area is Third of Four Renovated Locations and 22nd Overall to Reopen as Part of $450 Million Private
Investment to Redevelop and Modernize All 27 Thruway Service Areas

All Service Areas Now Open on a 200-Mile Stretch from Central NY to Buffalo

Location Features Burger King, Sbarro, Starbucks, Applegreen C-Store and Taste NY Products

The New York State Thruway Authority today announced the reopening of the newly renovated Ontario Service Area located on I-90 westbound between exit 46 (Rochester - Corning - I-390) and exit 47 (Rochester - LeRoy - I-490 - NY Route 19) in Genesee County. The location is the 22nd new service area to open, and the third of four locations to undergo extensive renovations as part of the $450 million private investment to redevelop and modernize all 27 Thruway service areas.

As part of the project, all of the components inside the restaurant building were removed including the restaurants, restrooms and interior seating. The renovation includes a new floor plan, new restaurants, new restrooms, the addition of two new family assist restrooms, private nursing area, additional seating as well as customer access to electrical outlets and phone/laptop charging stations.

The opening of the Ontario Service Area signifies the completion of the modernization of service areas along the more than 200-mile stretch of I-90 from exit 29 (Canajoharie - Sharon Springs - NY Route 10) to exit 49 (Depew - Lockport - NY Route 78).

“Motorists traveling from Central New York to the Buffalo area can now enjoy the amenities and new restaurant options at every new service area along I-90,” Thruway Authority Executive Director Frank G. Hoare, Esq. said. “This redevelopment project is just one of several initiatives aimed at enhancing the travel experience for motorists, with a strong focus on modernization and safety.”

Additionally, the Ontario Service Area is one of five select service areas that includes an adult changing station to improve accessibility for all motorists. Adult changing stations provide those with special needs a safe and secure space for caregivers to provide assistance.

New Restaurant concepts include:

• Burger King
• Sbarro**
• Starbucks (Drive-Thru)
• Applegreen C-Store
• Taste NY Food and Drink Products

Other amenities include:

• Outdoor seating
• Playground area
• Dog walking area
• Adult changing station
• Private nursing area
• Digital tourism kiosk**
• Four level 3 high speed EV chargers**

**Available at a later date

ABOUT THE PROJECT
All 27 service areas are being redeveloped as part of a $450 million public-private partnership with Empire State Thruway Partners. No toll or tax dollars are being used for construction.

As part of the project, Applegreen will be installing at least four universal fast charging stations (Level 3) at every service area with up to 350kW of power that support all electric vehicles, including Teslas, with up to eight chargers at the larger locations. Currently, there are 64 universal fast charging (Level 3) stations available statewide with nearly 80 scheduled to be available by the end of 2024. The Thruway Authority plans to create a robust, end-to-end corridor of more than 130 fast charging EV stations with an average of 30 miles between each location system wide by the end of this project. A list of charging locations can be found HERE.

Customers can learn more about the project including a project map, photo gallery and renderings and more information about the planned amenities and services on the Thruway Authority’s website.

In 2023, motorists took more than 396.9 million trips and drove 8.1 billion miles on the Thruway. The Thruway Authority’s service areas are open 24 hours a day and offer motorists a variety of food and beverage options, restroom facilities and fueling for passenger and commercial vehicles. Taste NY Farm Markets and Tourism Information Centers are also available at select locations.

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