SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -- State transportation officials in Illinois said that they are shelving a plan to offer free wireless Internet access at the state's rest stops.
According to the Associated Press, Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) officials said that they have suspended the plan because only one company submitted a proposal to offer the wireless access.
Iowa, Texas and Washington already offer free WiFi access at interstate rest stops. While some states charge for the service, Illinois had wanted to provide it for [image-nocss] free. State transportation spokesperson Matt Vanover said that might be why only one vendor came forward with a bid.
He said officials will consider revising the plan after the new year. That could include increasing the state's financial backing or only offering the service at some of the state's rest areas and not all 56.
The state's recently refurbished tollway oases already offer free WiFi.
In late November, IDOT spokesperson Mike Claffey told the Chicago Sun-Times that until the bids are in, it was too soon to tell when IDOT would launch the new service or how much it might cost to set up. The goal, Claffey said at the time, is to make it easier for drivers to access online travel information. "IDOT has been putting a big emphasis on using the web and email to provide drivers with information they can use to avoid congestion and plan their routes better. Exploring WiFi capability fits in with that."
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