POMEROY — Meigs County Commissioners and others interested in tourism in the county have taken the first step to encourage the state to upgrade the restroom facilities at the U.S. 33 rest areas.

Commissioner Tom Anderson said the commissioners hope to secure funding for the upgrades through a federal appropriation from U.S. Rep. Charlie Wilson, D-Bridgeport.

Late last month, commissioners passed a resolution requesting the Ohio Department of Transportation “make basic improvements to these primitive facilities to bring them in line with other rest areas throughout Ohio.”

In their resolution, commissioners said they were “concerned that the primitive and unimproved rest areas are an embarrassment to the State of Ohio, ODOT and the citizens of Meigs County.”

Karen Pawloski, spokesman for ODOT District 10, said the state plans to take no action to fund or complete a restroom upgrade at the U.S. 33 parks until 2025. Flushing toilets would require approximately $1 million to install, she said, because there is no running water on either northbound or southbound sides of U.S. 33, and because a treatment plant would be required on site.

Pawloski said rest area upgrades are ordered and funded through ODOT’s central office in Columbus, rather than through the more-local district operations. She said the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency must approve any water or sewage treatment projects.

Anderson said commissioners will likely include an appropriations earmark for the upgrades in a larger appropriations request from the federal government, either through the upcoming economic stimulus funding or other sources. He said funding might allow for upgrades at only one of the two parks, which would require that park to be used by travelers in either direction.

The Meigs County Chamber of Commerce is also championing the project. In a mass e-mail to members, the chamber said the facilities upgrade was promised as part of the construction of the Ravenswood Connector projects.

“While ODOT refers to these as ‘primitive,’ they are really nothing more than outhouses, and reflect very poorly on Ohio and Meigs County.”

The chamber encourages members to contact state and federal legislators to push for the upgrades.

“Ask them to personally visit these rest areas and tell you if they would recommend them to traveling friends and family.”