Oregon Public Broadcasting

Roadside Web surfing is going away in Washington. The state Department of Transportation says it’s discontinuing Wi-Fi service Monday at highway rest stops. Correspondent Doug Nadvornick reports.

For the last two years the state has offered Wi-Fi service at 28 rest stops.  It’s free if you connect with the Department of Transportation’s Website.

You pay if you want to go anywhere else -- $3 for 15 minutes, $6.95 for a day pass.

Department of Transportation spokeswoman Melanie Coon says the problem is that not enough people were willing to pay.

Melanie Coon: “There are so many ways to get Internet access. There’s a lot of cell tower connectivity and people get wireless access on their laptops and on their Blackberries using their own wireless systems.”

The companies that provided Wi-Fi service for the rest stops decided they weren’t making enough money at it, so they’ll pull the plug.

Coon says there may be other ways the department can use its wireless equipment to provide service to motorists. But that’ll take some thought.

For now, DOT will stick to highway billboards and its 5-1-1 telephone traveler information service.