WAYNE COUNTY, Ind. – Travelers passing through Centerville on westbound I-70 will soon see big changes at the local welcome center. Currently closed for renovations, the site is undergoing a major transformation as part of a statewide effort to modernize Indiana’s rest areas and enhance the travel experience.
The Indiana Department of Transportation launched its Rest Area and Welcome Center Improvement Plan in 2019. This plan, expected to be complete by 2034, calls for more than $600 million in improvements to 21 rest areas across the state, funded by a mix of state and federal dollars.
The existing welcome center in Centerville closed in early February 2025, with the new facility expected to open in 2027. F.A. Wilhelm Construction Company of Indianapolis was awarded the contract through a bidding process.
Each renovated welcome center follows a theme tied to Indiana’s racing history and identity.
“One goal is to help showcase all Indiana has to offer while providing a safe, relaxing place for travelers to rest and take a break,” said Natalie Garrett, INDOT Strategic Communications Director, in an email.
In Centerville, the welcome center will celebrate Indiana’s rich basketball heritage. Planned exhibits will highlight Hoosier Hysteria, legendary coach John Wooden, and other basketball icons. The facility will also include a children’s play area, an adult recreation zone, a walking path, and a dog park. Four individual basketball half-courts will be available, with basketballs provided on-site.
Similar transformations are taking place statewide. The Kankakee Welcome Center along I-65 in Jasper County features themes tied to northern Indiana’s sand dunes and Lake Michigan. The Clear Creek Welcome Center in Virgo County highlights the state’s racing history and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Meanwhile I-64 in Posey County, the Black River Welcome Center reflects Abraham Lincoln’s boyhood home with a log cabin-inspired design.
The broader plan also includes the addition of over 1,200 additional truck parking spaces statewide, nearly doubling current capacity. At the Centerville location, over 200 parking spaces for cars and semitrucks are being added.
“INDOT is aware that there is a critical shortage of safe, accessible truck parking for semitruck drivers, and adding more spaces at our rest areas and welcome centers is one way the agency is trying to help alleviate the issue,” Garrett said.
INDOT will continue to maintain and operate the renovated facilities.
“The goal of INDOT's overall improvement plan is to provide safe, relaxing, informative places for travelers to stop, rest, and recharge along Indiana's interstates,” Garrett said.
While the Centerville location is closed, travelers are encouraged to use INDOT’s Greenfield rest area, located on westbound I-70 at MM 107 in Hancock County.
Image provided by Indiana Department of Transportation East Central.
