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Currently, these two service plazas provide an array of services to motorists, including food, fuel, retail and automotive services, automated teller machines, and comprehensive travel and tourism information and are two of the nation's most profitable service plazas: 5.4 million vehicles per year and total food and beverage revenues of $40.0 million annually. The traffic volume has significantly increased since the design concept was developed in the 1960s-1970s. Also, the facilities are nearing the end of their design life. Therefore, the Maryland Transportation Authority is redeveloping the Maryland House and the Chesapeake House. Travel Plaza CustomersTravel plaza customers are diverse, with varying needs and desires. According to a recent survey of customers:
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Construction of I-95 from White Marsh Boulevard to the Maryland-Delaware line began in January 1962. The 50-mile expressway took just a little more than one-and-a half years to complete. The original project included the Maryland House service area in Aberdeen, which, at that time, provided a restaurant and two automotive- service stations for highway travelers. A second service area — the Chesapeake House — opened in 1975 north of the Susquehanna River.
A hospitality-driven customer experience is of utmost importance to the Authority, and proposers should seriously consider customer-centric approaches to the project. Proposers must identify the various customer segments and determine what their needs and expectations are, and how they may change in the future. Following are some, but not necessarily all, of the customer segments that should be addressed: commuters, tourists, shoppers, buses, truckers, women, business people, senior citizens, handicapped, people with small children, and R.V. travelers.