In just a week and a half, 19 Virginia rest areas will be closing for good.

On Friday, Virginia Congressman Frank Wolf wrote a letter to Gov. Tim Kaine, asking him to reconsider this decision.

Harry McDuffie and his wife are heading home to Alabama. They stop about every 100 miles at rest areas for things like lunch.

"And it's necessary to take periodic breaks just so you don't get too sleepy on the road, and if you've got an extra driver you can switch drivers," says McDuffie.

McDuffie says they're just now finding out about the 19 Virginia rest areas closing in ten days.

"Little bit concerned. We drive all the time up and down the highways. This is the first time I've seen any sort of sign saying they're going to be closing the rest stops," says McDuffie.

He's not only concerned about travelers; he's worried about truckers as well. Phil Heflin drives a tractor-trailer and says rest areas ensure safety.

"Hitting the rest areas in between to get their sleep. So they can, you know, stay alert and avoid accidents," says Heflin.

McDuffie says the rest areas aren't just a convenience, they're a necessity. He says he agrees with Wolf that it's not a solution to budget shortfalls.

"I would say definitely they could find other places to cut the budget than to cut out places that are help to anybody that's traveling. You need the rest areas just to be safe," says McDuffie.

July 21 is the last day those rest areas will be open. These closures are just one of the actions taken to make up for a $2.6-billion budget shortfall.

Wolf's letter to Kaine also asked him to reconsider a blue ribbon transportation system to address transportation needs in the Commonwealth.