RANGELEY — Thanks to the collaborative efforts of the Rangeley Lakes Scenic Byway, Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust and the Maine Department of Transportation, two of the Region’s most cherished scenic turnouts, the Height of Land and the Rangeley Overlook, will receive dramatic facelifts in the coming year. Specifically, the parking and viewing areas at these turnouts will be enhanced to make them safer, more accessible and more attractive for travelers.

To help gather local input on the types of improvements people would like to see, the Byway and its partners held a public meeting on April 5. According to MDOT representative Larry Johannesman “the overlooks are about the views and the people, so our goal is to use your suggestions to make them better.”

Over the course of several hours, members of the public considered the installation of picnic tables, benches, native flowers, paved parking, ADA-accessible ramps, gazebos and signs.

The meeting started with MDOT’s description of the new Height of Land Overlook design in its most basic form: a paved and very spacious turnout that includes: a parking area for 20+ cars and several RVs/buses, a wildflower filled median that separates the parking area from Route 17, and a fan-shaped retaining wall that slopes toward the lake. After MDOT incorporates the suggestions gathered at Monday’s meeting, the enhanced design will include:

* a five+ foot wide ADA-accessible walkway overlooking the lake

* a low, wood-railed fence that borders the walkway

* a number of benches and picnic tables made of native rock

* a host of native perennials to add color and texture

* a centerpiece “Height of Land” sign and a space for group and family picture taking

* an attractively designed retaining wall made of boulders, locally quarried rock, and pockets of native plants, vines, and shrubs, and

* a path that provides access to the Appalachian Trail and a walking trail that will be constructed and maintained by RLHT

In response to the group’s interest in RLHT’s trail, Executive Director Nancy Perlson stated that “the Trust purchased Height of Land to permanently protect it for the use and enjoyment of everyone, today and in the future. The trail will provide an added opportunity to explore and enjoy this extraordinarily beautiful landmark.”

The group then discussed improvements at the Rangeley Overlook on Route 17 and everyone agreed that “maintaining an unobstructed view from parked cars is very important.” And according to the folks who attended, the enhancements should include:

* a gazebo or picnic table(s) on the “mounded” section of the turnout

* an ADA-accessible ramp to the “mound”

* a few low-slung stone benches on the outside edges of the turnout that will not interfere with the view

* a paved parking area that will allow vehicles to pull to the edge of the overlook while improving access for cars, buses, motorcycles and rescue helicopters

* A series of way-finding signs at the entrances of the Overlook and along Route 17

The Rangeley Lakes Scenic Byway secured the funding for these two projects through grants from the Federal Highways Administration and MDOT. The construction of these projects will create dozens of jobs and once the projects are completed, they will promote economic development in the Rangeley region.

If you would like more information about these projects, contact Rebecca Kurtz, Scenic Byway Coordinator, at 864-7311, ext. 5, or rkurtz@rlht.org.