Officials push for scenic byway extension
1/19/09 | 18 comments

Officials push for scenic byway extension


By Nick Sambides Jr.
BDN Staff

MILLINOCKET, Maine — The Grindstone Scenic Byway will extend from Medway’s Grindstone Road on Route 157 and Lake Road to the Baxter State Park entrance if regional and state officials have their way.

The Penobscot Valley Council of Governments and the Maine Department of Transportation have sought support for the extension from Millinocket Town Manager Eugene Conlogue and the Town Council. Both are receptive.

“The idea is that the designation helps an area’s economy by drawing more people into that area,” Conlogue said, “and people will go to visit those areas. How much it contributes to an area is probably minimal, but given that we do have a large recreation industry here, it is definitely worth pursuing.”

The Grindstone Scenic Byway was one of three new byways the Maine Department of Transportation added to the Maine Scenic Byways Program in 2007. The others are the Seboomook Scenic Byway, 49 miles of Route 15 from the Indian Hill Rest Area in Greenville northwest to the intersection of Route 15 and U.S. Route 201 in Jackman; and the Evans Notch Scenic Byway, 60 miles of Route 113 between Standish and the Batchelder’s Grant-Gilead town line.

The byways are featured on the state DOT Web site’s scenic roads listing, are printed on more than 10,000 DOT maps and have road signs advertising their status. This, and heavy Internet traffic, helps draw tourism.

Scenic byways also draw state and federal funding that can be used for roadside improvements — such as parking, signs, shoulder work, bicycle lanes and walking paths — all developed around a theme by local committees, which can apply for the funding.

With roots dating back to former first lady Lady Bird Johnson and the Highway Beautification Act of 1965, the scenic byways program languished from a lack of funding in Maine from the 1970s to 1993, when some funding was restored. The roads named in 2007 were the first in many years.

Scenic byways around the state

— Acadia Byway All-America Road on Mount Desert Island.

— Blackwoods Scenic Byway on Route 182 between Franklin and Cherryfield.

— Evans Notch Scenic Byway on Route 113 between Standish and the Batchelder’s Grant-Gilead town line.

— Fish River Scenic Byway on Route 11 between Portage Lake and Fort Kent.

— Grafton Notch Scenic Byway on Route 26, including parts of Grafton Notch State Park.

— Grindstone Scenic Byway on Routes 11 and 159 and the Grand Lake Road from Medway through Patten.

— Million Dollar View Scenic Byway along U.S. Route 1 in northern Washington and southern Aroostook counties.

— Old Canada Road National Scenic Byway along U.S. Route 201 in the upper Kennebec River Valley.

— Rangeley Lakes National Scenic Byway along parts of Routes 4 and 17 in the Rangeley area.

— Route 27 Scenic Byway in the Carrabassett River Valley between Kingfield and Coburn Gore.

— Schoodic National Scenic Byway along parts of U.S. Route 1 and Route 186 on Frenchman’s Bay and Schoodic Peninsula.

— Seboomook Scenic Byway, Route 15 from the Indian Hill Rest Area in Greenville to Jackman.

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Comments
18 comments on this item
On 1/19/09 at 7:48 AM, Knightscross wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Talk about a waste of money. Build a road to a Dead Ghost Town in a dying County. Your worrying about scenic roads to a park? While the Main roads of Maine are disintegrating back into dirt roads. The roads connecting Portland, Augusta, Bangor, Waterville are a disaster. No wonder why Maine can't attract business and jobs any more.

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On 1/19/09 at 8:23 AM, Brown_Eyed_Girl wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

You're kidding right? In times of economic crisis lets build a road that will contribute minimal to the area (per the article)....great idea and use of money!!!!1111111

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On 1/19/09 at 8:26 AM, wallyo wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

YOU FOGGOT TO MENTION THE JOHN MARTIN MEMORIAL SCENIC BYWAY THAT WAY PUT IN AT A COST OF MILLIONS A FEW YEARS AGO IN EAGLE LAKE !

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On 1/19/09 at 9:14 AM, Atilla1 wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

WHAT A REALLY STUPID IDEA!!

PLEASE CUT OFF THAT PART OF THE STATE AND EITHER GIVE IT TO CANADA OR FLOAT IT OUT TO SEA.

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On 1/19/09 at 9:39 AM, member wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

The great Millinocket Moronic Council and their leader are at it again, let's fix it so people can bypass the towns and go directly to the mountain. Their thoughts are almost as dumb as Atilla 1's.

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On 1/19/09 at 10:07 AM, patates wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Use that tax payer's money and apply it to extending the I-95 all the way to Fort Kent as was promised years ago.

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On 1/19/09 at 11:10 AM, libbymaine4me wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Atilla1 you are very inconsiderate and not very smart. I am from that part that you think should be sent out to sea. I can tell you that this part of maine is the best part of maine! All because we don't have you and others like you. Why don't you just go back to Mass! People like to come here and get away from the cities and just enjoy the peace and quiet. Baxter Park is a wonderful place. I don't agree with the scenic byway because there is other roads that need to be taken care of.

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On 1/19/09 at 12:20 PM, Mainah wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

I live in the area and I feel that this is just some stupid gimmick. This is Maine, it is all scenic, why is this road any different? I just don't get it.

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On 1/19/09 at 12:42 PM, hennybenny wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

OK, first of all, this is a special chunk money that was sought after and awarded to this project for it's particular scenic beauty and attraction. It is not money that is being taken away from the road maintenance budget; it is specifically earmarked for sceninc byways, and if this project hadn't gotten the funding award, that money would have gone to somewhere else. We should be proud and honored that this area inour region was awarded this special honor, not complaining about other roads in sucky condition that this money COULD NOT HAVE HELPED because of its appropriation.

And, since you've brought the crappy economy into the equation, let me just point out that highlighting and maintaing our best assets in Maine, our beautiful rural areas and way of life, we are doing one of the only things in our power to PROMOTE economic development. Look around you! This state lives off the money that those from away bring in when they come to visit. They only way to keep that money, and keep it growing, is to keep bringing people to enjoy our state, and more of them! This is economic development at it's best, people, minimal outlay of your money bringing a maximum benefit; a new tourist draw/destination.

And finally, dude, learn to read. No roads are being built.

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On 1/19/09 at 4:21 PM, TheBull wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

exactley benny,,people need to read before shooting there mouths off,,there isnt any roads to be built,,just better maintance.

but i do worry about during the winter,,i think we should always be able to run the lake road from the lake on snowmobiles,,i hope they dont wanna plow it

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On 1/19/09 at 4:22 PM, garysavard wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

hennybenny, I'm sure glad you mentioned that no new roads are being built here, because it appears most of the posters before you failed to gather that from this article. It's just an in-expensive way of promoting tourism, for crying out loud!

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On 1/19/09 at 4:23 PM, movethen wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Amazes me how people will comment without reading the articles. I guess some people were only taught to read the headlines.

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On 1/19/09 at 4:49 PM, scottcom36 wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Right, hennybenny. This is not a road building project. Rather it is to publicize and promote the scenic value of existing roads.

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On 1/19/09 at 7:22 PM, Bangorian wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

The only reason that there is a town called Millinocket is that there used to be a mill there. Nobody has any use for that mill anymore & likely never will. Are we really talking about spending precious State resources on a part of the State that is dying through natural selection?

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On 1/19/09 at 7:26 PM, taxedtodeath1 wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

I would say if the people of the area want a highway put in then they should vote and have the taxes taken out of their wallets. I for one do not want to pay more taxes for another road construction project in the state of Maine.

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On 1/19/09 at 7:31 PM, movethen wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Ok, let's take a vote on who read this story! There is no road being built to anywhere. It is a designation. Again Bangorian you show your ignorance. That is one of the most beautiful areas in the State, and will continue to be. Luckily for the people of the area you do not live in the area.

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On 1/21/09 at 1:07 PM, unlockautism wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

actually Bangorian Millinocket means " In many lands" by our great native americans ...at least that what I was told by my elders.....please people who post take a refresher course in reading comp. .......

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On 1/22/09 at 6:49 PM, JoeCentral wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

It's a "designation" that's being extended, not the road. I wish that was more clear in the actual headline and article, then maybe the rest of the comments from down State wouldn't be trying to "float us out to sea." Then again, I know lots of folks who'd love to separate into Northern Maine, the 51st State. It worked in the Dakotas, the Carolinas, and the Virginias. Why not Maine? No one down there seems to want us anyway. Let us be our own State. I think Houlton would be a great capital. Presque Isle might not be so bad either.

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