ELLSWORTH, Maine — If a transportation bill introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives is approved as written, it could mean the end of a federal program that has brought $5 million to rural Maine over the past two decades.
In Maine, there are 14 scenic byways, each of which is managed by a committee of residents and stakeholders who aim to attract tourists by improving and promoting the scenic roads. Since 1993, the byways have received more than $5.7 million in National Scenic Byway funds from the Federal Highway Administration.
But a provision in the proposed American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act of 2012, introduced by U.S. Rep. John Mica of Florida, could eliminate the National Scenic Byway program. The bill, which is hundreds of pages long, contains one line that says if the bill is approved, the 21-year-old federal program would be repealed.
Fred Michaud, policy analyst for the Maine Department of Transportation, said Tuesday that elimination of the federal program would jeopardize tourism development efforts in more isolated parts of the state.
“It’s going to be tough,” Michaud said. “It is not a regulatory program. It truly is an economic development program. Most of [the byways] are in rural areas.”
Among the 14 byways in Maine are the Pequawket Trail along Route 113 between Standish and Gilead near the New Hampshire border, sections of Routes 1 and 161 between Hamlin and Allagash in Aroostook County, and parts of Routes 1, 187 and 191 in coastal Washington County. All 14 byways would be financially affected by elimination of the federal byways program, according to officials.
The $5.7 million in federal byway money that has been spent in Maine over the past 19 years has been divided among more than 80 projects that range from road improvements, construction of facilities such as roadside turnouts with signs and restrooms, and development of management plans, among other uses.
According to Michaud, the federal program distributes $40 million a year in grants to scenic byway projects nationwide. He said there are approximately 150 designated byways throughout the United States. Byway organizations have to submit applications for the grants, which are awarded on a competitive basis.
Out of the 14 scenic byways in Maine, there are 10 state designated byways, three more listed as National Scenic Byways, and one All-American Road. The All-American Road is located on Mount Desert Island, including part that runs through Acadia National Park. The National Scenic Byways are in eastern coastal Hancock County, along Route 201 in northern Somerset County, and along parts of Routes 4 and 17 near Rangeley in Franklin County.
Michaud said the different designations are used only for promotional purposes and that all 14 compete on equal footing for Federal Highway Administration funds. In 2011, Maine received more than $200,000 in federal money for byway projects in Aroostook, Hancock and Washington counties.
“A lot of [the funding is used] to revitalize plans, like the Old Canada Road [Route 201],” Michaud said. “They’ve gone 10 years without a modern plan. Rangeley is in the same position.”
Byway projects in Maine funded for 2012 include two planning grants, each for $100,000, for the Grindstone Scenic Byway in the Millinocket area and the Bold Coast byway in coastal Washington County. Of those grants, $80,000 comes from the Federal Highway Administration while MDOT and the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development each contribute $10,000.
“If that [federal] funding source goes away, I don’t know where the [missing] funds would come from,” Fred Michaud said.
U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud, whose district includes nearly all of Maine’s scenic byways, said Tuesday in a prepared statement that he is opposed to the bill. He said the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, of which he is a member, considered the bill last week.
The lawmaker said the program has helped provide access to some of the most scenic views in Maine and that he will try to make sure the program is not eliminated.
“I voted against the bill and have concerns with a number of provisions, including the elimination of the National Scenic Byways Program,” Michaud said. ”If Maine is going to continue to be a destination for visitors from throughout the country, we cannot just turn our back on initiatives with a proven record of success.”
A Senate version of the transportation funding bill has not yet been introduced, but Sen. Olympia Snowe released a statement Tuesday indicating that she will work to preserve the program. The program served Maine residents and tourists by helping to preserve Maine’s iconic landscapes and natural resources, she said.
“These funds have made great strides in Maine over the years by boosting economic growth in the tourism industry and ensuring access to the state’s scenic routes,” Snowe said.
Mark Marston, an East Millinocket selectman who has been involved with the Grindstone byway, said Tuesday that the program has helped bring area officials and businesses together to promote the region. As the mills in East Millinocket and Millinocket have employed fewer and fewer people, he said, tourism has become more important to communities in the area.
If Congress eventually approves the House version of the bill, Marston said, it would set back efforts by those involved with the byway to diversify the economy of Katahdin region.
“I’m hoping this bill doesn’t go through,” Marston said. “I’m quite worried about it.”
Jim Fisher, a planner with the Hancock County Planning Commission, said Tuesday that the program has helped with infrastructure improvements along Route 1 and in some of the villages of the Schoodic Peninsula. The Schoodic Byway, he said, has helped draw more tourists to Winter Harbor and Gouldsboro, which suffered in the wake of the 2002 closing of a Navy base at the tip of the peninsula. The populations of the two towns each dropped by several hundred residents — Winter Harbor’s by nearly half — between 2000 and 2010.
“Winter Harbor’s population was decimated,” Fisher said. “We’ve [since] seen some improvement for the businesses down there.”
John Noll, Eastern Maine Development Corp. program manager, said Tuesday that he has been involved with managing the Grindstone byway and the Seboomook byway in the Greenville area.
Noll said there are people who purposefully seek out scenic byways when planning their vacations. Much of the federal funds the Maine byways have received has been used for designing and maintaining websites, producing and installing interpretive signs, and printing and distributing brochures, all of which helps draw tourists to the byways and nearby communities, he said.
“Marketing is such a big part of the program,” Noll said. “If these funds go away and there’s nothing to replace them, it’s going to have an impact on people visiting the areas.”
According to some people knowledgeable about the bill, the House could vote on it as early as next week.
To view a map of Maine’s scenic byways, click here. Follow BDN reporter Bill Trotter on Twitter at @billtrotter.
Rep. John Mica, Republican Committee chair wants to skag the program. Local republican hacks will blame Obama. Same old same old.
Its a matching program to spur economic growth with communities, counties, state, and federal governments all pitching in… to help regions of the country to prosper. When that many entities agree on something it makes sense for government to be the instrument for bringing it together. Too bad Rep. Mica, R-FL, who has a lot of federal dollars going to his district can’t find cuts to programs in his own congressional district.
When are you people going to realize we’re broke, when you’re standing in a breadline or on a battle field defending your once great nation (now in bankruptcy) from an army of foreign invaders looking to recoup the money we owe them?
These are not “federal dollars” they are pieces of paper, fiat currency that are backed by debt sold to nations such as China, who care nothing about their workers and essentially oversee a system of slavery that feeds people such as yourself, who are too ignorant to figure out what is going on.
Modern day democrats = the old democrat slave holders of the south, only now their slaves are remotely located in places such as China….how very, very clever
This country is not broke. It has plenty of capacity to pay for its expenses. The shortfall results from a maximum tax rate of 35% which is way below the 90% of the 1960’s, so the revenues are falling short. The answer to the deficit is to raise the maximum tax rate, perhaps to where it was under President Clinton (the last and only time we’ve had a surplus in decades).
You’re right: it isn’t a matter of a lack of money. We should maintain the roads where they are and find the money where it is. Trouble is, we’re afraid to get the money where it is. Apparently, it’s better to watch the infrastructure go to pieces than do that.
Excellent idea comrade. You’re good at spending other peoples money. Take from the roughly 50% that work for a living and give it to the lazy fat a**es that do nothing but live on others efforts. There is NO FREE LUNCH, someone has to work to pay for it.
The federal government can’t fall into bankruptcy.
So, let let the roads go, we’re broke, dirt roads are cheaper. In a democracy if individuals want their government to take steps to improve well being they can express themselves as I did, if they do not they can express themselves as you did, isn’t America Great?
I hope you are kidding? Cheaper for governments, More expensive for everyone else
Wait just a moment Mr. HRBlockstein … Guess which Greek didn’t understand what “Paying the Piper” really meant until now. Something unfortunately is happening here as the stupids are busy arguing which scenic outlook needs some asphalt and a coin scope.
WE ARE NOT BROKE! If we have plenty of $ for war then we have plenty of $ for home. At least that’s the way is should be.
Were not broke? Were 15347441020603.07 in debt.
So many people want the other guy to endure the financial pain rather than simply tighten belts across the board. A highway being listed as “scenic” is not the driving force behind whether a tourist plans a vacation to Maine or which part of Maine to visit.
Actually, this bill cuts funds to Florida as well, but then that wouldn’t make your post as interesting would it…
Yes, it cuts fund to the State of Florida but where does it cut funds to Mica’s District?
This is part of the corporate conservative … (the ALEC/ Heritage Foundation)… agenda.
It is part of a systematic attack on all the laws that limit or ban billboards.
See it for what it is.
Connect the dots ?
Ironically, the Blackwoods Road was a lot more scenic before it became an official scenic byway and they came in and cut down all the big old maples and oaks that canopied the road. I used to always take a fall cruise there. Now I go other places.
indeed….more “blessings” from our federal government!
pork – needs to be cut – cant keep spending what we dont have- besides you dont need money to Keep the scenic byways – they exist already
Time to raise taxes.
Time to raise taxes again.
Oh look at the time…to raise taxes again.
Heck, their getting used to it…
let us just tweak taxes up another notch.
And don’t forget to increase ” fees ” .
Most of the scenic roads probably looked much more scenic when they were narrow and dirt, with trees hanging overhead rather than cluttered with scenic highway signs posted every two miles at $75 a pop.
We used to complain when the annual deficit hit $400 billion, now we can only dream of it. We are now addicted to the tune of over $1 trillion per year of borrowing. We could confiscate (not tax – take) all of the money from the country’s millionaires and it wouldn’t cover the bill for the past 4 years. It’s pretty simple – we spend too much.
No matter what gets cut, there will be someone affected to scream about the horrors of it all. It isn’t enjoyable for anyone. We all need to face reality. The credit card is maxed out. Time for tough love, not buying votes.
Rep. Michaud should be telling us what we need to hear, not what is easy. It’s easy to say what you want to spend. We need people that will put Country ahead of all else and tell us what they’ll cut.
That combined with Maine DOT and MTA reductions in road and roadside maintenance should really present a good reason for toursits to stay away. As it is, I-295 is just a few abandoned, stripped, and burned cars away from looking like the Cross-Bronx Expressway with all of the accumulated garbage and unmown weeds.
I want to print the map!!!! But it doesn’t work
Save it as a JPEG, put it into a document, scale it to the size you want and print.
Guess what, the USA and Maine in particular cannot afford it. Does it make sense to borrow for this? No, but that is exactly what is going to happen if the money is approved. We cannot balance the Fed. budget but don’t have the political guts to make enough changes to get it done. We are headed down the tube financially.
The State & Federal bureaucrats still don’t get it!!!!! To balance ANY budget it is necessary to reduce spending. To reduce spending you cut out what you don’t need. This is a start…..
More tax money again. All we want in Maine sre those Federal Dollars$$$$$$. Those Federal dollars belong to the tax payers. The State has already eliminated most of the picnic areas on our highways and byways. Let’s cut the $$$$$$ and reduce the spending or is this to difficult to understand. The more money we get the more we spend even if you don’t have it to give.In our family we operate within our budget but our politicians always want to spend more then we take in. We must change this way of thinking.
We should spend 30 million to expand the Downeaster to Brunswick. Oh, wait, we already did. Great idea.
cut it i am tired of my pocket being picked at the federal level. if these places are to be maintained then it should be done at the state and local level or close them down.
If you would like to send Rep. Michaud a letter in support of scenic byways, visit this site: http://www.scenic.org/byways
For the cost of one B-2 bomber, we could fund this program for 4000 more years.
Just why on earth do we need to send tax money to Washington, let them skim 1/3 off the top, and then send our own money back to us wrapped in some damn fool rule book written by pointy-headed bureaucrats?
This makes about as much sense as giving Dale McCormick a pot of money and telling her to build affordable housing for paupers. We all saw the results THAT got us.
How about a little more information as to where all this
funding goes. What percentage of the $5.7 million goes to Road Improvements,
Roadside facilities and Management Planning? Which of these categories uses up
most of the funds my guess is Management planning.
How about a little more information as to where all this
funding goes. What percentage of the $5.7 million goes to Road Improvements,
Roadside facilities and Management Planning? Which of these categories uses up
most of the funds my guess is Management planning.
If promoting tourism is important to Maine, and it is….then the businesses who benefit from it
and/ or the communities which benefit will maintain the signage that has been erected to date. The idea that Washington rains down money on demand is obsolete.