Public hearing outlines design ideas for Rangeley Scenic Byway gateway lots

Jamie Wallace, a project manager at Wright-Pierce, told the Rangeley Selectboard at a Jan. 21 public hearing that the town has received funding through the National Scenic Byways program and is working with the Maine Department of Transportation and Wright-Pierce on preliminary designs for two gateway parking lots on Depot Street and at the Aquatic (Route 4/16) lot.

The presentation, Wallace said, was a public hearing to gather resident feedback on concept designs and “nothing is set in stone.” The project’s stated goals include creating gateway hubs on either end of Rangeley, providing designated off-street parking for vehicles and recreational trailers, improving pedestrian connectivity to downtown, adding wayfinding and interpretive signage, and enhancing streetscapes and landscaping. Wallace said the town received the National Scenic Byways grant through Maine DOT and that the grant covers both design and construction, with the town providing roughly a 12% local match.

Why it matters: the two lots “bookend” the Scenic Byway through Rangeley and are positioned to shape visitor access, pedestrian flow and stormwater impacts. Wallace said preliminary design deliverables to DOT are due in April 2025, a draft PDR in June, a follow-up public hearing in May, and anticipated construction in 2026.

Design details presented by Kelly Masimo and other Wright-Pierce staff included one-way vehicle circulation to improve truck and trailer maneuvering, delineated painted parking stalls (including trailer spaces), ADA-compliant pedestrian connections, kiosks and interpretive signage, pavilions that could serve as information kiosks or possibly restrooms, and vegetative islands and green infrastructure to help collect and treat stormwater. For the Aquatic lot, the team proposed shifting the entrance, formalizing a one-way loop, and keeping the existing outhouse in place for now.

Residents asked detailed questions about wetlands, lighting, landscaping and the balance between paving and natural infiltration. A recurring public concern was a vegetated ditch — described by presenters as a wetland feature between Route 16 and the parking area — and whether it could or should be filled or altered. Jamie Wallace and other Wright-Pierce staff said the ditch is within shoreland zoning and that the Maine Department of Environmental Protection and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers would have permitting jurisdiction for any wetland impacts. Wallace noted permitting reviews can take “anywhere from 3 to 6 months” and recommended minimizing wetland disturbance to avoid schedule delays.

Several residents urged a low‑impact, naturalized approach to planting. One commenter said visitors come to this area for its natural character and asked that plantings and site furnishings match local character rather than an urban look. Wright-Pierce landscape staff said options include smaller, hardier street-tree selections and naturalized planting palettes; they also said maintenance responsibility would fall to the town if plantings and furnishings become town assets.

On lighting, a resident noted Rangeley is pursuing dark‑sky community certification; Wright-Pierce staff said many manufacturers now offer dark‑sky‑compliant fixtures and that lighting could be limited to portions of lots where safety benefits outweigh nighttime impacts. On heavy vehicles and trailers, Wright-Pierce said parking geometry and turning radii were sized to allow recreational trailers and typical tractor‑trailer maneuvers, and the plans can be checked with AutoTURN analysis as the design advances.

Cost and schedule context: Wallace said the grant award covers both locations; it will be administered through Maine DOT’s locally administered project program, with the town contributing the local match. He said the team is aiming to have final plans and contract documents ready to bid in August 2025 and construction in 2026, but that permitting or other constraints could affect sequencing. Residents suggested staging work or doing one lot in 2026 and the other later depending on funds and permitting timelines; Wright-Pierce said they would discuss sequencing with DOT at the next design checkpoint.

The hearing closed with the board chair inviting written comments to the project team; Wallace asked for input by the end of the week or early the following week to keep the schedule on track.

Ending: Wright-Pierce will incorporate public feedback into revised concepts and present updated plans at a second public hearing in May 2025, with a final plan submittal to DOT expected in June 2025.