NORWAY – Area residents and officials are putting the pressure on the state Department of Transportation to keep the scenic turnout on Route 118 open.

“I got over 400 signatures in three days,” said Selectman Bill Damon, who recently placed a petition at The Lake Store, just down the street from the turnout beside Lake Pennesseewassee. The petition was given to a local DOT foreman to forward to department officials.

Selectmen notified Norway officials last month that the scenic turnout is one of nine in the region it will abandon this summer and turn into what the state calls a motor vehicle turnout. Picnic tables, a restroom, grills and shelter overhangs would be removed from the site under the state’s plan.

Although selectmen have been given the option of taking over the operation, they expressed concern about taking over the financial responsibility and have asked residents to contact their legislators in an attempt to stop the DOT move.

“We’re a bit offended that the state would just dump it on us two weeks before closing it. These turnarounds around the state are part of the trademark of what Maine is,” Town Manager David Holt told selectmen last week.

Holt said the state has delayed the closing while the town tries to work out a solution, but he told selectmen last week he is not happy about being asked pay for the work to keep it open.

“If the DOT is hell-bent on getting out of the picnic area business, I think it would be appropriate for them to contribute something,” he said.

Bob LaRoche, supervisor of landscape architecture for the Department of Transportation, said Monday that the average seasonal cost of maintaining the sites is about $3,000. The majority of the money goes into labor. Crews from Dixfield are dispatched to maintain the Norway site.

Typically, the turnouts are open until the weekend after Columbus Day in October. LaRoche said that if the turnout closes earlier, the “closed” sign will be prominently displayed at the site.

“That’s the biggest hint,” said LaRoche of when the site might close.