RANGELEY – The Rangeley Lakes National Scenic Byway received the Planning and Achievement Award from the Androscoggin Valley County of Governments recently.

Rebecca Kurtz, byway coordinator, accepted the award on behalf of the Byway and Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust for their collaborative efforts on numerous byway initiatives.

“In her eight years with the byway, Rebecca has done a superb job of leading the effort to improve the motoring and cultural experience of thousands of the region’s travelers,” said AVCOG’s Executive Director Robert Thompson.

With the trust serving as fiscal agent, the byway has received more than $1 million in grant funds to protect the region’s scenic resources, improve safety on the roadways and enhance the byway experience for the traveler.

“The scenic byways effort throughout Maine has been a proven economic engine that helps bring much needed visitor revenue to rural areas,” said Dina Jackson, AVCOG economic development specialist. “We applaud the leadership that the Rangeley scenic byway has demonstrated through Rebecca’s efforts in partnership with the region’s town governments and the Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust,” Jackson said.

Some of the successes that led to the recognition include the Whip Willow Overlook project in Rangeley, the Smalls Falls Rest Area project and the public restroom project in Rangeley’s Town Park (a second restroom facility in Oquossoc is in the planning stages).

The byway has collaborated with a number of partners, including RLHT, the town of Rangeley and the Maine Department of Transportation, to complete the projects. The Whip Willow project required RLHT’s acquisition of the land, its execution of permanent scenic easements, the construction of panoramic overlook itself, as well as the installation of interpretive panels.

The Smalls Falls Rest Area on Route 4 in Sandy River Plantation received a facelift that included the installation of new railings, interpretive panels and two seasonal restrooms.

Finally, the byway’s efforts to design and construct clean and attractive year-round public restrooms that are owned and maintained by the town of Rangeley have provided an amenity to travelers and visitors to the Lakeside Park.

The byway and trust are now focusing their efforts on the “Crown Jewel” of the Rangeley Scenic Byway: the Height of Land on Route 17. The site overlooks Mooselookmeguntic Lake and the surrounding forestland and is recognized as one of the finest vistas in the northeast.

The site has been conserved by the trust, but the 512-acre area is not yet paid for. Those wishing to help conserve the site can do so by logging on to www.rlht.org.

So far the byway has installed temporary interpretive panels and has secured more than $800,000 in grant funds to design, engineer and construct the overlook. More funding is necessary to also reconstruct a section of surrounding roadway before the project can begin.

The trust, byway, MDOT, the Greater Franklin County Development Corp. and the Department of Economic and Community Development are working to secure additional funding.