National Park Service announces preliminary concepts for the Acadia National Park Transportation Plan

Date: October 12, 2016
Contact: John Kelly, 207-288-8703

 The National Park Service (NPS) has announced preliminary concepts that identify a range of transportation and visitor use management strategies for the Acadia National Park Transportation Plan. The NPS is preparing the transportation plan to determine ways to provide safe and efficient transportation for visitors while ensuring the protection of park resources and values. A newsletter that describes the preliminary concepts and information about how to submit comments is available online at: https://parkplanning.nps.gov/ACADTransportationPlan. The NPS prepared the preliminary concepts with input collected from the public last summer during the information gathering phase of the plan.

The NPS invites the public to attend either of two open houses where participants can learn about the preliminary concepts and provide feedback. The open houses will be held on Wednesday, November 2, from 6:30 to 8:30 pm at the Peninsula School (71 Main Street/Route 186) in Prospect Harbor, and on Thursday, November 3, from 6:30 to 8:30 pm at the Mount Desert Island High School (1081 Eagle Lake Road/Route 233) in Bar Harbor.

"The preliminary concepts serve as conversation starters and represent a variety of possibilities that may be included in the long-term management framework for Acadia," said Superintendent Kevin Schneider. "We have not yet identified a preferred alternative and encourage the public to provide input and participate in this important planning process."

Transportation issues at Acadia National Park are diverse and complex. Visitors travel to and within the park by private vehicle, tour bus, bicycle, ferry, Island Explorer bus, and other modes. A park-wide transportation plan is needed to determine ways to improve safety, reduce congestion and crowding, avoid impacts to park resources, and provide visitors with a high-quality experience.

The NPS is accepting feedback on the preliminary concept from October 12 to November 30, 2016. Public comments on the preliminary concepts will be used to develop alternatives for the draft Acadia National Park Transportation Plan and Environmental Impact Statement, which is expected to be released in early 2017.

Comments may be submitted in writing at the open houses, online at: https://parkplanning.nps.gov/ACADTransportationPlan (click on "Open for Comment"), or by mail:

Acadia National Park
ATTN: Transportation Plan
PO Box 177
Bar Harbor, ME 04609

For more information about the Acadia National Park Transportation Plan and Environmental Impact Statement, please visit: https://parkplanning.nps.gov/acadtransportationplan or contact John Kelly, Management Assistant, at [e-mail] or 207-288-8703.