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Contact: Christie Anastasia, 207-288-8806
BAR HARBOR, MAINE –The National Park Service (NPS) has issued a Record of Decision (ROD) for the Final Transportation Plan/ Environmental Impact Statement (FTP/EIS) for Acadia National Park that will improve visitor experiences and reduce congestion in the park.
On May 9, Regional Director Gay Vietzke signed the ROD selecting the preferred alternative and authorizing the NPS to proceed with this effort to provide safe and efficient transportation for visitors, while ensuring protection of park resources and values.
“Thank you to all the individuals, organizations, and communities that helped shape this plan,” said Vietzke. “Public input will remain vital as we implement this plan in a way that continues to respond to people’s needs while protecting the park’s amazing resources.”
The Transportation Plan will improve visitor experiences and reduce congestion by providing visitors with transportation options when visiting Acadia National Park during the peak visitation season. Visitors will eventually be able to experience the park using an expanded network of commercial tours, Island Explorer buses, and on-demand taxis.
The construction of the Acadia Gateway Center and a new visitor center with expanded parking at Hulls Cove will allow the area to function as a park and ride and significantly improve accessibility for visitors.
Private vehicles will be able to access Ocean Drive, Cadillac Mountain, and Jordan Pond with a parking reservation and all other destinations in the park without parking reservations.
Approval of the ROD is the culmination of extensive planning, public engagement, and an environmental impact analysis effort that began in 2015. Initial work on the plan will begin as soon as 2020 and will continue in years ahead.
The Final Transportation Plan/ EIS, ROD, and other reference documents Are available on the NPS Planning Environment and Public Comment website at go.nps.gov/AcadiaPlan.
Last updated: December 27, 2019