NORWAY – About 50 people gathered Thursday to see just what the Department of Transportation means by “planned improvements” for Route 117.

Abutters on about a three-mile stretch of the road due for revamping were concerned about eminent domain – the process by which the state takes the land it needs.

They were concerned about compensation for land lost.

They were concerned about Indian Rock and its local historical value and they were concerned about areas known for flooding.

And, they were also concerned that the state might bulldoze the project through without listening to them.

But residents were assured several times by DOT Project Manager Heath E. Cowan that he and project designer, Abdul Feroze, were there to get input before anything final was designed.

The section of Route 117 scheduled for improvement starts at a point 0.34 miles north of the Otisfield Gore Road and extend north 2.84 miles to a point 0.15 miles south of Route 118.

Cowan said the roadwork was funded as part of the 2002-03 Biennial Transportation Plan and 80 percent of the $200,000 for the project would come from federal funds and 20 percent from state funds. There is no local match.

He said the earliest the project could start would be the fall of 2005 and it would be complete by the fall of 2006.

Cowan said the current state ownership of 33 feet of land from each side of the road centerline would be expanded to 50 feet on each side of the centerline.

He said that the center of the road as it is now would probably change.

He said the state would be shaving some of the corners off the road and there would be cases where some property would be taken by eminent domain.

He said that residents would be compensated and that if the compensation was thought less than fair, the amount could be appealed to the State Claims Commission. If a resident was still unhappy with that board’s verdict, he said court action was always a possibility.

Feroze said studies show that in 20 years that section of road would get 5,700 vehicles per day and the road would be designed now for that use. He said it would be designed so cars could safely travel at 50 miles per hour.

He said accident data showed that this area was a somewhat high risk area, adding that 80 percent of accidents are caused by human error and 20 percent by the road or conditions.

Several residents and selectmen informed the DOT representatives of the areas that usually flooded.

Mona Hill asked what the state planned to do with Indian Rock, a large stone by the roadway in which a large depression is reported by local legend to be an area where Indians used to grind corn.

Cowan said all DOT plans are reviewed by the Maine Historic Preservation Society.

Town Manager David Holt noted that the state society does not recognize the rock, but it is recognized by the town’s Comprehensive Plan.

Cowan said there would be a two-week comment period from this point and that the state would be back in July or August with existing right-of-way maps, that would give residents a clear picture of what would happen to their properties.