(1) The General Assembly finds and declares that the restoration, preservation, and enhancement of scenic beauty within and adjacent to many of the state highways are conducive to safe, efficient, and comfortable use of these facilities and necessary to protect the public investment.
(2) Therefore, it is the duty of the State Highway Commission to adopt, promulgate, and enforce reasonable rules for landscape and roadside development of the scenic values of selected areas adjacent to these highways through the acquisition and development of scenic easements on and improvement of strips of land necessary for the restoration, preservation, and enhancement of such scenic beauty, including scenic overlooks and rest and recreation areas.