Published: November 27, 2009 11:38 pm      

Lincoln Highway heritage funding cut

LIGONIER — The nonprofit that helped with a Jennerstown streetscape and funded restoration of the Coffee Pot in Bedford and a giant bicycle built for two in Somerset County now finds itself looking for money.

Facing declining revenues and increasing costs, the state Legislature has eliminated nearly $2 million that supported the Lincoln Highway Heritage Corridor and 11 other heritage areas including the Altoona-based Allegheny Ridge Corp.

“Our doors are not closing, but we’ve revised our budget for next year. It’s mean and lean,” said Olga Herbert, executive director of the Ligonier-based Lincoln Highway group. “This is the lowest we’ve ever been.”

In light of the budget problems, Herbert and her single part-time employee took a 20 percent pay cut in the summer.

But elimination of state money means they will have to increase fundraisers and look more to private groups.

“We’ve approached this as business as usual, but it will trickle down to the communities. There just won’t be any more money from us,” she said.

The heritage corridor cuts through six counties in southern Pennsylvania following Route 30, the nation’s first coast-to-coast highway.

The Lincoln Highway originally stretched from New York to San Francisco.

The state’s first heritage corridor was formed nearly 20 years ago with Allegheny Ridge covering Cambria, Somerset, Blair and Huntingdon counties.

Led by Jane Sheffield, president of Heritage Pennsylvania – the group representing the state’s 12 heritage areas – Allegheny Ridge has been involved in a range of projects since its inception.

The group is a key player in development of the 320-mile Pittsburgh-to-Harrisburg Mainline Canal Greenway.

Sheffield said the funding cut hurts not just the immediate areas, but the state as a whole because the contribution enabled heritage groups to leverage additional money.

She estimates that for every dollar in state money received, the heritage groups were able to leverage $5 to $15 from other sources.

“This is really something that hurts the state,” she said. “It’s a shame to see the state missing these opportunities.”

Locally, Herbert’s group is known for funding restoration of the Coffee Pot, a 1920s-vintage Route 30 restaurant built in the shape of a large percolator.

Earlier this year, the group unveiled a 30-foot-tall bicycle built for two with riders in century-old costume.

The sculpture was built by Somerset County Technical Center students through a grant from Herbert’s organization.

Student benefits from the project were far-reaching, said welding instructor Cary Phillippi.

“It just gave us an opportunity to do a lot of collaboration between individuals and business partners,” Phillippi said. “They (students) developed leadership skills by working with younger students.”

Christine Novak, press secretary for the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, said funding was cut for all of the heritage areas.

“It’s a different economic year. The revenue did not meet the need,” Novak said.

Heritage areas are eligible to apply for competitive state grants through a number of programs, she said.

Getting the word out about the benefits of the heritage areas is key to having funding restored, Herbert said.

The statewide organization plans to lobby next year’s gubernatorial candidates.

“We need to toot our own horn a little bit,” she said.

Route 30 author Brian Butko said Wednesday the funding cuts are far-reaching.

“A highway may not seem as important as some other needs. But the helpful work the corridor staff does reaches far and wide,” Butko said.

“Their promotional efforts are not for the literal pavement but for the towns and businesses along the highway today.”

Butko has written three books about the cross-country road, most recently “Lincoln Highway Companion.”