April 30, 2008 Press Release from the Ohio Lincoln Highway League:
The 14th Annual Business Meeting of the Ohio Lincoln Highway League was held on April 26, 2008 at the Elks Hall in Galion, Ohio. The Ohio Lincoln Highway League is the state affiliate of the Lincoln Highway Association, a historical interest group which endeavors to promote and preserve the history of the Lincoln Highway—the first transcontinental automobile route in the United States.
Among the highlights of the meeting was the presentation of the “Exemplary Friend of the Lincoln Highway Award†to the Ohio Department of Transportation. This is an award given by the Lincoln Highway Association to individuals or groups for outstanding contributions to the association’s promotion and preservation efforts. In this case, ODOT was honored for their part in constructing the splendid new Lincoln Highway Bridge at the I-75 interchange with State Route 696 at Beaverdam. The bridge features four large Lincoln Highway logo signs which face four-lane traffic on I-75, and four smaller logo signs set in brick pillar replicas which face traffic on State Route 696—a renumbered roadway (formerly U.S. 30-North) that was once part of the historic Lincoln Highway route. The brick pillars are reminiscent of twenty other pillars which were originally set along the route of the Lincoln Highway during the 1920s.
Photo by John Renock
On hand to accept the etched glass award on behalf of ODOT was Kirk Slusher, P.E. (right), who is the Planning Administration for ODOT District One at Lima. The presentation of the award was officially made by LHA President Jan Shupert-Arick of Fort Wayne, Indiana. At the request of the Ohio Lincoln Highway League, Kirk took a few minutes to discuss the history of the project and explain how transportation enhancement funds became available for this aesthetic bridge. It was then pointed out by members of the Ohio Lincoln Highway League that in their opinion, this award was merited not only for ODOT’s vision regarding this wonderful new bridge, but also for its continuing assistance in such matters as the posting of green interchange signs and brown historic byway signs which help travelers rediscover the route of the Lincoln Highway as it traverses 241 miles across Ohio.
