By Rick Hiduk
Businesses in counties along the Route 6 corridor have been targeted for improvements by the PA Route 6 Alliance, which started the Route 6 Façade and Signage Program last year in the PA Wilds, the vast stretch of one of America’s most scenic highways between the Endless Mountains and Erie. In 2020, the project moves east, and more than $130,000 has been made available for enhancements to buildings in Bradford and Wyoming counties.
Wyoming County planner Lynnelle Farber announced on Jan. 14 at a meeting of the Wyoming County Commissioners that a public meeting will be held at the Dietrich Theater in Tunkhannock on Monday, Feb. 3 at 6 pm to help property owners better understand what types of improvements are eligible for funding and how to fill out an application.
While structures located directly on Route 6 may get more points in the application review process, Farber noted, several projects situated miles form the highway in the PA Wilds region were awarded grants last year. All of Bradford and Wyoming counties are eligible in that sense.
The grant maximum is $5,000, which requires a 100 percent match, but at least some portion of the match can include work that has recently been done to a building if the application pertains to the same ongoing project. Enhancements can include painting, awnings, new windows, and entrances. Hardscaping such as new sidewalks, as well as landscaping are excluded.
The project is being managed by Vanessa Billings-Seiler of the Endless Mountains Heritage Region (EMHR), which the Route 6 Heritage Corridor overlaps. As an at-large member of the EMHR board, Farber admits that she is engaged in a bit of friendly competition with her counterparts to the northwest.
“Bradford County tends to get the most of everything because they are larger,” she remarked. “I’d really like to see Wyoming County get more applications in than Bradford County. I think the public meeting will be very informative.”
For more information, interested property owners may call Billings-Seiler at 570-265-1528.