Parke County officials are hoping to claim a chunk of an $8 million federal appropriation targeted for preservation of covered bridges throughout the nation.
The Senate has approved the $8 million in general transportation funds for the National Historic Covered Bridge Preservation Program.
The appropriation was included in a report approved by the House last week and headed to President Clinton for his signature.
To get part of the money, the county will have to compete with other counties in Indiana with covered bridges, and other states.
Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Indiana, co-sponsored the legislation. It is important to Lugar because of the significant role the historic bridges play in Hoosier history and tourism, said Lane Ralph,Lugar's senior assistant.
Indiana has 93 covered bridges. Only Pennsylvania and Ohio have more.
Lugar's staff has met with several organizations in the state to get the word out about applying for the funds.
"We want to get the money," Ralph said. "We don't want to get it and have it go to Vermont."
Covered bridges are an integral part of Parke County's economy and heritage, said Anne Lynk, director of Parke County Inc., the convention and visitors bureau that also coordinates the Parke County Covered Bridge Festival.
At the turn of the century, the county boasted more than 50 covered bridges. But many fell victim to vandalism and accidents. Thirty-two remain, 21 of which are open to vehicular traffic.
If the bridges are properly maintained, there's no telling how long they may last, said Mike Cooper, regional vice president of Myers Engineering Inc. in Terre Haute.
Some are 147 years old, he said.
"They're good as long as the superstructure is kept dry and they have siding and a roof," Cooper said.
Myers, an engineering firm that among other services specializes in historic bridge rehabilitation and restoration, handled the restoration in 1996 of Portland Mills Bridge in northeastern Parke County. That bridge, built in 1856, sat neglected for years, the victim of vandalism. The restoration project cost more than $350,000, done mostly with federal funds.
Myers is about to start a feasibility study on moving the Sanitorium Bridge, which is on private property, about two miles and restoring it for vehicular traffic, Cooper said.
In a county that thrives on tourism and boasts a festival dedicated to its famous covered bridges, it's vital the remaining bridges survive, Lynk said.
The annual Parke County Covered Bridge Festival, which begins Friday, draws an estimated two million visitors and adds between $17 million and $20 million to the Wabash Valley economy, she said.
Parke County receives $1,250 annually from the state for construction or repair of each of the 29 covered bridges owned by the county. Private contributions are also responsible for several thousand dollars a year. Many individuals who live near the bridges spend countless hours mowing weeds, painting over graffiti and doing other things to help keep the bridges in shape, Lynk said.
Even with all that, funding for maintenance and repairs is a problem, she said.
"We will apply right away," Lynk said of the $8 million in general transportation funds.
"We've been waiting for this. We're prepared, no matter what we have to do. We're ready to get that application and be first in line."