Heroes Highway Project

Heroes Highway Project was started by Gold Star Dads Michael Thorpe, David Troyer, and Tom McKinley in October 2012.
The concept of Highway Memorial Signs for Oregons Fallen Heroes was brought to State Representative Andy Olson with the hope that with his experiance setting up a program to honor Police Officers killed in the line of duty wouild help us with this similar project.
It is our hope to pass legislation that will allow the families of Oregon's Fallen Heroes to be able, while working with their state REP or Senator, to draft and pass a bill renaming a local highway in honor of their Fallen Servicemember. Once a Bill is drafted, passed in the House and Senate, and signed by the Governor
we want the family to be able to work with the the Oregon Department of Transportation on the payment, manufacturing, and installation of the signs. It is our sincere hope that even though this will not cost the taxpayers any money, that the ODOT will only charge actual costs involved.
Our long term goal is to establish a tax deductable Non Profit entity to administer money to families that need help paying for signs for their loved one. This would be funded by donated money and money raised by fundraising and merchandise sales.
I could see communities coming together to help families fundraise for this, but some families will need help we would want to do that for them. This project will begin with 2 sections of US Highway 34 being named in honor of US Marine LCpl. Tyler J Troyer, and US Army SPC Eric S Mckinley, both whom were killed in Iraq.
We feel that once the public sees these along HWY 34, it will help this project gain steam and support

HB 2708

On March 14th 2013, the Oregon House of Representatives voted 56-0 to pass the Bill allowing signs to be placed on OR Highway 34 for SPC. McKinley and LCpl. Troyer. The Senate now has the Bill and it will be approved soon.

Below are conceptual images of what we want the signs will look like: