Gov Shapiro Unveils Final Sign to Complete 9/11 National Memorial Trail | Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

Stoystown, PA - Today, Governor Josh Shapiro, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) Secretary Mike Carroll, and Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn unveiled the final sign needed to complete Pennsylvania's 920-mile section of the 9/11 National Memorial Trail, marking the 25th anniversary of September 11, 2001, and honoring the lives lost and heroes who responded that day.

Governor Shapiro first joined in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville to commemorate the passengers and crew of United Airlines Flight 93, who were killed when the flight was hijacked on September 11, 2001. Flight 93 was the only one of the four hijacked planes that did not reach its intended target after passengers and crew members fought back against the hijackers. Following the ceremony, Flight 93 family members invited the Governor and other participants to gather at the boulder marking the site where the plane went down.

After walking to the boulder, the Governor joined family members of the passengers and crew of Flight 93, the 9/11 National Memorial Trail Alliance, and community members near the intersection of Buckstown Road and Skyline Drive, the entrance to the Flight 93 National Memorial to unveil the final sign, completing the 9/11 National Memorial Trail in Pennsylvania.

The 1,500-mile 9/11 National Memorial Trail connects the National September 11 Memorial & Museum in New York City, the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial in Arlington, Virginia, and the Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville. The trail passes through Pennsylvania communities and landscapes, creating a living memorial where people can walk, bike, hike, reflect, and remember the lives lost and heroes who responded on September 11, 2001. Pennsylvania has the most mileage along the trail of any state.

"Twenty-five years ago, our nation was forever changed, and Pennsylvania carries a special responsibility to remember the lives lost and honor the heroes who responded that day - especially here in Shanksville, where the passengers and crew of Flight 93 showed extraordinary courage and helped save countless lives," said Governor Shapiro. "Today, we're unveiling the final sign to complete Pennsylvania's portion of the 9/11 National Memorial Trail, creating a lasting way for people to walk, bike, and reflect on the history we must never forget. As we mark 25 years since September 11, let us never forget those who died that day - and may their memories forever be a blessing."

Governor Shapiro directed PennDOT and DCNR last year to work with more than 100 local governments and the September 11th National Memorial Trail Alliance to designate on-road and off-road segments and complete signage along Pennsylvania's portion of the trail ahead of the 25th anniversary. The effort built on years of work to develop the trail, which connects the three national memorials.

Over the past year, more than 2,200 signs have been installed on state and local roads across Pennsylvania, marking the trail and helping visitors navigate its route. The signage initiative includes approximately 1,000 signs along state roads and 1,200 along local roads.

The final ceremonial sign unveiled today was made by DCNR Bureau of Forestry staff at the Mira Lloyd Dock Resource Conservation Center in Spring Mills, Centre County, and is crafted from red oak, a Pennsylvania hardwood.

"PennDOT was proud to help complete this statewide signage effort ahead of this solemn milestone," said Secretary Carroll. "The stories of the passengers and crew of Flight 93 - and everyone our nation lost 25 years ago - are woven into our communities and our nation. These signs will serve as lasting reminders of their lives, their courage, and the importance of remembering."

PennDOT coordinated with the September 11th National Memorial Trail Alliance to review and approve appropriate bike routes on state roads across Pennsylvania. PennDOT also supported the Alliance in developing the trail's route signs, which feature the 9/11 National Memorial Trail logo, a bicycle symbol, and "9-11 NMT."

DCNR has contributed more than $1 million in grants through the Community Conservation Partnerships Program (C2P2) to complete and improve sections of the 9/11 National Memorial Trail in Pennsylvania. DCNR staff also worked closely with the Alliance and other local officials to help complete the statewide signage effort ahead of the 25th anniversary.

"Trails connect communities, landscapes, memorials, and historic places - and the 9/11 National Memorial Trail does all of that while giving Pennsylvanians a meaningful place to remember and reflect," said Secretary Dunn. "We're proud to have supported the development of this trail and to have helped bring this final sign to life. Every mile offers an opportunity to remember the lives lost and the courage shown on September 11, 2001."

"We are so grateful for Governor Shapiro's support of the September 11th National Memorial Trail," said 9/11 National Memorial Trail Alliance President Jeff McCauley. "The 1,500-mile 9/11 Trail is a living memorial commemorating the lives lost from Flight 93 to the New York City Memorial and the Pentagon, and the completion of signage in Pennsylvania is a significant milestone in the development of the Trail."

The ceremonial sign is also a reminder of the personal stories behind the trail and the families who have worked for 25 years to preserve the memory of their loved ones. Debby Borza, a member of the Trail Alliance Board and mother of Deora Bodley - the youngest passenger killed aboard Flight 93 - has been a longtime advocate for the trail and for ensuring future generations understand the significance of September 11.

Today's dedication comes as a generation of Americans grows up without personal memories of September 11, 2001. The 9/11 National Memorial Trail offers an enduring way to teach that history and honor those whose lives were lost, while connecting people to the communities, landscapes, and memorials that carry their stories forward.

Pennsylvania has more than 14,000 miles of trails, offering opportunities for residents and visitors to walk, hike, and bike throughout the Commonwealth. The 9/11 National Memorial Trail includes a portion of the Great Allegheny Passage, a 150-mile rail trail connecting Pittsburgh and Cumberland, Maryland.

The Flight 93 National Memorial also includes the Memorial Groves, planted in 2012. Forty groves of 40 native hardwood trees - one grove for each passenger and crew member - extend between the semicircular road to the Memorial and the Field of Honor. DCNR's Bureau of Forestry has provided more than 60,000 seedlings to support reforestation and ecological restoration across the memorial landscape since 2012.

Pennsylvanians are encouraged to walk, bike, hike, or visit the markers along the 9/11 National Memorial Trail to honor the lives lost and the heroes who responded on September 11, 2001.