The sign – unveiled with members of Larson’s family present, including his wife, Donabel, designates a portion of Interstate 180 from the Lycoming and Northumberland counties’ line to the interchange with existing routes 15 and 220 in Lycoming County.

That stretch of highway will be named after the late co-founder of Larson Design Group whose distinguished career included being an district engineer with the state Department of Transportation (PennDOT), who was a passionate advocate for development of highways and bridges in the region.

Outside of the Professional Development Center on the college campus, PennDOT workers in vehicles idled their engines in preparation of taking the sign for installation.

It means that thousands of motorists – traveling short and long distances – will be passing by the sign with green background and white letters designating the highway – every day and night.

Larson was born April 26, 1934 in North Arlington, New Jersey. He passed away on Dec. 22, 2024.

Honoring a veteran, family man and dedicated servant

State Sen. Gene Yaw, R-Loyalsock Township, who served as sort of a host of the ceremony, remarked how Larson played such a pivotal role in the advancement of key transportation corridors, including the many sections of Route 15, Interstate 180 and I-80.

“You can’t drive anywhere without experiencing something Ken Larson was involved in,” Yaw said.

Yaw expressed how he had a personal affinity for Larson as Yaw’s father was a PennDOT maintenance superintendent in the 1960s and the district engineer’s name was frequently spoken of in a fond manner in the Yaw household.

His unwavering commitment to enhancing the transportation system that prioritized safety, efficiency, and economic growth, both regionally and beyond was recognized by several speakers, including state Reps. Joe Hamm, R-Hepburn Township, and Jamie Flick, R-South Williamsport. Terry Krezmer, chairman of the board of Larson Design Group, and human resource officer at the firm, said she had the privilege of knowing Larson for 35 years and a connection with her husband. She described Larson as a man who showed up at every meeting, every milestone along the way, lived with purpose and led with integrity.

Larson created opportunities and left lasting legacies.

Today, the firm supports employment for over 150 people and is headquartered at Watertower Square within sight of I-180 and the thousands of motorists driving by each day and night.

Larson’s strong commitment as a dedicated family man was recalled by one of his nine grandchildren, Ashley Larson.

“Ken was a family man through and through, who never missed a game, a dance recital or in my case a theater performance,” she said.

Ashley also recalled how whenever she would go to his house he kept a stack of newspaper clippings of all the news businesses that he thought could become prospective clients for his granddaughter’s business.

An indelible mark on the region

“So much of what exists today, and so much of what will exist in the coming years and months are because of his vision and his work,” said Michael Carroll, state secretary of transportation, who was invited as a guest for the ceremony and will be returning in two weeks to mark the official grand opening of the Route 14 bridge at Trout Run, which was destroyed by floodwaters.

Many infrastructure and roadways projects such as this were the vision of Larson, including the future I-99 designation, the improved Route 15 connection between Williamsport and New York state border, as well as the ongoing Central Susquehanna Valley Thruway (CSVT), the project that will allow traffic to bypass the Lewisburg and Shamokin Dam bottlenecks – creating a free flow of travel to connections to Interstate 180 and Route 15.

Because of his leadership and technical knowledge, Larson was appointed as the youngest district engineer for PennDOT in 1966, overseeing construction and maintenance projects across multiple counties.

Larson served as a liaison between the administration of former Gov. Richard Thornburgh and PennDOT, championed the adoption of computer-aided drafting and design in the state and led efforts to inspect and improve delinquent bridges and roadways.

“Truly his work for our state and for this region has made a lasting difference,” Carroll said.

Larson’s years of dedication to his country and region was among the highlights of the ceremony.

“First of all I want to thank Ken for his service in the military,” Flick said, adding he had a son in the Navy and a son in the Army and Veterans Day on Nov. 11 was “right around the corner.”

Flick also thanked Yaw and any other military service members active and retired in the audience. “If we could applaud the service members on behalf of Ken that would be great,” he said, to such applause.

Flick’s office, which is in Watertower Square, is where Larson Design Group is headquartered.

“Ken Larson was a man whose life was defined by vision, connection and the belief that infrastructure is more than concrete and asphalt; it is the lifeblood that binds communities together,” Flick said.

In his work, Larson had a “rare ability to not just see roads but relationships,” he said.

Flick noted it was a commitment to working across the aisle, working with every single party, every single person – no matter what the issues were and building bridges – “which is what Ken did . . . I feel like I relate to Ken in that manner,” he said.

Larson’s vision and leadership meant that towns, once separated by slow and winding roads, would become much more accessible. Shops, industries and communities – all benefitted. Workers could find ways to commute, to travel, and have new investments.

“I have been very blessed to be able to build those relationships, such as Ken has done,” Flick said.

“I deeply appreciate Ken’s gift and foresight,” Flick said. “He recognized that roads aren’t just getting from point A to point B but are about what happens along the way – safer neighborhoods, better access to opportunities, economic growth, lower barriers, and strong ties among people who share this place we call home.”

“Ken’s mark is not only made in pavement and in bridges but in the unity that he fostered, the agreements that he built and the belief that he held that thoughtful infrastructure is the future of this region.”

The sign with his name is a reminder to carry forth his example of vision, inclusive planning and fostering relationships and connections that make lasting changes,” he said.

Larson, after graduating from high school in 1952, served with honor in the U.S.Navy Reserve for 14 years, receiving an honorable discharge. He earned his degree from Bucknell University in 1956 and began his professional journey with the former Department of Forests and Waters, later contributing to the Department of Highways and PennDOT.

Following his public service, Larson co-founded an engineering firm that would later be named Larson Design Group. As chief executive officer, he envisioned a company that would create meaningful careers for engineers, architects and surveyors in the county, helping to retain local talent and strengthen the community.

“Ken Larson advocate, visionary . . . servant leader,” Hamm said. “He wasn’t looking to make a name for himself,” Hamm said. “He was just a leader and he just worked hard.”

Hamm thanked the Larson family for sharing a husband, father, grandfather with those gathered and the public.

“Thank you for sharing his many talents with us and allowing our region, our communities to benefit from his knowledge, his wisdom – from his perseverance,” Hamm said.

Larson’s work is seen each day as thousands travel on I-180, Route 15 and businesses that are everywhere. Those businesses support the local economy and provide great jobs for families in Lycoming County and the area.

Without the roadways, infrastructure, bridges and vision – none of that matters.

“They will find other places to go where the infrastructure is in place,” Hamm said. “They came here because of Ken’s vision, and his lasting impact in making sure we had the infrastructure we needed to bring businesses here,” Hamm said.

“These signs will remind those passing by of Larson’s servant leadership, his work and his vision for the region and that this region remains the beneficiary of his lifelong dedication.”

The ceremony brought together many transit-related officials, including former district engineers and county transportation officials. The concept for the sign, as noted at the ceremony, was the idea of Robert “Bob” Garrett, president and CEO of the Greater Susquehanna Valley Chamber of Commerce, which is a regional business and community development organization operating in the Montour, Northumberland, Snyder, and Union counties. Garrett, who served four different governors at PennDOT in Harrisburg, was asked to stand and be recognized for the concept of the sign.

Larson’s contributions, meanwhile, were said to continue to inspire future generations of engineers and public servants.