Local news

Route 144 named Road of the Year by Hagerty Insurance

RENOVO -- Pennsylvania Route 144, a 78-mile stretch from Snow Shoe to Galeton, with Renovo sitting right in the middle, features some steep grades, tight corners and a whole lot of Pennsylvania Mountains, providing breath-taking views and vistas throughout the journey from start to finish.

The charm was not lost on a group of specialty and classic car enthusiasts that recently took the route on a multi-day journey. The experience was found to be so captivating, that some national recognition soon followed.

Hagerty Insurance has chosen state Route 144, that snakes through Centre, Clinton and Potter counties, as their 2026 Road of the Year, a designation that will lead to the continuance of some sleek and even one-of-a kind cars passing through the area as they come to see what was so endearing to those making the selection.

Hagerty Insurance specializes in insurance for classic and collector vehicles, the largest in the world according to Wikipedia.

Ten car enthusiasts recently made the trek along state Route 144, including Larry Webster, SVP of Media and Editorial for Hagerty Drivers Club Magazine, a magazine sent to Hagerty Insurance customers.

The trip would result in two articles featuring the route. The first offering is not just of the unique twists and bends of 144, but also of the surprising attractiveness found in Renovo's character and even some of its people.

The introductory trip through the area was part of a bi-annual multi day trip that included "automotive engineers, racers and general car freaks" when it was discovered that there was a small issue.

The Alfa Romeo, a 1965 Giulia TI with a 2.0-liter engine from a later Spider in the group had lost its oil cap. The convoy had pulled into Pop Pop's restaurant in Renovo to grab some lunch. With the hood up on the Alfa attention came easy, including to one of the employees that came out to assess the situation.

According to the article, the Pop Pop's employee offered "There used to be an auto parts store in this space and there's a bunch of old stuff out back, do you want to take a look?"

The story continued "we gleefully fanned out among rows of dusty shelves and emerged with hose clamps, a pair of snips and an empty Monster Energy can. We fashioned a replacement cap out of the bottom of the can and secured it to the engine via the hose clamp. It seemed to hold. What a win. That was treasure number one."

Once back on the road, treasure number two of course ended up being the journey that state Route 144 offered, prompting one of the riders to initially offer "that's Road of the Year quality." No one in the group disagreed.

With the selection chosen it was soon time for Hagerty to release their Road of the Year online as well as in print in their July/August issue of Hagerty Drivers Club.

A second story was published, giving state Route 144 the title of Road of The Year 2026 and offered another notable stop in Renovo.

Among the many pictures one landmark that all those familiar with the area will quickly recognize is a Porsche 911 fastback with the background of the "Chew Mail Pouch" advertisement off of the building on the 1100 block of Huron Avenue.

Two descriptive paragraphs offer an impression of Renovo as follows:

"The hamlet is still a good breather stop and an interesting location for history buffs. Grab lunch at Socky's Restaurant, which retains its vintage counter-type seating. Next door is the old Keystone Hotel, which wears a faded sign advertising "Rooms, Food and Dancing" but is now mostly a popular cocktail bar. Peruse the grand churches and the lone standing brick workshop of the rail yard. But don't hesitate long -- there's plenty of Pennsylvania Route 144 yet to explore. 

The road ascends out of Renovo via switchbacks lined with northern hardwoods and wild rhododendrons. The air has a fresh, fecund feel. In "The River," Bruce Springsteen sang about a struggling blue-collar couple who would "drive out of the valley/down to where the fields are green." It's a great soundtrack when you're leaving Renovo, swinging through miles of curves and occasional farms yet seeing few other people." 

Learning of the state Route 144 designation started to arrive by members with Renovo roots reading of it in Hagerty Drivers Club.

Steven Kurutz, New York Times Features Writer who has made mention of his Hometown of Renovo in several of his nationally published columns, is a Hagerty member and has done articles on the company. Kurutz made The Express aware of the honor.

Renovo Mayor Justin Lynn learned of the award through his Mom who is a member.

Lynn has reached out to Senator Cris Dush's office. The mayor is working towards renaming the section of state Route 144 between Halls Run and Fish Dam Overlook "Timberrattler" to permanently honor the recognition.

Anyone learning of the Road of the Year Award will no doubt have locals looking at state Route 144, at least momentarily, with a fresh perspective.

Daily commuters have no doubt accepted the road as a necessary evil of getting to work or going to the store. It's doubtful that 'Road of the Year' honors were ever on the lips of someone white-knuckling their steering wheel coming off of Hall's Run Mountain in a winter storm. Yet those same perils can be captivating under a different set of circumstances and a fresh perspective that Hagerty readers will hopefully soon experience.

The previous two Hagerty Road of the Year selections were the Cherohala Skyway located in North Carolina to Tennessee as well as California State Route 33.