HIGHLAND – The New York State Bridge Authority says the American flag will soon return to the span crossing the Hudson River after several veterans had expressed displeasure that the flag was not flying on the most recent Veterans Day. Both suspension bridges operated by the bridge authority, the Bear Mountain and the Mid-Hudson, hang a 20-foot by 30-foot American Flag on federal holidays and other special occasions.
Veterans expressed what they perceived as a “slight” over the flag.
The authority says the Mid-Hudson Bridge flag was unable to fly on Veterans Day due to a part that was on backorder. “We hope to have the part in soon,” said Bridge Authority Spokesman Chris Steber. “A number of our staff are either veterans or have been part of a military family, so we always strive to have the large flags on display for the days dedicated to our Armed Forces.”
The main reason why one of these large flags would not fly is due to weather conditions, according to the authority. Weather conditions above the Hudson River can be notably different than they are onshore or on the river’s surface. “Due to the large size of these flags, we need to be especially mindful of wind speeds or other inclement weather, especially since they fly over the roadway,” Steber explained. “As a general rule of thumb, we do not fly the flag on the tower if wind speeds are going to be 15 mph or above at any point during the display period.”
The special-order flags on the two suspension bridges cost more than $700 each and a crew of six or more bridge workers is needed to climb up on the steel, temporarily stop traffic, and hoist or lower the flag. (A Facebook video of the flag being raised on the Mid-Hudson Bridge on a previous Veterans Day can be viewed here.)
The bridge authority follows the US Code regarding the display of the American Flag, which specifically suggests flying Old Glory on the following days:
These offer the following holidays as days when…
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