U.S. flags fly again on bridges ... but now they need lights

A controversy seemed to be quelled last week after a VFW chapter complained that the Minnesota Department of Transportation was making it remove U.S. flags that the VFW had placed on highway bridges in Brooklyn Park, citing safety reasons. MnDOT officials agreed to affix the flags themselves. But at least one of the flags has no lighting. So MnDOT plans to light the flags, too, but it was not clear when, or how much it would cost, KSTP reports.

Author:: BMTN Staff
Updated:: Mar 8, 2018
Original:: Jul 23, 2012

A controversy seemed to be quelled last week after a VFW chapter complained that the Minnesota Department of Transportation was making it remove U.S. flags that the VFW had placed on highway bridges in Brooklyn Park, citing safety reasons. MnDOT officials agreed to affix the flags themselves. But at least one of the flags has no lighting. So MnDOT plans to light the flags, too, but it was not clear when, or how much it would cost, KSTP reports.

DONTCHA KNOW?

You Can Get BMTN Special Offers!

Get Our Newsletter

Dylan Bennett

The 22-year-old has been charged in the shooting deaths of his parents.

Sen. David Osmek

State Sen. David Osmek made some controversial remarks on the "Up and At 'Em" podcast.

Garbage truck trash collection

St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter said decentralizing trash collection could lead to a property tax increase.

ASSOCIATED PRESS DO NOT REUSE Al Franken

The former senator is now available for hire.

grain bin

It's the second fatal accident of its kind this month.

Jose Berrios

The Tigers lit up the Twins for 17 hits.

camera

The husband-and-wife videographers are attempting to sue the state.

the-mayo-clinic

Patients at the La Crescent clinic will transition to nearby locations.

school-bus

Fortunately, there were no injuries.

Luis Arraez

His name came up at the trade deadline.

Malts

We picked three contenders, and found it near-impossible to separate them.

Dylan Bennett

Police say the suspect is believed to be in Mexico.

The Minnesota Department of Transportation said Friday that it will install U.S. flags on a number of bridges in the northwest Twin Cities metro area. The move comes after MnDOT faced numerous complaints from the public and a VFW in Brooklyn Park over the removal of flags illegally placed on bridges in the metro.

After flying American flags for eight years over five highway overpasses, the Minnesota Department of Transportation has told the Palmer Lake VFW in Brooklyn Park to take them down, WCCO reports. For safety reasons, a state law forbids people from affixing objects to an overpass. But VFW officials say they should be able to fly the flag wherever they want.

Crews with the Minnesota Department of Transportation used a "self-propelled modular transporter" for the first time to move the Maryland Avenue bridge over Interstate 35E Saturday. Kent Barnard with MnDOT tells KARE 11 the new technology reduced closure time for the bridge deck by 50 percent.

Gov. Mark Dayton is ordering all Minnesota flags to be lowered from sunrise to sunset on Friday, February 3. It's in observance of the 69th anniversary of the sinking of the United States Army transport Dorchester off the coast of Greenland.

West St. Paul City Council member Ed Hansen was pressured earlier this year to remove Confederate flags at his home. Now he's the target of two new separate complaints.

The Gateway Corridor Commission says there isn't enough space on the Interstate 94 bridge overlooking the St. Croix River for a light rail transit crossing.