Giant American flag to hang from Mackinac Bridge via ‘ingenious’ new reel system

American Flag

In the past, as in this photo from Memorial Day 2017, the first time the American flag was displayed at the Mackinac Bridge, it took several staff and a closure to traffic to raise and lower the flag.

ST. IGNACE, MI – A giant American flag will once again be hung from the Mackinac Bridge this Fourth of July, but the way it gets there is changing thanks to an ingenious new reel system designed and built in-house by the Mackinac Bridge Authority.

Developed by MBA Maintenance Supervisor Ned McLennan, the 36-foot long device stores the flag like a roll-up window curtain at the top of the bridge towers to protect it from elements and lowers it using a remote control.

The maintenance staff painted the device to match the iconic ivory of the bridge towers. Installation on the tower took place sporadically over the past two years during calm weather days, in between the year-round maintenance of the bridge.

"Although we love doing it, the bridge work comes first," McLennan said. "The hardest part of it has been trying to think of all the potential problems and develop solutions. From installation to operation we have brainstormed many times to try and think of everything."

Purchased in 2016 and first flown from the bridge's south tower on Memorial Day 2017, the 30-foot-by-60-foot flag is displayed on six holidays each year: Memorial Day, Flag Day, the Fourth of July, Labor Day, Patriots Day, and Veterans Day.

Giant American flag is flying on Michigan’s Mackinac Bridge

It’s a wonderful tribute to Old Glory that is typically well received from motorists traveling between Michigan’s two peninsulas, but hanging it from the tower has been an arduous process for staff in the past.

Prior to the creation of the reel, hanging the flag required stopping traffic and roughly a dozen staff to unroll it as it was hoisted beneath the tower. Removing it each time took the same time and effort, which also delayed traffic.

Conversely, the reel can be operated by one person and doesn’t require bridge traffic to stop. Rolling large flags for storage is acceptable by flag etiquette standards, according to the MBA.

McLennan's mother, Patti, was also brought in for some specialized help outside of the skill set of the maintenance staff.

“My mother is a seamstress and we needed someone to reinforce the bottom of the flag,” McLennan said. “She volunteered her time to come be a part of it all.”

The Fourth of July is Thursday.

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