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Posted by: kwflatbed

Highway Department Says It's Safety Issue





Video: State: Overpass Signs Must Come Down

BOSTON -- Those homemade signs, banners and American flags honoring soldiers must come down from highway overpasses in Massachusetts.

So says the state highway department, which is concerned that the patriotic displays could fall from their perches and cause a hazard to drivers.

Since Sept. 11, 2001, the signs and flags have been placed on bridges to welcome soldiers home, or sometimes to remember fallen servicemen.
Ramon Jimenez says he doesn't understand why the signs have to be removed. He says a display overlooking Route 213 has brought him comfort as he awaits word on the fate of his son. Army specialist Alex Jimenez of Lawrence has been missing since his unit was ambushed in Iraq in May.

MassHighway spokesman Erik Abell says the state appreciates the patriotism but can't risk any danger to motorists.

As an alternative to the displays, the department is offering to put permanent "Welcome Home Troops" signs at all highway rest stops.

I wonder if this guy is a veteran ? MassHighway spokesman Erik Abell

http://www.thebostonchannel.com/news...98/detail.html

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Posted by: misconceived

Didn't this come up before?

I thought the state made a determination that the signs could remain as long as they were affixed to the inside of the fence?

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Posted by: kwflatbed

Yes it did that is why there was a flagpole put up in Fairhaven on the overpass
and everything is well secured on the inside of the fence.
I would bet that some illegal war protester made a complaint.

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Posted by: kwflatbed

Task Force To Determine Overpass Banner Rules

Some Say Items Are Not Safe


BOSTON -- Gov. Deval Patrick put the brakes Tuesday on a policy to remove all banners and flags from state highway bridges and overpasses.

NewsCenter 5's Rhondella Richardson reported that calling them a safety hazard; MassHighway set this week as a deadline for removal, angering many people -- especially veterans groups.

In between Memorial Day, Flag Day, Fourth of July and Veterans Day, the flags remained on public display for six years.
For a lot of people, bridge displays help fill the year-round hole left when a loved one is lost in action or to celebrate a homecoming.

One homemade banner is for the Jimenez family. Spec. Alex Jimenez was ambushed and went missing in Iraq seven months ago.

" I do not want commercial industry taking them down, such as MassHighway. I'll take them down myself, even though I disagree with the decision," said Jim Wareing, who makes the banners.

What went up as a labor of love came down with regret, resentment and outrage. MassHighway said the banners were safety hazards, and that a loose flag could cause a car crash.

Before the banners are removed, Patrick directed a task force to figure it out and look at what's safe.

"Gov. Deval Patrick today directed Secretary of Veterans' Services Tom Kelley and MassHighway Commissioner Luisa Paiewonsky to convene a group of veterans' representatives and highway safety professionals to develop a plan to appropriately honor our veterans on MassHighway and other agency-owned property," officials said in a statement.

"MassHighway will not complete the removal of displays until the task force identifies an appropriate and safe means of honoring veterans on state-owned transportation properties."

But, Wareing said he sees the task force as a delay before the inevitable removal. He said MassHighway should have more pressing bridge concerns than the quick pickup of bridge displays.

"I have seen gaping holes six to nine inches wide, where a foot can go in, and you can drop anything onto the underpass," Wareing said.

http://www.thebostonchannel.com/news...21/detail.html

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Posted by: GodblessThearmy

First it is screwing over the boy scouts, now this crap...

I will just bite my tongue.

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Posted by: mtc

Don't bite!

Why not have Mass Highway point out all the crashes that these falling displays have caused? I haven't heard of any.

That, in comparison to the 15-some odd cars totalled the other night on Rte95 alone,,,, because they didn't see fit to treat the roadways in a timely manner... like 6 hours after the snow started and 4 hours of calls pleading for sand and salt......

No task force for that though.

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Posted by: HousingCop

Quote:

Originally Posted by kwflatbed Some Say Items Are Not Safe What went up as a labor of love came down with regret, resentment and outrage. MassHighway said the banners were safety hazards, and that a loose flag could cause a car crash.

The only safety hazard I have seen on a bridge overpass is the concrete falling from beneath it onto the roadway in front of moving vehicles.
SHAME on the Patrick administration for putting these jerks in charge of policy for MassHighway. He's the worst Govenor EVER (besides Swifty).

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Posted by: Delta784

Quote:

Originally Posted by HousingCop SHAME on the Patrick administration for putting these jerks in charge of policy for MassHighway. He's the worst Govenor EVER (besides Swifty).

I think he has a ways to go to catch Dukakis.

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