The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is flying a massive American flag from the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge this Fourth of July weekend to mark the nation’s 250th anniversary. Whether the flag actually goes up depends entirely on the weather, according to Brooklyn Paper.
The MTA said it will only fly the flag if sustained winds stay below 25 miles per hour, a direct response to what happened in 1976, when a similar flag hung from the same bridge for the Bicentennial was torn apart by wind on June 28 of that year. That flag measured 71,000 square feet, significantly larger than a full NFL football field. The MTA has not disclosed the dimensions of this year’s display, Brooklyn Paper reported.
Getting the flag on the bridge took more than a year of advocacy. In April 2025, State Sen. Jessica Scarcella-Spanton, who represents the North Shore of Staten Island and parts of South Brooklyn, joined Council Member David Carr and Assembly Member Michael Tannousis in sending a formal letter to the MTA requesting the display ahead of the semiquincentennial. Alesio Bejleri, a 22-year-old Staten Island college student and Chair of Government Relations for the Staten Island Young Democrats, reached out to borough leaders to help, Brooklyn Paper reported.
“I am especially proud that my team was able to get this over the finish line with our partners in government, ensuring that the flag would be flown in time for the Fourth of July and the 250th anniversary celebrations,” Scarcella-Spanton said.
Jack Torre, a trustee at the Bay Ridge Historical Society, told Brooklyn Paper the location carries historical weight beyond the holiday. The Battle of Brooklyn, also known as the Battle of Long Island, was one of the major early engagements of the Revolutionary War. British and Hessian forces landed in southwest Brooklyn near Gravesend Bay in August 1776 before advancing inland against American troops, and the British armada anchored near where the bridge stands today, Torre said.
Torre welcomed the flag but said the 1976 incident was on his mind. “We don’t want a repeat of 1976 when the flag lasted a very short time before being torn apart,” he said.
Torre also noted the bridge has become a landmark for surrounding communities. “We are proud that it has recognized the accomplishment of Giovanni da Verrazzano in 1524 as the first European to explore the Atlantic coast of North America,” he told Brooklyn Paper.
