Recently, the crew working on a 475-foot-long bridge in Alaska’s Denali National Park received a surprising directive: they were instructed to cease flying the American flag from their trucks and heavy equipment involved in the $207 million Federal Highway Administration project.

Granite Construction is overseeing the construction of the bridge following a 2021 rockslide that damaged a section of the popular Denali Park Road, utilized by visitors and tour buses to access remote areas of the national park. Since 2023, efforts have been underway to repair the road at mile 45, with two mobile trucks and one piece of heavy equipment displaying standard-sized U.S. flags this spring.

A contractor working on the bridge anonymously contacted the Alaska Watchman regarding the recent order to remove the flags. According to the contractor, Denali National Park Superintendent Brooke Merrell communicated with the individual overseeing the federal highways project, citing complaints about the flags and directing bridge workers to discontinue flying the stars and stripes from their vehicles, asserting that it detracts from the “park experience.”

“The trucks are flying these American flags, about a foot atop the trucks, about three-foot by four-foot flags, and they said they don’t want this,” explained the contractor. “They’re saying it isn’t conducive and it doesn’t fit the park experience.” The flags had been displayed without incident until the park began running tour buses, prompting the order to remove them.

Expressing frustration, the contractor questioned why flying the American flag would be subject to park rules, particularly in a national park. He attributed the directive to Superintendent Merrell, who assumed control of the park in 2022, being noted as the first female superintendent in the park’s 105-year history.

Merrell relocated to Alaska in 2009, previously serving as a transportation planner and environmental coordinator. Hailing from Pennsylvania, she holds a master’s degree in urban planning and has prior experience with left-leaning environmentalist and social justice groups. The crew member attributed the directive to Merrell’s leadership, suggesting that “when these liberals get in charge of these parks, that’s how it is.”

The Watchman contacted Denali National Park for comment regarding the directive to remove flags and to seek clarification on whether the park has any policies against visitors flying American flags from their personal vehicles. However, as of the publication, there has been no response.

It is worth noting that the park does display the U.S. flag from various locations within the park, including at the visitors’ center.

Furthermore, the National Park Service actively promotes the display of other flags, some of which may be considered controversial by certain individuals. The official website of the National Park Service features a dedicated page honoring a variety of LGBTQ+ flags, showcasing images of them being displayed at national parks in the Lower 48 states.