If you are driving past Exit 181 on Interstate 40 from now on, you can spot them: American flags, properly displayed, on either side of the overpass. Depending on your perspective you may smile, or snort derisively, or not notice them at all.
These flags are the product of two and a half years of a completely ad hoc, grassroots, random assembly of volunteers across the East Mountains, itself a diverse region spanning four counties. It started with a post on the Nextdoor social media site.
There had been flags at this site previously, but the effort to keep them flying was considered too much of a burden by the previous sponsor. The wind in the area shreds the flags in three to four months. As soon as the flags came down, the poles were taken down by the Department of Transportation as they posed a hazard due to their proximity to the interstate.
Dan Patterson, a lifetime educator and former Eastern New Mexico University regent, missed seeing them on his drive home and posted on Nextdoor, "Does anybody else miss the flags on the Sedillo overpass?" That was all it took. Lots of neighbors missed them too.
Many folks out here said, "Just put them back up." Dan felt that was a good way to have them immediately taken back down. In the meantime, Kelly Lang w0anted up to help Dan and the two of them embarked on a process that had no precedent.
You see, there is absolutely, positively no provision in state code for "permitting flagpoles at interstate overpasses sponsored by a coalition of assorted lovely people with definitely no money whatsoever." Google for it. Even if you opt for the AI search, you'll get nothing.
So the Department of Transportation was at something of a loss as to how to go about this project. Drawings were requested. Kelly and Dan and the East Mountain team got some drawings. Well, engineering drawings maybe. The volunteers went back to the drawing board and found a design engineer who would donate his time and sent him to his actual drawing board. Voilá! Engineering drawings.
The East Mountaineers went to hand deliver them in Santa Fe. They encountered an empty building, because it was being remodeled. They got a mailing address. The mailroom never delivered it to the right point of contact. The correct individual finally picked up the drawings which were subsequently sent to the Building Committee. The Building Committee had some questions. See where this is going?
In the meantime, interest in the flag project grew, and more people with no connection but a shared interest in the project started following the progress on Nextdoor. They also started writing DOT. Another design engineer in Edgewood was found who volunteered to build the poles.
Just over two years after Dan's original Nextdoor post, DOT approved erecting the flagpoles as designed at the requested location. But another permit was now required: authorization to do work along the interstate. Unfazed, the Coalition of Lovely People sailed through that permitting process in a matter of months. Kelly occupied her time with light tasks like painting highway-grade flagpoles and clearing the lots on either side of the interstate.
Even without having to complete a non-existent permitting process with an organically-grown volunteer group, maintaining a 24-hour flag display is work. The national ensign must be lit at night and must be properly disposed of at the first sign of wear. It's estimated that the Sedillo site will go through up to eight flags a year at roughly $50 per flag.
Keeping the flags aloft at Sedillo Hill will require a sustained community effort. The Sandia Mountain Lions Club is managing donations for flags. $400 a year isn't a huge raise, and the East Mountain community will be good for it, I am sure. The flagpoles have solar lights at the top, which may still require maintenance (and permits) through the years.
I am fairly confident the flags will be well cared for.
It's nice to take a step back from 2025 and see a win for community cooperation. I hope reading this column has given you as much relaxation as I got from writing it.
Merritt Hamilton Allen is a PR executive and former Navy officer. She appeared regularly as a panelist on NM PBS and is a frequent guest on News Radio KKOB. A Republican for 36 years, she became an independent upon reading the 2024 Republican platform. She lives amicably with her Democratic husband north of I-40 where they run one head of dog, and one of cat. She can be reached at
