This article is about James Sereigo-Wareing, founder of New England Caring for our MIlitary. These displays are another way he shows support and pays tribute to our troops but they are not part of NECFOM.

'It's Just Another Bridge' By DAVID PERRY, Sun Staff Lowell Sun CHELMSFORD --

James Sereigo-Wareing and Andrew Zabierek were moved to action by the same moment, the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Those who run the state's highways were moved by safety concerns. And then it got confusing. Wareing, of Methuen, also known as "Flagman," on Wednesday pulled down most of his overpass tribute to Marine Lance Cpl. Zabierek of Chelmsford, who died in his country's service in Iraq on May 21, 2004. Wareing, unable to completely abandon his display, left a series of small American flags, crossed, with a yellow ribbon between them. "Wareing's tribute, on both sides of the Route 4 overpass over Interstate 495 at exit 34, was one of 11 he constructed in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, shrines to the toll of 9/11 and beyond. Wareing was told it would all have to come down as the result of a ruling against all tributes by MassHighway, which became concerned that poles affixed to bridges would snap in high winds, and flags or banners could fly loose and block windshields, causing accidents. Then came word that the ban is, in fact, only partial, covering poles extending from bridges and banners, as well as flags attached to the outside of bridges and overpass railings. Tributes thoroughly affixed to the inside railings of the structures can stay. "Of course, it bothers me," Andrew's father, Stephen Zabierek, said last night. "But I do understand the intent. We want everybody to be safe, too." But he misses the meaning that vanished. "I drive over that bridge every day on the way to work, and on the way home. And I don't think anybody could drive over it without thinking about Andrew or someone else they know who's serving." Including another Zabierek son, Mark, who returned from Iraq three weeks ago. "Now we'll all drive by, and it's just another bridge," he said. While a few overpass banners celebrate birthdays and anniversaries, many are built around messages to soldiers returning from or heading to Iraq. Or like, Zabierek, those who paid the ultimate sacrifice. Reading resident Linda Noone's overpass tribute to the U.S. military over Interstate 93 was pulled down last week by maintenance workers, including, she said, flags that were thoroughly affixed to the inside of the bridge. "I came home," she said, "and my mouth was hanging open, and I thought, what happened?" It's a matter of "miscommunication," said Jon Carlisle, a spokesman for MassHighway. New guidelines weren't as strict as the maintenance workers, who interpret them while patrolling roads and bridges regularly, thought. Others are not so gentle. "It's stupidity is what it is," said Joe Dussault, Lowell's veteran's agent. "They were afraid of some of the flags on the outside perimeter falling on cars and causing accidents. But when the state decides it's a safety consideration, they should talk to people about it first. They have no common sense. They've let people do it as a past practice for so many years, and all of a sudden, after what happened with the Big Dig, they're afraid they'll get sued. And who do they pick on first? The veterans and the people who put up the flags to welcome them." "Safety?" said Noone, whose vast, 9-month-old military tribute on the 129 overpass along I-93 between Reading and Wilmington included more than 150 American flags. "Listen, I'd drive under that bridge any day before I'd drive through one of the state's tunnels." "We understand why people are charged up," said Carlisle. "This is a highly charged thing." It cuts deep for Noone, whose 21-year-old daughter, U.S. Marine Michelle Carter, returned from Iraq in June and is slated to head back in March. Carlisle said that previously, it had been up to individual maintenance workers to remove what they viewed as unsafe or improperly secured flags, banners and other messages. But because such overpass tributes have been "on the increase over the last several years" and "one maintenance person's idea of safe may not match another's," MassHighway has attempted to more clearly define and make consistent standards on such matters. "The vast majority of it is not a problem," said Carlisle. "We're willing to work with people to realize the realm of the possible." Wareing, who was allowed to trim his display himself when he appealed to MassHighway, and Noone both said they understand the safety issue, and neither has a problem with the removal of loose banners or poles. "Going over there now," Wareing said of the Zabierek tribute, "it seems kind of ... bare." Both were meticulous in hanging and maintaining the displays, they said. Wareing learned by experience how to affix flags so vandals couldn't take them, and never took anything onto an overpass that could fall below. The poles he was told to take down had withstood near-hurricane-force winds. Wareing, in particular, is a sort of overpass-tribute guru, to whom Noone looked for guidance when she hung hers. His first and most elaborate overpass tribute was the Howe Street Bridge over Route 213 in Methuen, which he began shortly after visiting New York during the week after 9/11. He took it down Tuesday. Noone said the workers left a mess of clipped plastic ties after they removed her tribute. Carlisle said all materials removed from overpasses will be stored in a district-office depot and may be claimed. Wareing said he's glad officials are concerned for safety, but "the bridge in Chelmsford is what seems unsafe." "There are bolts missing in places," he said. "I'd get on there and get a little scared."

David Perry's e-mail address is dperry@lowellsun.com.

David Perry-Sun Staff Lowell Sun

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