109 flags line the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. What happens if one is damaged?

There are 109 country flags lining the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. What happens when one of them starts to look a little worse for wear?

A reader asked about how the iconic flags are maintained through Curious Philly, The Inquirer’s forum for answering queries of all kinds.

As a refresher — the country flags were mounted along the road, which is modeled after Paris’ Champs-Élysées, in 1976 as part of the United States’ Bicentennial celebration. The flags are meant to represent all of the nations that have a significant population in Philly, plus Puerto Rico, which is the only flag representing a territory, not an independent nation.

Originally 90 flags were placed along the mile-long stretch, but the city added 19 more in 2010. They are arranged in alphabetical order, starting from 16th Street on the north side of the Parkway and continuing from the Art Museum on the south side, except the flags for Israel, Italy, Vatican City and Poland, which are placed near relevant locations — the Holocaust Memorial, the Cathedral Basilica of SS. Peter and Paul, and the statue of Polish general Tadeusz Kosciuszko.

According to the city’s department of public property, it aims to replace each flag twice a year, or as needed when a flag has been damaged. Shift crews perform a weekly check, and monitor them for signs of wear. Strong weather events or winds tend to stress the flags the most, the department said. Intense sunshine is also known to shorten a flag’s lifespan.

Aside from tears or fraying on the flags themselves, city workers also look for damage to the bungee cords used to attach them to poles. The bungees can be repaired or replaced without needing a new flag.

In 2022, the collection of flags deteriorated such that the city removed all 109 and replaced them. When announcing the change, the city said it was not able to add flags because of a lack of space.

How often one should replace an outdoor flag depends slightly upon who you ask, and how often you’re flying it. Some flag retailers recommend replacing a flag that’s flown outdoors 24 hours a day like those on the Parkway every 90 days, while others suggest replacing the flags along the city’s timeline of twice per year.

“Your flag works extremely hard while being displayed. It whips, it snaps, it bakes, it freezes!” reads the American Flags 4 Less website, which added that no two flags will wear the exact same way.

The Department of Public Property said its flags are custom-made by an outside vendor to fit the Parkway poles, and have reinforced stitching.

Reports of flags in disrepair are directed from the Office of the City Representative to the Department of Public Property. The department said that it receives such reports often, especially after strong weather.

The United States Flag Code is subjective in its rules for when an American flag, at least, should be replaced. Section 8(k) reads: “The flag, when it is in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem for display, should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning.”