Governor sorry about flag Caltrans painted over

(07-02) 17:15 PDT San Francisco -- Three men who painted an American flag on a retaining wall along Interstate 680, only to see it covered this week by Caltrans workers who treated it as graffiti, got an apology from Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Friday.

"To do so only days before we celebrate our independence and reflect on the freedoms we are lucky enough to enjoy in America is unconscionable," the governor said in a statement. "I extend my apologies to the artists whose mural inspired drivers along 680 for over eight and a half years."

The 35-foot flag was first painted the week after the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, by Eric Noda, R.J. Waldron and Thomas Hanley. They picked the highly visible retaining wall on the Sunol grade because thousands of motorists passed the image each day.

On Wednesday, Caltrans workers repainted the retaining wall gray, citing a graffiti removal order.

A spokesperson for Caltrans said the painters could apply for a permit that would give them legal permission to reapply the flag painting in the same spot.

E-mail Justin Berton at jberton@sfchronicle.com.

This article appeared on page C - 2 of the San Francisco Chronicle