Washington Monument Quake Repairs Expected To Last Into 2014

WASHINGTON -- The National Park Service expects to keep the earthquake-damaged Washington Monument closed to visitors into 2014 as repair work continues at the iconic obelisk on the National Mall.

The Washington Post reports that the repair work will require exterior and interior scaffolding, plus the possible temporary removal of some benches and flagpoles from the monument's plaza.

The Washington Monument was one of a handful of structures in the nation's capital that sustained damage from the Aug. 23, 2011, 5.8-magnitude quake centered in Central Virginia's Louisa County. Others include the Washington National Cathedral, Union Station, Sherman Hall at the Armed Forces Retirement Home, two buildings at the Catholic University of America and Arlington House at Arlington National Cemetery.

The monument, once the world's tallest structure, was shaken and sustained damage, will involve installing 31 metal brackets in the pointed pyramidion to strengthen exterior slabs, the Post reports. The NPS is interested in using the decorative nylon scrim -- which illuminated the monument during exterior work 12 years ago -- depending on cost.