Washington Monument closed until 2014?

WASHINGTON -- The earthquake-damaged Washington Monument could remain closed into 2014, the National Park Service said, and its repairs will require that the exterior and part of the interior of the 555-foot structure be shrouded in scaffolding.

The estimated $15-million project could require the temporary removal of part of the granite plaza surrounding the monument and involve construction of an access road on the south side of its grounds.

Robert Vogel, superintendent of the Park Service's National Mall and Memorial Parks, said the project also may require the temporary removal of some of the plaza's flagpoles and benches.

The marble and granite monument was extensively damaged by the magnitude 5.8 earthquake that struck the area Aug. 23.

The structure, especially near the top, was cracked, and pieces of stone and mortar were loosened when it was essentially whiplashed by the quake.

The monument, which is entered by about 600,000 visitors a year, has been closed since the quake struck. Officials had said it might be closed until next year, but they now say the complex work could stretch into the following year. Repairs should be under way by fall and could take 12 to 18 months, Vogel said.

The monument repair project manager, Michael Morelli, said the park service issued a request for bids late last month and hopes to get proposals by July 31. Contracts should be awarded by next month.

Vogel said the exterior scaffolding is required because of the difficulty of working in the confined interior of the monument. But Morelli noted that some inside scaffolding will be needed for interior work near the top.

Large chunks of stone were shaken loose by the earthquake, and other cracked pieces were removed by inspectors in the weeks after to prevent debris from falling.