If you look up in Washington on Wednesday, you might think you’re seeing Spiderman. But, no, it’s likely a team of engineers getting set to rappel down the 123-year old Washington Monument to check for cracks in the structure.
The monument was damaged last month by a 5.8-magnitude earthquake that shook the nation’s capital, and the site has been closed to visitors ever since. The National Parks Service Spokesman said the main concern is in repairing the cracks to prevent debris from falling on visitors, said spokesman Bill Line. The monument will remain closed for exterior repairs until the visual inspection of the exterior can be completed.
The Washington press camped out on the lawn facing the Washington Monument all day on Tuesday, along with many interested observers. They were waiting for rappellers from a private engineering firm to emerge from the four windows in the pyramidion and scale the 555-foot monument to no avail.
Dave Megerle, an engineer from engineering firm Wiss, Janney, Elstner, Associates, was at the top of the monument for hours constructing a barrier around the monument’s lightning rod system and making sure ropes were secure for the trip down the sides of the iconic structure.
But due to bad weather and the fear of lightning strikes, the actual rappelling is not expected to occur until Wednesday morning.