Engineers enlisted by the National Park Service to inspect and coordinate the repair of the earthquake-damaged Washington Monument haven't yet forecast a date it will reopen, but WTOP has learned plans are being made to winterize the 555-foot stone obelisk.
Carol Johnson, a spokesperson with the National Park Service, says the engineering firm has finished its assessment of the damage to the monument's interior, but not its exterior, from the Aug. 23 earthquake that shook the region.
"They're putting together a report on that as we speak," Johnson says.
Four exterior stones near the tip of the monument were initially found to be cracked, but rains from Hurricane Irene leaked through softened mortar and caused several cracks, along with minor flooding inside the structure.
"We're now planning what the next stage will be," says Johnson. "As of now we do not have a reopening date."
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