Scaffolding will start to come down Nov. 11 and crews will finish the removal in about three months. The monument will reopen in the spring – just in time for Commencement.
The monument was damaged in an August 2011 earthquake and has been closed for repairs since. The National Park Service said in a release that external work is about 80 percent complete, and interior fixes are about 30 percent done. The restoration will cost a total of about $15 million.
Lights will soon appear a few blocks down the National Mall when workers begin repairs on the Capitol building in November. The dome will be illuminated while work is underway. The upgrades should take about two years to complete and will cost $60 million.
