ICYMI: Washington Monument Shut Down Indefinitely

Editor's note: This article was originally posted earlier this week.

WASHINGTON, DC — The Washington Monument is closed to the public for the foreseeable future as officials have been unable to get a handle on the continuing problems with the monument's elevator, according to a statement from the National Park Service.

"Despite the continuing work on the Washington Monument elevator, we have not been able to determine the causes of the ongoing reliability issues," the statement reads. "As a result, we have made the difficult decision not to reopen the Washington Monument until we can modernize the elevator control system. The scope of work to be accomplished while the monument is closed and the duration of the closure are still being determined; we expect to have an announcement with those additional details in the next couple weeks."

The Washington Monument's elevator has had to shut down repeatedly in recent years, often stranding tourists at the top of the monument who must then walk hundreds of feet down the stairs.

The monument was damaged during the 2011 earthquake, causing a huge crack in the top of the structure and necessitating repairs that have been completed since then. However, the elevator has continued to prove problematic for the National Park Service.

Photo by Greg Hambrick