Photo by John J Young

The highest view of the National Mall likely won’t be available to visitors until sometime in September, and the Washington Monument may close at some point in the future for a prolonged period of time to address its poorly behaved elevator.

Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton met with NPS officials today to discuss the monument’s chronic elevator issues—and subsequent closures. Currently in the midst of a weeklong shutdown, Norton learned that the inspection process could “stretch well into September,” according to a release from her office. During this time, crews will set to work identifying underlying deficiencies. Then, officials will be able create a full modernization plan for the elevator, which would be the first complete update in nearly 20 years. The rehabilitation process could take eight to nine months to complete.

The monument reopened in 2014 after repairs following the 5.8-magnitude earthquake that shook the region in 2011. Still, this is the second summer of frequent closures due to elevator-related issues.

Last Wednesday, a service interruption caused the elevator to stop between the 500’ and 490’ levels, Mike Litterst of NPS said at the time. It was caused by a cable that “broke loose from the car.” He added that the cable repair is unrelated to power issues that prompted closures the previous week.

When the elevator stopped, one NPS employee was on board and was extricated safely. Meanwhile, 84 people had to walk down the monument steps “without incident,” Litterst said.

Two days later, Litterst said the monument would remain closed for at least ten more days so that technicians could “perform a thorough evaluation of the elevator in order to understand the reasons for the recent failures.”

Norton said in a statement yesterday that Congress is mostly responsible for the elevator’s problems “because a lack of funding probably delayed the replacement of the 20-year-old control panel.” She also expressed concern that the frequent closures will discourage people from visiting the city “considering that the Monument is the main draw for many of the millions of tourists who visit Washington each year.”

Today, she thanked NPS officials for their transparency. But she also said that they should have fixed the elevator issues when the monument was closed for nearly three years following the earthquake. “When an elevator seems to be in good shape, but is a one-of-a-kind elevator that operates 13 hours per day from Memorial Day to Labor Day, and eight hours per day thereafter, the elevator’s lifespan must be uniquely measured,” she said.

The full modernization will cost between $2 to $3 million, according to a release from NPS. When the project reaches its construction phase, the monument’s lengthier closure will take place. But “there is no time table for when that closure might occur,” NPS says

Meanwhile, Norton is urging NPS to complete it by next year’s tourist season.