After months of prep work, the final pieces of scaffolding have been mounted around the exterior walls of Washington Monument on Monday. The iconic 555-foot tall structure is about to undergo repairs after it was damaged from a 2011 earthquake. News4 provides a rare glimpse from the top of the Washington Monument.
Construction workers gave News4 the first look from the tip of the Washington Monument, more than 500 feet above ground.
Workers assembled the last of 6,000 scaffolding pieces protecting the monument as they prepped it for repairs. They wore cameras strapped to their helmets, giving a unique view over the District.
The monument was damaged during a 5.8-magnitude earthquake in August 2011. It has been closed ever since for preparations.
The repairs are expected to start in about a month, and will total $15 million.
For now, more than 37 miles of pipe cover the monument.
Visitors agreed the construction is an eyesore, but said they are happy to see the iconic structure being repaired.
"[The construction] really puts into scale the size of the monument," one visitor said. "It has to be preserved."
The repairs are set to be completed some time next year.
