Statue of Liberty will close for one year for security upgrades
The Statue of Liberty will be closed for about a year on 12 October 2010 for security work; the $26 million dollar project will add fire-proof staircases, elevators, and exits
The Statue of Liberty will be closed for security upgrades starting about a year from now, depriving tourists a chance to visit the crown, base and pedestal for up to twelve months.
KGMI News Talk reports that visitors to one of New York’s most popular attractions will still be able to visit the park surrounding the statue on Liberty Island but the security upgrade will restrict access to the statue after 12 October 2011, when the statue celebrates its 125th anniversary. The $26 million dollar project will add fire-proof staircases, elevators and exits, said David Luchsinger, superintendent of the Statue of Liberty National Monument.
The only exit from the top of the 22-story observation deck is one narrow staircase.
More than five million people visit the landmark every year, with 20,000 tourists a day flocking to the site during the summer.
The statue was briefly evacuated in July following a false fire alarm, but the park has long been planning to improve security, Luchsinger said. “It’s a monumental task, to say the least,” Luchsinger said.
The statue was closed after the attacks of 9/11. It reopened in 2004 but the crown observation deck remained off limits until last year.
