April 23, 2009
Statue of Liberty crown study complete, no decision yet
U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar has received a copy of the long-awaited study on whether there is a safe way to reopen the crown the Statue of Liberty, but he has not yet made a decision, Darren Boch, a National Park Service spokesman, said in an interview Wednesday with NewYorkology.
The report, which has not yet been made public, was commissioned to determine if there’s a safe way to evacuate the statue in case of a fire. The crown, which has been closed since Sept. 11, 2001, was under scrutiny even before the terror attacks because its central double-helix staircase was usually so gridlocked with people that it could take hours to inch to the top.
“We will explore all opportunities to re-open the crown while reducing risk to the public,” Salazar said after a January visit to the crown. “I hope we can find a way. It would proclaim to the world – both figuratively and literally – that the path to the light of liberty is open to all.”
“We may have it opened up to a smaller group of people,” Salazar told Reuters in March.
Indeed, that’s the policy the National Park Service uses for entrance to the Statue of Liberty museum, which reopened in August 2004. Currently only about 2,500 people are allowed inside the statue and the museum each day. Access is free, but you have to know to request a Monument Pass when buying your ferry ticket.
Boch said there is no set date for Salazar’s decision about crown access.
Earlier: Report expected on Statue of Liberty crown access
Statue of Liberty crown may open by July 4 - Reuters
Statue of Liberty crown may reopen on limited basis
Statue of Liberty’s crown may re-open under Obama
Fire safety keeping Statue of Liberty’s top closed
NewYorkology Basics: Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island
April 23, 2009 8:23 AM in Architecture, Cheap Stuff, Downtown, History, Kids, Out of Manhattan, Sightsology, Tours
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