Visitor access to the USS Arizona Memorial will not be restored this March as hoped, according to the National Park Service/US Navy
Best efforts to get the USS Arizona Memorial reopened to the public in March have failed, with no specific date to get the repair work completed.
Access to the USS Arizona Memorial was suspended last May when minor damage to the exterior of the structure became visible at the main point of entry. A more thorough examination revealed that the damage was caused by a failure of the anchoring system for the boat dock adjacent to the USS Arizona Memorial. This placed extreme pressure on the loading bridge that provides overwater passage for visitors from the boat dock to the USS Arizona Memorial. Access was curtailed immediately to ensure visitor safety and prevent additional damage to the memorial.
Back in October officials though the work could be completed in time to reopen the memorial in March, but now that date has been crossed out.
“Over the past 10 months, National Park Service staff and partners have taken an aggressive approach to develop and implement an expedited plan to repair the damage to the visitor loading ramp on the USS Arizona Memorial. Despite our best efforts and optimism, our previously estimated timeline for restoring access to the USS Arizona Memorial has been delayed and it will not reopen this March," said Superintendent Jacqueline Ashwell.
“I am frustrated, as all of us are. I can promise you that every person working on this project is working as hard as they can, and are dedicated to reopening the memorial to the public as soon as we can."
While the design phase for the work was completed last fall, a contract to do the work has yet to be issued.
"We anticipate that the contract for the repairs will be awarded in March 2019 and the repairs will then be completed as quickly as possible," Superintendent Ashwell said. "We will provide updates, including a timeline and reopening date for the memorial, as the project progresses.”
Comments
It's real hard to award a contract for work, when the full scope of the project is not known. Especially when you consider it's a government contract.
We put a man on the moon 50 years ago. Just as well this mob were not in charge of that project
It's all political.
There is no sense of history at the White House, and in the current administration. The current president shares no love with Democrats, from Hawaii. And the National Park Service and Department of the Interior are all working against any progress regarding repair of the Memorial Dock, etc. Write your members of Congress, immediately and *insist* that this project be placed on the front burner.
"And the National Park Service and Department of the Interior are all working against any progress regarding repair of the Memorial Dock, etc. "
Nonsense.
Yes, nonsense.
For the honor of the service men entombed at the
memorial and for the sake of the American people and other visitors who visit the site, it should be repaired with out further delay.
To make a political comment that "This administration has no love for Hawaii" is just ridiculous. No one has shown more respect for the men and women of the Armed Forces, both living and dead, than President Trump. The Arizona Memorial project ran into numerous problems relating to structural defects continuously being discovered, and each one needing more funding approved to address the issue. That's how funding works, regardless of who is president.
My Grandfather served on the Arizona for 3 years. He left 5 months before the sneak attack....Dig this Craig O.....You can take your comment about "this current administration" and shove it where the sun don't shine.