Washington Monument won’t reopen until 2019

The Washington Monument is expected to be reopened in 2019, the National Park Service announced Friday.

{mosads}The agency had said in September that the 555-foot monument would be closed indefinitely due to issues with its elevator related to the 2011 earthquake centered in Virginia.

The Wall Street billionaire David Rubenstein has pledged to cover the cost of the servicing, which is expected run between $2 million and $3 million.

“The monument has become a symbol of our country, and reminds everyone of the towering strengths of our first president,” Rubenstein said in a statement. “I am honored to help make this symbol safely accessible again to all Americans as soon as practicable.”

Elevator issues have forced the monument to close since mid-August.