New York – The Statue of Liberty is reopening July 4 after Liberty Island flooded during Superstorm Sandy, and tickets for the ferry ride to the island are now on sale.
The statue has been closed since Sandy struck the region on Oct. 29, damaging much of the island’s infrastructure. The statue itself is on higher ground and was not damaged.
“We are delighted that Lady Liberty will once again be open to the public. We look forward to providing a safe and enjoyable experience to all of our visitors,” announced Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island Superintendent David Luchsinger. “We appreciate the extraordinary efforts of all of those who are working diligently to re-open the park.”
Visitors will once again be welcomed to Liberty Island, including the grounds, pedestal, the statue, and limited areas on Ellis Island.
Tickets to visit Liberty Island on July 4 through September may be purchased online or by phone from Statue Cruises. Tickets to the statue’s crown are only available by reservation.
The area will be closed off to the public as crews work to complete repairing and replacing docks, damaged buildings and security screening facilities.
The National Parks Service will have a new security system in place for the reopening. Officials said visitors will now be screened on Ellis Island after facilities at Liberty State Park and Battery Park were destroyed during the storm. The NYPD had voiced concerns that moving the screening of ferry passengers from Battery Park and Liberty State Park to Ellis Island left the ferries vulnerable to attack, WCBS 880′s Paul Murnane reported. The parks service said they “will have additional security measures in place at Battery Park, Liberty State Park and on board the ferries themselves” and “visitors will be screened using modern screening and detection technology” on Ellis Island. Specific details about the security measures are not being released, but parks service said they include “a coordinated and integrated combination of law enforcement, security personnel, and technology.” A second checkpoint will also be set up inside the Statue of Liberty’s base at Liberty Island.
Source: WCBS 880 AM NEW YORK
{Matzav.com Newscenter}
Ascending to the crown.
What a wonderful experience !