Perhaps NOW I can go atop Lady Liberty?
The National Park Service is considering reopening Lady Liberty's crown for the first time since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
The park service requested bids last month to study what it would take to safely open the Statue of Liberty's iconic headpiece to the public, according to documents released by U.S. Rep. Anthony Weiner, D-N.Y.
NPS said the staircase to the observation deck was installed for maintenance workers, not for sightseers. When it was open, rangers responded to emergencies almost daily, especially in summer heat.
Sightseers suffered heat exhaustion, shortness of breath, panic attacks, claustrophobia and fear of heights, the service said.
The narrow spiral staircase that leads up to the crown doesn't comply with fire and building codes.
Keeping the observation deck shuttered hurts the city's economy: Since the crown closed, the number of visitors to Lady Liberty has dropped sharply.
"The statue's designer, Frederic Auguste Bartholdi, never intended visitors to ascend to the crown," spokesman Darren Boch said.
BUT I WANNA!
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