Plan May Ease Visits To D.C. Monument

In hopes of getting rid of the slow-moving line that stretches around the Washington Monument, the National Park Service will try handing out free, timed tickets for tours.

“On a peak summer day with good weather, the line is two to three hours long,” Park Service spokesman Earle Kittleman said Friday. “This way people can get their tickets, go do something else and come back.”

During the two-month trial beginning Oct. 17, tickets will be handed out to visitors on a first-come basis, allowing them to return at a set time later in the day. The ticket office will open 30 minutes earlier than the monument.