Montco Measurment Company Makes Digital Image of Washington Monument
By Brad Segall
ABINGTON, Pa. (CBS) -- A Montgomery County, Pa. company is again using cutting-edge technology to digitally preserve a very recognizable piece of American history.
The 2011 earthquake along the East Coast caused extensive damage to the Washington Monument, causing the National Park Service to close the structure to the public for three years.
Now, DJS Associates, of Abington, Pa., is using high-tech, three-dimensional laser scanners to create a baseline measurement of the rebuilt Washington Monument in case something like that happens again.
DJS president Steven Schorr says the scanners have the ability to reach the top of the 555' structure, but admits there may still be some challenges.
"This will be a question to see whether or not we're going to get as much information as we can at the very top," he tells KYW Newsradio, "and if we can't we'll work with the National Park Service to see if there's another way."
He says using laser-scanning drones and rappelling down the side of the monument have already been nixed for now.
DJS recently scanned the Lincoln Memorial. They are also hoping to do Independence Hall.
Some of the information will be made available online for educational purposes.
