By AP/St. Louis Public Radio
ST. LOUIS –
The National Park Service has awarded a contract for a structural study of the Gateway Arch. The study comes after the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported about corrosion problems in the 45-year-old, 630-foot-tall monument to westward expansion.
Officials for the Park Service said Monday that the Northbrook,Ill.-based structural engineering firm Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates will perform the study.
The superintendent in charge of the Arch says the study is part of a proactive effort to understand the long-term maintenance needs of the unique structure.
In recent weeks, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that the Arch was showing corrosion. The newspaper said there were no short-term safety concerns, but repairs could be expensive.