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USS Arizona Memorial has reopened to the public. Due to damage in both the dock and concrete ramp leading to the memorial, Hawaii had to suspend tour operations to one of its most beloved attractions since May 2018.
After more than $2 million in dock and infrastructure repairs as well as many delays, tours have resumed to the USS Arizona Memorial. It’s believed that high tides in 2017 caused the concrete blocks to become dislodged from the harbor. The repairs proved to be more complex than originally planned with initials project completion slated for October 2018 (later pushed back to May2019 and September 2019). In the end, the entire concrete anchoring system had to be replaced to avoid future issues.
The USS Arizona Memorial record 1,947,495 visitors in 2017 according to National Park Service data. Pearl Harbor still attracted around 4,000 visitors per day, and the park service offered an alternative 30-minute boat tour of Pearl Harbor’s Battleship Row during the time of the repairs.
The reopening of the memorial provides a safer visit to Pearl Harbor, allowing visitors pay their respects to the men aboard the Arizona.
If you’re headed to the USS Arizona, remember that IMI Tours and SpeediShuttle offer USS Arizona tour packages. Find out more about memorial tours and all of our Oahu tours.