Normally a scenic walk from the World War II Memorial to the Lincoln Memorial, the half-mile route no longer offers the same uninterrupted views Washington DC tourists have come to expect.
Construction has been ongoing since April on the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, disrupting the busy spring tourism season after President Donald Trump ordered the iconic landmark to be painted "American Flag Blue."
So as hundreds of people lined the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on Wednesday afternoon, May 13, for photo opps, far fewer stopped along the 2,000-foot reflecting pool, now hidden behind black fencing stretching from end to end.
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If you're tall enough to see over the fencing, which has darkened the sidewalks without the view of the pool beside it, you'll spot workers in hard hats working to ensure the project is completed by America250 celebrations.
The reflecting pool these days sits barren, drained of its 6.75 million gallons of water as crews work to waterproof the pool's bottom, fix leaks and repaint it.
Trump said April 23 the project would be finished in a few weeks, with work still well underway when viewed Wednesday.
The president also said the project would cost $1.5 million, but that estimation has now ballooned to $13.4 million, according to The New York Times.
Construction at the National Mall is not limited to just the reflecting pool, as visitors were kept off large stretches of grass because of metal fences placed between the Washington Monument and U.S. Capitol.
Workers were visible Wednesday operating heavy machinery, with scaffolding and large structures already in place for upcoming celebrations, including The Great American State Fair and Rededicate 250.
Organizers for June's 16-day fair previously said semi-permanent "Beaux-Arts" style structures would be erected along the National Mall, as well as a smaller replica of Trump's proposed "Triumphal Arch."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What we saw behind black fence hiding National Mall's reflecting pool
